This year FourWORDs Student Ministry is taking head on the issue of teens and loneliness both at WIRED and at the Fall Retreat. Being alone is one thing, but feeling lonely is quite another. Humans are relational beings made in the image of a relational God. When we end up isolated and feeling alone, loneliness can often creep in…even when we are in groups.

There are a number of causes for this and this article offers some practical and helpful tips for us parents as we try to understand this ourselves and then help our teens through it. Ultimately, we need to help them see themselves as image bearers of God who need restitution with Him which can only come through faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Then, we need to help them see and process what that means all while living as sinners in a sinful and broken world. By God’s grace we can do that as we seek to raise up the next generation who’s affections are constantly stirred towards our all-satisfying Savior – Jesus Christ!