"You Have Problems, I Have Solutions" - God: Answers for Teens and Young Adults

By Dan T. Dennison

Who can best answer universal questions? The Creator of the Universe! Teens and young adults commonly have difficult questions, problems, and concerns. "Why was I born?" "Which career should I choose?" "Why didn't God answer my prayers?" "Is sex a sin if my boyfriend/girlfriend and I love each other?" "How can I deal with periods of hopelessness or extreme sadness?" "Can gender be changed?" "What should I do if someone is telling lies about me?" Using quotations directly from the Bible, this book provides solutions and answers to young people's most common problems and questions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9798350904277

Book preview

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Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New Living Translation of the Bible.

Copyright © 2023 by Dan T. Dennison

All Rights Reserved

Print ISBN: 979-8-35090-426-0

eBook ISBN: 979-8-35090-427-7

To my grandson Dillan,

whose spirited canvassing of classmates provided tough questions serving as the nucleus of this book, and to Sweet Lady, my always-encouraging wife, Carol Lin.

Contents

Introduction

First Things First

Why Was I Born?

How Do I Know What to Do with my Life?

Which Career Should I Choose?

How Do I Find Joy and Peace, and Deal with Worry?

Why Don’t my Plans Turn Out?

Why Didn’t God Answer my Prayers?

Why Do I Have Problems?

Why Do I Sometimes Feel that I Am Out of Control

of my own Destiny?

I Did Something Really, Really Bad...

How Can I Avoid Temptation and Sin?

Is Sex a Sin if my Boyfriend/Girlfriend and

I Love Each Other?

What Does God Say about Someone Who Is Gay?

Can Gender Be Changed?

Why Don’t I Have What I Want?

How Can I Improve Relationships with Friends,

Family, and Acquaintances?

How Can I Improve a Romantic Relationship?

What Does the Bible Say about Suicide?

How Can I Deal with Periods of Hopelessness or

Extreme Sadness?

What Should I Do if Some of my Friends Are a

Bad Influence?

What Should I Do if Someone Is Telling Lies about Me?

How Should I React to Bullies and Enemies?

Is Revenge Okay?

What Should I Do if Someone Else Is Being Bullied?

Why Do Bad People and Profane Celebrities Seem to

Get away with Everything and Do so Well?

Conclusions!

Introduction

As young children, we discovered for ourselves that if we reached up to the forbidden but enticing top of a red-hot stove, we got burned. Lesson learned. In elementary school, we suffered the uncomfortable truth behind the warning not to overstuff ourselves with sugary Halloween candy. Another lesson learned. However, as teens and young adults, the significance of learning through life experiences is vastly elevated in complexity. At this important stage of life, we are faced with especially confusing choices and questions. Life’s lessons are often learned at the price of anxiety, pain, and awful consequences.

Fortunately, a better path is available, a way to avoid complicated and destructive outcomes. Find it in these pages, and recast your life.

First Things First

Most of us have wondered, Where can I find answers to my questions, and solutions for my problems? When I do find an answer, how do I know it’s the right answer? These great mysteries can be solved … by looking at history.

Did you know that ancient conquering Roman armies played an important role in spreading the information that you want and need today? Twenty-seven years before the birth of Christ, and for about 400 years after, Roman armies dominated and united the entire known world. During this period, they not only expanded a system of trade routes and roads but established a common language as well. This common language allowed easier communication between people of all nations, regardless of the many dialects that formerly separated them. This in turn allowed the worldwide dispersal of the wisdom provided by the Old Testament, the original core of today’s Bible. But even more important, it allowed the spread of the Good News about the birth of Christ, which we will see was also used by God to provide and clarify many of the answers and solutions that you are looking for today.

One individual involved in spreading this Good News was Paul, a dedicated messenger of God’s word. In approximately A.D. 67, Paul wrote to his student Timothy, All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out, and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Timothy pointed out that scripture is our instruction manual. I have searched our (your!) entire instruction manual for helpful information, and will point out the specific scriptures that answer your most important questions. Rather than just footnoting these scriptures, I am quoting the actual words of God, and words inspired by God, that directly answer some of your most puzzling questions and offer solutions