Teens. Toddlers. Moms. No matter the age. We all struggle to remember (or know) the truth about who God says we are. And our position in Christ. When we forget, we let friends, circumstances, or lies feed our souls with identity. And that takes us down the path of uncertainty,  harmful activities and a broken path. Thankfully, today’s guest, Kristen Hatton, helps “Get Your Story Straight”. When her daughter was in 6th grade, Kristen started teaching her and a group of friends truth from the Bible. Unfortunately, there weren’t a lot of great resources available for preteens/teens. So she used notes from her husband’s sermons and wrote her own Bible study. (click here to check it out)** In this episode, Kristen and I talk about the struggle for our kids to know how “justification” applies to daily life. (And define what ‘justification’ means). We also chat about how to help teens navigate the challenges of social media. And Kristen vulnerably shares her daughter’s battle with an eating disorder (which began with internalizing social media posts). Lastly, Kristen helps us start to keep communication open with our kids. So when they are teens they will keep talking. I’m in the stage with lots of little people all trying to be with me and talk to me (at the same time). But after three blinks I’ll have a home full of teen boys. The time I spend listening now will impact how much they talk to me in the future. Very thankful for the help, perspective and wisdom from Kristen. Now I can see the teenage years as an age of opportunity not a season to be feared. What we chat about: How quickly our kiddos grow into teenagers. How Kristen saw a need for good bible study materials for teens. Helping our kids be anchored in who God says we are (not who their friends on social media says they are). Importance of teaching our kids the concept of justification. When the world is measuring perfection and performance but we know we are only perfect in Christ. How to communicate worth and identity to our kids. Why teens stop talking to their parents. Listening and asking probing questions. Responding with grace instead of condemnation. How internalizing social media posts led to her daughter’s eating disorder. How boys struggle with social media. How Kristen talks to her kids about the impact of social media. Talking to your sons & daughters about pornography. Keeping an open conversation. Reorienting your kids to the message of the gospel, moment-to-moment Links Mentioned: Get Your Story Straight: A Teen’s Guide to Learning and Living the Gospel by Kristen Hatton** The depressing Eggo commercial Why Teens Don’t Talk to Their Parents Connected Families–Jim & Lynn Jackson (Ep 80)–“You are Safe” message Birds and Bees? Oh Help Me, Please with Mary Flo Ridley {Ep 25} Eating Disorder Resources–article by Kristen Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens, Second Edition (Resources for Changing Lives)