Purpose in My Heart

We asked children (ages 7-9), preteens (ages 10-12), and teenagers (ages 13-16) from around the world to write for the Review in August. The following article is one they produced. —Editors 

Every day we are faced with the same question: Will I do what’s convenient for me, or will I do what’s right? For the most part, as a young child, I grew up in the church, and that meant I heard a lot about how to make choices based on the Bible. But it’s totally different when you actually face those tough decisions in real life. Being a Christian teenager in our generation can seem much harder, given the temptations, such as social media, all around us. For me, being a Christian means living a life that follows the path Jesus gave us. Every day is a constant struggle, and I believe that the only way a Christian can walk in the fullness of the Word is through constant connection with our heavenly Father.

I started reading my Bible from Genesis to Revelation in 2020 with the Adventurer Bible, and I finished my first cycle a year later. At first I didn’t think much of it because, as a young child, reading the Bible can be difficult—especially when tackling deep biblical truths and unfamiliar words. Still, I read five chapters every day. After that first cycle I began my second cycle with the Pathfinder Bible, which I also finished a year later. By this second cycle I started to understand what I was reading much better than the first time. I realized that the habit of picking up the Bible first thing in the morning had been established during that first cycle, even with my limited understanding.

So I started my third cycle with the Bible for Teen Girls, which is the most recent one I’ve completed. I loved the beautiful insights alongside the main text—especially those from Christian authors who talk about the reality of being a teenage girl, the struggles we all face, and how to overcome them in order to be pure even in today’s society. I finished that in a year as well, and now I’m currently on my fourth cycle of Bible reading using the Andrews Study Bible, which I’m really enjoying. I love the in-depth commentary on the verses and how I can dissect each chapter by journaling and writing my thoughts and prayers. With each cycle I learn something new from every chapter. It’s never the same for me. God reveals Himself through His Word, and if we dig beneath the surface, we will never run out of things to learn. We are so blessed to have the Bible as a standard to live by—one we can use to guide all our choices.

A Heart Led by the Spirit

When I was younger, one of my favorite Bible stories was about Daniel. Daniel was taken to Babylon as a captive at a young age, along with his friends. They faced many challenges, including issues with their diet, as Daniel and his friends believed it wasn’t right to eat the food they were offered.

God reveals Himself through His Word, and if we dig beneath the surface, we will never run out of things to learn.

There’s one verse in that story that has always stood out to me, and as I’ve grown older, it has become even more meaningful. Daniel 1:8 says: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” I love the word “purposed.” It was intentional—Daniel decided for himself to do things God’s way.

I remember a conversation with my mom when we were discussing this story. She said, “I wish the parents of Daniel and his friends—those Hebrew mothers—could have written a parenting book on how to raise children who will stand for the truth and make godly decisions the way they did!” Remember, Daniel was a teenager at this time. Imagine being taken to a foreign land as a young captive, losing your home and being separated from your family—it would have been easy for Daniel to lose his faith in God. Yet because he had been trained from childhood to be faithful, his decision not to eat the king’s food reflects a heart led by the Spirit. It serves as an inspiration for youth like me who face many temptations every day.

In a world in which we, as young people, fall prey to these things every day, one factor that often sets the stage for bad decisions is idleness. People often say that during the teenage years we have the greatest strength and capability to do many things, and it’s sad to see that so much of our energy is wasted on things that take up our time and effort but don’t make a lasting impact. We put such a great importance on such things as romantic, infatuated relationships, to the point that it consumes all the time we could’ve spent our energy working for the Lord and finding that love and joy in His service. We have many years ahead of us, and there will be a time for that, yet we tend to rush things and choose to ignore everything else. We are stewards of time and talent, and God has lent us these gifts to be used in His service. Because we are often preoccupied with our own selfish pleasures, however, they can consume much of our strength.

The Steps You Take

In my personal experience, keeping yourself busy with things that help you grow and glorify God is one of the most effective ways to avoid falling into bad decisions. I remember my mom saying that “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” So I chose to stay busy, and my parents trained me to make every second of each day count.

I began to look more deeply into God’s creation in nature. Whenever my parents and I went on nature walks, they would ask me how I saw God in each tree, leaf, flower, and animal. When I was 7, my mom encouraged me to write down my reflections, and over time she compiled them. Eventually, when I was 12 years old, we published Nature’s Secret Treasures.

Big decisions don’t need to be rushed—they need to be made with God, step by step.

I never imagined that simple nature walks and choosing to spend my time on meaningful things would lead to publishing a book—one that has been a blessing to many children and parents around the world. I truly cannot fathom how God works in such miraculous ways.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about making choices, it’s that the steps you take before making a decision are the most critical. Rushing and relying only on your own intuition can lead you into situations you don’t want to be in. First, pray. Kneel down and ask for God’s guidance. Open His Word and let Him speak to you through Scripture. Then seek advice from godly people. For me, asking my parents for guidance really helps. Big decisions don’t need to be rushed—they need to be made with God, step by step.

In life it’s inevitable that we will make mistakes. We live in an imperfect world, and as human beings we are bound to fall short. What matters most is how we respond. I think of the story of King David. He is known as a man after God’s own heart, yet he made many wrong choices. What I admire most about David is how he responded. In 2 Samuel 12:13 he says, “I have sinned against the Lord.” He acknowledged his sin and confessed it instead of hiding from it. God reminds me that my journey won’t be perfect—there will be times that I stumble. But what I do afterward is what truly matters. What a privilege it is to serve such a forgiving God.

I’m still a work in progress. I still stumble and face moments of confusion when making decisions. I’m a teenager, and this stage of life can be especially challenging because of hormones, peer pressure, and outside influences. But if you’re a teen reading this and wondering how to handle these struggles, here’s what I’ve learned: Learn to surrender your battles to the One who knows everything. You might think it’s easier to handle things on your own and keep everything inside, but we are weak on our own. We are easily influenced by what surrounds us.

But don’t lose hope. The Lord says in Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” That’s His promise. Yes, the world may look appealing with all its glitter, but let’s focus on what our heavenly Father offers. Will you choose this world, or the one He has prepared for you?