TEENAGEDOM

TEENAGEDOM. 12:30pm- 30th of November-2009. Basic information Tola: Christian-Pentecostal, sixteen years of age, a proud Nigerian, migrated to New Zealand 7 years ago. I am the 1st child of Pastor & Pastor Mrs. David and Adesayo Adelowo- best parents in the world. I am also a major face booker. In my face booking journey I happened to stumble upon an amazing blogger who inspired me to begin my own blogging journey as I read through his truly inspiring blogs I pondered upon what it was I would write about… so I made my decision to write about what I know best TEENAGEDOM as I am living it right this very moment, I am unsure of who will read my $2 shop blogs but it never hurt any one to try so here I go.

EMOTIONS
Through my teenage years I have found that it is a very challenging time, wrapped in an explosive concussion of emotions. There are days when I am filled with great amounts of joy and there are days when the will to get out of bed just isn’t present. I experience fear & courage, confusion & certainty, happiness & sadness, excitement & UTTER BOREDOM, love & hatred, friendship & rejection, gain & loss, encouragements & disappointments, and so many other negative and positives. As any other human being I enjoy the positives in life yet I still find it difficult to deal with the negatives that come with life.

REQUIREMENTS OF A TEENAGER
. • The avid search for ones own identity in the midst of all the unique beings on earth.
• The thirst for acceptance and companionship.
• Crave for purpose in life. I have found myself on the wrong paths of life in order to meet these requirements of teenage-dom. I remember in my search for my own identity in my ever changing physical appearance. At 13 I tried the hip-hop look in order to fit with my -copy what you see on TV- friends and ‘gangster’ was my label, I still recall my mother banning me from leaving my room due to my baggy jeans that fell way below my waistline. In my thirst for acceptance I relive my ‘ugly leg days’ in intermediate when I resulted to wearing long navy blue socks even in HOT whether because of micro scars on my beautiful GOD given legs. In my search for purpose I made a vow to live the age of 16 as a ‘hippie’ why? In pursuit of fabricated happiness. In search of companionship I found myself in the midst of wicked kids who found joy in tormenting others and I felt the temptation of trying drugs and over consumption alcohol. Thank GOD for the Holy Spirit that kept my hands glued to my pocket and I didn’t fall prey to these temptations.

APPLYING MY RELIGION
Born in a Christian family I literally grew up in the church but I discovered about a year ago that your family’s relationship with this great man they call ‘GOD’ ain’t got nothing to do with your relationship with him. Personally I only discovered GOD for myself about a year ago, I loathed reading the bible because the book did not make sense to me it wasn’t until I got the ‘true images teen girls bible ’as a birthday present (thank you Mrs. Martins) that the concept of GOD began to have meaning to me. Before hand I enjoyed singing in the choir but in all honesty I was just going through the motion but not feeling the emotions. I leaned on my own understanding focusing on the GOD I cannot see rather than on the GOD that loved me so much he died for the sake of my baggage. The idea that one mans death thousands of years ago is difficult to phantom even in my new discovery of GOD but what I like about my GOD is that he ain’t afraid of my questions and my doubts “the foolishness of GOD is wiser than any man’s wisdom”. At times it feels like I am drenched in confusion, drowning in helplessness and hopelessness because I am uncertain of what the future holds. I continue to find solace in GOD’s words “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to GOD”-Philippians 4 vs. 6 and “for I know the plans that I have for you’ declares the Lord. ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29 vs. 11. Therefore I have his blessed assurance that in all the chaos of teenagedom. “Because s/he loves me” says the Lord. “I will rescue him/her; I will protect him/her, for s/he acknowledges my name. vs. 15 s/he will call upon me and I will answer him/her I will be with him/her in TROUBLE I will deliver him/her and honour him/her. With long life will I satisfy her/him and show her/him my salvation. Psalm 91 vs. 14-16.My favourite psalm. With GOD I have someone to run to, to talk to, to laugh with, to cry to, sometimes yell at but through it all I know he is there for me and I depend on him alone for “vain in the help of man”. GOD wants to be with you through the journeys of life all he wants is your heart so with faith hand over all the negatives of your teenage life to him and rest assuredly he will sort you out. DON’T KNOCK IT UNTIL YOU TRY IT. I LOVE YOU BUT GOD LOVE YOU MORE XOXOXO. ADETOLA ADELOWO.