—Helping Our Teens to Face the Future!

Maria #262 DO 2981 3/95

1. (Mama:) To further understand what some of our young people are going through, especially at this time of change brought about by the Charter, following is what the Lord said in prophecy when I asked some of our WS folks if they could pray for one of our senior teens‚ asking the Lord to reveal the root of his problem as well as any counsel the Lord might have for him. This young man is a good boy—quiet, obedient, not causing problems—and has been a blessing in the Service Home he has been living and working in for a number of years. But he has felt unchallenged and has recently expressed a desire to leave the Family.

2. As you will see, the Lord has great love, and wants us to have great love, understanding, and unconditional love for our young people‚ even though they may be making decisions that we do not agree with. Though we may interpret their actions as brash or rebellious‚ these prophecies show that there are often feelings, desires‚ needs and fears beyond what they indicate outwardly to us. Unconditional love and understanding is what the Lord is requiring of us, as the caretakers of His children—taking time to get desperate with the Lord for them and taking time to hear from them, to understand‚ and to help them find a way, or make a way, when they can see no way. In one of the prophecies below the Lord said, "Enlarge the place of your tents and make room for this one, for this is a time of decision."

3. It is heartbreaking to see in these prophecies what this teen and probably many of our other teens are going through. The Lord said, "This one is in despair and deep discouragement, feeling that there is no place for him and that no one would want him." Lord help us to have unconditional love and understanding that our young people can depend on, that they will know is there, that they can feel is there.

4. In this important time of change in the Family, our young people need to know that we are there with them and for them, and that we will be their partners in prayer and love and understanding, as we support them in their time of decision-making. The Love Charter is opening more doors for each one, and as these prophecies bring out, not everyone will respond in the same way to the increased freedoms and responsibilities. One prophecy says‚ "Show this one that there are many ways to serve Me. It doesn't have to be black or white.... Show him the many doors that he may walk through in his service for Me. Make a place for him in My Family‚ in one of the concentric circles."

5. God bless you, dear Family, dear parents, brothers, sisters, teachers, shepherds and all, with unconditional love, the Lord's love for each other, and especially for our young people during this time of change. As the Lord says below, "Hold on to [him] with your prayers and with your love." And again He says, "Show him unconditional love and support and encouragement, and keep the connection strong, and the bond of love strong. Invest in him time and prayer and communication.... And this is the love that I desire that you have for him, that no matter what he does or says‚ or any decision that he will make, it should not lessen your love for him, or lessen your opinion of him‚ or your desire to pray for him or strengthen him or communicate with him. For he must know that no matter what, he has a place, and there are arms reaching out to him which will receive him, and he will not be rejected or looked down upon no matter what." May we have this same love for all our young people!—Our children and His children!

Prophecies:

6. "Effectual are the prayers of David's children. Effectual is the Word which I have given unto this one. Lo, these many years have I given to the heart of this one words which do not return void. For is there not the former and the latter rain? Doth he not face a time of trial when he would be sifted as wheat? Therefore pray for this one, for this is a time of decision, and yea, all things are not decided at this time. Lift this one with thy fingers of faith that I might work My work in his heart.

7. "For there are such as be termed late bloomers. Therefore fret not, worry not. Did not the Apostle Paul have one who departed, yet returned to write a gospel? Were there not those who left for a season only to return weeping, broken and more determined than ever to do My will?—More convinced than ever before that I would be with them until the end, having tried other things, experimented, fallen and been lifted up again by the power of My love.

8. "Therefore, be loving unto this one unto the end. Fret not, worry not, but let your hearts come unto Me. For this young one needs to believe in the love which I do give unto him without measure, without condition. Unconditional love do I give unto him. Merciful love, which forgiveth and forgiveth and forgiveth again. Yea, seventy times seven do I forgive, even in one day seventy times seven. And every day, as the sun doth rise upon the land and gives light and warmth‚ even so doth My mercy arise upon this one who doubteth My love and the love of those about him.

9. "For this is a hard time for this one. But I love him, and I will bring him through. He is Mine. I am the author and the finisher of his faith‚ though he hath lost it for a season. Therefore seek to love this one unconditionally‚ for he doth doubt My love; he doth doubt your love. For he looketh about himself, and seeing the conditions in which he findeth himself wondereth, `How can this be love? How can this be true? How can this be God and His will toward me? For if I were God, I would do things differently. If I were in control, I would not have things be like this.' And yet, I am in control, and I am about this one. As a mother hen doth wrap her wings about her little ones to warm and to comfort and to guide and to cherish and nourish and feed, even so am I about this one.

10. "And he longs for a challenge. He longs for new horizons. For have I not spoken through David about My young ones reveling in their new-found strength and independence? They thirst to try their wings. They hunger and thirst to see what manner of man they must be. Therefore, enlarge the place of your tents and make room for this one, for this is a time of decision. And every day is precious unto this one. All that I ask is that you give, and give unconditionally‚ openly, lovingly, tenderly. Let him discover Me, let him find Me, and feel after Me, even though it would appear that he gropeth in darkness.

11. "Even as My David of old said, if I should say that darkness shall encumber and compass me about, even so the darkness shall be light about me. For the darkness and the light unto the Lord your God are the same. For I see the heart in the night and in the day, and both in distress and great joy do I behold you. And I behold this one every minute; yea, every second I am with him to deliver him from his troubles."

12. "Love is the answer, love is the solution. Therefore bind him about with the rope of My love, and the bands of your love. And continually hold on to the other end of that rope, that rope of love, so that he departeth not from your love and from My love. For though he be absent in body, yet will he still be tied unto you with this cord of love. And keep the cord short, that he be not far and distant, but that he may receive and feel your love. But you (his parent)‚ and those that love him, can be close at hand when he doth stumble or fall, so that he may have those who can lift him up.

13. "Be not faithless but believing‚ for I am the Lord, and I do all things right, and everything is a part of My plan. Though ye understand not why or wherefore, ye shall understand when the time comes. For now ye see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now ye know in part, but then shall ye know even as also ye are known.

14. "Fear not for this one, for he is in My hand. I will keep My arms about him, and I will keep him bound with the cord of My love, this cord which no man can break, which none can sever."

15. "This one is mired in the quicksand, and the more he struggles, the deeper he goes. So he fears to struggle again, thinking it will only sink him deeper until he be covered. But lo‚ I have attached My cord to him, and I am holding him up. And he need not struggle, but give up and let Me pull him out and wash him with My Word.

16. "And I show you another picture of an egg with a chick being born. The shell cannot be broken for him, he must do it himself. He must want to break free—not free from My Family, but to break free from this shell that he can be born anew and that he can be freed and fly. This one hath been cared for, this one hath been in a cocoon and hath been protected, yea, overprotected, and I have put it in his heart to struggle and to want to launch out into something new. But there be many evil outside forces fighting against him.

17. "He hath been protected; decisions have been made for him. But I have put it in his heart to now make decisions for himself. Even if they be the wrong ones, he shall learn, and each fall shall be a fall upward. Even if it looks like defeat and darkness, I shall bring great victory out of these things. Just trust Me and trust My plan and the way that I am working.

18. "For have not I protected the Family from seeming defeat over these many years? Have I not protected you from the forces of the world, the forces of the Antichrist, the forces of the ACs? Have I not kept you afloat in the most dangerous and vehement storms? Well, I can keep this one.

19. "For I do love his mother and his father, and I will do things for their sakes. But they must trust Me. Sink not in despair about this. Hath not My queen written you about the teens and those that leave‚ that your attitude must be one of faith? I will give you faith. Just look to Me, look to My Word. Trust Me about this one, for he is Mine. And I shall lead him through many experiences. I shall put it in his heart what he shall do, whether he shall go afar or stay near. But he must make these decisions and abide by them, for this is what I would teach him, and what I would teach you about him.

20. "For he is asleep; he is not wakened. And these experiences that I shall lead him through shall wake him and break him and make him a new man. Despair not, look to Me and I shall lift the burdens from off your hearts. And I shall bring great victory out of this seeming defeat. For I love you and I love him."

21. "`Cast me not off!' Can you hear the cry in this young one's heart? He crieth, `Cast me not off! Hold on to me! For I am frightened, and I fear what the future may hold! This is a very frightening life! And oh, I would that I was a little child again, sheltered under the wings of my parents. I am frightened about what lies ahead! I do not know where to turn! Do not let go of me. Cast me not off. Hold on to me, no matter where I am.

22. "`I need you, my parents. I need your love, I need you to hold on to me. For I do not see the future. I see waves and billows and fog, and I am frightened. I realize that I am no longer a child‚ and this doth frighten me. Hold on to me, cast me not off, I need you! Do not think that my turning away means that I do not want you to hold on to me. But I am frightened and I am struggling and I am scared and I am looking for how to go forward. And I do not want to go forward in the place where I am! In fact, I do not see a future!

23. "`You fear that I am going backwards, but I am looking for a way forward. I am looking for a door, a way out! I am looking for a way up! I am not looking for a way to go down into selfishness; I am looking for a way up to live. So please hold on to me as I struggle. Please do not let go of me.

24. "`I cannot see things as you see them. It is not that I do not wish to see them as you see them; I wish to‚ I have tried. But I just see fog! I see fears and billows and waves, I do not see the golden streets that you see. So please, hold on to me as I struggle through this phase. I know that I am going from childhood to adulthood, and it doth frighten me. Hold on to me as I struggle through. Do not let go.

25. "`I want you to be proud of me. I want your love. I cry for your love. Do not let go of me. Carry me in your heart and in your bosom. But I know that I am now an older teen. I now must go forward. I know that I cannot turn around and cling to thee for my protection, and this doth scare me. So please hold on to me as I move forward. Please do not let go of me‚ no matter what my decision. Hold on to me.

26. "`I do not want to disappoint you‚ but I cannot walk where I cannot see. And I must break loose so that I can have sight. Hold on to me. I do not want to disappoint you. I very much want to fulfill the desires of your heart, but I have to be free, I have to be able to see.

27. "`It is not that I doubt the Word. But I must live it myself. It is not that I doubt what you have for me, but that I fear. I don't understand how to apply it to this life of adulthood that I am now heading into. It frightens me.

28. "`I see around me those who are breaking forth and are moving forward, and I watch them with envy. How do they move forward? How do they carry on into adulthood? Look at my older brother! He has moved forward! He is now a father and a husband! He has made the step! How did he do it? But, oh, he was so gifted, and I am so little and I am so weak. He was given the tools to move forward with‚ and I struggle, and with my tools I feel so incapable.

29. "`Hold on to me. Please hold on to me and hold me up‚ because I do desire to pass from childhood into adulthood, I know this is a stage that I must pass. Please do not let go of me. No matter what I do, put your hands under me and around me and hold me up, and hold me close to your bosom, and fear not.

30. "`I fear, I fear greatly. I need you to not fear. I need you to have faith. I need you to support and pray for me. Please pray for me! Pray for me, that I may come through gloriously. I do not want a life of failure. I do not want a life of rebelliousness. I am not seeking my own way. I am just seeking life. So please, put your arms around me and under me and help me as I move forward. And do not give up on me as I seem to be going sideways or backwards, but help me as I move forward.

31. "`This is a struggle, and I do not expect you to understand. I feel lonely, I feel cast off, and that others cannot understand the fears of my heart. For many have strength to make this step. But I fear. I feel misunderstood and resentful. But I do care, and I do want life, and I do want to move forward. So please understand this cry of my heart, and do not cast me off.

32. "`I feel so weak facing this mountain of life ahead of me, facing the responsibilities of adulthood. I feel so very weak and unprepared. I do not feel prepared for the battles of tomorrow. I feel so weak and armorless. So please do not be disappointed in me as I seek my own identity and my way to pass forward into adulthood.

33. "`Hold on to me with your prayers and with your love, and remember that I do not want to disappoint you. I want you to be proud of me. Please believe this. This is a strong desire of my heart.’"

34. "Can you hear the winds of change? The winds of change are blowing so strongly! So much change. And to some, these winds of change blow refreshment and excitement and challenge and thrill. To some, these winds of change are the answer to their prayer and the desire of their heart. These winds of change do open doors that they have sought for many years.

35. "But for this one‚ these winds of change do blow him about and batter him. These winds of change have destabilized him. They are more than he can bear and he is afraid. For he hath been in a stable, protected, quiet, unchanging situation for so long, that now the thought of change and independence is frightening.

36. "He feels insecure and fearful in himself‚ wondering, `Who will have me? Who will want me? Where will I go? What if I get voted out of the Home? What if nobody wants me‚ because I'm so weak and I have so few talents, and I'm so shy! How can I find a Home where the people will want me? For my parents are so busy serving the Lord‚ and I have not a wife, I have not even a girlfriend. So who will I team up with‚ and who will I work with, and who will want me and where will I go?'

37. "This one is in despair and deep discouragement, feeling that there is no place for him and that no one would want him. Before, at least his place was secure, at least he knew that no one would throw him out or vote him out. He knew that as long as he was willing to stick and fight and try, there would be a place for him. But now he worries and is fearful that there will be no place for him, and that if he were to strike out on his own, no one would receive him or have him or want him or love him.

38. "For he is closed. His heart is as a closed book and cold, and he has not ventured to open himself to anyone for many years. He has not felt the closeness of shepherding and unconditional love. He has not felt accepted and needed and wanted for many years! And he was willing to endure this as long as he felt the security of the Family. But now that that security has been taken from him, he is in a whirlpool of insecurity and fear which is pulling him down. He prefers to step out himself rather than face rejection and find no place in the Family and no one who wants him and no Home who is willing to receive him and have him and bear with him through all of his NWOs‚ his weaknesses and his shyness.

39. "But I say, show this one that there are many ways to serve Me. It doesn't have to be black or white. For he is in a time of decision. He is at the age of decision, the age of adulthood, and whether he likes it or not, he must begin to make decisions for himself. His faith must be tested, as will the faith of everyone in the Family. He sees his faith floating up and down and up and down, and it worries him and scares him. He feels unstable and insecure.

40. "And as his faith is tested, show him the many doors that he may walk through in his service for Me. Make a place for him in My Family, in one of the concentric circles. Make a place for him and show him the different doors that he may walk through so that he can see that it doesn't have to be black or white, or all or nothing at all. If he needs a slower pace, or if he needs a time of rest, or if he needs some time to sort things out and to experience and to find his place, show him the doors that he may walk through.

41. "For he is fearful of witnessing, he is fearful of having to raise funds‚ he is fearful of having to learn new languages and meet new people. He feels very insecure in himself and lacking in talent, lacking in education. And he feels all of his lacks and weaknesses make him very undesirable and that nobody would want him, that he wouldn't be an asset in any Home. He cannot bear the thought of facing this rejection and this embarrassment.

42. "For he feels that much is expected of him, and the doorknob is very high! People expect so much of him! And he feels that he cannot reach this doorknob, and he cannot fulfill these expectations. Therefore, he cannot bear the thought of such embarrassment and such failure. And he feels that people will scorn him and be disappointed and reject him. So he prefers just to turn around and walk away and save face and disappear, hoping maybe everyone will just forget.

43. "Make it as easy as possible for this one to save face and to find a place to be accepted and to feel used and needed. For he feels so weak and so lacking in talent and so unwanted. And now that the requirements seem so high to him and the expectations so great, he feels surely he could never fulfill this and never reach this doorknob.

44. "So I say, make a place for him, find a way, open the door, many doors of service for him. Give him a choice, so that he may see that there are many different ways to serve Me and love Me and stay close to Me and to stay within the fold of David and to be fed from the table of David, that he may still continue to drink of the wine that I will pour forth. For how can he be strengthened if he cuts himself off from the new wine? How can he find the love and the fulfillment he seeks, and the acceptance he desires, if he cuts himself off and turns his back?

45. "Behold, this is a time of testing and a time of choice. But give him many choices, for now he believes that there are only two choices, black or white, all or nothing at all, all the way in or all the way out. For is not this the purpose of My Love Charter, to allow people to operate according to their faith, according to their desires‚ that they may be fulfilled and happy in their service for Me? Is it not the purpose of My Love Charter, to show that My love and My mercy are so wide and so broad, that I would not cast someone aside and throw them out because they feel weak, because they are going through a difficult time, because they don't feel they can make the standard of one hundred percent discipleship? Is it not My purpose that people can see with a greater perspective and a wider vision that serving Me has many avenues, and that I will open many doors within the tunnel of My will‚ and provide a way even for My weak sheep?

46. "Therefore, put before him various choices, make it easy for him to be good and to stay close. For if he wishes to depart from you, surely some other family would be willing to take him and to love him and to nurture him and help him through this time, who would give him the unconditional love that he longs for, who would promise him that they are not going to throw him out or vote him out. Surely there is someone who will take this one under their wings and provide him security during this time of change and growth, so he doesn't have to be cast aside and cast away!

47. "For how can he find comfort and love and strength and reassurance in Me with those who know Me not, and those who know not the spirit of David and the spirit of Maria? I would not that he goes so far! If he longs for a change and he needs to experiment and to see for himself, open the doors that he might stay close and that he might continue to be fed. And then if he still chooses to go far, at least you know that you have done your part and that My Family has done its part in opening their arms to him and making a way for him.

48. "If he still chooses to go to the faraway country, then I say let him go. For My arms shall still hallow him about‚ and I shall protect him, for he is My child and I shall continue to love and be with him, even though this is the more difficult route, and the way of the transgressor will be hard. But I shall still be with him and love him and protect him‚ and will once again bring him back to you and to My Family.

49. "For this is a time of choice. The choice is his. Therefore give him many choices, and then when he makes his choice, stand by him. Show him unconditional love and support and encouragement; keep the connection strong‚ and the bond of love strong. Invest in him time and prayer and communication. For this one is not lost in My Kingdom; he is not lost from My care and My love. I love him with an everlasting love. Nothing can take this love away. Nothing can break the flow of this love. Nothing he can do can ever stop Me from loving him.

50. "And this is the love that I desire that you have for him, that no matter what he does or says, or any decision that he will make, it should not lessen your love for him, or lessen your opinion of him‚ or your desire to pray for him or strengthen him or communicate with him. For he must know that no matter what, he has a place, and there are arms reaching out to him which will receive him, and he will not be rejected or looked down upon no matter what."

Visions, Verses and Impressions:

51. While I was getting the prophecy about binding him with the rope of love‚ the vision I got with it was of the rope being tied about his waist and then being tied around someone else's waist, such as when mountain climbing. It wasn't that the rope was there to bind him, in order to restrain him or to keep him from doing something, but it was so he wouldn't get lost and so he wouldn't fall, as a safety measure.

52. Also, I got very strongly that it was important that he didn't go too far. That doesn't necessarily mean he can't go far from his present location, but that wherever he is, that there is somebody close by. I got the verse‚ "Woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up" (Ecc.4:10).

53. During the first prophecy when it said that some were late bloomers, it occurred to me that Jesus didn't start His ministry until He was 30, so maybe He was the chief of late bloomers. I thought that could encourage some of our kids. I felt like our teens are feeling they have to grow up really fast, when they're not ready to grow up so fast. When some kids turn 16 or 17, they're ready to just cut the strings and go. But I felt very much that this teen wasn't that type, and that he shouldn't have to feel guilty for it.

54. I also had the impression that because this teen is so afraid of his future within the Family, this fear has made being outside the Family look easier to him, and he's being blinded by this fear of the future. This fear is blinding him and making the other way look better, when actually it's worse, which is often how fear can affect us.

55. During the last prophecy, the one about the different doors, I was thinking that for our kids who think they lack education, the future can be frightening‚ because they feel they don't have many talents to fall back on. This can be especially true for the type who don't have natural charm or charisma. For example, maybe an older brother or sister has natural talents, but the younger teen doesn't feel they have natural talents that show on the outside. So this lack of natural showy talents, coupled with feeling weak in their education, makes them feel very insecure‚ and they might be feeling totally unequipped for life. (Mama: This is one reason that we are hoping and praying and working hard at getting the CVC [Christian Vocational College] program out to our teens. Not only will this help guide them in getting more training, but even more important, it will help them see how much training and education they already have. And if some are lacking in basic skills, then maybe it's time to pull them back from their other ministries a bit, and to give them more time to study, and tutoring if possible, to help them become competent in the areas they need help with.)

56. Right before the last prophecy was given about giving him choices, I saw a picture of this teen sitting at a table and his mother behind him, like a mother might be when a kid is doing his homework. When the teen does his homework he might ask‚ "How do you do this?" and she answers, "You can try this." And I saw a paper in front of him with the lines drawn down it. It was like what Dad says‚ that whenever Grandmother had a major decision to make, she would draw a line down a blank sheet of paper and list the pros and the cons.

57. Then I got the words, "Behold, for him that hath the key of David, I will open doors that no man can shut, and close doors that no man can open." I felt that the parents need to provide counsel on how to make wise decisions. They wouldn't be telling him what his decision should be, but just explaining, "When someone asked me what to do about something, this is how I would seek the Lord," and then go over the "Seven Ways to Know God's Will." The prophecy given at the end elaborated on all of this‚ about the decision-making process and giving him support while he is making a decision.

58. (Mama: In light of what the Lord has said about concentric circles of service‚ and how it doesn't have to be only black or white for such young people, if any of you parents or shepherds would have a burden and feel a definite call of God on your lives to set up a Home for some of our sincere young people who want to serve the Lord in the Family but also experiment with secular school or jobs, then please let your CROs know about it. If the Lord calls you to such a place of service, it could help some of our young people, such as the teen described in these prophecies, to find out what they want to do with their lives without having to leave the Family, or be plagued by doubts or double-mindedness while remaining in a normal DO Home. We don't want anyone to feel obligated to open such a Home, but if the Lord lays it on your heart, we'd like to hear about it. If you start such a Home, we would be very interested in the lessons learned and progress made. God bless you! We love you!)

Techi's Reaction to "Braving the Winds of Change!"

3/95

These prophecies were so inspiring! The Lord really knows just how to put things, and how to elaborate so a prophecy given for one person can help lots of others, too. I thought how special, interesting and appropriate it was for this time when the Love Charter is being initiated, the way that the Lord explained this teen's situation. It's so sweet that the Lord knows all that's in our hearts, and He loves us anyway! Wow!

The thing that stood out to me the most was the loving way the Lord presented it, that this teen is not looking for a selfish way out. His heart seems to be right with the Lord, but it's just really difficult for him, and he's looking for a way to serve the Lord better, but he can't see where he's going or what his future could be in the Family. It's really sad, but only natural for some, as the Lord said, with the winds of change coming.

It was such a touching heartcry in the prophecy when this boy was kind of talking and explaining how he felt, and the point was brought out again about the importance of having unconditional love‚ the Lord's love. I could understand what he was talking about. It sounded like me sometimes, when it said he's fearful of learning new languages or meeting new people‚ thinks he's lacking in education and talent, believes that others are so much more capable than him, and thinks he's not a blessing. Of course, I've been given so much love and encouragement, I really have no right to think that way. But if even I do so, just think what someone in a situation without as much understanding could think. It really makes me want to pray for him.

Also, I think these prophecies will be a blessing to the Family because they bring out the point of the Charter—that it's to help people, and make it easier to serve the Lord in the way that they can. In this set of prophecies the Lord Himself brings that out.

Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family