Transcript

Dr. Jessica Peck prescribes hope for healthy families on American family Radio

Hello and welcome to the Dr. Nurse Mama show, prescribing hope for healthy families here on American family Radio. Here's your host, professor, pediatric nurse practitioner, and mom of four, Dr. Jessica Peck.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, hey there, friends, and welcome to my favorite time of day, getting to spend time with you, prescribing hope for healthy families. Now, one place that I see a lack of hope in the world and a lot of pessimism, frankly, which if you're a regular listener, you know how I feel about. About this already, but pessimism about the next generation. And I don't feel that at all. I feel such optimism in a generation that is seeking God in remarkable and inspirational ways. And that is what I've got for you today. We are talking about finding your identity in Christ and helping the next generation to do that.

Alena Franklin writes a devotional aimed at teens and young adults

Now, my guest today at, just 11 years old, Alena Franklin. She made her acting debut in the blockbuster film War Room. Now, this was a movie that inspired millions, including me. Definitely inspired by this movie. To fight their battles through prayer. But what many may not know is that Alena is also the niece of Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer and the daughter of the late Winter Pitts. She was founder of for Girls like you ministries. Now, faith runs deep in her family. You can see that. But Alena has had to discover for herself what it means to know God personally. And now, at the age of 21, she has written her first solo devotional. It's called God Is 60 days of learning who God is to understand who we are. Now, I am so excited about this because in a world where identity in particular, identity is the crisis of this generation. And it is constantly being questions. It's constantly being attacked and targeted and manipulated. Alena is pointing teens and young back to the foundation of who God says they are. And you cannot know who God says you are until you know who God is. And so one of the most frequent questions that I get is give me a recommendation for a devotional. This is it, friends. This would be a great Christmas gift for someone, you know, a teen girl, a young adult girl, someone who needs encouragement. They need encouragement from their peers, from voices like Alena So, Alena I am, you can tell I'm very thrilled to have. Have you on the show. So excited about your work and so grateful that you're here.

Alena Pitts Franklin: Thank you so much for having me. I, love hearing how excited you are about God. Is. It's really fun that it's. Yeah.

Alena Pitts Franklin: That people are excited about it, and I feel encouraged. So thank you so much.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, we just need voices of hope like yours.

Alena, your experience in War Room changed your perspective on faith

And so, Alena I want to talk first, actually, about your experience in the movie War Room. I want to know how did that. And coming from a legacy and a family of faith, how did that shape your understanding of faith? At a young age.

Alena Pitts Franklin: I quickly learned that God has no limits. Like, I've just learned that, at a very young age, I had never acted before. And so getting the opportunity to be in this, to audition God, make a way for me to get the part, in this film and then watch it, you know, take off in ways that Christian movies had never done before was just like an introduction to the bigness and the wonder of God. and so very quickly, I realized as I went into adulthood that actually the faith and the, like, the faith that I had in God was not normal. But that was simply because I had, like, seen him do incredible things. I was like, I know he'll do it. I've seen him do this. and I'm sure getting to see him do that at such a young age plays a big part in my faith now.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Yeah, you make me think of the song. I've witnessed it. Because I think about that. When we've seen it before, we know we will see it again. And, Alena I want to tell you, I remember so vividly going to see that movie now then I wasn't in ministry. I wasn't behind the microphone. I wasn't doing anything like that. I was a mom who was just worried about my family. And that movie experience was so transformational for me. I cannot even begin to tell you how much it changed my mindset and really from being fear based to being faith informed. So I just want to thank you for everything that you did in that movie, because I feel like, you know, we used to go to the movies to be entertained. I went to that movie and I came out empowered. Like, I felt like, I am empowered to fight for my family. And I think that's why it resonated so much, because it just equipped us. It didn't just make us afraid. It just said, yeah, these things are really scary.

Alena says losing her mom was the hardest challenge to her faith

The things that were faced even in that movie, the challenges that were faced. And you are no stranger to that, Alena You have faced your own challenges in your life. What, what. What were the first challenges that you had, to your faith, and how did you overcome them?

Alena Pitts Franklin: Yeah, I'd say the greatest challenge to my faith thus far, and I pray to God the hardest. my mom died in 2018. I was just 14 years old heading into my freshman year of high school. and that was my introduction to the question of is God good? Is God kind? I don't know how, you know, why he would allow this or do this or. And so that was kind of my first and at this point in my life, the greatest, moment as far as, yeah, being. Being forced to reckon. Yeah, with, with the things about God that I didn't understand. and so I'd say that was, that's by far been the hardest moment of my mom passing in 2018.

Dr. Jessica Peck: I can't imagine facing that at 14 years of age. I really can't. How difficult that must have been, even just developmentally, logistically, just thinking of all of the, all of the things, you know, just to lose her so early, her presence so early in your life. And your mom had a strong legacy of faith. How do you think that, that your ministry is carrying that forward?

Alena Pitts Franklin: It's been really, really hard. But also some really cool parts of the grief process have been watching my mom's ministry like, bloom and blossom like never before. And so she started a ministry called for girls like you. It's just for girls ages 8 to 12 to instill the word of God, understanding our identities, into girls at a young age in hopes that that firm foundation would be, you know, pivotal in their lives. And she started this for me. And then, as I started to age out, she just realized that it could be a bigger thing. And so she started this actual ministry called for girls like you. And when she passed the numbers of girls that were purging subscriptions, people's testimonies like, flooded in like never before. And so it was just one of those moments that like, a mystery of God of like, why did you have to take her for this to happen? But also how kind and good of you to like, carry on this thing that she cared so much about. and now my dad and I kind of co steward it. and so it's been cool, just just being able to, like to glean off of the, the words and things that she kind of instilled in us as children and then that she wrote like she was an author. And so when I wonder what she would say, I don't have to wonder. I just open up a book that she wrote and I'm able to read, you know, her words of faith and, and, and take those on Alena

Dr. Jessica Peck: It's so encouraging, inspiring to hear your mom's legacy of faith and how much that impacts you but it still doesn't take away the sting of. Of losing her, you know, at such an early age. And I know that you are not alone in that. There are a lot of kids who experience loss through that. They experience trauma, tragedy, trial, whatever it is. I think when they're listening, Alena they're going to think, okay, you're 21. You know, you've said you're 21. How you said it was the first time. You asked how is. Is God good? Is God kind? I know you had the advantage, in a way, of having your mom's faith, but again, it doesn't take away the. The difficulty of that. How have you come to say that with such a confidence? How do you know that? Where does that conviction come from?

Alena Pitts Franklin: It comes from seven years of wrestle with God. seven years of real honesty, seven years of questioning him, and seven years of him relentlessly pursuing my heart like a good father. yeah, when my mom died, I just had tons and tons of questions, as you can imagine, tons of hurt, tons of grief, and all of it aimed towards him. Because I'm like, you're the creator of this earth. Like, you obviously have control of when we go. And so I'm so confused at why you would allow this. I never doubted if he existed. I just doubted if he was good. And so for the past seven years, I've been able to wrestle, and just watch as he relentlessly pursued me and answered my questions through his word, through his kindness in my life. but that faith journey has been nothing short of a real tussle between me and God. And so that's where I can honestly say now that I really believe God is all of these things, like, that he is good and he is faithful. One, because I've been able to see it in my life. And two, because of the way that he's pursued me in the midst of my angry angst in humanity, the way that he's pursued me is enough to know that. That he's good.

Dr. Jessica Peck: You know, Alena I think that's what your generation is looking for. They're looking for that kind of answer in you. Because just like I said, it doesn't matter that you came from a family who had a strong faith, that your mom started ministry for you, that she loved you. You still lost your mom. And I think that have being not. I mean, I'm so encouraged to hear you say that you wrestled with God about that for seven years. I think that's what your generation is looking for. They're not looking for the cookie cutter. Answer the, okay, yeah, I lost my mom. M. But I still believe God is good. Just giving God your questions, walking with him through that. I'm sure it deepens the intimacy that you had in your relationship with God.

Alena says her generation wants an invitation to wrestle with God

What, Alena what do you think are the. The ways that girls your age and your generation are relating to you? What. What are the hurts they have? Even if maybe they haven't lost your mom? Where are the commonalities? What do you see as the pain that some of this generation is carrying? And how do you hope to carry a message of hope to them?

Alena Pitts Franklin: I think. I don't know if it's just that now I am the age of, you know, like young adults, but I've heard so many stories from young girls and young adults about the things that they've been through. And more than. More often than not, you would just be, you know, absolutely saddened and shocked at what they've been through. So whether it's death or whether it's been betrayal or whether it's been, you know, abuse, like, most of us are walking around with pain. Like we live in a broken world. And so most of all of us have experienced some sort of pain. and I think my generation is looking for permission to question, to wrestle with God, like, looking for that invitation rather than being afraid of God. Like they're looking for an invitation to come and wrestle. and thankfully God, I think, holds that invitation out for all of us. And so I think. I think girls my age specifically have been through a lot more than I thought they had been through when I was, you know, 15, 16, like, just way more than I could possibly imagine. And most of the time, I think our pain causes us to wonder, question whether God is good, like if we've been betrayed or if we've been abused or if we've been hurt by this or that. Like, wondering if the God of the universe who's in control, really cared or really saw or really was there in the midst of that, I think is the greatest, just pain point that I see right now. and I think. I think when given the chance, God often proves himself to us, and proves his faithfulness and proves that somehow, some way, like, regardless of the mystery, he was there and he saw us and cared for us. yeah, that's what I would. That's what I'd say about my. My generation.

Dr. Jessica Peck: You know, I think. I mean, in the Bible we know that Jacob literally wrestled with God to the point his hip was dislocated I mean, this is. This is not. This is something really compelling to think about that. You say that your generation wants an invitation for permission to wrestle with God, which is clearly biblical. This is something that is biblical. And I think we see a, divergence in your. In your generation in Gen Z. Alena we see deconstructionists, we see people deconstructing their faith, and then we see people reconstructing their faith. We see people pursuing God. And I think that one of the things that encourages me most about your approach is just pursuing God's character. Because once you know his character, once you know who he is, that's how you know who you are. How do you see your approach as different than the deconstruction movement that seems to be, you know, so, such an easy ship to jump to?

Alena Pitts Franklin: Yeah. I think I heard someone say there's nothing wrong with deconstruction, but everything is wrong with nothing. This deconstruct is simply vandalism. But when we actually allow ourselves to deconstruct, there is a level of honesty there that I think God loves and that God gets to use and reteach. And so for a second, you know, in the midst of grief, I began deconstructing all the things that I believed about God. Like, God was only good if things were good. That was something I believed about him that, I didn't realize until I was, you know, in the middle of the grief. And so I started to deconstruct pieces of his character that didn't make sense and look to the Bible, ask him for revelation. and all over the Bible are. Is the truth of who he is. And so sometimes I think a lot of us are actually deconstructing something good, which is something that was never even, you know, in the Bible. Like, why is it so rare for us to think that we can wrestle with God or think that we can question God and ask him and he'll reveal himself to us. Like, that is biblical. And so I think it's, Sorry, I heard. No, I think.

Dr. Jessica Peck: No, you're good. No, you're good. Alena I'm going to hold you right there because we're already at our first break. That is such an important point. Deconstructing the wrong things that you believe about God. That is something that is healthy, and that is a good exercise. And so, listen, we've got so much more to talk about. We will be right back with more from Alena Franklin. We're talking about her new devotional, God is And it's a devotional for teen girls and young women. 60 days of learning who God is to understand who we are, Let me tell you, identity crisis is one of the biggest threats facing young people today. And we'll talk more about help and hope for that. On the other side of this break. Candace talks about finding out she was pregnant. Thankfully, an ultrasound provided by preborn allowed her to hear her baby's heartbeat. The sonogram sealed the deal for me. My baby was like this tiny little spectrum of hope. And I saw his heart beating on. The screen and knowing that there's life. Growing inside, I mean, that sonogram changed my life. I went from just Candice to mom. Thank you. To everybody that has given these gifts. You guys are giving more than money. You guys are giving love. Preborn currently has clinics that do not have ultrasound machines. Would you consider a leadership gift and sponsor a machine Today? These life Saving machines cost $15,000 more than most centers can afford. Your donation will save countless lives for years to come. Dial pound 250 and say the keyword baby or go to preborn.com/AFR.

Look What You've Done by Tasha Layton: Look what you've done. How could you fall so far? You should be ashamed of yourself. So I was ashamed of myself. The lies I believed they got some. Roots that run deep I let them take a hold of my life I let them take control of my, life. Standing in your presence, lord, I can feel you digging all the roots up I feel you healing all my wounds up all I can say is hallelujah look what you've done look what you've done in me you spoke your truth into the lies I let my heart believe look at me now look how you made me new the enemy did everything that he could do oh but look what you've done

Dr. Jessica Peck: welcome back, friends. That's look what you've done by Tasha Layton. And we are talking about what God has done and the life of Alena Franklin. today, we live in a culture that is obsessed with self, everything. Self esteem, self discovery, self help, self expression, self, self, self, self, self. And teens are told daily to define themselves by their appearance, by their social media presence, by their achievements, by their popularity, by so many things. But Alena Franklin's new devotional really is for flipping that script with a very powerful truth. Understanding who we are starts with understanding who God is. And through 60 very beautifully written devotions, illustrated artwork, reflection questions. God is is a devotional that invites readers to root their identity in the unchanging attributes of the Lord, His Goodness, his wisdom, his love, his mercy. And Alena is 21 years old, guiding young women to discover that the deepest questions of worth and belonging are answered not by looking inward, but upward. And, Alena we were just talking before the break about your belief that. Okay, if. If I, You were talking about how you believe that if God is good, then life will be good. And how do you believe that life is good, that God is good even when life is not? And in your case, losing your mother. I think those things are so important. And I was actually just having a conversation with my daughter, who's very close to your age, last night, and we were talking about young leaders in the church, and she was actually writing a paper about this, and. And just looking at what the scripture says about young leaders and then looking at examples of young leaders, how the disciples were likely teenagers or young adults. And I think there is something really powerful about peers, leading peers in your generation. I mean, it would be one thing for me as a mom to write a devotional and say, okay, honey, here's my motherly wisdom. But it's a compl. Which is great. There's nothing wrong with. But there's something that comes from a completely different place when you say, hey, I'm with you in this. I'm in this generation. I'm navigating this culture with you. We have a lot in common. So how are you leveraging that to really relate to the. To the people that you intended this book for, who you wrote it for?

Alena Pitts Franklin: Yeah, if I'm. If I'm being honest, as a very young person that I think God has just decided to use my story, I felt a lot of. Like, I shouldn't be the one here telling people my age. Like, who am I to be doing this? And so I think it's just like God, though, to use us when we don't feel like we should be being used. and so I think it's nothing but the enemy, like, this lie telling me that I can't, speak to my generation. But actually, that's like a superpower. God wants for us to be discipling and walking with our peers. And so I love hearing, like, you. You recognize that that's important, because I think it's a reminder to me that this has more power than I could possibly think. Like, there's something really powerful about a friend coming beside a friend and walking through hard things. just, like, there's power to mentorship, but there's something really cool about young people walking with young people. in the same direction.

Dr. Jessica Peck: It's so true. I often say, Alena that, you know, each generation has a love hate relationship with pop culture. We love our own generation's pop culture and we hate other generations pop culture. That's really what it is. Because when I, when I go to speak to young people, you know, I'll ask them questions about their culture. They know you have, you have specific pop culture. And whenever I will show like popular cultural figures to their parents, like they don't know who they are, but then they're like, what do you mean you don't know who Bon Jovi is? You know, all of these things. Or, or they don't know like who Luke married in General Hospital, which I'm sure, Lena, you're thinking, what even is that? I don't even understand that we have this, you know, we have this really like disconnect because, like, you don't know that Joanie loved Chachi, like those kinds of things. But they don't know. There's lot of things that our generation doesn't know. And I think that, you know, there is something to be said about living the same pop culture, the same culture at the same time, and having that same perspective of experience.

One of the things that Gen Z is struggling with is identity

And one of the things that your generation, that Gen Z is really struggling with, is identity. And I think that's a lot because of social media and the way that that influences that. How do you see the identity crisis playing out in your generation? And what do you hope your devotional will help, in young girls navigating that?

Alena Pitts Franklin: Yeah, I've always been discouraged, honestly, by the identity conversation, I think specifically among girls and women, because it seems like it feels like this never ending topic, like, when will we ever actually know who we are? We go to conferences and read books and we get somewhere, but then at the same time we're absolutely nowhere. and so I just was looking at trying to figure out what, why that was like, what is it about identity that's like we're actually missing something. And then I looked back at my own life and my own wrestle and my moments of weakness, of not understanding who I was. It was because I didn't know who God was. I hadn't opened up the Bible to figure out who he was. and it's kind of similar to like, if we don't know who our earthly parents are, that we have this identity crisis oftentimes, like trying to figure out who we are and our heritage and all of these things. And I think it's the same with God, like, in order to know who we are, we have to know who our Maker is. And so that's actually why I wrote God is because I had gone through this wrestle with God, and as I'd wrestled with him and realized more about him, I actually learned more about myself. And that wasn't the point, but that was a great consequence, of getting to know who God was. I was able to understand who I was. there's something about looking up. We live in a culture, I think, that's like always looking down, always thinking about ourselves. And when we look up and we look at who God is, the question of who am I? Oftentimes isn't even there because he's so good and he's so great that like, he's enough for me. And so regardless of where I am, regardless of what I'm feeling about myself, knowing that God is enough for me and knowing that God is the answer, I think is the ultimate solvent, to the identity crisis that we're having right now.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Amen, Amen and amen. Can you say it louder for the people in the back? This is such an important thing. It seems so simple, Alena but what you're saying is very countercultural. Because what your generation is being told. I got chills when you said we are in a generation that looks down. Because I think of that. And even as I go and talk about, you know, teen culture and reaching teens, even the images that I have in that is society is people sitting, looking down at their phones. I mean, we're just glued to them. We're constantly looking down or we're told to look within. Like, you have everything that you need. You know, you, you can help yourself. You, you find your truth, you speak your truth. Everything is about like, self help. And I mean, Alena I, I've, I've lived on this earth a lot longer than you have. And I know myself. I do not need help from myself. And so what you're saying is really, really countercultural, that you're not talking about focusing on yourself, working on yourself, taking care of yourself. Self care is really important. You're talking about looking up. Look, I mean, I think about, I look up into the hills. where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. That is such more powerful message than, hey, you're strong enough, you're brave enough, you can do anything. How, how do you see what is your hope for that message getting through? Because it sounds so simple, it's so true. And yet people pursue this so much more complex counterfeit version of help.

Alena Pitts Franklin: Yeah, I think a part of why we look down or pursue versions of help that are not, realities because they seem a lot more like attainable and tangible and understandable than this invisible God that we don't actually know. so I have empathy for the search. I think my hope with God is that, I wanted to write it in a way to where it felt very like I can pick this up and I can get something from it and I cannot be overwhelmed. Like I can understand who God is and it's tangible and it's also easy to read and it's bite sized. I wanted to lay a foundation for people, who either know who God is but get overwhelmed at the idea of figuring out who he actually is or people who don't know him at all. Like, I wanted people to be able to pick it up, and to be able to lay this foundation of an understanding of God. We know that He's a mystery. We know that there's tons of things about him that we'll never understand. But also there are tons of things about him that are absolutely understandable and absolutely will inform us of how to live our own lives. And so my hope is that God is like, the way that it's written will be, just like, easy to gravitate towards and grab and that through that people will actually come to understand pieces of God that they don't actually believe or things that they've heard about him but that they haven't experienced firsthand or they haven't recognized that they've experienced firsthand. So that's my hope with Gaia, is that it would be like an attainable foundation, for the young person searching to understand, their father.

Dr. Jessica Peck: I think you're so right. You're onto something there with the overwhelm that young people feel with the just absolute fire hydrant of information that comes at them. Now, Alena you, you won't know this, but I grew up in a generation where like, we didn't have things to read. We would read the encyclopedia if we were bored. I mean it was that like dire. Or you'd read the back of the cereal box or maybe the shampoo bottle and, and even, you know, going to get media like, I mean I grew up before we had even tapes. Like, you would just have to stations that were on tv. That was it. And now your generation is. There is a fierce competition for the attention of, your generation because you can get information from anywhere at any time, streaming literally billions of hours of content. And all of these creators who wanting to capture your heart because then that directs your marketing. They're trying to sell you something or even sell you, you know, as, as kids, like, they're a commodity. It's not like the people online are thinking, oh, we have wisdom and discernment. We care about your well being. That is really tough.

How do you think parents can best communicate with young people

So I'm glad that you pointed that out about putting this in bite size information. And how do you think that translates to how to best communicate with young people? Because I think in older generations, I think as parents sometimes we do overwhelm our kids. We come at them with too much, too soon, too heavy. How can we learn from that to better communicate in bite sized pieces and have patience for the long game, you know?

Alena Pitts Franklin: Yeah, yeah. I think there's two things that come to mind. The first thing is the way that my parents parented me I think has made me the person I know has made me the person that I am. you were talking about fear earlier. And from a very young age they just decided to not be, to not parent out of fear, to not operate, out of control, but rather to surrender us to God. Wrote a whole book on it and they were actually incredible at it, like just handing us back to God, which made it easier to be parented by them because I knew that everything they said and did was informed by something that God had said. And everything that they said and did was out of peace. It was out of this trust that God had me greater than they could have me. and so I felt released in that, and I felt permission to like, be and to trust this God that they trusted so much. It was actually like an invitation. and then the second thing that I would say, is that I think, oh gosh, I just lost my thought.

Dr. Jessica Peck: That's okay. It happens. Well, I think that's so.

Alena Pitts Franklin: I think you got it.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Okay, go.

Alena Pitts Franklin: I got it. I think our generation, we like for you to cut to the chase. I think there's something about our generation that wants raw and real. And so the real are in raw and like straightforward people can be. I think that's probably the best way to communicate with us right now. Because we're in such a fluffy, yeah, information, informational world. And so when someone has something real and raw and honest, I think it causes our ears to perk up. And so with wisdom, I think as honest and real as our parents can be, and also just like no fluff, like Straight cut, straight to the chase, I think is really helpful, for us young people at the moment.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Alena those are two amazing points, because first of all, it's encouraging to parents everywhere to see that even in a world where there's such competition for your heart and for your mind, your parents were successful in discipling you, in cultivating a relationship with you that made you, gave a path, paved a path for your faith to become your own. So, first of all, I think that's incredibly encouraging. The second thing is, I think that's also really instructive to just get to the point because there's so often, I think parents, sometimes they feel. Yes, exactly. No, but really, I think sometimes, like, we may feel a little afraid to address something or to approach something. We may. You know, there's a lot of parents I see who are really scared. Oh, I'm gonna go here. Okay. There are a lot of parents who are really scared to speak truth to their children because they're afraid that they will lose their relationship. And I think that really all goes back to what you're saying about the control, how you talked about your parents relinquished control and they focused on teaching you who God is. What would you say to those parents who are afraid, Maybe just to speak bluntly, what could they do in their relationship to strengthen their relationship, to strengthen their children's worldview of who God is?

Alena Pitts Franklin: M. I think pray for. For God's eyes. I think a parent has to be overwhelmed. Absolutely. And so afraid because you've got this, like, small version of your heart walking around in the world. But the truth is that we're actually small versions of God's heart before we were ever small versions of your heart. And so I would encourage parents to pray and ask God for how he sees us. I think that that will inform a lot of the way that. And I don't have any kids, so I can't imagine how hard this actually is. But I watch my parents pray and ask God for his eyes. that they would see us with his eyes. And then when they realized that God loved us more than they ever could, it actually took all the pressure off. It was like, even if I mess up a little bit or even if I don't say this totally correct, I trust that God's going to keep you because he loves you way more than I even could. and so I think. I don't know, there's something about praying and asking God for that that makes it possible, because otherwise, I don't see how I Could relinquish, control.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Oh, my goodness. Okay. So much wisdom packed into this, these two little segments. Alena I know that God has gifted you, called you, and equipped you to be a voice for your generation. And we have lots more to talk about when we come back. Now, as a reminder, this devotional is called God is a devotional for teen girls and young women. 60 days of learning who God is to understand who we are. It would be a perfect gift for a teen or young woman in your life. It's more than a devotional. How about gifting a girl that you know in your life, your daughter, your granddaughter, your niece, as a daily reminder that her identity is secure in Christ, the one who never changes. Listen, we'll have more help and hope like that on the other side of this break. During the Christmas season of 1976, I sat down one night to watch television. One man saw the battle coming. If we lose this cultural war, we're going to have a hedonistic, humanistic society. And he chose to stand and fight. If you will not respect our beliefs. Then you will respect our money, and we'll spend it with somebody else. Reverend Wildmon. Reverend Wildmon. The Reverend Donald Wildmon. Discover the story of the culture warrior Don Wildmon and how he went head to head with Hollywood playboy, the homosexual agenda, and the Disney empire. Things were changing and many people just sort of acclimated to it. And Don Wildmon didn't. They thought, I think, that they could just crush him. The movement Don started paved the way for Christians to boldly stand for truth and righteousness in a hostile culture. Watch culture warrior today for free visit culturewarrior.movie

For The Good by Riley Clemmons : Who can bend my burdens and make them beautiful? Who can bring the healing to the hurt I hold? Who else could part the waters when I I needed away? Though I'm walking through the valley? I'll believe when you say I'll believe when you say for the good, for the good. You work all things together for the good, for the good. Your promise stands forever. You alone are my greatest hope I trust you on the broken road you work all things together like only you could for the good.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Welcome back, friends. That's for the good by Riley Clemmons And that's exactly what we're talking about. Do you believe those words in scripture that God works all things together for good, for those who love him and are called according to his purpose? Today I have a very powerful conversation. I'm talking to, to a person in gen Z, a young leader that God is rising up to be a Voice for her generation. I'm talking to Alena Franklin, and she is author of a new devotional called God is. And Alena I have already been so encouraged by that. Your life is a testimony of God works all things together for good. Because you talked about the. The very difficult experience of losing your mom at the age of 14, and yet you are still here to say that God is good. And I want to know, on your journey to discover who God is, what are the things that rise to the top? What are the attributes that have just been a powerhouse and sustaining you? What have you learned about God's character that's going to encourage your generation and every other generation?

Alena Pitts Franklin: M. I think that my top three things I've learned about him in the past seven years of wrestling is that he is good, he is faithful, and he is safe. Those were the things that my heart needed to. To hear in the midst of, you know, real trauma and like, grief and pain and loss. I, need to be reminded that God was good, that God was faithful. He wouldn't leave my side, and that he was safe. Like, he was safer than any of my other options. And he is the safest. Those are the three things I think I learned and greater than anything he showed me. I think it was just the way that he stayed with me in the midst of my grief and mourning, the way that he mourned with me, the way that he cared so intentionally about my person, like he cared about me, I think speaks louder than anything. He did so many incredible things, but also it was mainly who he was to me, in my personal prayer time with him, in the way.

Dr. Jessica Peck: That he loved me, that is really encouraging. And I mean, to know that God is good even when losing your mother was not good, and that he's faithful to be there for you. And safe is a word that really caught my ear because Gen Z is a generation that was the first generation to be born post 9 11. You were born, Alena into a world that inherently feels unsafe. We have global conflict. We have phones that bring violence to us up close and personal, in real time, live unfiltered. It is, I think it would be very difficult to feel safe in this world and then to know that God is safe even when the world is unsafe. That's one of the things I think is really important for parents to do. We can't make the world safe, but we can create safe spaces in an unsafe world. And the only way that we can do that is connecting them to the safety that God provides. And so I really appreciate knowing that, you know, that was really important to you, that attribute of God to keep you safe.

How has worship influenced your walk with God and knowing who God is

And what I want to know, there is a song. We were listening to that song for the good for God, working all things together. And you mentioned a song in the devotional by Rita Springer, a song called I think he is. And she talks about discovering who God is. He's good, he's faithful, he's present, he's unchanging. How has worship influenced your walk with God and knowing who God is?

Alena Pitts Franklin: M so interesting. It was like my superpower in the midst of grief. It was my way of, talking to God, like, when I didn't have words. There were songs and there were lyrics and there were things that came out of my own spirit. I don't know what it is about music, but I think God uses it to heal. and so as I sang, I was like doing therapy on myself and he was working in my heart. and so music played a large part in that. And even now, like, yeah, hearing people's, like, personal experiences with God through song, I think is really powerful. and as a creative, as someone who loves to worship, I just always love finding, finding songs that, you know, speak truth so boldly. and relatably as that song by Rita Springer. I love that song.

Alena: What would you say to young women about streaming music

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, your generation really loves music. I mean, every generation loves music, but. And your generation is no different in that. And I think that there are a lot of, again, competing alternatives for streaming music. You know, when I think of my generation, Alena when we wanted, we were the generation of I'm Gen X, so we were generation of the mixtape. Like, if we wanted to have a tape of our favorite songs, we would have to put in a physical cassette into this, you know, radio player. And then you'd have to wait for it to come on the radio and you'd push play and record at the same time. And hopefully to goodness that the DJ didn't talk over it and ruin it. And then you. That's how you would create your mixtape. We didn't have the kind of streaming potential that you do. And then I look in this generation and you see who are the most streamed artists. What would you say to young women to encourage them to be thoughtful and discerning in the music that they stream? In thinking of that, you know, you have the option to discern, to stream music that tells you about who God is, and you have music that does not do that for sure. What would you say to young Women to encourage them and what they're reading and what they're listening to and the media that they're consuming.

Alena Pitts Franklin: I would just say look at the fruit of your life. What. What kind of fruit is your life producing? and then I think based off of that fruit, you could probably look at what you're consuming and see the correlation. I don't quite understand the correlation between music and the soul quite yet, but I know that it exists. Like, there's something about music and the arts that speaks directly to our souls. There's something very heavenly about it. and like, even when we look at, you know, Satan, he was like a minister of music, I think. and so it's. It's very interesting that God has used music and the arts to, like, speak to our hearts, which means that if it's not of God, but it is music or art, I think it's also speaking to our hearts. It's telling our hearts, lies. And so I would. I would just encourage anyone my age, like, like, if the fruit of your life is depression or anxiety, like those kinds of dark things, I would look at what you're consuming. When I look at what I'm consuming, and then I look at the way that I'm feeling, it's very obvious, that there's something off about what I'm consuming and what I'm taking in. And then just make small adjustments. You don't have to overcorrect and freak out, but there are ways to instill truth into what you're consuming. and I think you'll be able to see the outcome, in your heart and your spirit and your soul.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, you know, this is where people might think I'm a little bit, I'm a little bit cuckoo. But after I saw War Room, after I saw that movie, I was really, really inspired by so many different things of that. But one of the practices that I started after that was actually streaming Christian music, streaming worship music, praise music, music that lifts the name of Jesus in my home when I'm not here, because I just feel like they're, I agree with you. I think that there is something very spiritual that we just don't even understand about the connection and the beauty and the way that God made music. And I wanted God's presence to rest here even when I wasn't here, because we know from scripture that that evil has to flee at the presence of Jesus name. So I want music that is there. And I know some people are thinking, okay, that sounds a little Odd. But I will tell you, it makes such a difference when that music is there because it does create earworms. We know a little science about that, and it repeats those in our hearts. And I think, Alena that is one of the greatest battles of your generation is fighting all of those messages that are coming at you through music, through media, through culture. All of those messages that are there, I mean, and they're. They're really, antagonistic to the gospel. They're really destructive. I think about the enemy comes to steal, to kill, to destroy. What hope do you. You see encounter programming and tuning out the noise of all of those messages that are coming to your generation and focusing on who God is.

Alena Pitts Franklin: Yeah, I think the really cool thing about God is that greater than we pursue him, he pursues us. And so even if we haven't been thinking about him, he is thinking about us. And so that slight shift in music or that slight shift in movie watching or whatever slight shift we make, he gets so excited and he's committed to using that. And so I think that gives me the most hope is that he wants relationship with me more than I even want it with him. And that's encouraging and exciting. and it's an invitation. Rather than feeling shame, or ashamed about how long I've not been with him or how long I've rejected him, I would encourage, like, people my age with the truth that, like, God actually just wants you regardless of the baggage that you. That you are holding. Like, he can't wait to free you. He can't wait to walk with you. Which I think, again, is just all about that invitation. Like, all we need to do is just take a step which could look like, you know, shifting the music you're listening to, simply opening your Bible, opening up a devotion, and he'll meet you there. He's, like, so thrilled that you're coming to him and excited to talk to him. Like, he's so excited. That gets me really excited and really hope filled.

Dr. Jessica Peck: That is a powerful message. I mean, that is really powerful because that's what.

Dr. Jessica Peck: That's what everybody is looking for, for connection. To know that I am known, I am loved, I am seen. And that's where I find hope, Alena And, you know, I don't want to just give superficial hope. Like, oh, you're struggling with this. Okay, we're going to give you some skills and coping with that. We're going to support you. You know, we're going to surround you with people who love you. All of those Things are important. I'm not diminishing the importance of that, but how much more powerful to give them a message that, that there is a God who knows you intimately, who loves you, who created you for purpose, on purpose, by purpose, you know, all of those things. I think that is, that is what is going to resonate with this generation. So how do you hope that their faith will move past the superficial to something that is really living and breathing? And just like you said, it's taken you seven years to wrestle with this. How do you think we move girls in this generation from having superficial faith to having a real, living, breathing, strong faith?

Alena Pitts Franklin: I think the first thing that came to mind is honesty. We have honest conversations with others and with God. We cannot move past something that we refuse to admit. And so I think being honest with God about where we're actually at allows, him to come in and actually move. He cannot be a part of inauthentic or fake. Like he can't. And so, so there's something really, freeing and invitational about just his call to honesty with him. and I think that can feel scary because that means being totally out there about exactly how I feel. but he can totally handle it. And it's actually not until we admit it, that he can move in our lives. And so that would be my encouragement to young women that authenticity that you crave is there for a reason. and, and it's in that authenticity that we can meet with God.

Alena Franklin writes a devotional aimed at teens and young women

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, I want you just to talk directly to the teen girls, the young women who are listening in our audience. And I know that they're there. I know that somebody has just turned on the radio or streamed something or their relatives sent this to them. I want you to talk about what they can expect from a 60 day journey through God is.

Alena Pitts Franklin: Yeah, you can expect, an honest, wrestle. The whole book is, are love notes from God in the midst of my honest wrestle with him. And so everything in it is true, is authentic and is real. I wanted to create bite sized pieces so that you can open it, and you can read about God without feeling overwhelmed and having, you know, a milk like without, without feeling that fire extinguisher of information. Like this is the bare bones of what the Bible has taught us. no fluff. And so that's what you can expect. You can expect to be able to open it up to any day. like I didn't want to number it, I just wanted to make it like 60 days and you can go in and you can pick a character or an attribute of God that you're struggling to believe. So whether it's God is faithful, or God is a safe place, or God is love, like whatever you're struggling to believe that day, you can open it and you can find biblical truth, biblical answers, and even some space for reflection. Reflection, that invite you into deeper relationship with God and then invite you to believe the actual truth about Him.

Dr. Jessica Peck: I appreciate you doing that. I mean, really what you're doing is just, very countercultural, Turning the world's obsession with identity and self expression on its head, suggesting that understanding ourselves is only possible when we understand who God is. This is just so very encouraging to me, Alena It's really encouraging to hear voices in your generation. And so for those listening, I want you to know that God is raising up leaders in this generation. He is raising up hearts that are strong, that are courageous, that are fighting battles that we don't even understand. Honestly, it is really difficult. I see your generation, Alena Gen Z as just having so many experiences that are so different. But all of the character, the issues, all of the sin issues, all of God's attributes, those are things that are unchanging. And in a world that is constantly changing. And what's celebrated today is canceled tomorrow. And your generation is navigating that. The word of God is unchanging, the attributes of God are unchanging. And the life lessons that, that and the ways that God has used prior generations before the truth of those encounters, those transformations by God, they are unchanging. So I encourage you as my listener to get a copy of this for a girl. You know, maybe it's a girl at your church. Maybe it's your girl small group that you lead. Maybe you're a teacher and there's somebody that you need to give this to that, you know, a young woman who's struggling. Maybe it's your own daughter, your granddaughter, your niece, your sister. Maybe it's somebody that needs it. And this is what Alena Franklin's devotional God is, is capturing for a new generation because she is sharing her own, story of heartbreak, but knowing that God is certain, even when the world is not. Alena thank you so much for using your story to help teens and young women navigate questions of identity and anchor their future in the God who never fails. Thank you so much. And as you're listening, wherever you are, whatever you are doing, I pray that the Lord will bless you and keep you and make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you peace and give you confidence in finding your identity in Christ, knowing who you are. Because we know who God is. I'll see you next time.

Jeff Chamblee: The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.