Safeguarding

After experiencing church hurt and coercion as a teen, I wrestled for years with the term spiritual abuse . Here is why a faith-affirming framework matters. Art by Sabrina Paredes I write from lived experience, more than twenty years of working with youth in church settings, and ongoing learning about evidence-based safeguarding that names harm clearly without undermining faith. I began researching the term spiritual abuse in 2018. That led me down a path that was both diffi

After years of searching for non-polarizing resources to understand behavior in faith-based relationships, I found Lisa Oakley’s research. It reshaped my understanding and gave me hope that this topic can be explored in ways that build faith and healthy cultures. I write from lived experience, more than twenty years of working with youth in church settings, and ongoing learning about evidence-based safeguarding that names harm clearly without undermining faith. Why negative

It can be easy to see an unhappy camper as a problem to fix rather than a person to love. But what would Jesus do? Church-camp goers come in all forms—some youth count down the days to go, while others count down the hours until they can go home. Emotional stress at camp can come from changing friendships, shifting hormones, a faith crisis, or simply physical and social exhaustion (especially for introverts!). Whatever the reason, here are a few practical ways to anticipate a