Emotions are like Trains

Emotions are like trains -- they move quickly and can be powerful -- especially when experienced by tween or teenage girls! One day they can be fully in-check and regulated, and the very next day they may veer off track or even run you over.

We need to teach our girls (and remember ourselves) that emotions do not control us; rather, they can help guide us toward a more authentic version of ourselves and to a deeper connection to God and others. Calmly and gently teach your girl to breathe through her strong emotions and to simultaneously ask God to help her understand what is at the root of the emotion.

A powerful lesson we can teach our girls is that unlike emotions, God's love and care for us is CONSTANT! It does not change; it is un-movable, regardless of how we are feeling in the moment. It is STEADY! Let's teach our girls how to find the quiet space (even in the midst of big emotions) and ask for help - both from caring individuals and from God. Let's empower them with a foundation of faith - faith that supersedes feelings; faith in a God who calms stormy seas and even conducts locomotive trains!