GOD SPEAKS YOUR LOVE LANGUAGE

This session idea is taken from Gary Chapman’s Book God Speaks Your Love Language

1. Introduce the idea of love languages. If your youth are unfamiliar with it they can also take a quiz to discover their love language here: 
   The 5 Love Langugaes

2. Depending on your time you can either have the youth go through all 5 stations to discover how God communicates through these love languages and how they can communicate to God through these love languages. If your time is limited you can have them just attend 1 or a few stations that resonate with them. These stations should be about 20-30 minutes depending on your discussions.

3. Words of Affirmation

   • Explain: God is clearly a God who uses words as a means of sharing His love with His children. When you look throughout history you see that so many people have written immensely beautiful verses and poems that express God’s love for you.

   • Discuss:

     • Do you have a favorite song that you feel expresses God’s love to you? What part of the song speaks most to you? (Or a favorite quote?)

     • How do you feel when you hear or read these words?

     • How does God respond when you share your words of affirmation with your Heavenly Parent?

   • Do:

     • Write a letter of love to God. Use your words to affirm God’s love and presence in your life.

     • If you prefer you can go outside and sing some holy songs to God to express your love to God through words.

4. Quality Time

   • Explain: God certainly is a being who enjoys quality time with His children. His entire purpose of creation was so He could have an intimate relationship with each of His children. 

   • Discuss:

     • Have you ever taken an extended time to spend time with God?

     • If you were to set aside a block of time to spend with God, how might you spend it? [Think about this week!]

     • How does God respond when we set aside this quality time for him?

   • Do:

     • Go for a silent walk with God. Spend intentional quality time with God.

     • Make sure there is enough space between each person as they are walking a path outside so that they feel they are really alone with God and not surrounded by their peers.

5. Gifts

   • Explain: God is a gift-giver. He created the world for us. 

   • Discuss:

     • Have you ever had a time where you felt like God prepared a special moment or experience for you? (if not, is there a story you have heard from someone else that stuck with you?)

     • What are some ways you’ve seen God give “gifts” to others

     • What kinds of “gifts” can you give to God? How does He feel about them?

   • Do:

     • If you could give God a gift, what would it be?

     • Prepare an offering table of sorts and have everyone “create” their representation of that gift for God to place on the altar.

6. Acts of Service

   • Explain: This great quote from Mother Teresa expresses this part of God’s nature perfectly, “I am a little pencil in the hands of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.”

   • Discuss:

     • Have you ever felt “God’s love” through something someone else has done or said for you?

     • Have you ever tried to show “God’s love” to someone through acts of service? What was their response like?

     • How do you think God feels about receiving acts of service as a possible love language?

   • Do: There are many ways we can give acts of service

     • Write a message or card of encouragement for someone who could use extra love

     • Clean and prepare a holy environment in your church

     • Appreciate your pastor/Youth Pastor as God’s representative in your community

7. Physical Touch

   • Explain: Although God does not have a physical body, he truly enjoys exchanging love through physical touch through us. Our society often twists physical affection, but the original intention of giving love through physical affection is meant to be one of a pure heart and true love.

   • Discuss: 

     1. Have you ever experienced feeling very loved through some type of physical affection?

     2. Do you know someone in your life who really feels loved through physical touch?

     3.  How can we communicate God’s love to others through touch?

   • Do: 

     • Give sincere hugs to each other (might be a good idea to make this separated by gender). These should be long and close hugs, not short insincere ones.