Real Love.
Real Truth.

Aloha Friends, Most Christian parents we talk to are not struggling because they stopped caring. They are struggling because they sense something shifting in their teenager and cannot quite name it. It looks like a slow withdrawal, a new vocabulary, a different set of values quietly taking root, and they are not sure how to reach them anymore. You are not imagining it, and you are not alone. The cultural moment our teenagers are navigating is unlike anything previous generati

Aloha Friends, Connecting with God isn’t an easy task for all of us. Perhaps you read the practical activity in the last email to cultivate a deeper awareness of God by being in nature and felt unmoved. We are not offended by that at all. The reality is that our ability to perceive God is often connected to how we view Him, and that understanding is shaped in our early years. The relationships we have with parents or guardians, peers, and our community profoundly influence ho

The Following is an excerpt from the Explicit 21-Day Journal... FINALLY FULFILLED By Brittni De La Mora I had blonde hair and braces. I...

Aloha Friends, In our last email, we reflected on the quiet but powerful truth that belonging is often formed in the smallest of moments, not usually in the grand or dramatic, but in the ordinary places where love becomes tangible through presence, attentiveness, and being truly seen. I have been sitting with that thought this week, letting it linger in my heart, and I keep returning to a simple but profound question: Where do we first learn what belonging feels like? For mos

Aloha Friends, In our last email, we shared that loneliness is not just something we are meant to recognize, but something we are invited to respond to, and if we are honest, that can feel like a heavy thought. You see, most of us have been conditioned to move quickly, not just through our schedules, but through conversations, responsibilities, and even the moments that feel uncomfortable or unclear. Even when we sense that something is not quite right in someone else, it can

Aloha Friends, Over the past few weeks, we have been talking about loneliness, not just as a feeling, but as something much deeper. We have seen how loneliness can shape identity, influence behavior, and quietly open doors to things that bring more harm than healing. We have explored how it hides beneath words, relationships, and even the strongest outward appearances. And maybe along the way, you began to recognize something. Not just in others… but in yourself. Loneliness i

Aloha Friends, Can you recognize or discern the signs of rejection? Being someone who has experienced much rejection and shame in my life I think I am pretty good at recognizing the cues. But what do you do when you notice it? First, click here to get the sample phrases that reveal rejection and how to respond. Second, lean into this Jesus model below as a way to see transformation in the lives around you. Have a blessed Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday from all of us at

Aloha Friends, In our last email we mentioned that we would explore the language of loneliness and how someone's words can reflect their struggle. Abandonment, rejection, and neglect are all traumatic experiences that shape our thoughts, words and actions. Today, we will take a look at abandonment. At its core, abandonment is a form of loneliness that develops when someone begins to believe they are not safe in relationships or not worthy of love. This is often a stronghold t

Aloha Friends, Sin had isolated us, but Jesus stepped into the mess and took on the punishment for our sin, thereby acquiring peace with God on our behalf. By His stripes we were all healed. (Isaiah 53:5). I grew up in a very close-knit extended family with many aunties and uncles. They all took turns caring for my brothers and I throughout our childhood as mom and dad worked. But despite all the family around me, I still found myself stranded on an island of my own. In today

Hey there friend! Loneliness is never an excuse to willfully sin against God, or our own body. We are not writing these emails to make a case in defense of someone who has made hurtful decisions because they felt lonely. Instead, these emails are meant to bring awareness and help us to be ready in season and out of season to testify of the hope that the lonely, rejected and abandoned can find in Jesus and the family of God. Consider this... After Jesus’ interaction with the S

Aloha Friends, Did you know that loneliness and isolation have become such a serious public health issue that the U.S. Surgeon General has called it an epidemic? (Click here to read more) I would have never known if I had not looked it up myself. In that advisory, researchers explain that chronic loneliness is linked to increased risks of cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression, and premature death. Some studies even suggest that the physical impact of prolonged loneline

Aloha Friends, From the well to the wilderness, Scripture reveals how deeply rejection can wound the human heart. Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well in the middle of the day. She was most likely avoiding other women and their judgments about her life decisions. The New Testament writers do not offer much backstory about her or her life experiences. However, we can confidently say that Jesus knew everything there was to know about her, and He was not ashamed to speak wi

Aloha Friends, Were you ever asked a question that caused you to re-evaluate your beliefs? This month, Michele and one of our speakers, Joshua Kaina were asked to speak to staff members of a private Christian school on O’ahu. Joshua shared a part of his testimony on leaving behind a LGBTQ+ identity and lifestyle that he has never shared before. It started with a simple question that his dad asked him. In 2014, while living an active homosexual lifestyle and contemplating a ma

Aloha Friends, This last quarter, we shared a lot about the roots behind sexual dysfunction. We also brought it back to Jesus and how building daily abiding rhythms can help us renew our minds and take our thought life captive. We loved your feedback and encouragement. Thank you. Jesus is the reason for this season, yet He is also present in every season of our lives. We want to encourage you to take intentional, Christ-centered moments of rest throughout this holiday season.

Aloha Friends, Thank you for the positive feedback on the previous newsletter. We are so grateful for each of you and your support of Explicit Movement throughout the years. It is our prayer that your homes and hearts will be overflowing with love, purpose and an identity rooted in Jesus Christ. Whatever your festivities look like this week, just know that we are thankful for you. As promised, here are some conversation starters and guide to help you and your family develop a

Aloha Friends, Do you know how empowering purpose is when discipling young people? At the recent Brave and Bold event, Nancy Vuu, a renowned fashion designer, shared her powerful revelation and parenting practice. She titled it the Garment of Grace: Weaving Stronger and More Impactful Bonds with your Teen . Her goal was to help parents shift from being a “Manager of rules” to an “Architect of Trust” by partnering with God and their child to reveal identity and purpose. The fi

Aloha Friends, Have we been doing confession wrong? Pastors John and Rhonda Cabello of New Hope Collective, Kaua’i showed up to the Brave & Bold One-Night event with a powerful testimony and teaching. Pastor John shared something on confession that I have never heard. He said that, “confession isn’t just admitting the sin, it is agreeing with God about the sin”. I was so inspired that I did a short study and wanted to share it with you. In the Bible, the word for “confess” (h

Aloha Friends, What would you be willing to lay your life down for? Michele recently received serious interest to bring The Brave Series to a country in South America where the international sex trade is very active. While this news is exciting, it also reminded me of a powerful word the Lord gave Michele over 10 years ago. During worship time, while at a conference in California, the Lord spoke to Michele clearly in her mind, "Are you willing to die for the movement? It wil

Aloha Friends, Over the past six weeks, we’ve taken a journey together, looking beyond pornography itself and into the hidden roots that keep so many young people stuck. Along the way, we’ve uncovered how: Emotional avoidance teaches them to numb instead of bringing their feelings to God. Loneliness and attachment hunger lead them toward false intimacy instead of real connection. Shame and low self-worth drive them into secrecy instead of safety in Christ. Compulsion and lack

Aloha Friends, Over the last few weeks, we’ve uncovered some of the hidden roots that drive young people toward pornography: emotional avoidance, loneliness, shame, compulsion, and trauma. Today, we come to the final one: control and escape. For many youth, pornography becomes a way to feel in control - “I choose when I feel good.” For others, it’s an escape hatch - “I’ll disappear from my pain, even if just for a moment.” But both are built on lies: “I’m safer when I’m in ch