Boss Your Friends Around!


"Get me this..." "Do this for me now!" "Don't do that!" "Listen to me!"

Those commands don't sound super-friendly, do they? Those commands—and a whole bunch of other ones just like 'em—are frequently used by bossy people. You want to mess up your friendships? Here's a tip: Start bossing your friends around.

Most people don't like to be bossed around. Grown-ups don't even like to be bossed around by their bosses, even though that's kinda what bosses are supposed to do. But since you aren't the boss of your friends (unless you're paying them to be your friends, which would be really odd), you have no reason to boss them around, and they have no reason to put up with it.

In any circle of friends, there will be one or two people who sort of rise to the top, and then everyone else views them as the leaders. This is pretty natural, but it can get bad when it results in bossiness.

If your friends happen to view you as a leader, avoid the temptation to use that position as an excuse to tell everybody how they should behave, what they should do, and when they should do it. If you're one of the leaders of the pack, your friends probably value your opinion quite a bit, so don't be afraid to share it. But try to share your opinions in a way that doesn't make your friends feel like you think you're better than they are.

If you aren't the leader of your pack, it can become really tempting to try to increase your influence by becoming bossy. You may think that by getting a little more vocal and by bossing people around, you'll improve your position within your circle of friends. There are two problems with this idea. First, that's an example of the wrong type of competition, which we talked about a few chapters ago in this book. Second, your friends will notice you've changed and you're beginning to act like a jerk. Your really good friends might be willing to pull you aside and talk to you about it, but the rest of them will just decide they don't want to be your friends anymore.

Enough about bossiness. Go ahead and finish this newsletter! Oops! Did that sound too bossy?

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Taken from "My Friends" by Kurt Johnston and Mark Oestreicher, copyright 2007, Zondervan/Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

Friends can mean everything to you. "My Friends" is a book that will help you make and keep great friendships.

Order the book here: http://www.youthspecialties.com/product/278818

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Creation Q & A

Q: How can death be a "battle" about history?

A: We live in a world of death. Animals die; people die. Death, suffering, bloodshed, violence, and disease pervade the world. How did all this happen? And why do we have a world so full of life and yet totally permeated by death?

If you take the book of Genesis as literal history, then death is an intrusion into this world. The Bible describes it as an "enemy." The first man, Adam, rebelled against God. As a result, the once-perfect world suffered corruption. The Apostle Paul says the whole cosmos groans because of sin. But the Bible also reveals that, one day, death will be thrown into the lake of fire-there will be a new heavens and a new earth, restored to the way it was before sin.

But if you believe in billions of years for the age of the earth and universe, then you also must accept that the fossil layers, full of dead things, were formed over millions of years before man. Thus, this history, based on man's beliefs, teaches that death, disease, violence, and bloodshed were around for millions of years before man was created-millions of years before the Fall.

What a stark contrast. The heart of the age-of-the-earth controversy is a "battle" between two histories of death. But think about it: only the Bible's account concerning death gives us hope.

For more information, click here: Two histories of death

Source: AnswersinGenesis.org

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Creation News

Click on the Bible above or visit the web site listed below!

http://www.Heart4Teens.com/Creation_News

This new addition to our web site will give you an article on the leading news in the Creation/Evolution controversy each day.

This section also includes a rotating Question and Answer feature and a weekly Creation Comic strip from the people at AnswersInGenesis.org.

Be sure to come back and visit each day for an informative article that will help you keep up to date on the latest news in this controversial area!

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Thought For The Day

"The mountain remains unmoved at seeming defeat by the mist." -- Rabindranath Tagore


Verse for the Day

"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock in whom I take refuge." --Psalm 18:2


Teen's Thought For The Day

"Television is the device that has changed a generation of youngsters from an irresistible force into immovable objects."


Parent's Thought For The Day

"It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure you haven't lost the things that money can't buy." --George Horace Lorimer


Coach's Thought For The Day

"Athletes play their hearts out for Coach Greer, not because they fear him, but because they don't want to disappoint him. When athletes play out of fear, or to show up a coach, their whole heart is not in it. But when an athlete plays hard for herself and because she doesn't want to disappoint a coach, then she is playing with her whole being. When that coach continues to build confidence, she begins to play hard not only for herself, but also for her teammates." --Michael T. Powers


Deep Thought For The Day


"I am willing to make the mistakes if someone else is willing to learn from them."

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Author MICHAEL T. POWERS
Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Christian Teenage Soul and 26 other inspirational books.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20

 

Over 110,000 people have listened to popular Chicken Soup Author Michael T. Powers' free inspirational message entitled: "Breathing Life into Others". If you aren't one of them just visit: http://www.Heart4Teens.com and click on the link to listen to the free streaming audio message!

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ALL-STAR Youth Ministry

--The Youth Church of Faith Community Church in Janesville, WI

 

If you are in 7-12th grade and live in the southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois area and would like to check us out, we meet every Sunday night from 6:30-8:00 PM at Faith Community Church which is located at 2931 Lucerne Dr. in Janesville, WI. (About 3 blocks south-east of Menard's.)

 

Currently we have students from Edgerton, Fort Atkinson, Milton, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Marshall, Franklin, Clinton, Beloit Memorial, and Beloit Turner. E-mail me back if you have any questions about our weekly meetings or would like to come to any of our events that are listed below... We have way too much fun and then, most importantly, talk about issues that are relevant to you as a teenager.

This Week:

Starting a new 10-week series called: "No Stinkin' Way!"

October 14: Spitballs -- No Stinkin' Way! (Part 1)


Upcoming Topics:

October 21: Christian Vandalism (NSW Part 2)
October 28: No Pee in this Pool! (NSW Part 3)

November 4: Movie Night!  Movie Style Popcorn Popper Included!
November 11: Eternal Bleeding (NSW Part 4)
November 18: Is Your Bacon Possessed? (NSW Part 5)
November 25: Jesus and the Zombie (NSW Part 6)
 
December 2: Battle of the Sexes! Fun Night!
December 9: The Great Sand Doodler! (NSW Part 7)
December 16: All Up In My Kool-Aid! (NSW Part 8)
December 23: Wee Little Man (NSW Part 9)
December 30: Christmas Party!

January 6: In Love with the Darkness (NSW Part 10)


Visit our youth website to see our topics for 2008!

http://www.faithcommunitychurch.net/upcoming_topics

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Teen Community Groups

6:30 - 8:00 PM Wednesday nights -- These groups are limited to no more than ten teens and are split into Jr. High and High School ages. This night is for those teens who want to dig deeper than what we do in All-Stars, but may not be ready to be a part of the Xtreme Teens. These cell groups will also be doing special activities with each other as the year goes on to build community.

Jr. High age meets at the church and are led by Kent & Rachel Martin (Call 373-0886 if you have any questions!)

High School age are led by Tedi Knox: 2816 Blackbridge (Call 774-2592 if you have any questions!)

Xtreme Teens: Xtreme Teens meet on Wednesday nights from 6:30 - 8:00 PM all year round at the Powers' house. This group is very extensive with weekly homework, memorization, service projects, etc. Students interested in this group will have to fill out an application, provide references as to why others think they should be involved with this, and sign an agreement as to what is expected of them. Admission into Xtreme Teens is on a case by case basis. Contact Pastor Michael for more details!

This Week October 10: Bad News Good News (Jesus predicts his death)

For more info on our small groups, visit: http://www.faithcommunitychurch.net/small_groups

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Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?

http://www.HeartTouchers.com/Life_Purpose