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{Heart4Teens.com} *Dare to be Different* ______________________________________ If you enjoy this free email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration into the lives of teenagers everywhere! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, you can join Heart4Teens.com readers around the world by visiting: http://www.Heart4Teens.com/Heart4Teens Visit our inspirational web site to read all the past articles in our archives and view the tons of resources we have there for teens! http://www.Heart4Teens.com/Teen_Stories _________________________________________ Over 87,000 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.HeartTouchers.com and click on the link to listen to the free streaming audio message! _________________________________________ Dare to be Different This is what the LORD says: "Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be cut off and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, O Judah, I will afflict you no more." Nahum 1:12 "Come on, everyone else is doing it. You're not going to get in trouble." Under the right circumstances, those words can be pretty persuasive. Even if they involve doing something you know is wrong. For example, if your friends are getting smashed at a party, doesn't it increase the chances that you're going to drink, too? Or if you know that most of your store coworkers occasionally lift merchandise after hours, doesn't it make you more comfortable with the idea of doing it yourself? Call it peer pressure or anything you want, but you've got to admit, disobeying God is a lot easier when other people are doing it, too. It's easy to fall into the trap of believing that there's safety in numbers. Or to believe that if your involvement isn't as extreme as someone else's in the group, you're off the hook. And if we're talking about human authority, there might be some basis for those beliefs. But we're not talking about human authority. We're talking about God who sees everything...and who holds every person accountable for the things he or she does. Period. God doesn't judge people in numbers. He judges us individually. Each of us must stand alone before him to accept individual consequences. He doesn't grade on a sliding scale. He doesn't say, "What you did was wrong, but at least you weren't as bad as that guy." God simply says, "What you did was wrong." That's why, for Christians, being part of the crowd is a dangerous position. It can give us a false sense of security--not to mention a false sense of right and wrong. Remember, God calls us to separate ourselves from the crowd. To follow him as an individual. To let him determine right and wrong for us. Are you up for the challenge? To see how Jesus stood up against the crowd, read John 2:12-24 and John 7. Taken from "Revolution Devotional" by Livingstone, copyright 2006, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here: http://www.youthspecialties.com/product/267064 _________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "A good laugh is sunshine in a house." --Thackeray Verse for the Day: "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones." -- Proverbs 15:30 Teen's Thought For The Day: "Don't worry about what may happen in the future. Most of the things we worry about, never come to pass." Parent's Thought For The Day: Parents must get across the idea that "I love you always, but sometimes I do not love your behavior." -- Amy Vanderbilt Coach's Thought For The Day: "Success is measured in what the team accomplished, not how YOU look." Deep Thought For The Day: "He's a man of his convictions and he has served time for every one of them." __________________________________________ Author MICHAEL T. POWERS www.Heart4Teens.com Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Teen's Soul on Love and Friendship and 25 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 _________________________________________ ALL-STAR Ministry --The Youth Church of Faith Community Church in Janesville, WI If you are in 6-12th 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 The Skating Place.) All-Stars: 6:30 - 8:00 PM Sunday nights! Open to all youth grades 9-12. The Outlet: 6:30 - 8:00 PM Sunday nights in the Multi-Purpose Room! Open to all youth grades 6-8. Currently we have students from Edgerton, Fort Atkinson, Milton, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Marshall, Franklin, Orfordville, Clinton, Beloit Memorial, Beloit Turner, South Beloit, and Hononegah. 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. Upcoming Topics: Sunday August 20 -- Senior Sunday! Join us as we honor our departing seniors! Sunday August 27 -- Live for God One Day at a Time (Life Hurts, God Heals Part 7) Sunday September 3 -- Share What You've Experienced (Life Hurts, God Heals Part 8) Sunday September 10 -- The Truth Project Sunday September 17 -- No All-Stars due to the annual Youth Fall Retreat! September 24: Philosophy & Ethics: Says Who? October 1: Anthropology: Who Is Man? October 8: Theology: Who Is God? October 15: Science: What Is True? October 22: History: Who's Story? October 29: Sociology: The Divine Imprint November 5: Unio Mystica: Am I Alone? November 12: The State: Who's Law? November 19: The American Experiment: Stepping Stones November 26: Labor: Created To Create December 2 & 3: Community Involvement: God Cares, Do I? _______________________________________________ Guys Only and Gals Only Small Groups! (June - August) We are starting something new this summer! We will be having a Guys Only bible study and a Gals Only bible study! Guys Only (Jr. High and Sr. High guys) Led by Pastor Michael 6:30 - 8:00 PM Wednesday nights (June through End of August) Meet in the sanctuary at church This Week: August 16 -- Friendship "Accountability and Hangin' with the Fellas" Gals Only (Jr. High and Sr. High) Led by Paula Marsden 6:30 - 8:00 PM Wednesday nights (June through the end of August) Meet in the nursery at church to study the book "Authentic Beauty" This Week: August 16 -- "Passion of a Set-Apart Woman" Part 2 Upcoming Bible Study Topics: Guys Only August 23 -- Wanted: Heroes "Super powers not required" Gals Only August 23 -- "Passion of a Set-Apart Woman" Part 3 |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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