What to Read This November

Happy Reformation Day!

Since it's the last day of October, I thought I would share some book recommendations for the month of November, in case you are looking for a good book.

November Featured Read

The best book I can recommend to you for November, as we approach the Thanksgiving season, is One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I would highly recommend this to all of you as an inspiring book worth reading. I wrote a more detailed review of this book last week; you can access it here. 

Other Recommendations

If you like science fiction:

• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is a compelling story set in a time where books are banned, and firemen have the job of burning them. It tells the story of a fireman who meets a teenage girl whose questions prompt him to think deeper about the job he does. Definitely recommended! (And definitely scary to think about for a bookworm like me!)

If you like fantasy:

• Beauty by Robin McKinley is a very well-done retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Robin McKinley's book are typically very clean as well as being well-written. 

If you like romance:

• My Heart Remembers by Kim Vogel Sawyer and its sequel, In Every Heartbeat; Kim Vogel Sawyer is a very good Christian writer who manages to include a Christian message in her books without making them overly 'preachy'. All of her books draw you in from beginning to end, and you won't be able to put them down!

If you like mysteries:

• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin is a fast-paced, interestingly told mystery. It features a dead millionaire who has left a puzzling will, and a lovable cast of unique, eccentric characters trying to figure out who will get his money. This is another book you won't be able to put down!

If you like classics:

• Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott is a not-so-well-known book by this well-known author. One of my favorite books, it tells the story of Rose, an orphaned girl who comes to live among her many aunts and boy cousins. It's so good and something you should definitely read if you enjoy classics!

If you like contemporary fiction:

• The Penderwicks and sequels by Jeanne Birdsall is a very good series about the everyday adventures of four sisters, their Latin-speaking father, and a dog. There will be two more books in the series published eventually. This is another of my favorites!

If you like biographies:

• Dancing Through It is a very good memoir written by Jenifer Ringer, a member of the New York City ballet. She is a Christian and writes in a very fluent way, taking you into her struggles with eating disorders and her comeback into the world of ballet. Very highly recommended even if you don't usually read this sort of book!

What do you think? Have you read these books? Do you have any other recommendations for fellow Christian teens?

"For every minute you are angry..." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

"For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson (American poet, 1803-1882)

To Think About:

• Anger is self-destructive as well as destructive of others.
• Happiness is essential to our lives as people. Anger takes away from that happiness.
• Often our anger can be controlled more than we realize. Your mindset can make or break whether or not you have a good day.

What do you think? Do you like this quote? Do you have any favorite quotes you would like to see featured here?

Makeup: Do or Don't?

Girls meet with a lot of conflicting ideas about makeup. There are the people who talk about women's rights to wear whatever makeup they want. There are the people who make of you for wearing too much makeup. There are the people who think makeup should look 'natural'. There are the people who think girls shouldn't wear makeup. And all of that is just in the secular world.

As Christians, it can be even more confusing. What does the Bible say about makeup? What's a Christian girl to do?

Makeup is one of those things that the Bible doesn't expressly talk about. That means that, as a Christian, you are free to make your own decision based on passages that you feel imply one thing or another. My personal opinion is that there is nothing wrong with wearing some makeup if it makes you more confident. However, there are some things you should consider when making your decision.

• First and foremost, follow your parents' rules. If they won't allow you to wear makeup, it's simple: don't wear it. One thing the Bible is very clear on is obeying and honoring your parents. If that means going without makeup until you move out of the house, that's what you should do.
• If you feel that makeup will cause you to become obsessive over your appearance, it's probably best to leave it alone. The Bible does say that real beauty comes from the inside out, and you don't want to lose sight of that in a rush to make yourself the prettiest girl in school.
• If you do choose to wear makeup, it's best to keep it tasteful and natural. Modesty rules apply here too! As I said when discussing why we dress modestly, you don't want what you like on the outside to distract from the beautiful person you are on the inside.

What do you think? Do you wear makeup? Do you have the same opinion about this, or do you think that Christians should avoid makeup altogether? 

5 Tips for Witnessing to Non-Christian Friends

If you go to public school or do activities somewhere that is not church-related, chances are that you will have friends whose religious beliefs do not align with yours. These friends might curse frequently in conversation or dress in a way that you find inappropriate, or there might just be an underlying feel of hostility toward all religion or a particular religion.

What do you do if you have friends like this? It can hurt to see people you care about living a life that will lead to destruction. You want to help them, but you also don't want to offend them.

• Be yourself. Don't hide your faith from them; if they don't accept it as part of you, they are not true friends. If you find yourself trying to act 'cool' and hide your true self around them, leave the friendship. Most people are, in fact, very accepting of different religions from their own.
• Stick to your values. This goes along with the first one: don't let them convince you of a different opinion on something, whether big or small, if you know you are in the right. Stick to what you believe.
• Don't force your faith on them. Don't spend every spare minute trying to convince them of the truth of Christianity. While it is important to bear witness to non-Christians in your life, don't be obsessive and constantly try to force them to believe what you believe.
• When the time is right, speak up. If you see an opportunity to discuss what you believe, seize it! Approach the subject with them gently, but with conviction, and try to explain to them simply what it means to be a Christian.
• Let God work! Don't obsess over converting them. The truth is, you can talk as much as you want, but God is the only one who can change hearts. He uses people as his instruments, but you ultimately cannot decide what your friend will believe.

What do you think? Do you have friends like this? Have you ever tried to share the gospel with them, and how did you approach it? 

Working Heartily (Colossians 3:23)

Colossians 3:23 says,

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men."

This is one of those verses that is easy to understand as far as meaning, and easy to apply to our lives today, but really hard to put into practice.

This verse means literally whatever you do. If it is work that you have been called to do at this stage of your life, you are to do it heartily. The major calling for most of you right now is probably school. In addition you may do sports or other after-school activities, babysit, or maybe you work an after-school job or volunteer. This also includes chores and other things you do with your family and around the house.

What does working heartily look like? It means doing everything completely and to the best of your ability. This is not a call to perfection, but we shouldn't be lazy with the tasks we have been given. It also means not complaining. As easy as it is for teenagers to slip into negative, whiny conversation, we should work hard to stay away from that, away from comments of "Oh my gosh, I have so much homework!" or "Can you believe we had to run six laps?"

Will you take the challenge of doing everything as though the Lord is the one who wants it done?

What do you think? Do you like this verse? Is this something you will strive to live out in your everyday life?

Book Review: One Thousand Gifts

One Thousand Gifts is a beautiful book. It challenges the very core of how we live in this very self-centered, complaining-oriented world.

It started when writer Ann Voskamp was challenged by a friend to make a list of 1000 things she was thankful for, things that God had blessed her with in her life. That dare turned into this book. 

One Thousand Gifts is written in a beautiful, very poetic style, different from other nonfiction books, making it enjoyable to read even for those who usually read fiction. It is sprinkled with stories from the author's own childhood and excerpts of the list of 1000 gifts that she wrote, and finished. 

As November and Thanksgiving season approaches, I highly recommend this book as something every Christian should read!

What do you think? Have you read this book? Was it inspiring to you? If you haven't read it, will you read it now?

"Reflect upon your present blessings..." -Charles Dickens

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."

-Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

To Think About:

• There are many places where the Bible says to be thankful. How can you personally benefit from having a more thankful mindset in your life?
• We should focus on the good things happening right now rather than any bad thing that happened in the past.
• Sometimes we complain about really small things; groaning to our friends about how long the lunch line is or how much homework we have. When we get into this mindset, we set ourselves up for despair when something actually bad happens.

What do you think? Do you like this quote? Do you have any favorite quotes you would like to see featured here?

7 Tips for Dressing Modestly

Over the past few weeks I have been discussing modesty. We talked about the why behind it, and we also talked about how to develop your own modesty standards for the way you dress. Today I want to provide some tips to fellow teen girls who want to dress modestly but also want to look cute and trendy.

So without further ado, here are some tips for making clothes modest and looking stylish and cute while honoring God.

• I suggest stocking up on tank tops in various colors and neutrals to wear under crop tops, sheer tops, shirts with a low neckline, etc. 
• I know how hard it is to find shorts that aren't too short! Some of my best finds have been shorts that look good rolled up or down, so I could roll them as little or as much as I wanted. Try looking for shorts like that.
• If you have a spaghetti strap shirt that you really love, try wearing it with a jacket or cardigan on top to make it more modest.
• Wear leggings under dresses and skirts that are too short to wear alone.
• Please, PLEASE do not wear leggings how you would wear any other pants. If you do wear leggings as your only pants, wear a shirt that is long enough to cover you. 
• On that note, be careful with skinny jeans and other skinny pants. Make sure you feel totally comfortable in them. If you think they look too tight on you, wear a longer shirt. 
• Accessories are your friend when trying to dress stylishly and modestly! Cute and tasteful scarves, belts, jewelry, and hair accessories can take your look to a whole other level. Shoes can also make or break your look!

Remember, the most important rule you can follow is that if you feel self-conscious or exposed in it, there is no reason to wear it! Always wear what you feel comfortable in and what makes you happy.

Next Steps: Make an effort to start dressing like this every day. If it helps, plan your outfits the night before.

What do you think? Do you agree with this tips? Do you have other tips to offer? Do you have any questions I could answer in another post?

A Challenge to Pray Without Ceasing

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says this:
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Too often, we think of prayer as something that you do at certain scheduled times. Some religions have specific memorized prayers that you have to say; Christianity is not like that! One of the blessings of being in a personal relationship with God is that you can talk to him anytime, anywhere.

It's important to recognize the rest of the verse too: rejoicing always and giving thanks in all circumstances. We are not only to pray without ceasing for things we need, but also give thanks to God for what he has given us.

This definitely does not mean you have to constantly pray out loud! Quick, silent prayers are so helpful in getting through the day. Thinking a prayer before a big test, audition, or game can help calm your nerves. A quick, "Thank you, God" when you notice something good about your day can make all the difference in your mood.

Get in the habit of praying silently for other people as well. Maybe there's someone in your class who is struggling in school or at home. Pray for the person who walks by your house every day with their dog. Pray for the bus driver, or the person in the car next to you at a stoplight. It doesn't matter if you don't know anything about them; you can pray for them anyway.

This doesn't mean that it isn't good to have time set aside only for prayer. It is! Time where you are focused only on God is important too. It just means that we should get in the mindset that God is with us wherever we go and helping us with whatever we need.

Next Steps: Get into the habit of praying silent prayers throughout your day, for yourself and others.

What do you think? Do you do this already? Do you like the idea, but need to get started? How has prayer blessed your life?

The Peace of God (Philippians 4:6-7)

Another one of my favorite verses is Philippians 4:6-7. This verse says, in the ESV translation,

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

I have always been a worrier. I worry about the smallest, most insignificant, and most unlikely things. I always have to remind myself of this verse when I notice myself starting to think worrying thoughts.

The verse is quite clear: We are not to be anxious about anything. We are to place everything, even the big things that matter, into God's hands through prayer.

What strikes me is the way the word thanksgiving is used in this verse. Rather than worrying, we are to give thanks for all things, all the time. I think if we begin to try to practice thanksgiving every day, we will really see a turnaround in the way we think about things, and begin to worry less.

And if we do this, what will happen?
We will receive the peace of God. If you think about, this makes total sense. If you stop worrying and let it rest in God's hands, you will have peace. Worrying is, essentially, the opposite of peace. If we let go of our anxiety and simply rest and trust in God, His peace will come to us.

That's true faith.

Next Steps: Begin to focus on thankful thoughts rather than anxious thoughts. If you find yourself worrying, say a short prayer about whatever it is you're worrying about and then simply let it go.

What do you think? Is this something you struggle with? Do you find this verse helpful? What are some of your favorite verses I could discuss in the future?

What's Wrong With Our Media?

When you go to the movie theater, have you ever noticed that the movies playing are dominated by those rated R? The same thing happens with ads for TV shows: the ads are dominated by shows rated PG-13 and R. Doesn't this make you wonder what is happening to our culture?

People today enjoy watching things that should never be seen, that are perverted and skewed to something that goes completely against the Word of God. New G-rated movies are almost unheard-of now, probably because producers think that G and PG ratings are not what audiences want (ignoring the fact that Frozen was so immensely popular). Books and music are the same way.

So what should we do when faced with all of the ugliness and ungodliness in the media? I'm not saying we need to totally avoid any one type of thing. But you do need to use discretion in what you choose to watch, read, and listen to, and see it all through the eyes of Christ. 

Will choosing not to read or watch a popular book or movie make you feel left out? Yes, and rest assured that I have experienced this. But will not having read The Fault in Our Stars or Divergent make you miserable for the rest of your life? Probably not. (Side note: I'm not talking about those books in particular, they were just what came to mind as popular books right now. I have not read either of them, so I can't really give specific advice). 

I recommend putting in the time to find books and movies that you enjoy and that are appropriate for a Christian to be reading and watching. Check out the book and movie reviews I will be doing on Fridays for more ideas! 

Next Steps: Make an effort to clean up your entertainment. Get rid of books, movies, and music that you think are not God-honoring (how far you go with this is definitely a personal choice!). Start choosing books and movies that lead you closer to God rather than farther away.

What do you think? Is this a problem you have noticed as well? Will you take the challenge to avoid media that is not honoring to God? Do you have any book or movie recommendations for your fellow teens?

Movie Review: Amazing Grace

Today I thought I would share with you one of my absolute favorite movies: Amazing Grace, a movie that tells the story of William Wilberforce, starring Ioan Gruffudd as Wilberforce, Romola Garai as his wife, Barbara, and Benedict Cumberbatch as the Prime Minister and Wilberforce's good friend, William Pitt. (Rated PG for the mature themes involving slavery and some mild language.)

What I love about this movie is that it shows not only the glorious moments of his life, but also the thankless things he did. The first scene you see is of him stopping his carriage in the rain to stop some men from beating a horse who has fallen down.

There are so many amazing moments in this movie that you just want to watch over and over again. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it!

What do you think? Have you seen this movie? Do you like it? If you haven't seen it, do you want to?

"If someone were to pay you ten cents for every kind word..." -anonymous

"If someone were to pay you ten cents for every kind word you ever spoke and collect five cents for every unkind word, would you be rich or poor?"

-Anonymous


To Think About:

• This quote really makes us stop in our tracks and consider the way we speak to others.
• How can you change the way you speak to others to become rich rather than poor?
• This week, try to say something kind to someone every day.

What do you think? Does this quote speak to you like it does to me? Do you have a favorite quote you want to see featured here?

My Standards of Modesty

Disclaimer: Please read all of the following introduction before you jump to the list of modesty rules! I don't want anyone to think I'm dictating how they should dress!

Last time I discussed why God’s girls should be concerned about modesty. Now I’m going to be getting into the practical side of things: how in the world do you dress well, look cute, and still stay modest? And where in the world are you supposed to buy shorts that are longer than two inches?

Today, I’d like to talk about some general tips about what is modest and what isn't. Sometimes, however, this can be very personal territory. There are some things that are obvious, but others aren't so obvious, and it really takes a personal choice to decide what you define as modest. Some people will want to make sure their entire legs or arms are covered. Others just want to wear clothes that keep their chest from spilling out of their shirt and their thighs from being inadvertently exposed.

But, I know that some of you probably want an actual, definitive list of rules for what is and isn't modest. And if you don’t, ignore this post. All of you are perfectly capable of defining your modesty rules for yourselves.

And now, for those of you with no idea where to start or who just want some ideas to get their juices flowing, here is my personal list of rules I typically follow.

• Shorts should not be shorter than the length of your fingertips when your arms are straight at your sides. If you prefer them longer, that’s always fine. Some of my best clothing finds have been shorts that you can roll up as short or as long as you want.
• Skirts and dresses should come at least halfway to the knee, and personally I don’t feel comfortable in anything shorter than three quarters to the knee. This is also a matter of personal preference, as long as it isn't an ultra-short miniskirt.
• Necklines on tops and dresses should go no lower than a hand-width below your collarbone. This should be pretty universal—anything lower than that starts to get seriously immodest. If you prefer that shirts come to your collarbones at all times, that is also a personal choice.

Obviously the rules can be tweaked and adjusted based on what you feel comfortable with. And if you prefer to ignore these altogether and create your own rules from scratch, please do so!

      Next Steps: Make a list—yes, actually write it down—of your personal modesty rules for clothes. Then go through your closet and try on each thing. Check if it follows your rules. If it doesn’t, toss it. Sometimes it can be nice to enlist the help of your mom, an older sister, or a good Christian friend. 

     What do you think? Do you agree with my modesty rules? Is there anything you would add/change? Do you already dress this way, or has this inspired you to take a second look at your wardrobe?

6 Tips for Memorizing Scripture

Continuing with last week’s theme of reading the Bible, today I’m going to talk about another essential part of your spiritual life: memorizing Scripture!

If you have God’s word hidden in your heart, it won’t matter if you have a Bible with you or not. Whenever you get into a frightening situation, it will be there to comfort you.

Here are some tips:

• Try working on Scripture memory right after you read your Bible so you don’t forget.
•  For ideas on what to memorize, try looking at the Bible studies I do every Monday for some of my favorite verses. You can also use a concordance to find verses on a specific topic, or check out a devotional book that might have featured verses every day.
• Try memorizing the reference, i.e. 1 Timothy 4:12, first. Then learn the rest of the verse a little at a time. Take as many days as you need on one verse; there’s no rush!
• When you first start memorizing a verse, write it out and put it somewhere you look every day, such as your mirror or somewhere on your phone. Whenever you see it, take the time to read over it silently.  
•  Say the verse over to yourself in bed, in the car, or whenever you’re sitting and doing nothing. 
• As you get better at learning short verses, try out longer and longer passages so you can better see the context behind some of the verses you are memorizing. Don’t always limit yourself to one verse at a time!

The work will pay off when you begin to remember and bring up Scriptures in everyday conversation and have them with you if you’re scared or upset!

Next Steps: Take a few minutes after you read your Bible to memorize a favorite Scripture passage. Experiment with different techniques to find what works for you.

What do you think? Do you already make Scripture memory a regular part of your routine? If you don’t, do you think it would benefit you to try? How has having Scripture memorized blessed your life?

Ask in Prayer (Matthew 21:22)

Recently I got a request asking if I could do a Bible study on Matthew 21:22 because they were having trouble understanding it. I looked it up and I could see why it would be difficult!

This verse says,
"And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."

At first glance, this seems strange. We all know that God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

But what does the word faith mean? Faith is complete trust or belief in something or someone. If we have faith in God, it means we trust fully in him to know what we need and do everything in our best interest.

One of my favorite authors, Jan Karon, in her Mitford series, has the main character (an older pastor) refer to the "prayer that never fails", or "thy will be done". I think this is a wonderful way to think about it. When we have true faith, our prayer will always be, "Thy will be done". When we pray this prayer, we will receive what we ask, when we ask for God to give us what we truly need.

I'm not saying that it's bad to pray for specific things. I'm only saying that the prayer of faith is the prayer that will give us everything we need.

What do you think?

• Do you agree with my interpretation of this passage?
• Do you have other opinions or help to offer our friend on what this means?

Book Review: Do Hard Things

One of the most life-changing books I have ever read...

Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex and Brett Harris, twin brothers who were teenagers themselves when they wrote it, is a book that challenges teenagers to rise up in protest of the low expectations. They have started a whole moment centered around this topic, called The Rebelution. 

The book talks about the myth that teenagers are supposed to kick back and have fun all the time. It discusses five kinds of hard things:

• Things that take us outside of our comfort zone
• Things that go beyond what is expected of us
• Things that are too big to do alone
• Small things that might seem insignificant (i.e. doing the dishes without complaining)
• Things that go against the crowd

The book is a wake-up call for the adolescents of our generation. It is something that every Christian teen should read; it will challenge your mind and your heart and change your life.

GO GET A COPY AND READ IT NOW!!!!!!

What do you think?

• Have you read this book? Do you like it?
• If you haven't read it, will you read it now? (you better. If my enthusiasm didn't convince you, I don't know what will.)

"I am only one, but I am one..." -Edward Everett Hale

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do, and, with the help of God, I will do.”

   --Edward Everett Hale, American author/historian/minister, 1822—1909

To Think About:

• We cannot do even what we should do on our own, but must lean on God.
• We are not asked to do anything we cannot do.
• While we may seem like the most insignificant person on earth, anything we can do for God could have a bigger impact than we see at the moment.

P.S. This is my favorite quote ever.
 

What do you think?

• Do you find this quote inspiring?
• What are some of your favorite quotes that you would like to see featured here? 

3 Reasons to Dress Modestly

If you are a girl, it’s almost inevitable that you will end up in a clothing store at some point. When you do, you are suddenly surrounded by clothing that you wish would just go away, clothes that tempt you to wear things you know aren't right because they are just so cute. Plus, every other girl in school is wearing them. What are we supposed to do?
 

1 Timothy 2:8-10 says,

“…likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.” (ESV)
 

But why do we have to dress modestly? What difference does it make?

1. We dress modestly to show others that we are different. When our peers, teachers, and other people we are around every day see that we do not wear the miniskirts and super low-cut tops that the other girls wear, it demonstrates to them that we have been changed and are attempting to live a God-honoring life.
2. We dress modestly to avoid tempting others to sin. Matthew 5:28 says, “Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” When we dress in a way that tempts our fellow young men to sinful thoughts and actions, we are not glorifying God.
3. We dress modestly so that those around us will focus on our inner beauty instead of our outward appearance. When your outer appearance is distracting, people can’t see past that into your beautiful changed heart.

So there you have it: three reasons why Christian girls should dress modestly and appropriately. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be covering practical suggestions and tips for shopping and dressing in a God-honoring way while still staying stylish.

Next Steps: Pray that God would give you discernment to distinguish cute clothing from immodest clothing. Start actively considering the clothes you see around to develop your own personal ‘modesty eye’; start developing your own opinions of what is and isn't modest, aside from the obvious answers.

What do you think?

• Are there other reasons you dress modestly? Things on the list you don’t consider a reason?
• Do you have any specific questions about modest dressing that I could answer in the future?

4 Tips for Daily Bible Reading

Reading your Bible every day is one of the most important things you can do for the enrichment of your life as a Christian.

I know. You plan to read it when you get up, but when the alarm clock goes off at whatever unseemly hour you are expected to get up for school, all you can think about is the fact that if you skip your Bible reading you get fifteen more minutes of sleep. I have this problem too.

But reading your Bible is so important for spiritual health. It equips you for the battles that you face in the world every day and encourages you in realizing that you are not alone. It calls you to walk the walk of faith anew every day.

 

Here are some tips for reading your Bible:

1. Find a time that works. If reading it in the morning isn't working, rethink your plan. Could you read it right when you get home from school, at the beginning of your homework time? Before bed? Find a time when you won’t be tempted to skip, and commit to reading every day.
2. Don’t worry about studying the passage. If you are crunched for time, you often don’t want to get out a notebook and thoroughly dissect a verse. Simply reading can be just as good if your mind is engaged. Maybe on Sunday afternoons you could devote some time to Bible study, and just focus on immersing yourself in the Word of God the rest of the time.
3. Read what you enjoy. If you are just starting out in reading the Bible, some of it is definitely easier to understand and enjoy then others. Eventually you will want to read all of it, but at first find the things that you like. This will differ from person to person; my personal favorite for when I’m in the mood for a story is the book of Esther. Experiment and find your favorite places to go when you just want a quiet moment to read.
4. Pray that God would speak to you through the reading. Before you read, pray that God would use your reading time to teach you something about himself or his world. Be actively searching for what God wants you to learn. 

Even if the Bible seems boring now, in time we can come to love reading it just as much as our favorite novels!
 
Next Steps: Get a Bible, if you don’t have one already, in a version you will be able to understand. Find a time and plan to read it every day. Spend at least ten minutes reading.
 

h   What do you think?

•         Do you read your Bible every day already, or is this something you need to work on?
•         What Bible reading strategies have worked for you in the past?
•         Where are your favorite places in the Bible to read? 

My Life Motto (1 Timothy 4:12)

I have several all-time favorite Bible verses. These are the verses that I know by heart, verses that inspire my daily life, and the verses that will be recurring themes on this blog. Today I want to look at one such verse: 1 Timothy 4:12.

This verse says, in the ESV Bible,

“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

 

Let no one despise you for your youth: In some versions, this is “don’t let anyone look down on you”, which I think illustrates what this means well. People have a tendency, especially with teenagers, to think that we are ‘just teenagers’ and to have low expectations of us. The truth is that teenagers are capable of doing amazing things. When we live in a way that makes others look down on us, we will never realize what we are capable of.

Set an example for the believers: Instead of living in a way that leads to bad opinions from others, we are to live in a way that models the Christian life to our family, friends, and church; just because we are teenagers does not mean that we cannot live the Christian life just as well as adults—in fact, we can!

What follows is a detailed list of areas we are to set an example in:

• The way we speak (cursing, complaining, gossiping, etc. are things we should avoid.)
• The way we act (do everything for the glory of God.)
• Our love for God and those around us (they are all made in God's image.)
• Our faith in God and his plan (He knows what is best for us.)
• Our purity and morality (don't follow the example of the world.)

When we do all of these things, we are setting an example to our church family. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you are “only a teenager”; you can still live like a follower of Christ!

Next Steps: Start actively striving to set an example in all of these ways. Pray that God would help you to fulfill this calling from day to day. If you catch yourself thinking anything along the lines of, “I’m too young” or “I should have fun now because I’m a teenager”, stop!

What do you think?

• Do you like this verse as much as I do?
• What are your favorite verses?
• Have you ever fallen into the trap of belittling what you can do because of your youth? 

Welcome to My Blog!

Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here!

This blog is meant to be a place of encouragement and advice for other teens who are striving to live as followers of Christ. My goal is to bring these people together in the Lord, so that we can all see that we are not alone, no matter how much it may seem that we are.

I will post daily to the best of my ability, Monday through Saturday.  Posts will include studies of Bible verses, practical life lessons, book and movie reviews, advice for girls on issues like clothes and makeup, and other articles on a variety of topics relating to the Christian life.

Feel free to comment on any article that gets your attention! If you have any topic ideas or questions you would like to see featured, let me know in the comments of any article.

I hope this blog encourages you in your walk with Christ!