Teens Connected at Church

Just as teenagers are maturing into adulthood physically, mentally, and emotionally, they also need to mature spiritually. Do our teens understand that their involvement in church will help nurture their spiritual growth?

One secret to helping our teens connect with the body of Christ includes encouraging them to find their significance, purpose, and connection  within this community of believers. Does your teen see herself as a valuable participant at church? Help her evaluate the gifts and skills she may have that are waiting to be cultivated, then discuss ways she may be able to serve others with these gifts.

After talking about how your teen can contribute, discuss what she can receive from the body. Encouragement, accountability, and a sense of belonging are invaluable benefits. Your teen can grow to see the beauty of the body of Christ as she's convinced that her church family needs her-and she needs this family.

(Focus on the Family, Ross Parsley (All "he" changed and adhered to stand as a current in the above story as "she" and other.))

Blake Shelton- "God Gave Me You"

Enough is Enough

Bullying. We've all heard about it. But have we stopped, taken a moment, and realized what is really going on, what it is all about?

Maybe this will give you some thought about what bullying is all about;

There are about 4,400 deaths (or suicides) committed each year do to being bullied. Bullied victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to commit suicide than non-victims. A study showed that at least half of teen deaths are because of bullying. At least thirty percent of kids in a high school are victims of being bullied or they are actually bullies themselves. Around 160,000 kids stay home from school everyday because of the fear of being bullied.

After you have read those statistics, have you come to your senses about what bullying is all about? If not, please, don't hesitate to read again.

Bullying is targeted everywhere. When it comes to getting bullied, enough is enough! There has to be people taking charge here. That's why we need people to stand up and give there hearts out to others.

Give your heart out! We encourage you! If you see someone getting bullied, take action, don't just stand there and watch. You need to be the one to stand up and say what is right. Your opinion matters and could change lives. If you stand up, face your fears, get out of your comfort zone, you will make such the difference.

Can you believe it? You, can make the difference!

If you see someone getting bullied, there are some major options you can take into hand.

• Tell a trusted adult about the situation.

If you know of a person that is contemplating suicide do to being bullied:

• Tell a trusted adult about the situation.
• Talk to the victim about what is going on. Ensure them that life has a lot to be lived for. 
• Tell the victim all that they will be missing.
• Pray with the victim. God is the key to all troubles.

(Source(s) of information at http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-and-suicide.html)

Tell an adult immediately if someone is contemplating suicide. 

Precious in His Sight

On the left, you see a picture of a little girl. Her name is Adalia Rose and she was born with a condition called Progeria. If you do not know already, Progeria is a rapid-aging disease.

For Adalia, who is only five years of age, she a beautiful little girl. There are many other people who think she is as precious as well.

Jesus thinks she is precious and we all should believe that is the reason she is still here today. He cares so much for her. We should all take into consideration the effects of being different, God has a special plan for the people who decide that showing who they are is a wonderful thing.

We can all decide if we are happy or unhappy with who we are, but the person who decides to be happy, is the one with the most glory from God. God made every person to be themselves and to be happy with who they are. Being yourself makes you wonderful and precious in His image. Being yourself shows Him that you are happy for what he made you out to be!


For more information about the beautiful Adalia Rose, visit http://www.facebook.com/AdaliaRose

Mirror, Mirror -Who is the Prettiest of Them All?

What do you think of yourself as when you look in the mirror?

What do you think of yourself as when you look in the mirror? Do you think you are pretty? Are you trying to look like someone you're not so you can get attention?

Ask yourself the questions above. Think about your answers for a while.

Girls all over the place are trying to fit in. It isn't a new story nor is it old. They constantly change their looks to fit in. They ask themselves constantly in front of the mirror,"Am I
pretty enough?" These are the questions asked everyday. A girl will even ask her closest friends if she is pretty. And even if they give her a positive answer such as "Yes," she may still not be convinced.

Beauty for a girl is a challenge. From being accepted to getting ignored, every girl is in some sort of disorderly manner wanting to be "pretty" for just a little bit.

A girl will want to to be pretty and beautiful for a reason. Most of all, attention from friends and other girls. But to get attention from guys, well, that is a whole other story. A girl wants to be loved.

But there is bigger and more brighter news than ever! You were chosen and are loved by the most precious, and caring of them all. God! He had created you and everyone individually and equally. You can show off all your looks to him and he will count you as a whole.  And you are always being cared for.

There will be hard times and sad times, but you are not alone. He is right there at your side, telling you ," You are precious, you are wonderful,  and you are beautiful." He created you for a reason and in his light you are amazing!

Don't let your beauty get in the way of who you are. Let God get in the way, and leave Him there. You're so important and he wants the best for you. Be yourself. Be who you were made to be. Don't try and be someone you're not. Stop hiding in the corner and show off the real you! Take off the mask you're wearing and show everyone you're perfect in his light.

And again, if you ever feel convinced that you're not pretty, talk to God. He created you for that reason. To talk to him. Pray and he will reassure you that you're wonderful the way you are!

[God loves you! And when you ask the mirror who is the pretties of them all, say,"I am, because I was created by him!"]

Answers in "Following"

  Many have asked in the past, "Is taking a break an option when following Christ?"

  The truth is, your walk with Christ, is and should be very personal. You should have a close relationship from the start with Jesus. A person should have a moment each day put aside to give God the glory. Even a quick five minutes can make your relationship with God endure its strength. All your focus throughout the day should be towards Him. Since a person is made by him, they are in total ownership. That means everything they do is either for God, or the wrong-doing.
  There are a couple of things that can effect your walk with Christ. Thoughts, and the stuff you already do. You have choices to be made in your life. And most of the time, you know what you are doing. Making the right choices are good, but making them presentable towards God is what makes your relationship last an eternity.
  Always follow God. That sometimes is hard for a lot of us. There are so many temptations in the world we are surrounded by. The word "temptation" is another word for sin. As you grow out of wanting what the world wants, you as a whole person will be directed into wanting what God has for you. It is an amazing feeling.
  Growing in Christ is an awesome experience, but you wouldn't want to stop and take a break in the middle or even ever. Growing in a positive, stronger lasting relationship with Christ doesn't require you to take a break. If you need a break by any means, ask God for his hand in guidance. He will direct you. Taking a break may give you confusion in your walk. You may be tempted to go back to worldly choices. Missing a single chance given by God may make it hard and you may have a break in the road you're following. God will guide you through everything if you give your heart to him. Most likely, you wont need to take a break because he will be standing there right beside you giving you  a little push . He is there.
  A brief moment of encouragement for you and your walk with Christ would be, "Don't take a break, you would miss so much. Let God take the break for you."

Jessica Rae-"24 Hour Church (in Memphis)"

Never Cease to Pray!

Gabby Douglas, as you all know is a qualified gymnast for the Olympics. She is a tough, strong, and brave person. But as for many of you, she might as well be called a phenomenon. Gabby Douglas is an extraordinary person with a wonderful gift and she is very famous. She has provided many young teen girls with the hope of a future. Gabby Douglas is someone who gives it her all through the good times and the rough times, but only because of one reason, God. In one of the moments caught on camera, as many of you have seen, the news spokesperson said she was "Not looking or paying attention to her teammates." While she was sitting by her coach, the young advocate was paying attention to something better. She had her hands folded and her head bowed. Gabby Douglas was praying. As a follower of Christ, many people think that it is hard to worship God with the press swallowing your every move. But truth is, you can pray anywhere, anytime. The world may not see it as a prayer but you are making a very important call to God. They might be a distraction, but you're focused on God, not on them. Gabby Douglas, a smart individual, is making success only because of her strong-hold faith with God and her time, commitment, and focus. The call for God should be made when you need to talk to someone, when you need to ask a question and more! Never cease to talk to him, you might not get the answer you want all the time, but it is totally worth it. A prayer can change you in any sort of way!

Life Is Valuable

Give a child the advantage of life. Life is valuable and can be a long delicate and fragile journey. Don't let it be wasted. Save children today. Save the lost today. Pray for the lost. Abortion should not be a choice, nor shall it be a thought. God made you, and God made everyone. God loves everyone. Period. Save lives today and pray for those who have committed to abortion. Pray for those who are still considering abortion or already have. Pray for the children as well. Abortion is a choice most women regret later in their lives. 

Miraculous Journey

As a program director of a ministry and a wanna-be pastor you have many opportunities calling you to the work field. It is truly a joy, and most often if not, you never carry a burden on your back. The time I spent working on a missions trip as to say it was, I had an awesome experience. Simply, God had me do a lot of work and the outcome was incredible! As you work, you are touching many peoples' lives and they are receiving the gospel. It is such a blessing. One specific time on my trip this past month was on a river. Spending a day glorifying the riches of forest along a quiet river was what we all had in mind. A river cruise is what most people called it. It was amazing.  Many were non-believers although the majority of us were. As we paddled our way, God had lead the pastor and all of us who were on the missions trip to a tranquil spot on the river. The non-believers soon followed as we ended up in a circle floating on water. It was nice as we had gotten to meet each other. But soon after that, the pastor started to share a word of hope with everyone. It was a great time and the moment was spectacular. Hours past as the pastor was preaching. The river cruise had turned into a sanctuary right on water! Many people received the  word of God and were filled with the Holy Spirit. Many were reacquainted as they shared their testimonies. Everybody was in a mood of worship as some of the women led us in song. It was a peaceful time and yet a journey for all those who received. I was empowered by the stories people told and the grace that was led upon everyone. It was a journey i'd hope to never forget. God did awesome things, not only to the people, but to me. I was captured in a presence of faith and strong hold. I hope to come back  to the "River Cruise Church" as many had called it after the river-kayaking tour was done. It was beautiful and glorious all at the same time. The pastor was even determined to come back next year for another church service and many agreed to come back as well. "With God, all things are possible." That is the verse I will now remember. -Johnny ("Hearts" and "OLOM" movement ministry director).

Who's Your Favorite?

       Rapunzel, Snow White, Merida, Mulan, Aurora, Cinderella, Pocahontas, Tiana, Belle, Ariel, Jasmine

Comment Below Please and Tell Us Who Your Favorite Princess is! 

Britt Nicole - "The Lost Get Found"

Hey, I'm Karen

About Myself:
          I like to draw and paint a lot of
pictures. My walk with Christ has been
going good and has been going on for
three months now.

Karen , North Carolina








Make a difference by showing others you care. Visit www.wix.com/onelessonemoremvmt/missions to take the challenge. Click on the tab "Hearts" to take the challenge like Karen did.

Reminder

             
 For all girls in the ministry program "Hearts," we give you a simple reminder to Be Yourself!

Ministry Program Changes

         The ministry for youthful teen girls called "Ugly is Beautiful" has been archived. Thanks to the support of many wonderful people, the ministry "Hearts" has been created. We are so happy to provide a hands-on experience for girls ages six to eighteen. Again, thank you!
        With this new program, we were able to create this blog especially for girls in the ages or six to eighteen. We are extremely happy to get this new program started. It was a blessed journey with our other ministry program "Ugly is Beautiful." We were very prized to have that program a part of the church ministry and cooperation. As of "Hearts," there will be more of an opportunity for girls to grow apart of Christ. We will still have the same concept regarding beauty and being yourself. Girls will have more of an approach with this program as they grow with the Lord Jesus. 
        "Hearts" stands for "Helping Everyone And Reaching The Sinners." It is a program where girls will get to interact with other girls and their community. Through their community, they will be able to serve and help out with certain events. Throughout helping others, they will have a chance to reach the unsaved. It is a small step, that makes a big difference! 


Please visit our website for more information on "Hearts" and take the challenge! Our site is www.wix.com/onelessonemoremvmt/missions   Click on the tab labeled "Hearts." 

Teen Therapy

Wish your kids would log off their laptops? If they're blogging, not to worry-it's good for them. A recent study found that high schoolers who posted regularly about their social problems and let others respond showed a greater improvement in mood than those who wrote nothing or kept a diary. Researchers believe that's because most commenters were supportive, which boosted the bloggers' self-esteem and helped them put things into perspective.

(Property,Ownership, and Courtesy of Family Circle (magazine))