On a Scale of 1 to 10, What am I?
Does my hair look okay? Is my make-up smeared? Do my clothes look cute enough? Are my curves in the “right” places?
Self-doubt, self-image, and self-consciousness are the leading causes of depression in teens, and studies have shown that girls fall into depression easier than guys. You might often worry that how you look or what you do isn’t good enough for yourself or other people.
In the Bible, there are tons of scriptures to encourage you to see yourself as the beautiful daughter of God that you are – like Psalm 139:13-16 (ESV), “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, everyone of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”
So, we know that God knew us before we were even thought of. Before anyone on this Earth got a chance to meet you, or even had your first, initial thought, your father in Heaven KNEW everything about you. He loves you no matter what you look like, because He created you in His own image. Romans 12:2 (ESV) says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” No matter what the world may think, it’s never perfect or as good as our God’s image of you.
You are always good enough for him. He loves you and cares for you so much that He desires a relationship with you. So, don’t “rate” yourself, because God has already given you the perfect 10.
My name is Alexa Clark, and I love to write in all sorts of formats, but my favorites are advice articles. Besides writing, I am in the marching band, I run, and I dance. I’ve been a Christian my entire life and love my God with all my heart. I love to live out His word, especially through music and performing.
Adventure With God
Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that. (1 Corinthians 1:7-9, The Message, emphasis mine)
I climbed on top of the car, lay against the back window, and gripped the edges of the open windows along the sides. A friend of mine climbed up and wrapped an arm around my waist. In front of us, a boy sprawled across the front part of the roof. Five other people were crammed inside the vehicle.
When we were ready, the driver started driving, slowly at first but then picking up a bit of speed until we were going about twenty-five miles per hour.
My church’s youth group was holding a retreat. Eight of us were on a bathroom trip since the campsite we were staying at had none.
We drove up the road, music blaring from all the open windows, night air blowing in my face, tangling my hair into hopeless knots. I giggled. Who knew youth group retreat would be so amazing?
That was an incredible moment. It felt so fun and adventurous. I look back on that scene with a smile. I think God likes His children to have adventure. He likes it when we go out of our comfort zone to glorify Him. God enjoys having fun as much as we humans do. After all, wouldn’t the Creator instill in His creations the things He loves? God must have been watching with a smile as I rode on top of that car.
Once or twice this week, you could step out of your comfort zone and do something fun (don’t forget to invite God to do it with you!). You could go on a walk and listen for His voice or you could tell a random stranger that God loves them.
Whatever you do, know that having adventures with God builds your relationship with Him. It’s like knowing your best friend. When you talk to your best friend, you can recall fun experiences you’ve had together. It’s the same with God except that adventures with Him are even better!
Danielle Dodge
Danielle Dodge is a fourteen-year-old girl who lives in Missoula, Montana. She’s in love with writing and reading. She also enjoys playing the violin, dancing, and horseback riding.
Teens Speak On Graduating High School
Graduating High School - Brought to You From: Christian Forums.net
[Senior year for me has so far been one of my favorite years in high school. My friends and I have a lot of optimism for the future. Still, though, I feel like I'm getting old and regret being as studious as I've been all these years. I think I should have been looser and had a bit more fun. Anyone else feel the same way?] ~7teenyearsold
[It is true, in your higher years of secondary school, you figure out how much of a joke the previous years were and how marks really don't matter until grade 11 and 12. I sometimes wonder how my parents/teachers tricked me into working hard when I was younger. In grade 11 my mom parents sometimes convinced me not to go to fellowship events because I had too much homework, but in grade 12, I went to fellowship even more than I did in grade 11. Don't neglect your studies, but have as much fun as you can while you are still in high school. Having just started university about a month ago, I find that it is much more difficult to make time for stuff I enjoy without falling behind in my studies.] ~bigllama
[Keep in mind that there is something to honoring God with your school work. Maybe society does not treat school correctly, but that doesn't make it okay for Christian not to. You never know what knowledge God will use to change someone else's life through you.] ~Blazin Bones
[I think the point here is that teachers and parents put so much pressure on students to do well in school, sometimes to the point that grades take a much higher priority in our lives than they should. And often, pressure to do well leads some students to have a less active social life than we should. Teenagers should appreciate and enjoy having a social life in high school without neglecting their studies, because in college...] ~bigllama
http://www.christianforums.net/showthread.php?t=39089&page=1
New York Students Protest Outside High School Over ‘Tebowing’ Incident
The “Tebowing” that reportedly led to the suspension of two New York high schoolers continues as more than a dozen students chanted Tebow’s name and struck his kneeling, fisted signature pose in front of the school Friday, the New York Post reports.
The students gathered Friday as one of the 17-year-old twin brothers who were suspended this week served out his single-day punishment for leading dozens of students in the same homage all week in a hallway.
Twin brothers Tyler and Connor Carroll of Riverhead HS in Long Island and classmates Jordan Fulcoly and Wayne Drexel were hit with one-day suspensions for kneeling and bowing their heads like Tebow does when he scores a touchdown, the New York Post reports.
“It’s not the most exciting day. I sat there. I did my work.” Connor told the New York Post in response to the suspension.
Tyler is set to serve his suspension Monday saying, “I feel like we were kind of singled out,”Tyler, who also plays football and baseball. “If we were told to stop, we would have stopped.”
The weeklong “Tebowing” craze was a distraction and a hallway hazard after dozens of classmates followed their lead, administrators told the newspaper.
“It was basically just a tribute to Tim Tebow,” said Connor, 17, who planned the prank with his brother and friends. “It was more than a religious thing. There was some of that involved obviously, because he prays. I guess it was basically like a moment of silence.”
The brothers have to serve their suspensions, while the others were rescinded because the other participants had not been given warnings, officials said. About 40 students had been gathering in the hallway all week emulating Tebow.
School administrators said the stunt jammed the hallway, creating a fire hazard.
“This is not about religious discrimination,” Riverhead School District Superintendent Nancy Carney told the Post. “It is about being sure kids are able to get to class on time and keeping the kids safe and orderly.”
But Tebow himself said the kids should play by the rules.
“You have to respect the position of authority and people that God’s put as authority over you,” Tebow told the media.
“So that’s part of it, and just finding the right place and the right time to do things is part of it, too.
“But I think it does show courage from the kids, standing out and doing that, and some boldness.’’
Tebow has led the once-lowly Broncos on an unlikely winning streak filled with late-game heroics while touting his religious beliefs by praising God to reporters and taking the kneeling stance on the field, the New York Post reports.
Who Needs American Idol?
Teens lives are being TRANSFORMED along with the New York City area!
Gospel for Teens takes on the Apollo Theater. And they are emerging from Harlem, New York with talent hard pressed for competition. Teens lives are being TRANSFORMED along with the New York City area!
Vy Higginsen’s School for Gospel, Jazz and R&B Arts trains talented singers, musicians, and arrangers. They help develop singers’ vocal power and stage presence as well as teach a substantial musical repertoire. Participants have the opportunity to develop the habits and attitudes that create success in any endeavor.
It’s Just So Teenage! lol
Teen lingo–it comes and goes and changes at will–the teenager’s will…
“There is nothing new under the sun…”
“Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. What has been will be again. What has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, ‘Look! This is something new?’ It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. No one remembers the former generations.” (Ecclesiastes 1:4, 9-10 NIV)
Teen slang, popspeak, lingo….it changes like the wind. But when I listen to the talk of the day, I find variations on words we used back in the day. But it is interesting to see the changes and additions to teen talk.
I confess, I like to be in the know and talk the talk. But I hear it is embarrassing for adults and parents to try to speak teen slang. Oh well, I like to be on top of the talk. So try these for a while.
Once you learn the lingo, go to Good Housekeeping’s site to test your skills. I scored quite high, only missing one answer. I must be dumb sick to know all the chat…
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/family/teens/test-teen-slang-quiz
- Saucy is coming back.
- Emo is on its way out—but I still like this word!
- Epic is dead.
- Wicked and sweet are fading out.
- Cool is now sick or ill.
- He’s so fly means like oh yeah…
- Salty…well that’s like a bad attitude.
- Chillin’ has morphed to Chillaxin.
- Dumb is the new very.
- Drippin’ replaces awesome.
- Bounce means leave in a hurry.
And you teens, young adults, and the like…please leave comments with other lingo you use or know. This generation needs to know.
Cindy Scinto, Editor, iBeGat.com
A Light on a Hill
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14, 16 NKJV)
Stormie is a beautiful young lady with a smile that lights up a room. She’s friends with everyone because she’s the kind of person you enjoy hanging out with. Stormie has aspirations to be a model and loves country music. At the age of 14, her Christian strength and character allows her to be a strong witness to anyone no matter what the circumstances.
Recently, Stormie shared with me about the pressure she and other girls were getting from guys at her high school for sexting. She said there was a particular sophomore who relentlessly pursued her under the guise of wanting to be her friend. What he really wanted was a nude photo of her for his phone.
Stormie told him repeatedly she would be glad to be his friend, but he would never get a picture of her without her clothes. His motives became very clear—he dumped her.
Many young people have yielded to different pressures and exposed themselves to sexting. They live with regret and shame everyday because of their decision. Stormie wants her fellow comrades to know with God’s great love you can start over. No matter what you’ve done the screen can be erased and you can be free from the quilt.
In a world where everything can be really confusing and full of pressure, here are some of the principles that Stormie uses to keep her light shining on a hill for Christ.
- Surround yourself with Christian friends that share the same standards as you
- Get involved with your church youth group and attend church regularly
- Talk to your parents about everything in your life
CRYSTAL Y. HATHCOCK
Crystal Y. Hathcock and her husband Tony, live in Liberty, South Carolina and have been married for thirty-two years. They have two puppies, Hankie and Calvin. Crystal is a freelance writer; a student with the Christian Writer’s Guild and writes religious articles for the area’s local newspaper. She enjoys cooking for family and friends, couponing, jewelry making and singing. (read more…)
Teens Stand Up and SHOUT!
November 13, 2010
A mob of teens begins this REAL performance on an unsuspecting crowd at a mall.
There are already close to 8 Million hits!
Teen Drivers? What About Adults? 10 Tips for ALL
The newspaper headline said, “Get your teen’s attention when teaching the dangers of distracted driving” but after I read the article, I knew it was for ALL drivers–teens and adults. The author stated that there are three types of distractions for teen drivers; visual–actions that require you to take your eyes off the road, manual–actions that require you to take your hands off the steering wheel, and cognitive–actions that take your mind off driving. These apply to adults too. So make a pact with your parents or adult mentors to keep each other accountable to follow the rules below.
Here are ten tips to read and share with ALL the drivers in your life.
- Keep both hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road. (use your mirrors) My husband always told me to hold the steering wheel at ten o’clock and two o’clock.
- Avoid cell phone use–Cell phones are the number one distraction for teenage drivers. Cell phone use falls under the category of visual, manual, and cognitive distractions. Mobile technology has made texting, surfing the web, and social networking too assessable.
- Don’t use your phone for anything at all. Pull over when it is safe and be sure it is somewhere you can park.
- Do not eat and drink while driving.
- Do not have lengthy or involved discussions with passengers.
- Do not apply makeup, work on your hair, or try to arrange clothing.
- Do not read–including PDA’s and GPS units.
- Do not search for directions on a map.
- Never watch a video.
- Do not change the radio station, CD, or MP3 player.
Cindy Scinto, Editor, iBeGat.com
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