Archive for July, 2007

July 31, 2007

Hi, my name is Angel. I am 16 years old. I have read almost your whole book called Real Teens, Real Stories, Real Life. Its a really good book. I just sat down on day feeling alone, depressed and I came across your book. I just sat there reading this book all day. Well anyway I have a problem with drinking, smoking pot, I lie, cheat and steal from the people I love. Its hard for me to tell the truth its mostly because I’m scared to tell the truth.

I grew up in a home with alcohol, drugs and abuse. I wasn’t taught about God and the things he can do. When I was about 5 my father was taken from me and my brother, it was his alcohol and drugs that caused him to take his life. 

As I grew up I blamed him for everything. I blamed him for my alcohol abuse my drug use. I was about 12 when I had my first drink. It scares me sometimes, I drink until I come to a complete blackout. I hurt people and I don’t remember. It hurts me to see my mother cry. She is trying really hard to become a Christian.

I try to stop everything that I am doing, but I can’t do it on my own.  Please write back.

(more…)

Filed under: faith, family, real advice

July 31, 2007

How does Roe vs. Wade affect teens? Affect you? Is it a non-issue? Or is faith involved in this? What are your thoughts as a guy, as a girl?

For me, it’s a personal and faith-filled issue. You see, my mom got pregnant with me at a tough time in her life. She was young, already a mom who had a child and who had lost a child, and on her own. The timing of her pregnancy was inconvenient and difficult, and today it would make sense to many for her to have aborted that pregnancy.

Except that pregnancy was me. 

I’m grateful that she allowed me, rather than circumstances or poverty or anything else, to decide if my life was of value.

If she had aborted me, then I would not exist. I was that baby. That’s the issue that seems to be overlooked when talking about abortion. There is an individual, a person, involved.

If I were aborted, I would not exist, but nor would Leslie, Ryan, and Melissa, my children, nor their children in the future.

Since 1973 an estimated 46 million abortions have been performed. This year there will be 1.3 million abortions performed in the U.S.

The two women involved in the Roe vs. Wade case are now pro-life. Intriguing.

Filed under: real issues

July 30, 2007

Excerpt from article from The Buffalo News: Entertainment, July, 2007

The faithful will fill Darien Lake next weekend for the Christian music festival

By Molly Hirschbeck

Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News

Devout teens cheer on Christian bands and speakers at last year’s music festival.

If you’ve ever wondered what divine intervention looks like, events starting next Sunday at Darien Lake can show you. Thats when the amusement park will become a slice of heaven on earth.RVs, tents and trucks will consume the area, turning the park’s campgrounds into a small city. More than 20,000 people are expected to willingly make the small space their home for four days, during which another 45,000 will bus in.

This is Kingdom Bound. For the past 20 years, Kingdom Bound Ministries has made a name for itself with its annual Christian music festival. The event celebrates the fundamental messages of faith by bringing together music artists who promote the teachings of Christianity. This year the event playbill boasts more than 50 bands and spiritual speakers, with acts ranging from swing and blues to pop-rock and rap. Still, one wonders: What is it that draws so many people? Read more.

Filed under: music, real articles

July 26, 2007

This past week I spoke at Edge, Youth Encounter, in Kansas, City Mo. I got to hang out with some awesome teens, the Skit Guys, musical artists Hawk Nelson and Todd Miller band, the Youth Encounter staff, and Jeremy Kingsley.

Check out some fun pics. If it’s you or I met you at Youth Encounter, leave a comment and say hello!

 Suzie and the Skit Guys

Jeremy Kingsley and I get to hang out with a group of teens from Normal, IL, after one of the sessions.

Vicki, Youth Encounter volunteer staff, took a week of vacation from her regular duties as a youth director in Minnesota to help at EDGE. She picked people up at the airport, served all week, drove all over Kansas City, and Jesus shined through her every step of the way.  Thanks, Vicki!

I ran into this group in the hallway of the Marriot. Hey, Minnesota youth group! You are awesome.

Filed under: speaking calendar, real photos

July 25, 2007

 

Today Suzie continues her interview with Dan Darling, author of Teen People of the Bible. 

 Suzie: Do the Teens of the Bible have anything to say to teens in this culture?

Dan: They absolutely do. The main message of Teen People of the Bible is that God cares about teens. God’s Word speaks to teens—in this culture, in the midst of their most difficult struggles. (more…)

Filed under: youth worker resources, writing, real interviews, real review

July 24, 2007

Today’s interview is with Dan Darling, author of Teen People of the Bible (coming out in September, 07).

Suzie: Hey Dan, thanks for visiting Real Teen Faith. I just read Teen People of the Bible. It’s pretty amazing. How (or why) did you come up with this idea?

Dan: Well, I had a couple of teens who were struggling with their daily Bible reading. I was looking for a book that would really inspire them to open the Word and see that God speaks to them, today, in the midst of their real-life struggles.

(more…)

Filed under: youth worker resources, real interviews

July 23, 2007

 

Love at first sight is easy to understand; it’s when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a miracle.” Amy Bloom

Filed under: dating, real quote

July 21, 2007

Jesus’ Bad Friends
Campus Life - June/July, 2007
Why the wrong crowd is sometimes the right crowd.
by Mark Galli

Excerpt of article:
“Later, Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house. Many tax collectors and ’sinners’ were eating with him and his disciples. They were part of the large crowd following Jesus.” —Mark 2:15 (NIRV)
When the HBO series The Sopranos first started getting popular, I began tuning in. I love movies and TV shows about the mafia so I thought The Sopranos was fascinating. A bit too fascinating, it turned out. I found myself thinking about stuff like sex and power in unhealthy ways long after each episode ended. I decided to stop watching the show, not because it was evil, but because of what I saw it doing to me.

Stupid is as stupid does when it comes to the things we watch. What you see and hear influences what you think, say and do. The same applies to the people we hang around with. You hang around with a group that smokes dope or plays around sexually, sooner or later, you’re probably going to start acting like that. It’s just human nature to adopt the values of the group we’re with.

So we Christians are smart to not hang around with the “wrong crowd,” right?

Except that our Lord did this all the time. Read rest of article.

Filed under: faith in action, real articles, real issues