Hey girls,

I’m a Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker and just found out some amazing news. Proverbs 31 is offering a number of full scholarships to our She Speaks Conference ~ Next Generation Track for girls ages 12 to 17 who submit winning devotions.

What’s really cool about this is that the conference is full–packed! Women are flying in from around the country, but there’s still a little room for a few amazing teen girls.

For contest application and rules or for more information, contact Kristen@proverbs31.org or go to this website.

Enter the contest today!! Contest ends Friday, June 5, 2009.

Conference Information: She Speaks Conference: The Next Generation Track

Proverbs 31 Ministries’ Annual Speakers’ and Writers’ Conference
July 31-August 2, 2009

Concord, North Carolina

Gain the confidence you need to make a difference wthin your own sphere of influence!

The Next Generation Track will equip you with skills that will enable you to answer God’s call on your life to impact others through speaking, writing, or simply setting an example for His kingdom.

For more information or to register for this life-changing conference, visit P31 at http://www.shespeaksconference.com/  or call 877-P31-HOME

She Speaks 2009

DON’T MISS IT!

 

Tory Tyson may only be in high school, but he knows what he wants out of life–a successful music career. And he’s not going to learn about all that at school. So when school lets out next month he’s not going back. He’s finally ready to stop spinning old records at parties and start laying down his own beats–and the Unsigned Hype music contest is the perfect place to launch his career. But will he be able to handle the fame and fortune he seeks?

Grounded in the world of today’s urban youth, Unsigned Hype will draw readers in with its fresh voice and true-to-life rendering of the hip-hop world. Booker T. Mattison delivers a story with attitude in the vernacular of the urban teen.

From RTF:  This is a fun book that shows what it is like when you have a dream and that dream might just conflict with the way you were raised, or the way you’ve always been taught to believe. Tory lost his dad in a street mugging and inherited his vast album collection. He can mix the beats like no one else his age and when his talent is recognized, he has to make some tough choices.  He’s got a lot of father figures in his life, not all of them with his best interest at heart. So who is he going to listen to, and where will his musical talent take him? Read it to find out. Five stars!

by Catey Yuen, RTF staff writer

School is coming to a close. You may be looking forward to a summer break to relax, going to summer camp or on a missions trip, or just hanging out.

I always feel most involved with God during the summer. There are fewer distractions – fewer deadlines to meet, less work to do.

Paul likens our Christian life like a runner’s training. We can’t always be racing. We have to have breaks between runs, times to cool down. We also need times to prepare, to get fit, to stretch and warm up. That helps us get ready when the big race comes and we’re running.

I consider summer break our training period. I use it to catch up on spiritual and material things. (more…)

by Debra Weiss, RTF Staff Writer

DW: On your site, you state that femininity isn’t dead, it just needs to be reclaimed. What is the Biblical definition of femininity and how can we as young women reclaim it?

Hannah: Whew! What a question! Biblical womanhood is a controversial issue these days, and it’s difficult to define it in a single paragraph. A bare bones definition of “femininity” is simply “womanly-ness.” For us, that means being the women God calls us to be through His Word.

It means knowing that we’re equal in worth to the guys, but differ in our design and role. (Think of it like harmony and melody; they’re both different, but work together to make a more beautiful sound than either could alone.) But by “role,” I don’t mean that women are held captive to one specific cookie-cutter pattern. Our God-given talents cannot contradict our God-given femininity.

We’re meant to use all of our gifts–though our talents might not be displayed in the way the world generally expects women to use them. At the same time, obedience to God brings true freedom; the girl who submits to God’s role for women finds more joy than she could’ve ever concocted for herself.

DW: I have three younger sisters. One of them is nine and I’ve always wondered how do you leave behind a legacy not of physical beauty but of spiritual beauty, a beauty that does indeed come from the heart. Any thoughts on how we as girls can influence our younger sisters?

Lindsey: Oh, that’s a convicting one. I have two younger sisters also (ages 12 and 8), so this question really resonates with me; I’m always asking it too.

As the oldest, it’s been so important for me to recognize just how much our younger sisters do imitate us. We even have the potential to set the mood of a day by our example! (more…)

by Debra Weiss, RTF staff writer

When Hannah Farver and Lindsey Wagstaffe started Beauty from the Heart, it was a small blog devoted to encouraging girls to seek real beauty. But God had big plans for these two teenage girls!

The blog grew into a thriving website that quickly became one of the most popular sites for Christian girls on the net. Even more doors opened, and Hannah and Lindsey began speaking at conferences, sharing the message God had put on their hearts.

Today, Hannah Farver and Lindsey Wagstaffe sat down to talk to Real Teen Faith about beauty, plastic surgery, and femininity.

Debra Weiss: Hi Lindsey and Hannah! We’re so excited to have you here at Real Teen Faith today. What led to you two to start Beauty from the Heart? Did you both wonder if God could use ordinary girls like yourselves?

Hannah: Well, when Beauty from the Heart began, it was just a blog. We had different contributors and definitely enjoyed that stage of posting; but as time passed, we knew that Beauty from the Heart would eventually step extend outside the web. When I was sixteen (in 2006) I began writing a book based on the ideas we’d worked through on the blog. Five drafts later and three years afterwards, we’re working with a literary agent on publishing that book. (Yay!) (more…)

By Lydia Rule, RTF Staff Writer

Two big brown eyes stared at me. One pink tongue hungrily licked its furry chops. I looked down at my dog, who was salivating in wonder at my cereal bowl.

“It’s empty,” I told him, “There’s nothing left for you. See? There’s isn’t any leftovers.”

He continued to stare, beg, and jump into the air trying to catch a glimpse of my cereal bowl. I walked away and headed into the kitchen to put away my dishes. I could hear his paws devotedly trailing behind me.

Why is he chasing after nothing? And then it hit me. I wasn’t much better than my wishful dog who thought that my empty cereal bowl contained something marvelous. I have often chased after empty things in life, only to find out that I had been chasing after trivial vanities.

As humans, we crave the empty, vain things of this world. And yet, God wants to give us his full and overflowing blessings in exchange for the empty vessels that the world gives us. He offers his gifts to us freely; all we have to do is realize that what we are chasing after is worthless in comparison to serving Jesus Christ. After all, God is the treasure that we need to be seeking after! Nothing else can compare to what He has to offer us!

Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. ~ Psalm 119:37

Bio: Lydia Rule is a published author who is frequently found on her computer busily typing away. And on occasion, her poor unsuspecting dog provides the inspiration for her next devotional.

by BJ Hamrick, RTF Staff Writer

Dear Summer:

How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways
The long cool nights
The sticky warm days

Lying on the couch
Being a real bum
….

Wait a second. Is that all I’m going to do this summer?

That’s the question my sister asked me several years ago. “B.J.,” she said, “What are you going to do this summer?”

I hadn’t given it much thought. In fact, I was pretty sure I liked my summer the way it was. But there she went again, asking questions that made me think.

In fact, her question wouldn’t leave me alone. So when I heard about a local organization where I could work with underprivileged kids for the summer, I knew — this was my chance.

My chance to do SOMETHING.

“OK,” I told my sister. “I’ll do it this for one summer. But that’s it.”

Does God have an awesome sense of humor? Because 8 years later I was still volunteering with that organization. It changed my life. In fact, I met my husband there.

So I have only one question: What will you do with your summer?

Be careful. Your answer might change your life.

Here are some opportunities you might want to pray about:

www.summermissions.com
www.ywam.org

OR, tell us what YOU’RE doing this summer!