by Stephany Mendia

“If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1Corinth 13:3)

I always used to think that if you did something nice for someone that’s it, you did a kind act and it was over. But when I set a goal for myself to memorize Corinthians 13 I realized everything the Bible said love was, was everything that you do while you are helping someone.

True service that reflects God is all about love. If we love God then we choose to live for Him and give Him our all- this is the same dedication He asks that you have in your service for Him!

When Jesus was on this earth, He was conscious that He was representing His Father, so He did everything in an attitude of love for others. (more…)

Happy Retro Day! Throughout life, it seems so much saner to keep our feet and eyes on the ground, but sometimes that means we fail to appreciate the beauty around us. Sometimes God doesn’t want us to do the safe thing- sometimes He wants us to get on a plane and step out in faith, trusting Him, and only Him, to catch us. That’s what this week’s piece is all about. Enjoy! ~ Halee

by Debra Weiss

Senior year has ended for me. I have no plans for life after high school. Right now, life feels a lot like skydiving without a parachute. After twelve years of structure, I’m officially an adult. I’m allowed to make my own decisions and (gulp) my own mistakes. It’s exhilarating and terrifying. (more…)

by Staff Writer Kalli Simmerman

Mark 16:15 ~ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. (NIV)

Stepping out of the airport into the hot, muggy air was quite a shock to me. First time I’d ever been out of the country. First time I’d ever ridden on a plane. First time I’d ever been on a missions trip.

Jamaica was just how I had imagined it. Hot, humid, surrounded by beautiful waters, and full of friendly people. Now, being thirteen years old my first instinct was to head to the beach but, thanks to a stern word from my mother, I was reminded why we were there. (more…)

“At church they say we should always believe the Bible, but sometimes it seems like it’s contradicting itself. What’s up with that?” ~ Dave

Hey Dave,

You’re right. Sometimes the Bible is confusing. Like, I could open it up and read, “No one living is righteous before you” (Psalm 143:2b) and then flip over to see, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16b).

If that’s all I looked at, I could come to the conclusion that no one alive should pray because no one alive is righteous and only the prayer of a righteous man is effective. (more…)

by Guest Writer Sarah Rupp

In a few weeks, I am going on a service trip to Canada with my youth group. We will be fixing up a camp and getting it ready for the campers. The week’s projects consist of digging a ditch, cleaning up the cabins and the grounds, and building docks for the lake. Now, I’m excited because I’ve never been out of the States before, but when looking at all the work to do, it’s easy to get down about it. (more…)

Happy Retro Day! At some point, we’ve probably all thought, ”Maybe I should be healthier/more active/etc.” This week’s retro article has some great tips for staying physically and spiritually fit. Can’t beat that! Enjoy! ~ Halee

by Lydia Rule

Summer’s arrival means that we’re all sweating and wishing for a big blue pool to magically appear in the backyard. At least, I am….

Also on top of the summer wish list is to get back into shape. But staying fit doesn’t just include your physical well being—it includes spiritually keeping yourself on track by maintaining a healthy emotional balance.

A few years back, I was obsessed with losing weight and getting back (physically) into shape. However, I lost sight of one very important goal: staying spiritually in shape. Instead, I was focusing all my energy on the physical appearance, lost in the craze of a weight-losing obsession. (more…)

by Staff Writer Jamin Goecker

Tim Hawkins, an outstanding Christian comedian, once said that when people say you have a servant’s heart, it means they’re calling you a pushover. There’s a job they want you to do (i.e., stacking chairs after church).

But a pushover isn’t what comes to mind when I think about Odis, someone I had the pleasure of meeting on a missions trip to Alaska. (more…)

By RTF Editor BJ Hamrick

Dear BJ,

I hear a lot about people waiting to have sex until they’re married. Seriously? Where’s the fun in that?

- Just Wondering

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