By RTF Staff Writer Shannon Meiers

When I was seven years old, I was an only child. A lonely only child. (more…)

By RTF Editor B.J. Hamrick

“I’m just saying… I love you.”

Whoah. Hold up. Rewind – fast forward – anything to get me out of this awkward moment. Did Joe really just say he loved me? How did we go from football-talk to romance-talk in 3.5 seconds? How did he seriously think I was interested? (more…)

By RTF Staff Writer Stephany Mendia

“How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!” (Psalm 133:1a, MSG)

There’s so much
My sister doesn’t know
Words I haven’t said
Feelings I don’t show

But if I had
All the nerve in the world
I’d give her these words
Forever hers to hold:

You don’t see that
You’re my biggest inspiration
That you give me big ideas
And I have for you the deepest admiration

Please listen, please understand
You’re the strongest person I know
If I could I’d give you all you wanted
In just one hand

When I look at you
All I see is beauty
And I’m forever grateful
For all the words of wisdom
From you to me

I someday hope to be like you
Sweet, smart, and talented too

I’m so glad God gave you to me
You’ve been everything a sister should
Without you I don’t know
Who I’d be…

****

Stephany (Steph) Mendia accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior at age ten and has been living for Him ever since! She’s a youth worker in her church’s children’s ministry, loves kids, and has the most amazing friends and family. She attends a public high school, which has its challenges, but she loves it. She’s constantly laughing, smiling, writing, singing, and talking. You can catch up with her at her blog, Crazed About Jesus.

By RTF Staff Member Abbie Miller

Even though that family picture is missing two very important members – (my dad and my older sister) – I couldn’t resist sharing it because it so accurately portrays our family personality.

In short; goofy.

Recently, I was talking with a group of friends, and I mentioned that I’d had milk come out my nose on numerous occasions. (more…)

By RTF Editor B.J. Hamrick

We interrupt our usually scheduled sarcasm for this brief announcement: Three years ago, my life was forever altered by someone I didn’t know. Someone I thought didn’t exist. Someone I swore had died at birth.

Until I met him.

“Mom,” I announced .2 seconds after I laid eyes on the boy, “I’ve found the man I am going to marry.”

If this seems fast to you, imagine how my mother felt. In one brief second I went from spouting math equations like, “Singleness = happiness and marriage = bondage”, to asking, “Where’s the church and the white dress?” (more…)

Real Question: What strivings has Jesus ceased in your life?

By RTF Staff Writer Kalli Simmerman

My little brother means the world to me. Ever since we were very little I’ve always felt like I needed to be there to protect him. I remember once after school we were hunkered down in the living room of our trailer, watching a thunderstorm outside the front window. It was raining so hard that we couldn’t even see past the front porch. It was times like that when I would get paranoid about tornadoes (being as young as I was, living smack dab in Tornado Alley, it was kind of hard not to).

(more…)

Hello! I’m a member on Real Teen Faith! I just had a question for you all!

I’m about to be dating a girl at my school. We’re both Christians and really involved in our youth group and church. However, she’s a senior, and I am a junior, and she’ll probably be leaving for college next year. How can I know if the relationship will last? And how can I make the most of the time we have together?

Thanks for setting up such a great website for us teens! If you’d like to post my question as a topic on the site, feel free!

-God Bless, Daniel* (more…)