Archive for the 'real articles' Category

May 1, 2008

“The LORD alone is God! The LORD alone is God! We have not built the altar in rebellion against the LORD. If we have done so, do not spare our lives this day.

But the LORD knows, and let all Israel know, too, that we have not built an altar for ourselves to turn away from the LORD. Nor will we use it for our burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings. If we have built it for this purpose, may the LORD himself punish us. ”We have built this altar because we fear that in the future your descendants will say to ours, ‘What right do you have to worship the LORD, the God of Israel? Joshua 22:22-24 New Living

Can you imagine building an altar to let the whole world know that you are serving God, only to see an army of angry warriors coming over the hill to crash the party?

That’s what happened to the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manassah. Talk about misunderstood! But did you know this is still going on today?  (more…)

Filed under: faith in action, teens making a difference, real links, real word

April 29, 2008

Shelley Adina is the author of three books that will come out this year called All About Us. It’s a fresh, great series. After reading “Fruit of My Lipstick” (book two), I wanted to check in with this author to talk about the book, about faith, and about life! Hope you love this interview as much as I did. 

Suzie: Hi Shelley, I met you first through reading advanced copies of your books (which I loved!). It’s great to meet you. Tell us a little bit about your writing journey.

Shelley: And I was thrilled to see such a great review … it made my week! I’ve been writing all my life, and have always known that was what I wanted to do. After a B.A. in Literature from the University of California, I earned an M.A. degree in Writing Popular Fiction in 2002 from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania.

I watched with interest the meteoric popularity of a certain glitz-and-glam series that shall remain nameless, and then came a blinding moment of clarity when I … well, okay, it wasn’t that dramatic. I was eavesdropping. I overheard some women talking about their daughters’ reading material, and I could tell by their voices how distressed they were about it, yet on the other side of the coin, their girls were reading. We all want teens to be reading, right? So it was a dilemma for these parents.

A light went on in my head and I thought, “What if there was a series of books where, given similar choices and circumstances, the characters made different decisions based on their faith?” Next thing I knew, I was running for my computer! (more…)

Filed under: writing, real interviews, fashion, real links

April 26, 2008

What can one teen do?

I’m glad you asked. Did you know that a mosquito net can save a child’s life? Rebecca St. James is raising malaria awareness and telling how you can help through Compassion International.  

Rebecca St. James raises malaria awareness
Allie Martin - OneNewsNow - 4/25/2008 10:00:00 AM

Excerpt of news article: Rebecca St. James, one of the most successful female contemporary Christian music artists, is joining an effort with Compassion International in the fight against malaria.

Today is “World Malaria Day,” a day set aside to spotlight a disease that impacts millions worldwide. Malaria is a potentially fatal blood disease and is spread by infected mosquitoes. In fact, each year, 350 million to 500 million people contract malaria. More than a million people die annually from the disease, with African children under the age of five accounting for 75 percent of the deaths.

(more…)

Filed under: faith in action, Change*the*World!, celebrities, real missions, real articles, real issues

April 24, 2008

Can I tell you a secret? I hate the Gossip Girl series.

Uhh uh, Suzie, hate is such a strong word.

If I had a stronger word, I’d use it. I don’t like how it portrays youth culture, because the reality is that after working with teens for nearly two decades, I don’t recognize even one teen that I’ve met or know. It takes the problems of youth culture and wraps them in shallow characters and glitz and designer labels, glamorizing what ultimately has hurt many teens.

But I found a series recently that has the same addictive reading style, sprinkles in the same designer labels, and is set in a posh setting with fab clothes and tricky relationships. It’s well-written, fun, gently faith-filled, and to be honest, more than a little addictive. It’s the All About Us series written by Shelley Adina. (more…)

Filed under: fashion, real review

April 23, 2008

North Korean Students Arrested for Reading the Bible and Watching Bible Video CD
March 27, 2008

The Voice of the Martyrs

North Korean Students Arrested for Reading the Bible and Watching Bible Video CD

NORTH KOREA – The Voice of the Martyrs is calling on the Communist North Korean government to immediately release 10 college students in Ham Kyung Book Do Chung, North Korea, who were investigated and arrested for reading a Bible and watching a video CD about the Bible. (more…)

Filed under: persecuted church, real missions

April 17, 2008

Real Quote: Binge drinking can lead to violence, unprotected sex and not only car accidents but also falls and other serious physical mishaps.

From The Herald, Life Captured Every Day: A recent survey of seventh-, ninth- and 11th-graders in the Rock Hill school district produced some specific numbers. For example, by 11th grade, 62 percent of those surveyed said they had consumed alcohol. More than 35 percent of participants in all three grades said they have ridden in a car with someone who had been drinking. Read the rest of this editorial. (more…)

Filed under: real articles, real links, real issues

April 16, 2008

Church? No thanks.
WHY TEENS ARE LEAVING IN DROVES

BY REBECCA GRACE, AFA Journal May 2008

Article Excerpt: Here is the church. Here is the steeple. Open the doors. Where are all the people?

Seventy percent of the people, 23 to 30 years old, are nowhere to be found in church on a regular basis for at least a year between the ages of 18 and 22. They become church dropouts, according to a 2007 study from LifeWay Research. (more…)

Filed under: real question, youth worker resources, faith, real quote, real articles, real issues

April 8, 2008

“I Felt Forgiven”
An Igniteyourfaith.com exclusive interview with Lacey Mosley of Flyleaf
by Todd Hertz

 In an igniteyourfaith.com interview, IYF editor Todd Hertz talked to Lacey about her past and her faith.

What were your teen years like?
I was dealing with a lot with low self-esteem and depression, and I kind of hated myself a lot. I think that spilled over into relationships with other people. I hated everybody. So my home life was a bad situation. To get away from it, I started doing drugs when I was 13.

(more…)

Filed under: real interviews, celebrities, music, real articles