by RTF Assistant Editor Halee Matthews
Sam wasn’t a bad guy, really. In fact, he was a really great guy for a while.
Sam was chosen by God for a special purpose. An angel even appeared to his parents before his birth, telling them about the child they would be raising. And throughout Sam’s life, God was with him. He directed Sam’s actions and blessed him with an amazing gift.
Until one day. (more…)
Happy Retro Day! This story deals with relationships, especially friendships that may not be the best for us. I hope it gets you thinking. Enjoy! ~ Halee
by RTF Staff Writer Lydia Rule
Your closest circle of friends will reveal much about your personality, interests, goals, and even spiritual walk with God. Choosing friends wisely is no laughing matter—it’s a serious issue that reflects your heart.
That is why people often look at my family with a suspicious eye. You see, we have a very close friend that is not at all what you would expect from a Preacher’s family with three impressionable daughters. (more…)
the story of Cassidy Ladd as told to RTF Staff Writer Sarah Rupp
Cassidy pressed the eraser of her pencil to her lips and stared at the form for the school play. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare” lined the top of the page in big, bold lettering, and three questions followed. Checks marked the page beside the other two, but the third question had Cassidy stumped: “Do you mind kissing on stage?” (more…)
by RTF Assistant Editor Halee Matthews
There he was. The man of my dreams. Everything I ever wanted in a guy. It was all there– on a notecard.
See, I like lists. A lot. Any time I have lots of ideas floating around in my head, I make a list… or several. So naturally, when it came to the kind of guy I wanted to marry, I made a fantastic list.
I thought about values, personality traits, the works. I poured out my heart in a list of adjectives on an index card, and I kept it in my Bible. (more…)
by RTF Staff Writer Derek Hanisch
Congrats!” Laura, my supervisor from the summer, told me one day on facebook chat.
“What for?” I asked.
“You’re engaged!”
“Huh?” I replied, flabbergasted. (more…)
By RTF Editor B.J. Hamrick
A few years ago I was walking along the sidewalk of a public building, minding my own business, when a woman came flying up to me and skidded to a stop. I swear — there were skid marks from her tennis shoes on the pavement.
Merry Christmas from all of us here at Real Teen Faith! We hope you have a wonderful time with your family as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. We will see you back here on Monday. In the meantime, enjoy this compilation of the story of Christmas.
The Christmas Story
Let’s start with Mary (Luke 1:26-38, NLT)
God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. (more…)
by RTF Staff Writer Derek Hanisch
I will always remember December 25th, 2005. It was during this Christmas that I was battling cancer. Christmas Eve had been routine enough. I had been too tired to even want to open gifts, but it was okay because I was home and among family.
It was about 3am on Christmas Day that things took a turn for the worst. My fever rose to well over 100 and I could barely move. This happened quite regularly when I was home from chemo and it meant one thing: time to head back to the hospital.
I spent Christmas day and New Year’s in the hospital. It was not where I wanted to be. (more…)