Happy Retro Day! I think you can all figure out why I chose this to feature this week. And it’s sweet, unique, and fun. Enjoy! ~Halee

by RTF Staff Writer Debra Weiss

If God sent you a box of candy hearts, what would they say? Perhaps some of these things…

BE MINE

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16 (more…)

by Debra Weiss

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:13-16, KJV

One day as I mulled over God’s many names, I wondered why he had so many. I only have one name. Wouldn’t just ‘God’ perfectly describe him?

As I thought about it, I wondered if perhaps God wanted to be my everything. Maybe that was the purpose in all the names, because He is supposed to be our everything.

Some of my favorite names for God include:

Everlasting Father. “And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6

Redeemer. “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;” – Job 19:25

Anchor. “…we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…” – Hebrews 6:19

Teacher. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” – John 3:2

Mediator. “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus…” – 1 Timothy 2:5

The people in our lives, they’ll always let us down but God won’t. God is always there. And he is enough to fill each ache, to renew our spirits, to lift us up.

Discussion: What are some of your favorite names for God? Is He your everything?

Debra Weiss is a freelance writer living on the East Coast. When she’s not writing or editing, she can usually be found at her website (http://www.debraweiss.net).

By Debra Weiss

“…He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5

I stood in the unfamiliar room looking out through old ruffled curtains. They smelled like they had never been washed but somehow I didn’t care. I inhaled and couldn’t smell anything familiar, not our family dog, not the dirty socks my younger sister always hides under the couch, not the food we’d had for dinner.

Nothing felt familiar. Not the scratchy curtains or the mud brown carpet. Not the wood paneling on the walls or the door that had been taken off its hinges.

It’s so unfamiliar, I thought to myself. Unfamiliar. The word kept echoing in the empty room. Behind me I could hear my family moving from room to room of the house, examining closets and bathrooms.

We were in a large house off the beaten path, deep in a part of Tennessee I couldn’t pronounce much less find on a map. Months ago, my dad’s job had transferred him from sunny South Carolina to this…nothingness.

There were no streetlights or large super centers open twenty-four hours all day everyday. There were no nearby malls or doctor’s offices or bookstores. There was only nothingness. Trees, grass and a house plopped in the middle.

I tried not to think about the question that had been plaguing me for weeks, months if I were to be honest. The question that played a hundred times a day in my head. The one I tried to squelch each weekend my dad wasn’t able to make it home to see our family.

But standing there that moment, I could hear my parents talking to the real estate agent. They were making a bid for this awful, unfamiliar house. Something in me broke as I heard the realtor penning the details.

I blinked but it didn’t matter. The tears came anyway.

“Where are you, God?” I whispered in the stillness of the dark room. I stood sobbing silently for several minutes, numbly repeating my question until I felt a presence behind me.

My grandfather wrapped an arm around my shoulder and said nothing. I sniffed and tried to pull myself together.

After a moment, my grandfather spoke. His words were soft in the darkness, like he was carefully auditioning each word for the part before he spoke them. “I know you felt like God has left you. When the plant in Bristol closed down and I had to move, I was mad at God. I didn’t understand how he could move me. I felt like God had abandoned me.”

I was quiet. Was it possible someone else understood everything I felt? As I pondered this my grandfather opened his mouth again, “God never forsakes us. Never. No matter where we go or what happens.”

I wrapped my arm around his waist and squeezed tight, whispering my thanks to him. He gave me a hug and left the room so I could compose myself. I paused, searching for the words to tell God how I’d needed that reminder tonight, but couldn’t find any.

God…thank you, thank you for never leaving me…even when my fickle emotions said you’ve left. Thank you for always being near.

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…)

Debra Weiss interviews Laura Farrar

Laura Farrar is part of a courageous generation determined to reach out and do something about the problems they see in the world around them.

Because Laura Farrar has struggled with eating disorders, depression, and self-injury, she understands the pain and secrecy they bring. Discontent to just talk about these issues, Laura is determined to do something.

In 2008, Laura started the Dancing in the Rain Foundation. Through her organization, Laura hopes to start a shelter for hurting teens where her organization can offer crisis and intervention services to hurting adolescents so that they may experience God’s mercy and love while receiving the help they need.

Debra Weiss: First of all, Laura, it’s great to have you here at Real Teen Faith. I loved the name of your organization, Dancing in the Rain Foundation, as soon as I heard it. What’s the story behind the name?

Laura Farrar: Thanks, Debbie for having me! Our name was inspired by a few quotes I’ve heard over the years. One of those is “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” That’s the heart of what we believe in. The storms of life bring rain and hardship to our lives, but there is hope–we can learn to dance, cope, thrive and heal even in the midst of the pain. (more…)

by Debra Weiss, RTF staff writer

I know Easter passed but I’m still thinking about the Resurrection and what it meant and still does mean. I happened upon this quote that I love….

Whoever reads the New Testament seriously, or gives thought to the impact which the apostles made upon their generation, must acknowledge that one outstanding historic event alone spurred that small band of 11 ordinary men to an amazing task of evangelization in their generation. Defying every obstacle, loss of home, persecution, even death itself, they evidenced the supreme relevance in their ministry of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. – Erling C. Olsen

This quote begs the question: Were are the ordinary Christians willing to evangelize others, even at the cost of all they hold dear, all they love?

What are we willing to give up, to sacrifice so that others may come to know His redeeming love?

In order to get the word out, to let others know what Jesus Christ had done in their lives, the apostles had to be willing to sacrifice, and not just anything but everything. Too many times we want to sacrifice smaller things, things that we won’t even miss. Is it any wonder Christians filled with plenty feel spiritually unfulfilled?

We want the best of both worlds. We want to say we made a sacrifice for the Lord but we don’t want to lose anything, either. We want to be armchair Christians, content to sit in our comfortable homes and debate the best ways to evangelize the world.

But true evangelizing must start with a sacrifice of self. Of all we hold dear, of all that ties us to this empty world, we must surrender.

Each Christian has different things to sacrifice. Spend some time with God today and ask him, “What’s holding me down to this world? What’s keeping me from ministering to others?”

Then wait…and listen.

Self-Respect: Finding Value in God’s Love
by Debra Weiss

I like the definition of self-respect on Wikipedia. Self-respect: the knowledge of one’s own worth. For a long time, I wasn’t sure of my worth. In and out of bad churches, I’d seen Christians at their worst. Disgusted, I’d turned away, opting instead to deny the existence of God.

The churches I’d been in taught me that I was defined by whether or not I completed a long to-do list of things that would supposedly make God happy. But I was miserable inside. I couldn’t live up to their lists and when I realized this, I felt like a failure. Truly worthless, that’s how I defined myself for three long years until I let God in. (more…)