By RTF Staff Writer Shannon Meiers

Also, I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for us?

Then said I, Here I am; send me. (Isaiah 6:8, NIV)

How many of us read this verse and think; “Yes, totally! I’ll go wherever He leads me!” and then two weeks later, you’re fighting your Jonah instincts. You want to run away from what God has called you to do. Because it’s just too hard. Or so you think. (more…)

By Guest Writer LuraKate Pijanowski

Sometimes the easiest way out is to run from our problems. Or so it seems… until the problems come running right back to us.

I know about that. (more…)

By Staff Writer Jennifer Grimes

I could feel my eyes widen and my face heat up.  My thumb lingered over the television remote’s “go back” button, but I didn’t press it. My eyes were glued to the screen. I was now a victim of the movie’s creators and my own curiosity. I was trapped. (more…)

By Staff Writer Abbie Miller

Last year, I served for four weeks at a Christian summer camp for kids.

I’d never done anything like it, and I. was. SCARED.

I had no idea what to expect, no real idea why I’d even applied – except that I felt God wanted me to – and I didn’t know anyone there.
(more…)

By Guest Writer Patricia Chandler

What Do u do when u feel like this
Suicidal thoughts
Urges to cut
Feeling alone (more…)

By Guest Writer Shannon Meiers

I stared at my untouched lunch, then at the clock.  How many teenagers took 35 minutes to eat one salami sandwich, one apple, and one cup of Jell-o pudding? Then again, how many teens are distracted by a mob of kids while they try to eat?

Rosie’s pigtails bounced. “Shannon, will you take me to the washroom?” Washroom?  Don’t your parents bathe you at home? I wondered. (more…)

By Guest Writer Alexa Schnee

I loved you with my whole being,

Nights spent staring at the ceiling,

Wondering why you didn’t notice me.

I should have known, that you were mine,

If I had only stopped and taken the time,

To realize what you wanted to see.

You got tired of my complaining,

My endless, constant restraining,

Of the person that was clawing inside my skin.

While you saw someone beautiful,

I saw someone ugly, horrible,

And that was enough to make you give in.

Now I’m on my back again staring,

Wondering why I couldn’t have been daring,

Enough to love this skin that I am in.

****

Note from B.J.: Alexa is a talented teen writer who signed with my agent last spring, and has sold her first book to Guideposts. You can visit her website here and her blog here.

Tim Sweetman, Guest RTF writer
Regenerate Our Culture

I stood on the Supreme Court steps in downtown Louisville at 12:02 PM shivering in the cold. All around me were people gathered around a huge statue at the foot of the steps. They were all listening to a speaker who stood at a black podium in between the huge columns at the top of the steps. These were people from all backgrounds – little children, businessmen, mothers, fathers, politicians, doctors, teenagers, and college students.

We were all gathered because abortion was legalized 36 years ago.

As I looked around at the faces, I realized that most of us were survivors of a genocide. A genocide that has taken almost 45 million lives away from our nation. A genocide that was taking a life every 20 seconds. A genocide that could have taken me.

But I was not aborted.

A few kids were holding signs that said “Stop Abortion Now” and “Abortion Kills.” I wasn’t holding anything, but I wish I was – I wish I could hold a sign up, wave a flag, yell, scream, or do anything to stop what was going on at that very minute. (more…)