"What Are You Thankful For? (Part IV)"

“Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” 1 Thesssalonians 5:16-18 (Message)

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“I'm thankful to know that God is in control of everything that goes on! I don't have to worry about what's going on in our world, because I know I'm on the winning side!”

-Ashley G., 15 years old, South Carolina

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“I'm starting to realize how thankful I am for the lessons I'm learning outside of school. Life can be a pretty harsh teacher sometimes, but God is so faithful to his children!”

-Katie R., 21 years old, Ireland/North Carolina

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“There are many things I am thankful for this year. Family, friends, housing, the usual. However, the thing that I am most thankful for would be my God. My God who is full of grace and grants us second chances. This past year has been a rough one. Many decisions to be made about the future, many to reflect on, and some I wish I had a second chance at. However, I know that my God is a God of Grace! He has been teaching me so much this year and I am ever grateful for my savior and the way he truly does work all things for good to those who love him.”

-Mackenzie E., 17 years old, Michigan

"What Are You Thankful For? (Part III)"

“We thank you, O God! We give thanks because you are near. People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds.” Psalm 75:1 (NLT)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Take time to thank God for all the blessings in your life – today and every day, and have a truly BLESSED Thanksgiving!

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“My friends and family are some of the biggest blessings in my life. I have so much to be thankful for, but I'm especially thankful for the people in my life who are my inspiration and keep me going.”

-Jessica T., 17 years old, Michigan

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“I'm thankful for:

-Jesus and giving me eternal life and being in a committed relationship with me

-my friends

-my band

-my family

-my dog, Tegan

-good movies that change my day

-the way the shower door looks when it’s wet

-rainy days and overcast days

-strawberries and blueberries

-jamba juice (but not the 38475385739847 calories) haha

-the way the sun goes down and the way it shines through the trees and the little bugs fly through it

-cute boys

-my church

-my youth leader who helps me sooo much

-good music that clears my head”

-Billie A., 16 years old, California

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“Well, I am thankful for the ability to praise God freely in America. I am also thankful that even though we are going through this economic crisis, we have the assurance that God is in control no matter what.”

-Ashleigh W., 14 years old, North Carolina

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“First of all, I am thankful for my wonderful family who are such an encouragement and wonderful support to me. God has given me amazing parents and siblings, which few girls can boast about.

Secondly, I thank God for the opportunity to live in Poland for 16 years as a missionary. He has given me many rich and precious experiences that have allowed me to grow in the Lord and that have shaped my character through the years. My friends in Poland are priceless jewels, irreplaceable and lovely in my eyes. Sometimes saying goodbye to people makes you cherish them even more.

Thirdly, I praise God for his provision and goodness towards me and my family in this year of transition. The Lord has graciously blessed my family with the finances to buy a beautiful new house, and given us a comfortable place to live why we wait to move in. Recently, I also have had the opportunity to go to IHOP (International House of Prayer), Kansas City, which was always a dream of mine.

As I look back to the years I spent in Poland, I am awed by God's provision. Many times he has chosen to use a broken vessel like myself to bring him glory. I am honored to have such a wonderful Heavenly Daddy. So most importantly, I am thankful for Jesus.”

-Emily W., 17 years old, North Carolina

"What Are You Thankful For? (Part II)"

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 100:4 (NIV)

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“I am so thankful for the fact that I get to go to Proverbs 31 every year. I'm thankful that Obama got elected and above all I'm thankful that God loved me enough to die for my sins on the cross.”

-Jordan C., 13 years old, Florida

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“I am so thankful for my family and friends. I am thankful for all of the opportunities that God gives me to help others. I thank God for everyone he has placed in my life. I am so thankful for having so many wonderful people who love me and help me grow in my faith with God. I am especially thankful for God's grace and always being there for me.”

-Becky B., 16 years old, North Carolina

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“God's Word and how accessible it is to us. My Family. Friends. Conversations. Transformation and Healing. Being able to dance. Children.”

-Sarah Grace M., 21 years old, Michigan

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“I am so thankful for my extended family, as strange as it sounds. They are always there for me. We swap advice, help each other out, and I'm so blessed to have them in my life.”

-Eden W., 15 years old, North Carolina

"What Are You Thankful For?"

“…Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20 (NLT)

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, what are you thankful for?

Recently, we asked a few girls this question. Beginning today and continuing through the rest of this week, you will get to see their responses. We would love to hear from you too! Just post a comment to share with us what you’re thankful for.

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“I’m thankful for all the wonderful gifts and talents God has given me and my family and for freedom.”

-Katie K., 14 years old, South Carolina

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“I am so thankful that I live in the U.S.A! This morning on my way to school I heard on the radio that a bus blew up in Iran killing 28 people. Sometimes I take advantage of being able to wake up every morning without fear of what might happen in my day. I am so thankful for America where we have protection and freedom to live everyday without fear.”

-Jackie W., 17 years old, North Carolina

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“I am thankful for God's grace. I am thankful for living in a country with freedom of religion! I am thankful for my family and friends! I am thankful for my warm bed and house.... and many other things!”

-Natalie W., 16 years old, Michigan

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“There are so many things to be thankful for. Everyone always says ‘I'm thankful for a family who loves me,’ however, I want to dig deeper than that. I'm not saying a loving family isn't something to be thankful for, but I think the most important thing to be thankful for is God's love. No matter what kind of past we've had and no matter how much we mess up, God will ALWAYS forgive us and comfort us. He is always there when we need him. May it be the loss of a loved one, a family issue, or even just a bad day, He is always right next to you to make everything alright.”

-Jamie A., 12 years old, Pennsylvania

* Your Next New Look *

I know that as girls we tend to want to always have the latest fashions, to stay up to date with the trends and to follow the fads. It is something that we get excited about and enjoy, however, there are times when it just isn't possible. So, what do you do in those times? You know, the times when mom or dad says, “Sorry honey, we just can't afford it,” or “You're going to have to wait until Christmas.” There are times when we have to make due with what we have. In those times, what's a girl to do?

First of all, as Christian teens we need to remember to be thankful. As the Bible says, “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV). Be thankful for the clothes that you do have, remembering what you have been provided. Then, set out to make the best of the situation. Whether it is dressing for a holiday party or get together or for your next date, make it fun by challenging yourself to come up with a new look from the items in your closet. You never know what you might create by mixing and matching items you already have.

Many times we get into a rut of pairing the same items together week after week. Because of this, we never see the possibilities for different looks that could both update our wardrobe and make us feel stylish, as well.

Take this as a challenge and go rummage through your own closet and dresser drawers for your next new look!

~Alyssa

+ A Dose of Encouragement +

Encouragement = To inspire courage in, to inspire with confidence, to give support to

Who are you inspiring courage or confidence in? Who are you supporting? As followers of Christ we are called to encourage!


Hebrews 10:24-25, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another.… [And] encourage one another….” (NLT)


One of my favorite ways to encourage others is by writing notes: sharing strengths I see in them, shining light on God’s promises in the Bible, and letting them know I’m praying for them. It’s amazing how sharing the right Scripture at the right time and letting someone know you’re praying for them can work wonders in his or her life.


This past spring, a friend of mine was struggling with questions and doubts about God. My heart was burdened, so I prayed for him daily and anonymously put Scripture verses in his mailbox every day for 40 days. My prayer was that these verses would give him courage to face his doubts and fears and confidently turn to God for truth.


Who do you know who’s having a hard time and needs encouragement? Your friend or classmate? Your teacher or neighbor? Perhaps it’s someone you don’t feel like encouraging – like that person who hasn’t been very encouraging to you.


As Hebrews 10 reminds us, encouraging each other is SO important! When we encourage, we give each other an extra boost of support and courage to keep going.


I challenge you today to encourage someone else! Your encouragement and support might be the one thing that keeps that person holding on and looking up! Friend, you have much to give.


Do you have ideas or something you’ve done to encourage someone? If so, please share with us!


Love in Christ,
Kristen

* Basic Skincare 101 *

Is your skin feeling a bit drier this time of year? Or are you getting breakouts you wish you didn’t have? Winter tends to bring on skin problems due to change of seasons and extra stress.

Why stress? Homework, tests, projects, and all those things you didn’t have in the summer when you were out having a good time tend to bring extra stress to your skin causing you to break out. Blah!

Don’t worry! Here’s the scoop you need to get your skin back in shape:

1. Cleanse

2. Tone

3. Moisturize

4. Special treatments

*Cleanse*:

Find a good soap or cleanser that is suited to your skin type. To determine the kind of skin you have, take a good look at your face as soon as you get up in the morning. Is it shiny, oily, or greasy feeling? Or is it taut and dry? Perhaps you are a mix of the two, and your forehead, nose and chin are oily, but your cheeks are dry. If this is the case, then you have a “combination” skin type. If you are the first type described, being shiny or oily all over, then you are considered “oily” and the taut and dry skin makes you, well, “dry”!

Make sure you wash your makeup off at night before you go to bed and first thing when you arise in the morning. This is key to healthy skin!

*Tone*:

This is a critical part of your routine. Some cleansers have this built right into them, but for others, toner comes in another bottle. This is a clear liquid that you’ll use with a cotton ball and wipe over your face after you’ve washed and dried it. If you have combination or oily skin, then you’ll want your toner to have alcohol as an ingredient. For you dry gals, however, make sure your toner is alcohol-free.

Toner is like a rinse for your skin. I like to explain it as saying it’s like running your clothes thru the rinse cycle. Otherwise, when you don’t do this, your clothes come out all dry and hard. So will your face if you don’t use a toner. It’s an important step, so don’t forget to do it. It also will get off any traces of makeup that your cleanser didn’t get.

*Moisturize*:

I know you oily girls are saying, “Oh no, not for me!” But, let me assure you, this is an important step for everyone. I’d recommend that each skin type get an oil-free moisturizer (unless you’re super dry) and put a few dabs on before you go to bed and before you apply your makeup.

This will keep your skin in tip-top shape!

*Special Treatments*:

Once a week, you may want to use a mask, like one of those I talked about two weeks ago. This will keep your skin glowing! Another really great product I like is called “Acne Treatment Gel.” There are many on the market, but my favorite one is by Mary Kay. Let me tell you, it rocks! As soon as you see a pimple coming on, dab on a little of this product directly to the pimple several times a day, and I promise you you’ll see it dry right up! It’s even my thirteen-year-old son’s favorite product! Please don’t tell him I told you that! He is quite the jock and he might not admit it if you asked him about it.

It’s so important to care for your skin. I’d also like to recommend that your cleanser, toner and moisturizer be the same brand. Don’t mix up those items as it could cause havoc to your skin. Special treatment products fall into a different category so you can change those up.

Don’t feel you have to spend lots of money on skincare, either. As long as you use the same brand, you can find great products at the local drugstore or Walmart. My faves include Neutrogena, Avon, Mary Kay’s Velocity and Clinique.

Here’s to your beautiful face!

Love,

Shari

www.FashionMeetFaith.com

"Conflict with Authority"

By: Autumn Sisk

1 Timothy 2:1, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for everyone, for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (NIV)

Have you ever had a coach or teacher that didn’t like you or that you just didn’t like? It happens to everyone. We all have different views and personalities, and at times this causes conflicts.

My friends called me a “suck-up” in school, mostly because I respected my teachers and coaches and got along well with them. I always tried to listen in class, turn in my homework on time, and do what was asked of me. I didn’t want any trouble with anyone.

In the tenth grade I landed in the classroom of a young, attractive English teacher. I was certain that I would like her just as I had liked most of my teachers in school. After a few weeks in her class, I realized that she did not care at all for me. She didn’t seem to appreciate my efforts to be a good student. In fact, she seemed to completely loathe me. She picked on only me in the classroom. I was a straight “A” student, and in fact had never made a “B” in school, so when I received my research paper back with a huge red “F” on it, I cried.

I had worked on that paper for weeks and truly thought it was a good paper. All of my other teachers thought I was a good writer. I even had a friend’s dad, who was a former teacher, read over my paper to make sure it was acceptable. My other friends who were mediocre students all received higher grades. I felt like it was a conspiracy against me. I tried to talk to the teacher about it, but she was very unhelpful and unkind. To this day, I have no idea what it was about me that she disliked so much.

Even though my faith in Christ was strong in high school, my reaction to this teacher was not good. Instead of trying to love her, I decided that she was a terrible person and that she was not worth my prayers. I did just the opposite of what Jesus calls us to do. In the Bible, we are urged to pray for “everyone,” especially those in “authority.” Even if we have conflicts with them, we are to pray for them because Jesus loves them. God wants His children to be able to live at peace, even with those who make our lives difficult.

You may be having problems with an authority figure. Instead of doing as I did with my teacher, take the time to pray for him or her. God has a way of changing your heart toward those for whom you pray. It seems that once you begin making an effort to pray for someone, your heart softens towards that person. Sometimes you will even begin to like the person. Offering prayers for someone is the greatest gift you can give. I often wonder how things would have turned out if I had started praying for my tenth grade English teacher.

Don’t wait to start praying for those around you, particularly those with whom you are in conflict. It will make a world of difference!

My Prayer for Today:

Dear Lord, thank you for giving me your Holy Bible as a learning tool and guide for my life. Right now, I want to ask you for your blessings on _______________________ (fill in the blank with the name of someone with whom you are having problems). Please help me to resolve my issues with this person and live at peace with him/her. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Being a Girl Who Leads: Becoming a Leader by Following Christ, by Shannon Kubiak Primicerio

Wisdom on Getting Along with Parents, by Mark Matlock

Think About It:

Is there someone with whom I am really struggling within my daily life?

(Teacher, coach, parent, sibling)

Am I critical of authority figures because of personality conflicts or conflicts of interest?

Is there anyone that I know I need to begin praying for today?

Live It:

Make a list of everyone with whom you are having difficulty in your life.

Begin to pray for these people by name, each day for a week. You will likely see a change in your views of these people within a few days.

When your friends or others mention the people you have begun to pray for, be sure not to speak badly of them. Instead, make a point to only think and speak positively of them.

Power Verses:

James 5:16, “…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (NIV)

Romans 13:1-2, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” (NIV)

Luke 6:27-28, “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (NIV)

© 2008 by Autumn Sisk. All rights reserved.

+ Believe the Promise +

“The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe His promise to care for them. Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the Lord.” – Psalm 106:24-25 (NLT)

People say that seeing is believing – once you see something’s for real, then you’ll believe it. However, there’s another side to believing and that’s believing without seeing, a.k.a. faith.

In the passage above, God wanted to give the Israelites the Promised Land, a land filled with all kinds of good things for them to enjoy. However, while in the wilderness, they refused to enter that pleasant land because they didn’t believe God would be true to His word to take care of them. They couldn’t yet see God fulfilling His promise. So, instead of obeying Him and following Him into this Promised Land, they got angry, whined, and complained.

Do you believe God has something great for your life? Do you believe He is good and loves you so much that He wants to bless you outrageously? Maybe your life experiences, family, or friends have told you otherwise. However, I’m here to tell you that God does love you a lot and He has a lifetime of His blessings for you.

I'm not saying God will make your life a piece of cake and if you believe, all your troubles will go away. We’ll inevitably face hard times throughout life, but it's actually in our hard times that God teaches, grows and matures us the most.

So, here’s what I’m asking: Are you claiming all of God's promises for your life? If you have a hard time believing or obeying God, ask Him to help you. He will, and He’ll bring you into the land He has promised for you – a place in which you know Him more personally, He provides for all your needs and then some, and you find more joy, love, and meaning in your life than you can imagine!

Have a beautiful weekend!

~Kristen

* The Five B's *

Hey girls! Do you remember Shari’s Five B’s for dressing modestly from last fall? They were so great that we thought they were worth repeating! So, let’s have a quick review…

1. No BRA showing

This rule covers several points:

1. First of all, make sure your straps don’t show. If you’re wearing a tank or sleeveless blouse they shouldn’t “slip” out from under the top.
2. Next, if you’re wearing a white top, make sure your bra is either white or nude in color. Nothing is worse than seeing a girl’s bra through her clothes…yuck!
3. Finally, make sure your armholes (in your blouse) are not too low so that an on-looker can see your bra from under your arm.

2. No BUST LINES bursting out

With all the low cut tops that are appearing in stores today, you have to be much more careful NOT to show your cleavage. It is better to layer with several tanks or T’s to make sure this doesn’t happen. I know it’s harder to accomplish for those of you who are more well-endowed than others, but it’s so worth the extra effort.

3. No BELLIES showing

Here’s Shari’s rule: Stand up where you are right now. Lift your arms in the air and go look in a mirror. Can you see your tummy? Is your tank too short? Now turn around. Bend over and see if your back is showing. Your belly and back should not be showing when you lift your arms in the air or when you bend over. If this happens, you’ll want to get a longer shirt, tuck yours in, or get a second tank to layer with.

4. No BOTTOM attention

Basically, you shouldn’t wear anything too tight on your bottom, that have any words on your bottom, or have any part of your bottom exposed.

5. No BUBBLING in your jeans

When your jeans are too tight, they will “bubble,” or wrinkle, on your legs in the back. Your jeans wrinkle too much in the back because they’re too tight.

No matter your size or shape, you should always want someone to look at all of you and not just certain parts of you. To do this, you should attempt to dress in styles that flatter your figure, not draw attention to parts of your figure.

Remember, guys are very visual, no matter what age they are. When they look at a girl and she is dressed with an extra emphasis on showing skin, his imagination can go wild. As a Christian, you have a responsibility not to cause another to sin, even if it’s in his thought life. Plus, guys respect girls who dress in a way that lets them know who she is on the inside.

Have a fashionable week!

~Your Rad Rev Fashion Team

"All That Hinders"

By: Bradelyn Levi

Hebrews 12:1, “…Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (NIV)

In today’s world, it is easy to get caught up in what culture says is valuable and right. With the world yelling at us, it is easy to ignore how God wants us to live. We live in a world that places value on everything but Christ and focuses on things that lead us away from God.

Sin is easy to slip into and can be hard to escape. One of the hardest things for me, when I first became a Christian was breaking free from the patterns of sin that had become normal in my life. Until I became a Christian I did not see a problem with going to parties, drinking, lying to my parents, and living a life that was far from God and pleasing to me. Once I accepted Christ, I desperately wanted to change those patterns, and quickly discovered they were hard patterns to break. The change I wanted in my life did not happen instantly but over time, and with Christ’s help and strength I have broken free from them.

Christ came to give us life and life to the full (John 10:10, NIV) and in order to have that life we have to get rid of the things that hinder us from following Him.

We all have things that hinder our relationship with God. Maybe it is the fear of what others think, a negative attitude, not being in God’s Word, or a pattern of sin that is hindering our walk with Christ. No matter what it is that hinders our relationship with God, we have to lay those things aside in order to better follow Him. God has a divine purpose and plan for each of our lives and in order to fulfill that plan we have to be willing to throw off the chains that hold us down and keep us from Him.

The journey of being a disciple of Christ is not easy and often requires stepping out of our comfort zone, being courageous, and making hard decisions, but those decisions and the process of laying aside the things that keep us from Him deepens our relationship with Him. Even though we face challenges and sometimes have to let things go, God never leaves us! He is always with us and is helping us to run this race with perseverance.

The race that God has marked out for each one of us no matter how old we are or what we have been through is worth running. It is the greatest adventure we will ever go on but to run at full speed we have to leave the things that hinder us and the sin that chains us down behind. This requires that we take a great step of faith. It is a conscious choice that we get to make.

I challenge you to lay down and begin to break free from the things that hinder your walk with God. Run the race no matter what comes your way. Persevere because it’s worth it!

So what will it be?

My Prayer for Today:

Father, give us the courage to step out of the things that hinder us and help us to begin to run the race you have marked out for us no matter what may come our way. Guide our steps and protect us from the sin that is so easy to get caught up in. Lord, we love You and know that what You have for us is better than anything the world could ever offer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Related Resources:

For Such a Time as This, by Lisa Ryan

Wise Up!, by Rebecca Ingram Powell

Think About It:

What are the things that are hindering my relationship with Christ?

What are some steps that I can take today to begin putting those things aside?

Who can I ask to hold me accountable to the things that are hindering me in my walk with Christ?

Live It:

Since reading the Bible is one of the best ways to know God better, spend time in Scripture daily. Start with 5 minutes a day, build up to 15 minutes, and eventually you’ll want to spend more and more time with God in His Word.

Ask God to show you the things that are hindering your relationship with Him.

Get an accountability partner, someone who you can talk to about your struggles and victories and who will pray for you. Don’t forget to do the same for them.

Power Verses:

1 Corinthians 9:24, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (NIV)

John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and life to the full.” (NIV)

Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (NIV)

© 2008 by Bradelyn Levi. All rights reserved.

+ The Source of Hope +

Suffering. Discouragement. Hopelessness. Emptiness. Sadness. Sorrow. Distress. Frustration.

Do any of these words describe your life right now? If not, perhaps you know someone whose life is filled with these things.

Do you remember what our key verse from Monday says? Hope does not disappoint us (Romans 5:5). How is it that hope does not disappoint us, or let us down? I think it's because hope helps us endure, it helps us believe and expect that something better is coming.

Just as Charlotte pointed out Monday, often when we suffer in life we ask God, "Why are you allowing this to happen?!" We want answers to the reason He allowed us to be afflicted by pain and suffering. However, the truth is that often we won't get an answer to this question, at least not this side of heaven.

Instead of being consumed with why something has happened to us, it's helpful to instead ask the question, "What? Lord, what is it that you want to teach me through this?" If we ask God this question and listen for His answer, He will teach us great things. He will use our suffering to strengthen our faith and our relationship with Him. In addition, He will use what He has taught us to help us teach others more about Him.

So, what are some of the things God wants to give us in the midst of our suffering, discouragement, sadness, and distress?

Strength. Hope. Belief. Joy. Peace. Abundance.

These may sound like unattainable things that exist only in your dreams. However, the truth is that they do exist and you can experience them. As we trust God to teach us through our suffering, He will give us these things.

Here's my prayer for you, sisters:

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13, NLT)

This is the hope that does not disappoint...the hope that comes from God through the power of the Holy Spirit.

I'd love to hear from you!

Confident hope in Him,

Kristen

* Homemade Facial Masks *

Since Halloween is now behind us, I must tell you about two masks that are not the scary kind, but the homemade kind!

These masks can be made in your very own kitchen and applied to your beautiful face so your skin will glow in a healthy way.

This first mask is adapted from Paula Begoun’s book, The Beauty Bible. Believe it or not, she uses Milk of Magnesia as the only ingredient for this mask. Because Milk of Magnesia is actually liquid magnesium, it’s from the earth and has disinfecting qualities and absorbs oil even better than clay. Clay masks are the most common form of treatment for oily skin so make sure you add Milk of Magnesia to your mom’s grocery shopping list! Get the flavor-free kind, though. Here’s what to do:

Apply the Milk of Magnesia to your face and leave for 10-15 minutes. Finish by using a cool washcloth and rinsing it off. That’s all there is to it. And now you have a fresh face!

This next mask is going to make you laugh. But, seriously, you have got to try it, especially if you have cats! (Honestly, it is awesome!) Diane Irons, the author of The World’s Best Kept Beauty Secrets, promises cat litter is made up of the same ingredients as special clays found in facials that are used in very expensive spas.

Here’s what you’re going to need:

• 1 Bag of Cat Litter (Must be marked 100% Natural Clay)
• Water
• A few drops of your favorite essential oil

Preparation:

• Mix in a few tablespoons of the cat litter with a little water and a few drops of oil. The oil will help make the experience less kitty-litterish!
• Apply mask to your pretty face.
• Rinse off after 15 minutes.

That’s it! Now go have some fun with some items that you may already have in your house and let me know how your face feels after your in-home beauty experience! You can even invite your friends over for a special spa party!

Beautiful Blessings,

Shari

www.FashionMeetsFaith.com

"Suffering, in Hindsight"

By: Charlotte Cole

Romans 5:3-5, “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (NIV)

Sarah was 13 when her parents divorced. She and her brother stayed with their mother while their father moved a couple hours away and started a new family.

Although Sarah’s mother tried hard to provide and loved her children greatly, she was always caught up in her own life’s situations. In addition to working fulltime, she had many health issues. In spite of her efforts to make life better for her children and herself, there was always something terrible going on in her life. To deal with it all, she turned to wine and became an alcoholic.

You can imagine the effect this had on Sarah and her brother. Not only was their dad out of their lives, but now their mother also was. Even though she was there physically, she wasn’t there for them in any other way.

Why would God allow this to happen? Did He not see Sarah? Did He not care about her life? Were the hardships ever going to let up?

Life was more than Sarah could handle. She began failing in school because she was constantly worrying, not only about her mother and her endless list of severe ailments, accidents, and drinking. Sarah was doing the absolute best she could, but she reached a point where she could not even do easy things well anymore because of her circumstances.

What Sarah did have that most others her age didn’t was a deep sense of feeling: She understood pain. She had a deeper understanding of God than most others her age because of what she had been through. At a young age she had to go directly to God. She didn’t really have anyone else to rely on. God was the only one who would not let her down. God was the only one who would hold her when she hurt. God had become Sarah’s all and all.

One time as I sat with her, I cried, remembering the pain of my own childhood from a broken home where alcoholism existed. I asked her, “Is it worth it? Is the seeming unfairness of it all and all of your fears and disappointments worth going through for the sake of God?” She looked me in the eye from her young but mature face and said, “Yes.”

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Romans 8:18 says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (NIV). This is a great reminder to us that no matter what happens in our lives on this earth, the life to come – eternal life with Jesus Christ – will be amazing. The tough stuff we have to suffer through now cannot even begin to compare with what we will experience when we get to spend forever with God.

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While her peers were experiencing life from a lighter side, God had a different plan for Sarah’s life. She made a conscious decision to turn to God and rejoice in the midst of her pain and many disappointments. She believed there was something bigger than the life she could see now, something beyond what she could ask or imagine. She had a closeness with God, a dependency on Him, that many of her peers didn’t even know existed. She was growing into a mature woman of God as a result of her sufferings.

What are you facing right now? Know that you are not walking through it alone. You have a friend – Jesus – who is familiar with suffering, having faced a lot of it Himself (Isaiah 53:3). He will help you through it.

My Prayer for Today:

Dear Lord, please help me to see the pain and disappointments in my life as gifts from You. Use them to bring me closer to You and teach me what You want me to learn. Help me to rejoice in my suffering, remembering You are with me through it all. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

A Young Woman’s Walk with God, by Elizabeth George

Bridge Called Hope, by Kim Meeder

Think About It:

What have you suffered unfairly? Have you allowed it to draw you closer to God or push you away from God?

What is God teaching you through your suffering, pain or disappointment?

Would your suffering be worth it if God touched others’ lives through you?

Live It:

Go to God and praise Him, no matter how hard it is; no matter how deep the suffering or endless the situation, praise Him!

Claim for your life Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Memorize this verse and repeat it out loud to yourself daily.

Power Verses:

1 Peter 4:13, “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (NIV)

Revelation 21:4, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (NIV)

Hebrews 12:2-3, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (NIV)

© 2008 by Charlotte Cole. All rights reserved.