Luckily this morning I had realized what I was allowing myself to do was entirely wrong and that I needed to stop and count my blessings which I did this morning.  Then, I went to speak and hold one of my events for a group of girls and their moms.  One of the girls there came in, and made no bones about expressing her feelings about being there.  Her attitude and body language showed it loud and clear, not to mention that I heard her mutter under her breath to her mom about that very thing.

Needless to say, she definitely showed her “attitude”.  Our attitudes really do tell alot about us to others.  I try to hide it when I have a bad week, but sometimes I’m sure others pick up on my negative attitude, and that is wrong.  That is no way for me to bring glory to God.  After all, He is still taking care of me, and for just that reason if for nothing more, I should have a better attitude.

There are some things we cannot control in life, but our attitudes are one thing that we definitely can control and will speak volumes to those around us about who is in control in our lives, after all if we allow HIM to be in control instead of us, our attitude will be better anyway.  Try it, and you will see that it is true!  God’s control = an attitude of gratitude.

However, as Christians it is important that our busyness does not alter our attitudes so much that those around us do not even know that we are Christians.  We are called to be “set apart” from the world.  This should include our attitudes with not only our families, but with others.  Sure this is a crazy busy time of year for everyone, but if you face each busy day with a positive, Christ-like attitude others will take note and wonder what is different about you, and what makes your outlook on life so much different from others, or maybe even their own.

As 1 Peter 3:15-16 says, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

Others will be recognizing this set-apartness that you have, however they may not know what it is that makes you different, that is where you are responsible as a Christian to be prepared to explain to them or to “give an account” to them for that hope that you have that is being shown in your attitude and hopefully in your actions as well.  So, just like you are preparing for the new school year by buying supplies, getting new clothes and incorporating new routines into you life, you should also be prepared with a testimony or account of why you have the hope that you have through Jesus Christ.

It is not always easy to open your mouth and tell others about your relationship with Christ, but the more you do so the easier it will become, so get prepared!

I’ve never really dealt with a runaway before, that is until this week. A teenager from the youth group, I formerly ministered to ran away from home. Though her mom knew where she went eventually, to stay with a family member, it was still an ordeal.  There were many hurt feelings, harsh words exchanged, and a feeling of uneasiness surrounding the entire situation. The mom, for quite a while felt helpless.

There is one person who will never allow us to truly “run away”. God will never allow us to run away from Him. He will always bring us back to Himself. Don’t you recall the story of Jonah running from God? No matter where Jonah ran, he could not escape God’s hand. He even lived inside the belly of a great fish, but God was there.

As the words of the Psalmist so clearly state, we cannot escape from or run away from God.

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
Psalm 139: 7-10 (NIV)

Therefore, though this teen’s mom felt helpless, and the teen thought she was running away, she was never out of God’s hand. She was always firmly in his grasp. None of us will ever truly be alone with Christ in our heart and lives.

Her original designs are inspired by the classic looks of Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Onassis Kennedy, and Princess Dianna. With the support of her entrepreneurial father, Taylor began the daunting task of forming the company. “Baby step by baby step we designed and furnished a website, made contacts in the fashion industry for manufacturers, designers etc. and launched on January 15th, 2007.” Her two sisters, brother, and brother-in-law have also joined Taylor in the endeavor. Taylor’s father says, “Christa has a unique vision and phenomenal talent. We’re all in support!” Having released a spring line with two collections, Taylor is set to release a winter line in mid- September, adding “Timeless” to her “Posh” and “Trendy” collections. Five new signature dresses will also be offered, in addition to many other offerings in all three lines.

Taylor also sees a “mission beyond business.” She says she “wants to see the business make an enduring impact across the world,” and dedicates a minimum of 30% of her profits toward furthering social justice and serving the poor. Christa is currently sponsoring an orphanage in Cambodia, which she has personally visited. “Our company is positively impacting more than just our happy customers,” says Taylor.

Christa Taylor, founder
Christa-Taylor.com

I probably did not either.  I remember my graduation very well.  The day went by quickly and so did the ceremony.  I remember very little of what was said.  I do however remember tossing the cap, hugging my friends, going home for dinner and leaving for summer camp where I was working for the next 8 weeks.  From that day forward to today I have seen my high school friends very little.  It is amazing how quickly time has flown and how little of them I have seen.

Those relationships I had with my classmates I think I took for granted, that or I so naively believed they’d always be there.  However, time has slowly pulled those relationships apart, or at least put distance between us.  Not always negatively, but just as a part of the reality of life.

Most of us have had very fulfilling lives from what I know.  Many of us went off to college, many of us have married, some have had children, others are now expecting.  We have all had to move out of the homes of our parents and into our own places, taking care of our own responsibilities.

What has made this easier is those relationships we have had, both old and new, relationships with each other, our families,  our parents, and the new relationships we’ve formed since high school, with college roommates, colleagues, and others along the way.

All of these relationships are important in their own way because you see God placed them in our path.  He had a hand in each and every one of them.  One might call this divine intervention.  God divinely inspiring those relationships in our lives for just the right time to help fulfill just the right need.  That’s how He works after all.

I think it is important that we treasure those relationships, realizing how important they are to all of us.  Whether they be relationships from our past or those we are presently enjoying they should be treasured because they are a gift from God.

So, whether you’re a high school senior about to throw your cap in the air, or someone who has been in the real world a long time.  Look around you, count those relationships you have or have had and treasure them in your heart.

Then, there are your relationships, which are linked to the roles just mentioned. Relationships are the heartbeat of our lives without them we could not truly function. God created us to be relational beings. He also expects us to put our relationship with Him first, then he even prefers that we order our other relationships as well. He encourages us in His Word to put our husband’s next in line, followed by our children, then our family and finally our friends. Why do so many of us struggle with this?

Finally, we have responsibilities, to ourselves, to our families, to our church, and to the next generation that will follow us. These responsibilities can often be overwhelming. But with the proper order of priorities in our lives in both our roles and in our relationships it will be much easier for us to take care of the responsibilities that God has given us.

In an effort to balance it all, we must seek God’s guidance and trust that He will lead us in the right direction. This requires making time for HIM in our daily routine, preferably as the first thing we do daily. The Bible tells us we should give God our first fruits, this includes our time. You will be surprised how starting your day with God will allow everything else to fall into place.

As a woman, especially if you’re a woman with a daughter that you are influencing, you will want to do all you can to show her the proper order of your roles, relationships and responsibilities so that she can learn from you and not have to struggle with these areas in her adult life.

First, He calls us to Himself. God’s call to salvation is the first call He makes upon our lives. The salvation given to us through His Son Jesus’ death on the cross is a free gift that we must choose to accept.

Then, God sends the Holy Spirit to live inside of us and with His presence comes spiritual gifts that God gives us to us e to bring glory and honor to Him. God may also call us to do things that we may not feel we have the power or ability to do but He will enable us to do through Him if we just try.

Throughout time God has called many people to do things for Him that felt inadequate and ill prepared to do what God worked through them to accomplish. We can experience the same thing. For through him we become stronger, wiser and more useful.

We are all truly “called” by God!

The Lord truly wants us to bring our burdens and cares to him through prayer. We are to pray about everything, pray without ceasing.

Here are some things to pray about:

1. Everyday life situations. You can pray about your finances, your health, your kid’s grades, your teen’s peer pressure, your job. LIFE! God understands and He wants you to come to Him with it all.

2. For others. Pray for others, intercession is a privelege and we should always intercede on the behalf of others whether they have asked us to or not, whether they are sick, in need or you just want to thank God for them.

3. The future. Yes, it’s uncertain to us, but God knows all about it, praying for God’s will in our lives will help us to find the future that is best for us. The right path!

4. Thanksgivings. We don’t want to just ASK God for things, we want to take time to THANK HIM for things as well. Thank God for the many blessings he has given you and your family!

5. Your feelings. God can handle it. Feel angry? PRAY, Hurt? PRAY, Guilty? PRAY. Prayer is always a good answer to how you are feeling.

Still feeling unsure? Purchase our My Heart to His Prayer Journaling Devotional Guide to learn more about prayer and prayer journaling.

Another plus is that it will also provide you with some link love, so if you want to submit a testimonial to our site and in turn get a link to your site here on ours, all you have to do is post your testimonial in the comment section of this post. That’s it! Thanks!

Here is what’s next…..

Saturday, April 5 - (Private) Make Me Over Birthday Party - 2 pm - Carrollton, MS

Friday, May 9 - Fellowship Church of the Nazarene Ladies’ Event - 6:30 pm - Houston, MS ( I am still praying about the theme and message)

I think it was fabulous. I was so impressed with the ladies, their love for the girls and the Lord. They treated me like a queen and I thoroughly enjoyed ministering with them. My hubby and I got to spend some quality time together as we drove down on Friday, and had a nice dinner, and stayed in a hotel room. This was our first night alone since Lily was born and she just turned a year old.

I noticed that the girls had written GLAM School on their charm school workbooks I had created and I thought, “Hey I love that name.” going to talk to Lisa, the event coordinator, about it but I’d love to “steal” that name and rename my workshops. I feel that God spoke and I hope that the messages will be used in the lives of the girls for days, weeks and months to come.

I love how God brings all things together for His good. I told the girls and Lisa this story, but I thought I’d share it with you, it’s just another story of God’s tiny miracles as I shared in yesterday’s post about God’s Hand at Work. Lisa and I had been corresponding about this event for months. A couple of weeks before the event she was hoping to have a good head count for me to get the workbooks printed and my supplies together, but that just did not happen. She called and told me that there were 16 girls who had bought tickets to the event but she was still hoping to have more.

I had begun thinking about how I would have the workbooks printed and put together and since I was still hoping to get a firmer number from her before I left for the event I had waited until last Tuesday to make a decision on how to have them printed and how many to get. It was Tuesday afternoon and I was debating printing them myself since I had not heard from her and was thinking it would only be 16 or so. However, I needed printer paper and would most likely need extra ink as each workbook consisted of 25 pages. I dreaded having to buy that. Then, I checked my email, and I had a note from a good friend of mine wanting to know if I would ride out of town with her to Jackson on Wednesday. She had an errand to run for work and asked if I would ride along and she’d buy my lunch. I happily agreed, inquiring “Can you run me by an Office Depot?” (I live in a tiny town with no grocery store, much less an Office Max within 70-100 miles). She said, “Sure” so I agreed to go.

The next day, she and I went to not one but two Office Depot’s trying to get the copies made for the workbooks. It was quite a task to get them done, but we finally were able to get them and I asked my friend, “How many should I get?” We decided on 25 copies and that’s what I got. On the way home, Lisa called my cell phone to confirm some last minute things for the event. She was excited to reveal to me that more girls had signed up and she now knew of 25 girls that were coming. I said, “You’ll never believe this but I just finished getting the copies for the workbooks and there are 25 in our back seat.” We both said, “Now that’s a God thing.” and felt so encouraged that God’s hand was at work in the event.

From there, I know that God only stuck around. I never got nervous as I spoke, the girls were all smiles and positive attitudes (which hasn’t been the case everytime I’ve spoken to a group), and I felt truly where God wanted me to be this weekend. It is my prayer that the girls felt God’s presence in their lives during the event and could take away some truths to apply to their lives.

I’m hoping to get a testimonial from Lisa about her view of how the event went and I will post that here later. I want to say thank you to her and all the ladies who made the event such an enjoyable one for me and were willing to be a part of God’s work.

I thought I would share with you a couple of my most recent “miracles”. The first one is a fun one about my latest pregnancy and a related “decorating” issue. Yes, decorating, pretty funny that GOD has a hand in my decorating huh? Well, A few weeks ago we were about to find out what baby number three was going to be. It was the night before and we were sitting with my son telling him that tomorrow was the big day and we were going to be finding out if he was having a baby brother, or a baby sister. My husband was showing him the JCPenney catalog and they were looking at bunk beds. He told my son “If you have a baby brother we can get you bunk beds and you can share when he gets bigger.” My son was so excited, and sure enough the next day we find out we’re having another boy, bunk beds are in our future.

Later that night I was thinking about us getting the bunk beds and the fact that I had just in the last year bought my son his new bedspread and how I didn’t want to have to buy a new one so soon, until I remembered something. That something was that back when I bought my son’s bedspread, which I got on EBAY by winning an auction that I won for $30, after winning I realized that the auction was for not one, but two matching bedspreads. So, the bedspreads had arrived and I had put away one of the bedspreads just in case my son was to destroy the one I had put on his bed. You see I had never dreamed over a year ago that I would need bedspread number two for another child. Another child was not in my plans, but was obviously in God’s and he even gave me the bedspread to prove it.

I hope you can find the little miracles God works in your life, even in the smallest things, revealing the presence of HIS mighty hand and power in our lives.

It is about forming and growing a relationship with God. As a youth/children’s minister, I used this example many times. If you have any relationship, whether it is with a friend, a parent, a boyfriend/girlfriend, how do you get to know that person, through spending time with them right? And if you do not spend time with them you cannot get to know them. The same goes with our relationship with God. We must spend time with Him in order to get to know Him, and there is no way that we will get to know Him if we do not spend time with Him. It is that simple. That is why our quiet time is so important.

The Christian life is a growth process, in order to grow we must spend time reading God’s word, talking to God, listening to God, memorizing Scripture, applying Scripture to our lives, all of these things we can do during our quiet time with God each day. There are some several keys to having a quiet time; I would like to briefly share some of them with you.

Keys to Quiet Time:
-Find a special place to have it.
-Bring your Bible, pen, paper and an open mind.
-Set aside a specific time each day.
-Be prepared to hear from God.

It truly is as simple as sitting down with a paper, pen, and Bible, though if you feel that you need other tools, a great devotional book such as 15 Minutes Alone with God is a good choice as well.

This song points out that a friend is a friend forever if “the Lord is the Lord of them”. This suggests that we include God in our friendships. In Godly friendships there are not just two people involved, but three. The relationship could be represented by a triangle. You and your friend are connected at the bottom of the triangle to God, at the top, which would be over you and Lord of both of your lives. The Bible says that this is the strongest of friendships in Ecclesiastes 4:12 it says, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

Choosing Godly friends is so important. Friends have a tremendous impact upon how we think, feel, act and behave. The Bible says in Proverbs 12:26, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.”

It is difficult to obtain Godly friendships. Many teens today, who grow up in rural communities like the one I did, may have the same peers in their lives from the time they are a small child, until they graduate high school. Therefore, their choice of friendships is limited.

When I was a teen, I had the same friends that I had met in preschool at the age of three at least for the most part. These friends did not always uphold and follow the same morals and beliefs that I held. I soon found out who my “real Godly friendships” were just by the way they would react to my standing up for what was right or setting myself apart from what was wrong.

As a teenager, this was hard to do, but now, almost 10 years since my high school graduation I am glad I did so all during high school. I value the friends who stood by me, whether they agreed with me or not, and even more so I am thankful that God always sends the people you need into your life.

Because, now as an adult, I still maintain some of my old friendships, but I have also created new friendships, and God has given me true friendships where the Lord is the Lord of them. I am now blessed with a group of girlfriends who share my same beliefs, encourage my convictions, and hold me accountable for my actions. They also pray for me, cry with me, and celebrate with me. I am thankful to be experiencing the whole range of lifetime friendships that God has blessed me with.

Godly friendships may seem difficult to find, but worth the wait. Don’t give up on finding your lifelong friends.

This article was written by Alyssa Avant and is Copyrighted 2008.

“Thank you so much for all the planning and preparation. After talking with several girls on Sunday, I know you made an impact in different areas of their lives.”
Mala R. Burns
West Carthage Baptist Church

Areas of Mother-Daughter Conflict Include But Aren’t Limited To:

* Independence/Power Struggles
* Curfew
* Friends you believe are negative influences
* Grades/Academic Performance
* Choices/Decision Making
* Homework/Procrastination
* Dating
* Drinking/Drugs
* Taking personal responsibility for her life/her priorities, etc.
* Respect/Attitude/Talking Back
* Parties without adult supervision

There are also some additional timely conflict areas given the access to internet sites such as YOUTube, MySpace and Facebook.com. Anxiety levels between mothers and daughters often center around those sites and the content girls want to display as well as the amount of time girls spend on them.

As your eternal optimist and parenting coach, I am here to say, there are a few key ways to bridge these gaps and have more closeness and connection.

1. Talk to Other Moms Regularly

Learn what other moms are experiencing with their daughters. When children are younger, moms communicated more with each other on the playground, etc. As children become teens, it becomes harder to connect with other parents because teens’ social lives are in “their hands.”

Remedy: It is important to communicate and connect with other moms. Have lunch and talk. Reach out to others who are not necessarily your close friends as well. You can learn a lot about what YOUR relationship by talking to other moms. You can also “band together” to raise your teen safely and feel “in the loop” on her life.

Bonus Idea: Create a forum for other parents to discuss issues and concerns by hosting a lunch or brunch in your home. And you can choose to let your teen know or not know that you are doing so. That’s YOUR right as a parent.

2. Listening

Listening is the foundation of all good communication. How do you talk to your teen when she has an attitude or won’t communicate? When she comes home from school, she may be ranting and raving about a teacher or coach who has singled her out. You feel angry and reactive because of her bad attitude or tone of voice, yet you know she is upset and you want to help. What can you do?

Remedy: Learn to listen and do what I call the “pause and parrot” technique. For 60 seconds, actually looking at the second hand on your watch, stay completely quiet. Listen without interrupting or saying anything. Don’t give advice or try to fix it.

After the 60 seconds, “feed back” or “parrot” what your daughter is saying versus giving her feedback. For example, your daughter is ranting and complaining about how much her math teacher hates her, you look at your watch and time yourself for 60 seconds and even if your daughter asks if you are listening just nod your head affirmatively. After one complete minute, you would say something like, “you are really angry at your teacher” or “you really feel like she/he is out to get you don’t you?”

Initially your teenager may look at your sideways (especially if you have traditionally been Fix-It-Mom) but doing this will most likely reduce the level of ranting and raving and let her know you empathize with her struggle.

Here’s The Key: Teens want to feel heard and more than anything they want to feel like you understand them. Using the “pause and parrot” technique lets your daughter know that you are listening without judging and you are a safe person to go to when she has a problem.

Bonus: When she feels listened to and heard, she is in a better position to solve her own problems or possibly take suggestions from you! Cool!!

3. Effective Dialoging

All mom’s can relate to being the recipient of the “teen eye roll” or the blank stare. These are indicators that your daughter is shutting you off. This can occur when she feels you are lecturing, preaching or repeating yourself (teens HATE that!)

Remedy: Instead of sounding like a broken record to your teen, ask questions to get her thinking. For example, one of my client’s daughters came home from school and she had a list of friends she wanted to invite to her sweet 16 party. Her mom looked over the list and saw the name of a girl she couldn’t believe her daughter had thought to invite because this girl had historically treated the daughter horribly. (Can you relate?)

The mom launched right in to what I call “teacher mode” and began to badger her daughter to find out why she had included the girl’s name on the list. The daughter got defensive and shut down, feeling undermined by her mom’s questioning. This is a tough situation and one that I empathize with mom’s on. How can your daughter think of inviting a girl who had been so mean to her just months ago to the point of tears, and now think of including her on her special birthday celebration? It’s so difficult to detach from your own emotions and allow your daughter the dignity to make her own choice, but YOU HAVE TO DO IT! You don’t however have to stay completely quiet about this. I recommend you ask questions to get your daughter thinking about her choice to invite this girl. For example, you can say something like this:

“I see you have such a great list here and a lot of friends you want to invite. This is going to be a terrific party. I noticed you have “———“ name on this list. What makes you want to invite her to the party? Do you think you’ll be comfortable having her there” If you ask these questions in a gentle way (not from a heated or charged place because of your personal disdain for this girl) she will tend to think about how she might feel rather than become defensive or shut down.

4. Four-to-One Rule

Remedy: Every time you hear yourself make a demand, or critical comment, find four ways to acknowledge or praise your daughter. This also applies to daughters for their mothers. (Glad you’ll be getting more “thank you’s” soon?) This will bring you both out of the vacuum of being critical and become more respectful of your relationship.

Bonus Exercise: Take 5 minutes each night and go into your daughter’s room. For 5 minutes tell each other what you value and you appreciate about one another. This reduces tension and builds a bridge immediately.

Article by:

Tami Walsh, M.A. is President and founder of TeenWisdom, a Los Angeles and San Diego based life coaching company dedicated to the empowerment of teens and parents. Tami is often referred to by teens as the “older sister you’ve always wanted” because she understands what today’s teenagers are going through, and she gives them the no-nonsense advice they are looking for. To learn more about Tami’s products and services, visit her website www.teenwisdom.com

What else is it important to be a good steward of… what about your belongings, your possessions. Again we want to find out if you are a faithful steward. Do you remember what that is. Let’s review, Are you a STEWARD? Let’s find out what this word means.

A steward is a man who manages or takes care of another’s property. The word actually means “the manager of a house.” It does not mean the OWNER of the house, but it means the MANAGER of the house.

Most of us do not need to have a steward. We are not too rich, and the few possessions that we do have we can look after and take care of ourselves. But if a man has 10 houses, 8 boats, 150 acres of land, 500 head of cattle, 3 swimming pools, 25 cars, 8 trucks and one oil field, then certainly he would not be able to take care of all these possessions by himself. He would need men to help him manage all of these things. A steward is a manager–one who is responsible to take care of those things that belong to someone else.

Are you a STEWARD? Are you responsible to take care of those things that belong to someone else? You might say, “I’m not a STEWARD, I’m an OWNER. I do not own very much, but I do own some things. I own some clothes, some books and some other important possessions that are in my room. These things are mine and I own them. I own them and I take care of them.”

Suppose you were to save up some money and finally you buy an electronic or video game which you have always wanted. Would this game be yours? Would you be the owner of it? It is yours because YOU BOUGHT IT!

Usually when we own something, we also own everything that goes with it. For example, if your parents own a car, then usually they also own the radio that is in the car and the things that are in the trunk of the car and the spare tire and anything else that goes along with the car. Suppose you were to own a pet hamster. Probably you would also own the hamster’s cage and water bottle and food and exercise wheel and whatever else comes with the hamster.

The same is true with God and the believer. Not only does God own the believer, but He also owns everything that goes with the believer. Not only does God own ME, but He also owns everything that I have–my clothes, my money, my possessions, my body and everything else that is mine! It’s all His! He’s the OWNER!

If God is the OWNER, then this means that I am the STEWARD. I am the one who should take good care of these things that belong to God. I am the one who is responsible to be a good manager of my clothes, my body, my money, my possessions and all that I have, because all of these things really belong to the Lord!

One things for sure our teens need to learn about giving back to the Lord.  A good way to do this is to have them to complete a course in finances such as Financial Peace for the Next Generation by Dave Ramsey.

Now, we have spoken about honoring God with our body, our gifts, and our natural talents now what about life’s most precious commodity, our T-I-M-E. Do you know that the word Love is often spelled out best T-I-M-E. No other time in history have people struggled with this issue than in our century. In a day in age where we have literally everything to make our lives easier, fast food, fast cars, the latest and greatest technology, we’re all still frequently caught saying, “I just don’t have time.”

When I was a youth minister, the answer most youth gave me for not spending time with God or on the things of God is this, TIME. I always reminded them that they make time for the things in their lives that are important to them. The guys spend literally hours and hours each week practicing football, lifting weights, training for the big game. The girls spent literally hours a week fixing their hair, applying makeup, picking out that perfect outfit, trying to impress that guy they’d like to go out with or impressing their latest hookup. You may say, oh I don’t do either of those things. But, I’m willing to bet if you kept a log of the things that you spent your TIME on. You would find that you spend your time on what is important to you. The Bible does remind us that, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21.

If you can make time for those other “less important” things in your life then you can make time for God. Can that extra practice or few minutes spent in front of the mirror really make the difference in your eternity that God can?

So, where do you spend your time? As an act of love we should spend time with God, and we should spend time serving God and others. God wants us to “make the most of our time.” Ephesians 5:16 , one version of the Bible says, Making the best use of your time, another says, making the most of every opportunity. Every day is FILLED with opportunities. There are opportunities to learn, opportunities to help others, opportunities to tell others about the Lord (see Chapter 13), opportunities to obey parents, opportunities to trust the Lord, etc. Every day is LOADED with opportunities. Am I missing out on these opportunities or am I making the most of them?

Every day God gives each one of us 1440 minute. A short poem I found online says this:

I have only just a minute, only sixty seconds in it,Forced upon me, can’t refuse it; didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it;But it’s up to me to use it. I must suffer if I lose it,Give account if I abuse it. It is only just a minute,BUT ETERNITY IS IN IT!

At the beginning of each day we can pray: “Lord, thank You for another day and for all the opportunities that will come my way. Help me to use the hours and minutes in the best possible way so that I can be a good steward of time.”

Don’t you feel loved when others spend time with and time on you? Think about it. For those of you who have a boyfriend, don’t you feel loved by him when he spends time with you? What about your best friend? You show people you care about them by spending time with them. Therefore, you can show the Lord that you love him by spending time with him. Spending time serving him in your local church and in your community, volunteering, singing in the church choir, taking care of children in the nursery, whatever ever needs done step in and do it as a spiritual act of service, and a way to be a good “steward”.

God gives us many gifts, including those of the fruit of the spirit. He also gives us spiritual gifts, a gift that comes to individual believers to supernaturally enable them to do that which God has called them to do.

Using our spiritual gifts is another way that we can give back to God, another way that we can commit a spiritual act of worship.

Spiritual gifts are often confused with natural talents. Let me explain the differences.

· Spiritual Gift is from God, independent of parents.
· Natural Talent is from God, but through parents.
· Spiritual Gifts are from new birth.
· Natural Talents are from birth.
· Spiritual gifts are to benefit others on a spiritual level.
· Natural gifts are to benefit others on a natural level. When used alongside spiritual gifts this can be a spiritual benefit.
· Spiritual gifts we recognize, develop and exercise them in His power.
· Natural gifts we recognize, develop and exercise in your own power, through training, practice.
· Spiritual gifts are dedicated to God fro his use and glory.
· Natural talents are dedicated by believers to God for his use and glory, but not necessarily always.

Spiritual gifts are also different from those fruit of the spirit we spoke of earlier. The difference here is that Spiritual gift has to do with service, what you do.
Fruit of the spirit is in your character, what comes out of you, as a result of God’s work in you.

Every believers gift is essential to the proper functioning of the body of Christ.

This is why God calls us also to be good “stewards” of those gifts he has given to us. There are gifts for everyone, and every believer has a gift he is given to use to glorify God. There are gifts of service, mercy, giving, healing, leadership, teaching, discernment, shepherding, witnessing, and evangelism. We could talk for hours about spiritual gifts. But, the important thing to remember here is once you’ve discovered what yours is, and you do this by seeking God and my being willing to serve him and others. You then need to use your gift in your local church to glorify God.

Then, there are those natural talents we spoke of. Natural talents such as the ability to sing, or draw, maybe even play a sport. Those natural talents are also given to us by God. These natural talents may not always be used for God’s glory, unlike spiritual gifts one can use their natural talents or abilities for their own gain, or praise. I’m sure you can think of famous people who have done this and selfishly sought success, wealth, popularity, whatever the case may be. However, you can use your natural talents for God’s glory as well and to lead others to God as a result.

How many of you watched last season’s American Idol. Were you Mandisa fan’s? Mandisa publically confessed her faith in Jesus on stage in front of millions of Americans. After being voted off of American Idol Mandisa did not stop glorifying God. Soon she will release an album “True Beauty” in the Christian music circuit. She is a perfect example of using your “talent” to glorify God.

I challenge you to use whatever talent, gift or ability you have for God and for his glory.

Do you have a daily quiet time? If you do not I challenge you to do so. This involves spending time with God daily, in prayer and Bible study. It involves setting aside time everyday for spending time alone, just you and God. This allows you to hear from God, Learn from his word, find answers to your problems, get direction for your life and have the knowledge to face almost any situation. In this way you will know how to be a good steward of another aspect of your life, that of your body.

The Bible says ,
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11
Hiding God’s word in our hearts helps us to know how not to sin against God, most importantly with our bodies.
. What does the Bible say about the use of our bodies?

God has given each one of us a body which is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). What are some of the ways that we care for our bodies in a way that would please the One who is our OWNER?

What are some of the things that we should avoid (things that might harm our body and things that would not please the Lord)?

God has given me a brain and a mind. Am I using the mind God has given me? Do I pay attention in school and in church to my teachers and seek to learn all that I can? Do I ask God to help me to be learning new things every day?

Honoring God by what we do with our body is a form of spiritual worship . “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 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.”(Romans 12:1-2)

It shows God that we respect him and our bodies, which are made in his image. Our body is literally a temple of the Holy Spirit of God. This temple is owned by God, and leased back to us for use to glorify God. If we use it to dishonor God sexually, it is sinning “against the body.” The consequences of sinning against one’s own body are not specified in this passage, but I believe they could include sickness, unbridled lust, missed opportunities to serve God and a chilling of our relationship with God.

“Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s”. The benefits of honoring God with our bodies are awesome. They include the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which include love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV). I encourage you to believe that these fruits are desirable and worth the effort of resisting the temptations of sin.

This will begin a series of several posts on stewardship. I had a ton of information to share so check back for more.

How many of you remember getting your drivers license? Maybe you girls are longing to get your driver’s license. If so you can relate to the following story.

I remember getting my first car. A 1989 Ford Bronco II Eddie Bauer Edition I thought I was the “stuff”. I was the first girl in my class to get their own car. Boy, did I have a lot of friends that is until someone else got their own car. Anyway, that vehicle my daddy bought for me from a guy in our neighborhood for $5000. I remember my daddy setting his “rules” for my car. The number of people I could have ride with me, when I could drive it, where I could drive it. My daddy was a stickler for rules. I remember the first time one of my friends wanted me to drive them somewhere I knew my daddy had told me I couldn’t go in my car. I kept telling her no, and she kept saying, but it’s your car you can go where you want in it. But, was it really my car? No, it was my daddy’s car, after my daddy bought it, he paid for the gas and he paid for the insurance for me to drive it. I remember telling her that and she hung up the phone mad of course.

Now, as an adult, I have a vehicle it is mine, I paid the payments, I pay for the gas and the insurance, and I can go where I want to in it, let whomever I want to drive it, or ride in it, listen to whatever music I want to in it, it’s mine and I make the choices about that car. Now, if I let you borrow my car, would you be given the same privileges I have while you were in my car. Well, maybe, but most likely I’d put some stipulations on it, I might ask you not to drive over a certain speed or I might ask you not to eat in my car or listen to the music too loud, or even move the seat into a more comfortable position. I could do that right, because I own the car.

Now, let’s compare this to your life. Your life is yours right. You own it, and you control it. Well, let’s think about this for a minute. I’m assuming some of you have already taken the opportunity to accept God’s gift of salvation and therefore you consider yourself to be saved, and a follower of Christ, what we call a “Christian”. The Bible says that if this is the case that “you are not your own, you were bought at a price”, it goes on to say “therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV) So, to me, this means that our life is not really OUR OWN, we belong to God and therefore we should honor God with our life, including our body, our time, our possessions, and our finances.

After all, isn’t God the owner of everything? David the Psalmist says so, in Psalm 24:1, “The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world and all that live in it.” If you believe that the Bible is the Word of God and that it is all true, then it is true that God owns EVERYTHING! He owns you, and me. He owns our cars, our houses, our land, the McDonald’s on every street corner in America, and the mansions in Beverly Hills. And, he lends to us and entrusts us with those things that he calls “his”. Isn’t that a privilege?

Just take a moment and think about your most treasured possession. Maybe it’s your favorite shirt, or a ring or piece of jewelry, or maybe its your cell phone or your IPOD maybe even a computer or even a car. Now, would you just want to give it to someone to take care of, or would you have a hard time trusting them with it, after all its yours.

However, God gives us all of his prized possessions and he trusts us with them. We know this because he loves us and blesses us daily. He gave us his son, Jesus, who died on the cross to save us from our sins. God completely gives to us all that is his.

He gives you our very life; a place to call home, food, water, possessions, every thing we call our own is given to us by God.

Now, this is where our responsibility to him comes in to play. We are asked by God to be good “stewards” of all that he has given to us. As Christians, we are asked to be stewards of God’s possessions and to receive what God gives to us gratefully.

Stewardship is the responsibility to take care of something that one does not own. As I said earlier, it is like entrusting your most prized possession to someone else. God has entrusted everything that is his to us.

If you believe that God is the rightful owner of everything then it is easier to be a good “steward” of all that is his. Stewardship has to become part of our “lifestyle”.

The lifestyle of teenagers today is almost “luxury”. It is even better than what I had, and I think I had it pretty good. My husband and I were just observing the other day at a family fish fry that every teenager there was carrying a cell phone around, plus they were all talking about one of their other luxuries that they had at home a personal MP3 player or IPOD. They knew how to upload and download stuff from the Internet, yet another one of our luxuries of today.

So how does a teenager who has everything give thanks to God for all that he or she has? The Bible tells us in Matthew 6:33 that we should “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Now, here God isn’t talking about cell phones and Ipods…. Go back a few verses. (read a couple of verses prior) He is basically telling us to seek him for our “needs”. Now, there is a lot of difference between needs and wants.

You’ve probably heard people say, “I have to have that pair of jeans” or “I need to see that movie.” Maybe you’ve even said those things yourself. But what does it mean? Will something horrible happen if you don’t have those jeans or need to see that movie? Probably not!
Needs are things that we truly can’t be without, such as:
· Nutritious food
· A place to live
· A warm winter coat
· A good pair of shoes
· Transportation
Wants are things you’d like to have, but if you don’t, you’ll still survive (in fact, you’ll be just fine). Like:
· Designer jeans
· Toys
· Candy
· Video games
We can be good stewards of God’s blessings by putting first things first. This means we must seek God first and those things that he has for us. God will take care of our needs and often times he even allows us to obtain things that we want as well.
What is important to know about seeking God first? This has to be done daily. Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

This involves a daily commitment to follow God and his will and purpose for your life. You do this through seeking his will for you daily. By approaching him daily in prayer and Bible study, then listening to and follow him.

We will continue talking about stewardship in the next post….stay tuned.

I wanted to share this article about money from one of my favorite financial gurus, Dave Ramsey. I found this at Dave Ramsey.com

Some people say, “Timmy’s so young. I want him to enjoy being happy and innocent. Money is a worry for grown-ups, not kids.”

I say, “We’re raising a whole generation with ’sucker’ stamped on their foreheads because we’re not teaching them.”

Your job as a parent is not just to keep your child happy. You’re raising a future grown-up who needs to be able to deal with grown-up matters. If you teach little Timmy how to handle money responsibly, then grown-up Timmy will be better equipped for a richer life. Look at the statistics below:

* 19% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 declared bankruptcy in 2001. (USA Today, 2001)

* The fastest growing group of bankruptcy filers are those people who are 25 years of age or younger. (Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, 2002)

* Over 80% of undergraduates have at least one credit card and nearly 50% of college graduates carry 4 or more credit cards. According to the Department of Education, the average balance carried by these students is more than $3,000. (Senator Chris Dodd, CT)

These statistics show that many children aren’t being taught how to handle money. Young people are making mistakes with zeros at the end of them. These mistakes often take years to overcome. Teach your children how to handle money while they are young, and they won’t make mistakes later on in life.

Dave has a series for our teens called Financial Peace for the Next Generation and another for our children as well called Financial Peace Jr.: Teaching Kids About Money! : “Cool Tools” for Training Tomorrow’s Millionaires!

Here are a couple of the book’s by the experts featured on this program that I highly recommend to all mother’s of teens and tweens, girl and guys alike.

In addition you can visit the following resources:

Both girls are quoted as saying that they don’t drink and here’s what else they had to say according to US Weekly,

“Clubs are just not where I want to be photographed,” adds country sensation Taylor Swift, 18. She also says she realizes the impact her actions could have on her younger fans. “For everything I do, I think about a 6-year-old girl and her mom that I saw at my concert last night,” she tells Us. “I think about what those two individuals would think if I were at a club last night.

“I never want to be arrested, and I never want to get a DUI,” Swift says. “Those are my moral values. I am an over-achiever, and I want to be known for the good things in my life.”

Miley, 15 says, “The most important thing is really staying true to yourself,” she tells Us. “That’s what my mom taught me. She’s the most beautiful girl, not only on the outside but on the inside. She’s teaching me how to be a good person.”

Now, I know these girls aren’t perfect, because we’re all human, but their fresh faces and higher moral standards sure are a ray of hope as far as the teen idols in our world go. Don’t you think?

I don’t normally do memes here on my ministry blog, which by the way, I guess I need to explain what a meme is, well, click here to find out more.

But for the purpose of this post I am joining my friend Marie Ynami of MommyCommunity.com’s meme, Tuesday Toot, where we get to toot our own horn about ourselves, for a couple of reasons:

1) I must be honest, she is giving away a $10 McDonald’s gift card to one participant and my son loves McD’s (shhhh! so do I).
2) I have some fun things to share with you!

I really am doing this to share some good news, even if it does mean I’m “tooting my own horn”. We all have to now and again right?

So, here’s what I have to share. First, I failed to share with you that I was recently interviewed on Marie’s podcast for Mommy Community about journaling. You can listen to our interview here.

Secondly, I am proud to announce that I have been invited by Christian Ladies Talk Radio owner, Demetria Zinga to be a resident expert on her radio show. I am officially Christian Ladies Talk Radio’s Teen Coach and will as result record a monthly segment for her podcast specifically for teens. The first one will be in February and will be on the topic this time of “true love waits”.

So, there you have it my first Tuesday Toot and a bit of good news from me. I hope you’ll go over and check out both ladies’ podcasts and enjoy hearing from me as well.

Carrollton, MS—February 1, 2008—For a while it seemed like having good manners and proper etiquette was a lost and underappreciated art. Local entrepreneur, Alyssa Avant, is bringing it back with Christian grace and inspiration.

“I had the opportunity to learn about the fine details of social etiquette and grace while attending an out-of-state modeling school as a teen. Ever since that time I have wanted to share and present this information in a Christian way for young girls in this region,” explains Christian Charm School founder, Alyssa Avant.

The target group for Avant’s Christian Charm School workshops is girls in 5th to 12th grades. Workshop topics are designed to boost self-esteem and support the spiritual and social development of this very impressionable teen/tween age group.

Girls will learn everything from public speaking to social manners. Christian Charm School workshops are focused not only on teaching proper social etiquette to young girls, but also on highlighting the important role God plays in their lives and the ways in which they reflect the image of Christ through their daily thoughts and actions.

Carrollton resident, wife and mother of two Alyssa Avant is a Christian author, speaker and former model. A graduate of the University of Mississippi, Alyssa spent 9 years in the modeling industry. She also served as the youth and children’s minister at Carrollton Baptist Church for several years.

In 2005, she created Beauty by Design Ministries (www.beautybydesignonline.com) to empower young girls and to help them turn to God for guidance and inspiration. Her opinions on faith, beauty and the uniqueness of the mother and daughter relationship has garnered significant attention in communities around the country. Her articles and interviews are published in magazines and newsletters and she has been interviewed by leading Christian and business media across the country.

The next Christian Charm School Workshop will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Tupelo. For more information about hosting or attending upcoming workshops, please contact Alyssa Avant at 662-237-4169 or email her at alyssa@beautybydesignonline.com .

Carrollton, MS—February 1, 2008—Beauty is not only in the eyes of the beholder it is driven by divine design. That’s the message of a unique local event for young girls called “The Beauty by Design Fashion Show and Conference.” This event is open to all girls aged 12-18. Mothers are also encouraged to attend. The event will take place on Saturday, March 1st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Carthage Baptist Church located at 810 Highway 16 W, Carthage, MS. Registration begins at 9 a.m.

“Fashion and the whole notion of what is “true beauty” are so important to young girls and can have a dramatic impact on their confidence level, self esteem and faith development. Through an exploration of our own distinctive beauty, inspired by Christ, and an exciting array of fashion choices, we’ll discover the beauty of modesty and the fun of a fully choreographed fashion show,” explained Alyssa Avant, key note speaker for this event and founder of Beauty by Design Ministries.

Alyssa is a Christian author, speaker and former model. A graduate of the University of Mississippi, Alyssa spent 9 years in the modeling industry. She also served as the youth and children’s minister at Carrollton Baptist Church for several years.

In 2005, she created Beauty by Design Ministries (www.beautybydesignonline.com) to empower young girls and to help them turn to God for guidance and inspiration. Her opinions on faith, beauty and the uniqueness of the mother and daughter relationship has garnered significant attention in communities around the country. Her articles and interviews are published in magazines and newsletters and she has been interviewed by leading Christian and business media across the country.

All media are invited to attend the Fashion Show segment of the event, which will begin at 3:00 p.m.

One man had been raised in what he called a dysfunctional family and by the grace of God was finally taken care of by his grandmother who took him to church and he was saved at the age of 16. He recalled his choice to take the wrong path during his teenage years where he basically did what he pleased without much adult supervision from his parents. He also told of his close calls with death having walked away from 2 near fatal car accidents and 1 major motorcyle accident that should have left him for dead, but has he said, God had other plans. He also, testified that now God has replaced all the bad things of his past with the good things he now enjoys in his adult, Christian life. A loving wife, 2 great boys, a loving extended family and church family who he knows he could call on at anytime.

The second man’s testimony was slightly different in that he had been in church his whole life and was a living testimony of someone who had always known and loved having a church home and church family. He now truly appreciates this as his wife has been very ill and he has realized that without the Lord and his Christian friends he could have never made it through all that they have.

The third and final testimony was of a man who had been saved at a young age but chose to take the wrong path in life for quite some time, marrying at 17 because he got his girlfriend pregnant and then living a life of alcoholism for many years, until he finally got his life back on track after his middle child brought his a Bible study type book which he read while on the road as a truck driver. Now, he and his family are all saved and in church faithfully.

What about you, how would you give your testimony? What would it include? I think it is important for us all to know and be willing to share our testimony of our Christian lives. It is easy to form your testimony. You include three main points.
1. Your Life Before Christ. - Were you deep in sin, or just a young child who knew something was missing in your life?
2. Your Salvation Experience. - How you came to know the Lord.
3. Your Life After Christ. How has it changed? What have you learned about God’s grace, love and mercy?

Finally, the most important thing is that you share your testimony with others. That is what it is for, to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.

These are all questions I’m sure many of us have asked ourselves in the past. “Why should I pray?” Well the Bible is very clear that God wants us to communicate with him. He even says that we should, Philippians 4:6 explains, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” We pray because God knows that there are things that we need his guidance, his love and his support on. He does not want us to worry or be anxious and therefore we should pray. I have come to learn that on the days I worry the least are the days I have prayed the most.

“How should I pray?” Prayer is not meant to be complicated. Though we aren’t suppose to go to God only with our “wish lists”, we are suppose to come to Him like a trusted friend. We should feel comfortable enough talking to God that we have a conversation with Him, talking but also listening for Him to answer us. Prayer is to be a private conversation between us and God, it is described in Matthew 6:6, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

“When should I pray?” If you’re familiar with Scripture you may have heard the verse, “Pray without ceasing.” Do you literally have to be down on your hands and needs all the time praying to Lord, well of course not. HOwever, God’s desire is for you to be so comfortable talking to him that you can stop and whisper a prayer to Him anytime throughout your day when you feel you need an listening ear. He is always there and is always ready and willing to listen to you.

Finally, “Where should I pray?” An earlier Scripture spoke of praying in secret, yes, we should never pray to draw attention to ourselves or for show, but we can also join together with other believers to pray. We can have prayer partners, prayer meetings, and other times of prayer to assemble together and talk to God, for the Bible says, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20 God will always come to be with you when you pray, whether alone or with others. The important key is that you PRAY!

I hope that this has answered any questions that may arise for you about prayer. Prayer is such a important connection that we have to the Lord. I hope that you will take advantage of it. Listen to Mom-Daughter Connection Radio Show this week to learn about an important prayer from scripture, “The Prayer of Jabez” and a book written on the topic, which can be bought in a teen version as well, The Prayer of Jabez for Teens (Breakthrough Series)

Well known Christian author Max Lucado suggests in his work, The Cure for the Common Life that instead of asking our children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” a better question would be “How can I help you become what God has already designed you to be?” You see, God designed me for a special purpose, to be a specific thing, and he has done that for each individual on the face of this earth, so it is important that we are allowed to be what it is God designed for us to be.

God set his plan for each of us in motion the day that we were born. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV) We are all as Christians certain of that great plan, that story of our life.

We all have a story, and as we live our lives, we are living out our story. We must also allow our children to live their story. Lucado says STORY stands for:

S - our strengths, those things that we do well,
T - our topics, the things we are most interested in,
O – our optimal conditions, the conditions in which we do our best work, perform to the best of our ability,
R - our relationships, those with whom we share and learn from,
Y - and our yes moments, those primary outcomes that bring us the most joy.

We must allow our daughters to live out their very own story. A card I got recently as congratulations on my new baby girl said this,

“She will dream her very own dreams, Maybe she will look like you, talk like you, smile like you … maybe she’ll sing, paint and dance like you, but she’ll dream her very own dreams.”

Dreams are important, they give us something to look forward to with anticipation. I know you had your own dreams, now allow your daughter to not only have hers, but to live them out. Be her biggest cheerleader and watch her win at this game we call life. Help her along the way with words of encouragement, many hugs and love and even some discipline if it is in order. However, do not discourage your daughter from living out her dreams. God gave them to her and it is important that she follows His path for her life. You can be assured that if she is following God, that there are many plans in her heart, but the Lord is directing her steps.

As a result, I am happy to announce the official launch of Beauty by Design Ministries’ 7 Day Journaling Ecourse. The 7 Day Journaling e Course will send you 7 days of emails that will teach you the simple steps to journaling success. At the end of the 7 days you will also be given the opportunity to purchase a 30 Day Journaling Guide to help you to continue on with your journaling journey.