A Verse To Start Your Mornings!!

I've been going through a great Bible study lately, and one of the verses that I read this morning popped out and made me think of you.


Psalm 143:8 


"Let me hear of Your unfailing love to me in the morning, for I am trusting You.  Show me where to walk, for I have come to You in prayer."


With only a few more weeks of summer left and the school year rapidly approaching, I was thinking of how you girls will get up each morning to face another day at school...and that is not always easy.


I know you all face so much competition, comparison, pressure, stress, and other issues daily.  For some of you it is easier than others; and for some it is a daily struggle just to try to keep up and survive the day.


So when I read this verse that said, "Let me hear of Your unfailing love in the morning, for I am trusting You" I thought of you girls, and how each morning before you get up for school to face the day, you can remember God's love will never fail you and that you can trust Him.


And when I read, "Show me where to walk, for I have come to You in prayer"  I thought of how if you seek God in prayer daily, He will guide you throughout your days as you face life as a teenager.


There is a lot of comfort in this verse for me, and I hope you find comfort in it as well.  Maybe you could write it on an index card and post it on your mirror or in your locker so you will see it each morning before school and know you are loved with unfailing love, and you have a God whom you can trust and whom you can come to in prayer to guide each step you take.


Because remembering those beautiful truths is the perfect way to start each morning!

When You're a Celebrity...

I have had a ton of things on my mind to share with you girls lately...and have been almost overwhelmed to know where to start!


One thing that keeps coming to mind and concerning me is the ever-growing obsession with celebrities in our culture.  It's been bad for awhile, and it seems to be getting worse. 


I am not against celebrities - many of them are incredibly talented, well educated, strikingly beautiful, well dressed, and some do great things for honorable charities.  I understand why people admire them.


But...sadly, some of the celebrities that I see teenagers (and adults) not just admiring, but even obsessing over, are not who I would consider great role models.  Many are completely lacking in morals; many have serious and sad addictions and are in and out of rehab; most have severe relationship troubles; a lot put material things over their family and other important things; many are so self-obsessed they can no longer handle reality; and lots of them waste their fame and fortune on ridiculous, self-destructive things.


The Brad Paisley song "Celebrity" is hilarious, but it is also very true to life.  For most celebrities, it's "adios reality" and they do "act just like a fool."  


I honestly find it all sad.  And I feel for celebrities in this culture as they are constantly stalked by paparazzi, have little to no privacy, and are so elevated that it is beyond difficult for them to remain grounded and keep a sense of reality.  I often hurt for them when I see gossip slathered across the covers of magazines as I know they are real people with very real hurts....and very big cover-ups to hide their pain.


Here's the bottom line.  Be careful who you idolize.  Be careful who you obsess over.  Be careful who you look to as a role model.  Some of the people you think have it all together are virtually falling apart.  Life is more than desperate attempts for physical perfection and the pursuit of fame and fortune.


There is so much more to life!  And you might find a terrific role model in a mom, grandmother, coach, teacher, older sister, cancer survivor, youth leader, or good friend.


So while understandably you might admire certain qualities in the celebrities you see, find someone personal and honorable to imitate.  Seek inner beauty first, and strength of heart, mind, soul, and character.  Those are the important, real aspects of life. Those are the traits that will make you a "genuine girl."


Keep in mind that when you're a celebrity, things are not always as they seem.


And if anyone has a terrific role model in their life that they would like to share about, let me know!  I'd love to hear about the wonderful women you are looking up to!


Much love,


Jennifer

You Are More

This morning I was listening to the new Tenth Avenue North cd...if you are not familiar with this band, you really should check them out.  Incredible music with awesome lyrics.   You may know their famous song "Love Is Here" that really put them on the charts.


Anyway, there is a song "You Are More" on their new album that made me think of you girls...it was written by Jason Ingram and Mike Donehey.  I want to share the lyrics with you, and encourage you to download this song and listen to it so you can imprint these words on your heart.  The lyrics are as follows...

"There's a girl in the corner with tear stains on her eyes

From the places she's wandered and the shame she can't hide

She says, "How did I get here?I'm not who I once was.

And I'm crippled by the fearThat I've fallen too far to love"

But don't you know who you are, What's been done for you?Yeah don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made, You are more than the sum of your past mistakes, You are more than the problems you create, You've been remade. 

Well she tries to believe it that she's been given new life

But she can't shake the feelingThat it's not true tonight

She knows all the answers and she's rehearsed all the lines

And so she'll try to do better, but then she's too weak to try

But don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made, You are more than the sum of your past mistakes, You are more than the problems you create, You've been remade. 

'Cause this is not about what you've done, But what's been done for you.This is not about where you've been, But where your brokenness brings you to.

This is not about what you feel, But what He felt to forgive you, And what He felt to make you loved. 

You are more than the choices that you've made, You are more than the sum of your past mistakes, You are more than the problems you create, You've been remade. 

You've been remade."

This song reminded me of two verses from the Bible...


I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.


II Corinthians 5:17 What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!



Genuine Girl, if you believe in Jesus you have indeed been remade!  You are forgiven.  And like this song says, you are more than your past mistakes because Christ makes all things new.


Keep your head up sweetie...


Jennifer

How To Really Be In Style...

I love fashion.  I love clothes.  I love digging through sale and clearance racks and finding good deals on pieces to expand my wardrobe.  I love combining new items with pieces of clothing I've had for years to come up with new outfits.  I love coming up with modest and tasteful versions of trends (and totally believe you girls can do this too with some commitment and creativity). I love changing an outfit up with different accessories.  Fashion is fun, and fits my creative, likes-change-and-variety personality.  


I treated myself to an In Style magazine the other day...as much as I love cooking and fashion magazines, I try to resist always picking them up to save a few dollars on my grocery bill.  But it had been awhile since I had bought one and this issue had the 150 Best Beauty Buys, which is always a good consumer read.  


The same day I was going to try to carve out some time to sit in my green chair with my new mag, I was spending a few minutes with God when I came across this verse... Colossians 3:12 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."


I don't think God minds at all if we enjoy fashion or beauty or other fun things.  In fact, in the year before He used Queen Esther to save the Jewish nation, she received a year (yes, a year) of beauty treatments.  I've never even been to the spa for a full day, let alone a year!  The ultimate, virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 was described to be "clothed in fine linen and purple" - in other words, along with all her other amazing qualities, she was a well-dressed woman.


However, I do know that God wants us to care more about our character than our appearance.  I do know His desire is for us to first look like Him and reflect the beauty of His character. 


I still enjoyed my In Style magazine, like always.  But while getting fun fashion ideas, I also meditated on five words that I want to describe my character and that I want to put on before putting on my cute outfits...compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  


Hoping and praying that you girls will add these five things to your wardrobe as well!


Because I Believe In You,
Jennifer

Everybody Needs A Little Help Sometimes...

The other morning after breakfast I was doing Pre-K work with my daughter at the kitchen table.  My son was watching Cars (his favorite movie) and playing with blocks.  All of a sudden I heard a muffled cry and went into the family room to find my son like this...evidently he thought it would be fun to put the block container on his head, but it got stuck in too awkward of a position for him to get it off by himself!

It only took me a second to pull it off, but I snapped a photo first because it was such a picture of us sometimes.  We are innocently living our lives when we try something we probably shouldn't, and before we know it we are stuck.  We need some help before a small problem turns into something dangerous, but unlike my little boy, sometimes we don't cry out for it.  We keep secrets and bottle up feelings, and don't share the fear we are facing as we become overwhelmed by situations we didn't see coming when we first made that small choice to try something we shouldn't have.

As soon as I heard my son cry, I went to see what was wrong.  I immediately helped fix the situation, comforted him, and then warned him not to do that again because it could be dangerous.  I both helped and warned him because I LOVE HIM.

Sweet girl, God loves you.  And so do people in your life who care for your well being, such as your parents, teachers, youth group leaders, etc.  If you find yourself stuck, don't remain silent.  Ask for the help you need to be set free.  Don't live in bondage because you were afraid to ask.

Remember, everybody needs a little help sometimes.

Lovingly, Jennifer

"Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise."   Proverbs 19:20, The Bible

You Are Loved, You Are Accepted...

I've lived and listened and learned long enough now to know that behind every tough exterior, every can't hurt me attitude, every underachiever, every overachiever, every pretty smile, every perfect makeup job, and every heart and soul lies a deep rooted need for love and acceptance.

It doesn't matter if she drives the prettiest car from the prettiest house and family in town, or if she walks in an old pair of shoes from a run down shack that makes her ashamed, every girl I've encountered desires love and acceptance.

These needs are genuine, legitimate, and universal.  You need love and acceptance, and so do I.  

Sadly, many girls I encounter haven't found it yet, and continue their search down paths that bring them anything but the wholeness they are looking for.  Many have been so broken down they no longer think it is to be found.  For some girls, this hopelessness is written all over their faces; for others, it is carefully hidden behind MAC foundation and lipgloss.  

If you, my dear girl, are in the many who feel like every time you thought you'd found love and acceptance you were hurt and disillusioned, I have good news for you....

You are loved.  You are accepted.  Maybe not by everyone in your life by whom you wish you were, but by the ONE THAT MATTERS MOST.  

Jesus.

"This is how we know what love is; Jesus Christ laid down his life for us."  I John 3:16a

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."  Ephesians 3:17b-19

My heart tonight longs for the broken and hurting to know they can be whole and restored by the love of Jesus.  My desire is that those who feel like outcasts or strangers can find acceptance in this love.

My prayer is that with me, you could understand and sing the lyrics "I'm forgiven, because You were forsaken.  I'm accepted - You were condemned.  I'm alive and well, Your spirit lives within me, because You died and rose again.  Amazing love, how can it be?  That you my King would die for me.  Amazing love, I know it's true. And it's my joy to honor you, in all I do, I honor you." (Billy J. Foote)

Sleep well tonight, Genuine Girl, knowing no matter what today held you are truly loved and accepted.  Dream sweet as you rest in this gentle truth.

Reminder in the Trees....

Sometimes on the blah days or bad days, we need a little reminder that we are loved.


I know some of you reading this may not feel very loved sometimes.  Life can make you feel that way.


To me, when I think of the ultimate picture of love, I think of the cross. The place where Jesus took nails and beatings and mockery and hatred and a cruel death for our sins so we wouldn't have to endure such a horrible thing.  The place where we can find forgiveness and hope.  The place where broken souls find redemption and healing.


John 15:13 "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  Jesus did exactly this...the cross was the most powerful display of love possible.

John 3:16 "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."  The painful sacrifice of God's son Jesus on the cross was motivated out of love for the world and can guarantee us everlasting life in Heaven.

Yes, when we are feeling unloved, it only takes a simple glance at the cross to be reminded that we are loved, loved so much that someone (Jesus, God's only son) gave His life for us.

A woman in our church had been telling me about a natural phenomenon that happens this time of year, around Easter, which is the holiday where we reflect on the cross where Jesus died, and the fact that he didn't stay dead but rose from the grave and is now alive in Heaven preparing a beautiful place for us.  She said that in the spring, near Easter, on the top of each branch in her pine trees something special would appear...

A cross. Crosses literally cover the trees like ornaments.

As my little girl and I gazed into the sky earlier today, marveling at this beautiful display of God's grace in creation, I was reminded that because of the cross, I can rest assured that I am most beautifully and sacrificially loved.

And so, sweet genuine girl, are you.  You are loved.

He Had Spirit, How 'Bout You?!

Hey there!

Yes girls, I have not blogged in awhile. And no, I did not fall off the face of the earth! I have had some medical testing and extra responsibilities and events added to my already full schedule I try to juggle and, well, I dropped the blogging ball! Sorry about that!

But don't think for a minute that you girls haven't been on my mind.

So many times over the past few weeks I have had things I wanted to share with you! We have some major catching up to do. But as I have lots of studying to do tonight for an upcoming conference I am speaking at, I thought I'd share one thing with you that has been on my mind since the message at our church the Sunday before last.

We've been studying the book of Daniel. And let me tell you, we have been learning so much from Daniel that makes me think of you!! Daniel wasn't afraid to stand up for what was right when he was young. And he lived a consistently obedient life for God from the time he was young until his old age. But one little phrase in one verse that my dad (who is also my pastor) pointed out that particular Sunday has been on my mind.

So here it is. Daniel 6:3 says of Daniel stood out among the other rulers because "an excellent spirit was in him." Another version reads "he possessed an extraordinary spirit."

What does that mean?

Daniel had a good ATTITUDE. And it was his good attitude that set him apart, and eventually brought him to great power and success.

Chapter 6 of Daniel shows that even though Daniel possessed this great attitude and was faithful, obedient, and consistent, he still had trouble. Some people plotted against him to have him thrown into a lion's den for praying! Seriously, that's ridiculous. Obviously, there was some jealousy and other issues going on there (and that's a whole other conversation) but they succeeded and he was thrown into a den of hungry lions - but God came through and delivered him! An angel shut the lion's mouth and Daniel survived. In the end, the very king whose decree forced Daniel in the lion's den ended up acknowledging that the God Daniel served was the living God, and Daniel got even further promotions in the kingdom.

So the haters' plan backfired after all, how about that!

But here's the deal...Daniel made good choices, and did so with an excellent attitude. He faced hard times, but saw God's deliverance and blessings. Life was not always easy for him, but his attitude was where it needed to be and he excelled.

Hearing this amazing (and true) story, and paying attention to that one little phrase about his "excellent spirit" motivated me to do a little attitude check, and makes me hope you will do the same.

After all, you are only going to get out of your school years, or youth group, or soccer or cheerleading team, or church, or job, or anything what you put into it. And you are going to stand out in those arenas based on your attitude. Attitude shines a lot brighter than aptitude many times.

In my high school days, I remember cheering at games doing the chant, "We got spirit, yes we do, we got spirit, how 'bout you?" It would go back and forth, back and forth, getting louder as we went, proving that we indeed were the ones with spirit!

Daniel, who stood firmly for God as a teenager and succeeded greatly in life, was recorded to have had spirit.

How 'bout you?

I Want To Be An Onion

Confession...I am a salsa fanatic. I can practically drink the stuff. Seriously, there are times when I've had my fill of chips that I'll take a spoon and enjoy a few more tastes of salsa by itself! I guess it's a borderline addiction...just the thought of it makes me want to run to Chili's, Abuelo's, On the Border, or even to my own kitchen to whip some up!

I was making some homemade salsa the other day, and as I put the onion in the food processor, I remembered a message my husband gave at youth group a few weeks ago. He sliced up an entire onion in the teen building while he was speaking (you can imagine how that smelled - and he didn't even cry!), revealing that an onion looks virtually the same all the way through. As you slice it or peel back layer after layer, each layer is practically identical to the one before it. He then went on to talk about how we, as Christians, should strive to be like an onion (without the odor!) - consistent layer by layer - not having a surface layer completely different from our heart.

I want to be an onion. I don't want there to be a "church Jen" and a "home Jen" and an "out with friends Jen" etc... but rather, I want the layers of my life to consistently reveal a girl who loves Jesus and loves people and tries to serve God and encourage others the best I can wherever I am, and whatever I am doing. A life that, even when I blow it and mess up, reveals a sincere heart's desire to do what's right.

I want to be consistent. Not perfect, because no one is or can be. But real. Authentic.

And that's really what this blog is about, right? I named it "Genuine Girl: An Invitation to Authenticity" because I want you to join me in this quest to be real. I don't want you to fall into the trap of putting on a church girl mask that's replaced with another mask when around your friends at school, another one when you are at parties, another when you are around your parents, and on and on it goes. That kind of life is confusing, frustrating, and in the end, self-defeating.

Authentic living isn't always easy - there are days when we will find ourselves reaching for those masks - and it is definitely something we grow into the closer we walk day to day in a real relationship with Jesus Christ. But I have faith that you can do it; that you can aim to live a consistent life for Christ no matter where your day or your life takes you; that you can get back on track when you start going the wrong way; that you can be an onion.

(But one that smells more like Bath and Body Works of course!)

Questions for Thought: Is my faith in God something real that affects every layer of my life, or just a mask I put on when I go to church or youth group? Are there steps I can take to be more real about my love for Jesus? Are there things I need to change so that my attitudes and actions consistently reveal Christian character whether I am at church, home, school, practice, etc..?

Pearls...

I love pearls.

Like, love love them. I have pearls in all sizes and wear them with almost everything.

I've loved them since I was a little girl. There is just something so feminine and classic about pearls. They are dependably beautiful, never really going in and out of style like many other accessories.

I don't actually have a real set - maybe one day - but have lots of fun, inexpensive versions of this fashion classic. And recently, my mom found a huge (and I mean huge) set for next to nothing at a jewelry show and I am crazy about them!

Even though I'm a bit of an accessory junkie, especially in the pearl department, there is another type of pearls that I love.

Those are pearls of wisdom, which are wise instructions and pieces of advice to help in daily life. And where is the best place to find those?

You guessed it - The Bible!

James 1:5 says "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

For many years since discovering this verse, I have prayed for wisdom and have truly seen God answer this request and help me make wise, thoughtful choices that have definitely impacted the course of my life for the better!

I have also always enjoyed reading the book of Proverbs in the Bible (smack dab in the middle after Psalms) to gain insight and advice that I can use day to day.

Check out a few of these "pearls of wisdom" from Proverbs...

Proverbs 11:1 "The Lord hates cheating, but he delights in honesty." (That should help you on your next math test.)

Proverbs 16:38 "A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends." (That should help you with school drama.)

Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last, but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised." (That should help you desire to work on developing your inner beauty, and encourage you when a glance in the mirror makes you want to forget it, crawl back under the covers, and just try again tomorrow. We'll chat more about this one soon...)

You see, the Bible isn't some outdated book that was fine for ancient times but is completely out of touch today. Actually, the Bible is quite the opposite - it is totally relevant and helpful for you girls walking the halls of your school and living your life in 2010!

If you want to be wise and make good choices that will help you live a fantastic life - and I believe that most of you do - then when you put on your pearls in the morning while getting ready, stop and take a moment to check out God's Word to gain wisdom and insight to help you with the day ahead.

And then ask God to help you be a girl whose life is accessorized beautifully with pearls of wisdom, and watch as He abundantly blesses this simple request!

So much love, and happy Proverbs reading!! I can't wait to hear what you discover along the way.

Fresh Play-Doh

As a mom of a 4 year old girl and 3 year old boy, one of the perks of my job is getting to play with Play-Doh! On inside days when the kiddos get bored or cranky, I pull out the big basket where all the brightly colored dough and various cutters and stencils are stored and we have a blast making "cookies" and other various creations!

The thing is, you have to be careful with Play-Doh. Sometimes if we get too busy and forget to put it back in the containers to store it properly, the dough gets hard and crumbly and it's no longer moldable. When it's not moldable, I have to throw it away because it's no longer fun or useful.

As I was throwing out a dried up can of blue the other day, I was struck by the thought that if not we're not careful we can become like crumbly, dried out Play-Doh on our Christian journey. At first we are full of color and possibility...we have soft hearts and are open and willing for God to shape us and mold us into the girl He wants us to be.

But then life gets tough. Friends we love abandon us, people we trust spread lies about us, family members we need aren't there for us. And we let our faith dry out and our hearts grow hard, until we are no longer moldable and useful for God.

And just like Play-Doh, as our hearts grow hard we can literally start to crumble and fall apart. All that's left of us are tiny pieces of what was once a life that could have been shaped into something really special.

I want to be like fresh Play-Doh! I want to keep a soft, tender heart no matter how mean people and life can be. I don't want to let bitterness make me hard and tough, causing me to eventually crumble. I never want to start trusting in myself or think I have it together without God, losing sight of how He could shape me into something beautiful.

And sweet girl, my dream for you is that you too will desire to remain soft-hearted and moldable, trusting that God, who is more creative than we could ever dream, will shape you into something incredible if you carefully store your life in His hands.

P.S. "The amazing thing is that no matter how hard or crumbly we may become, God will never throw us away! He has the amazing ability to restore our life, our malleability, and our color. So, if you have found yourself dried up or rough around the edges, find comfort in the fact that the Greatest Potter of All can and will still use you. If you only let him!" Thank you to my friend Emily for this addendum...beautifully put and so, so true!!!

Reminds me of Isaiah 61:3 where the Bible says God can make beauty from ashes, and gladness from sorrow. Only God can do something so beautiful, if we will just allow Him to.

Love to all!

Kindness...Love in Action

Girls, I have been dying to share something with you that I read in the book The Love Dare. Those of you who have seen the movie "Fireproof" know about this book; for those of you haven't, it's a 40 day challenge for husbands and wives to understand and practice real, unconditional love...but something I read recently made me think of you!!

Okay, the topic for the day was kindness.

The authors defined kindness as "love in action." I love that!

The verse was Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

And the quote that brought you girls immediately to mind was this - "Love makes you kind. And kindness makes you likeable. When you're kind, people want to be around you. They see you as being good to them and good for them."

Yes!

Every teenager I know has a strong desire to be liked. Every teenager I know desires for people to want to be around them. But oddly enough, some teenagers resort to being unkind to try to accomplish this goal. They think putting others down will somehow elevate their status or make them popular and well-liked.

Newsflash girlfriends...the Bible says the exact opposite, that being kind is what will draw people to you - that loving is actually showing kindness to those around you! If you want to be liked, try being nice - truly, consistently nice to all types of people - and see what happens!

And if you text or facebook "ily" to someone, prove it not with those three little letters, but with actions, specifically those of kindness!

The Love Dare ends each day with a challenge. So this morning I will leave you girls with a challenge - show your love for others today by being kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving, just like Jesus Christ did for you. This, my friends, is love in action!

Have a fabulous day!

Take a Little Time to Worship

Tonight, while off to run a few errands together as a family, we had about an hour in the car together. My kids love praise and worship music, and requested "Oh-oh" which is code for the song "Glorious" on Paul Baloche's new worship cd. As our super-cool gray minivan made its way to Kohls, we sang about God's glory, about his great love, and his sacrifice on the cross for us. And as that same super-cool van made its way back to the house where we make our home, we sang about rejoicing in the day God made and more about how he is glorious.

Here's the thing. I love worshiping God through song - always have, and always will. But on a recent trip to Chicago I heard a message from my husband's old pastor that has had me pondering worship in a different way...he talked about worship as fortification. So yeah, that's a big word, but it simply means walls or forms of defense to strengthen something. The pastor shared a story in the Bible where King Jehoshaphat put singers that were singing songs of worship to God in front of his army going into battle!!! Can you imagine a praise band heading into battle before well-trained soldiers today? And listen to what they sang...2 Chronicles 20:21 "After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: "Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!"

Here's the deal...whether you precious girls realize it or not, you are in a battle. There is battle going on in our culture to make you feel insecure and hopeless, causing you to turn away from God and to things of the world to make you feel happy and confident. There is a battle in our culture to make you think that there is no truth, no right or wrong, and that anything goes...but sadly, most people learn this the hard way after they have experienced sometimes devastating consequences from this type of thinking.

The binge-drinker proving she can "hold her alcohol" dies after she stops breathing and no one around her is sober enough to realize what is going on and get appropriate help. The fast driver showing off for his friends gets in a crash that forever takes away the use of his legs. The anorexic who is constantly striving for control and perfection loses hair and does permanent damage to her organs.

If you stop and think about it, you know the drill. And you realize that yes, it's not easy being a teenager these days! But sweet girl, don't ever feel helpless in the battle. Not only do you have God's Word (the Bible) for advice as well as people in your life that love you and believe in you, you have a tool for fortification (there's our big word again)as the battle around you rages...worship!

Here's my suggestion to you. Go to itunes or your favorite music site, and download some great worship music onto your phone or ipod. And at some point in the day, whether it be as you are putting on your makeup before school or riding in the car to soccer practice, take a few minutes to worship. You will be amazed how much something as simple as praising God can do to give you strength to stand strong against temptation and stay true to your faith! You will be amazed even at the energy you will feel when you felt like you were completely drained and not able to face another day of school drama, family trouble, peer pressure, etc. after listening to a song like "Today is the Day" or "I'll Stand."

Worship can and will strengthen you in a world that is ready to tear you down. So take a few minutes to add some praise and worship music to your favorite song set and when you pop in your earphones, be ready to be blessed and strengthened in a way you would have never dreamed!

P.S. I will leave you with a few of my favorites in case you are completely unfamiliar with praise and worship music. Brooke Fraser "Hosanna" and "Lead me to the Cross"; Paul Baloche "Glorious" and "How Great is the Love"; Hillsong United "I'll Stand" and "Run"; Lincoln Brewster "Today is the Day" and "Everlasting God."

Happy downloading and worshiping!