Heart Touchers - People Pleaser

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{Heart4Teens.com} *People Pleaser*

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If you enjoy this free email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration into the lives of teenagers everywhere! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, you can join Heart4Teens.com readers around the world by visiting:

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Visit our inspirational web site to read all the past articles in our archives and view the tons of resources we have there for teens!

http://www.Heart4Teens.com/Teen_Stories

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Over 51,000 people have listened to popular Chicken Soup Author Michael T. Powers' free inspirational message entitled: "Breathing Life into Others". If you aren't one of them just visit: http://www.HeartTouchers.com and click on the link to listen to the free streaming audio message!

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I have always been a people pleaser. I have always tried to fit in, to be one of the crowd.

At school I was everybody's friend. I fit in with the Preps and the Goths and every other stereotype you can imagine. It seemed to me that everybody else had something I wanted. No matter what I did, I couldn't find it.

I have gone to church just about my whole life. I sang the songs and talked the talk, but I never really bought into it. I always thought that since other people in my family believed, I didn't have to--I was covered. I loved going to church and hanging out with my friends on Sundays, but on Monday I was the girl who always fit in.

About God I always thought, How I am I supposed to love a person I don't know? Like if someone said to you, "I know a guy, and he's madly in love with you. Don't you love him, too?" If you had any common sense, you'd want to know who the person was--at least I did.

People always say, "I found Jesus." That's not how it was for me. I didn't find anything, no matter how hard I looked. The bottom line is that Jesus came looking for me. Don't get me wrong--it wasn't like, "Oh, I know Jesus now," and everything was all hearts and flowers. I wish it worked that way.

But about a year and half ago, I started to run after God for real.

Some of my friends from church talked me into going to a conference with them, and one of the speakers talked about how if you fit in perfectly with the world, you have a problem. I didn't think of it as a problem. I just thought the speaker didn't have any friends in high school and was still bitter about it. The other speakers were all about change-the-world-this and change-the-world-that. I was doing just fine in my little corner of the world not changing anything. They weren't hitting me like a lightning bolt: boom, change the world for Jesus.

Then over the weekend I was praying one of my packaged prayers: you know, "Bless Mom, bless Dad, thanks for everything I own, it would be nice to have world peace while you're at it." But during my prayer, the speaker's voice kept playing in my head. It hit me that out of all the people I knew, maybe two knew I was a Christian.

I'm always trying to fit in--not make waves, I thought. Exactly what kind of impact am I making? I knew if I were to speak up, people would look at me like I'd escaped from a place with padded walls--but if I didn't, then one day I'd have to try to explain to God that I was too embarrassed to let people know that I loved him. I didn't want to have to imagine that.

So I switched off of my "bless everyone" prayer and began to talk to God for real. I asked for boldness and courage every night, but in the morning I didn't wake up feeling like Wonder Woman.

Then I remembered how my older sister once told me that courage only comes after you face what you fear. You have to challenge your fears in order to defeat them. I decided to speak up about my faith, although I knew that it wouldn't be easy for me. I was really scared of what people would think. Remember, I had never been an individual; I had always tried to blend in. It was a huge stretch for me. It is never easy being the only one standing for what you believe.

I discovered that my sister was right. After I told one person what I believed, telling one more wasn't difficult. Believe it or not, other people saw that I was making a stand for Jesus, and they stood up right next to me.

For the first time in my life, I didn't try to fit in with anyone. In the process, I lost some of my friends because of my honesty. But faithful to the end, God soon sent good, strong Christian friends--people I didn't know well and really didn't want to know at first, I'll admit. Now that they are my friends, I see how judgmental and wrong I was. I would have missed so much not really knowing them.

Things are not easy; I don't think they ever will be. There are times when I know I am supposed to witness, but I back out. I kick myself for it, but I know that God forgives me every time. He's working with me.

I no longer fit in with every group, but how can you be passionately in love with Jesus and still play the field? You can't. If it comes down to a choice between "be welcomed on this earth" or "be welcomed in heaven," I will choose heaven any day.

Lauren Alyson Schara, 16

Taken from "True Vol. 1" by Irene Dunlap, copyright 2003, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here: http://www.youthspecialties.com/product/252687

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Let's Go Surfing Dude!

~ Next Step Magazine
A Web site all about your life after high school http://www.nextstepmagazine.com/nsmpages/home.aspx

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Thought For The Day:

It is reported that D.L. Moody's farewell words to his sons as he lay upon his deathbed were: "If God be your partner, make your plans large."

Verse for the Day:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." --Philippians 4:13

Teen's Thought For The Day:

"People, places, and things, were never meant to give us life. God alone is the author of a fulfilling life."

Parent's Thought For The Day:

DIAPER spelled backward is REPAID

Coach's Thought For The Day:

"I always tried to make clear that basketball is not the ultimate. It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live. There is only one kind of life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior. Until that
is done, we are on an aimless course that runs in circles and goes nowhere...It is most difficult, in my mind, to separate any success, whether it be in your profession, your family, or as in my case, in basketball, from faith."
--John Wooden, college basketball's all-time winningest coach.

Deep Thoughts For The Day:

"I just got skylights put in my place, the people who live above me are furious."

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Brett Williams, a student in our youth ministry, once asked me, "Pastor Mike, does your family pray before you eat your meals?"

I told him that we did...

Without missing a beat, he said, "We don't have to pray at our house. My mom is a good cook!"

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Author MICHAEL T. POWERS
www.Heart4Teens.com

Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Teen's Soul on Love and Friendship and 24 other inspirational books.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20

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ALL-STAR Ministry

--The Youth Church of Faith Community Church in Janesville, WI

If you are in 6-12th grade and live in the southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois area and would like to check us out, we meet every Sunday night from 6:30-8:00 PM at Faith Community Church which is located at 2931 Lucerne Dr. in Janesville, WI. (About 3 blocks south-east of The Skating Place.)

All-Stars: 6:30 - 8:00 PM Sunday nights! Open to all youth grades 9-12.

The Outlet: 6:30 - 8:00 PM Sunday nights in the Multi-Purpose Room! Open to all youth grades 6-8.

Currently we have students from Fort Atkinson, Milton, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Marshall, Evansville, Edgerton, Orfordville, Clinton, Beloit Memorial, Beloit Turner, South Beloit, and Hononegah. E-mail me back if you have any questions about our weekly meetings or would like to come to any of our events that are listed below... We have way too much fun and then, most importantly, talk about issues that are relevant to you as a teenager.

Upcoming Topics:

Sunday February 12 -- When Death Becomes Birth

Sunday February 19 --The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

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Teen Community Groups
6:30 - 8:00 PM Wednesday nights (September though May)

These groups are limited to no more than ten teens and are split into Jr. High and High School ages. This night is for those teens who want to dig deeper than what we do in All-Stars, but may not be ready to be a part of the Xtreme Teens. These cell groups will also be doing special activities with each other as the year goes on to build community.

Jr. High meets at Kent and Rachel Martin's house: 1324 E. Racine St. (Call 373-0886 if you have any questions!)

High School age meets at Matt and Kristi Kauffman's house: 4339 Fox Hills (Call 758-1243 if you have any questions!)

Xtreme Teens

Xtreme Teens meet on Wednesday nights from 6:30 - 8:00 PM all year round at the Powers' house. This group is very extensive with weekly homework, memorization, service projects, etc. Students interested in this group will have to fill out an application, provide references as to why others think they should be involved with this, and sign an agreement as to what is expected of them. Admission into Xtreme Teens is on a case by case basis. Contact Pastor Michael for more details!