Teen Script: Writing Your Life

What I've learned! Join Me.

2009-01-25T08:53:00.002-07:00

Please join me TODAY (January 25th, 2009) as I am the featured Inspirational Luminary on InspireMeToday.com.

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As my gift to you, just use the affliate code provided on this invitation to access the free inspiration! Please stop by, check out the site and help us inspire the world, starting with you! Thank you for your support. We greatly appreciate you!

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Making wise decisions that impact the future.

2008-10-10T11:19:00.000-06:00

In the eighteen hundreds two families from New York State and their descendents were studied by a researcher named Dugdale. What he found further illustrates the truth of Psalm 112:1-2.

1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. 2 His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.

Max Jukes and his brother married sisters. They did not believe in Christian training. They had 1,026 descendants. Three hundred of them died very young. Many others had poor health. At least 140 of them served time in the penitentiary for an average of 13 years each; 190 were public prostitutes; and there were 100 drunkards in the group.

Over a hundred-year period the Juke’s descendents cost the state $1,200,000. With inflation and more liberal welfare programs today, these two brothers and their families could easily cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Contrast the misery experiences and caused by the Jukes family with another record:

Jonathan Edwards became a Christian and married a girl of like belief. After graduating from Yale in 1720, he became a preacher. From their union, he and his wife had 729 descendants. Among them were 300 preachers, 65 college professors, 13 university presidents, 60 authors, 3 congressmen, and a vice president of the United States. Except for Aaron Burr, a grandson of Edwards who married a girl of questionable character, the family did not cost the state a single dollar.

The mark difference between the two families was the basic training of the children which include both philosophy and practice.

Being Available to God part 1

2008-09-19T10:16:00.001-06:00

Being Available to God

Thirty-six years ago there was a single, young woman about to give birth. She was young and didn’t know how she could afford a child without her parent’s help. She hadn’t talked to her former boyfriend in months. She had no idea how to reach him. How to tell him she was having his child.

This young woman attended church some, yet her dialogue with God was stilted. How could God let this happen to her? What would her life be like now?

A baby girl was born, and upon holding her child this young lady knew things would be okay. Perhaps this baby was a gift, not a burden as she supposed.

This woman raised her daughter the best she could, and while she wanted to give her child more than she had . . . history has a way of repeating itself. When the daughter became a young woman she found herself in the same situation—living at home, pregnant, scared.

The daughter knew she could raise this child. After all, her mom had done it. But what would her life be like? How could God let this happen to her?

If you haven’t guessed already. I was the daughter. Born to a single mom, and as a teenager becoming a single mom myself. At age seventeen God gave me a son. My boyfriend was out of the picture, and I faced raising a child alone with little education, no money, and maybe according to the world, little hope for my future.

Now if you take this story at face value, I am nothing more than a statistic. According to government research, most daughters of young mothers go on to be teen mothers themselves. They face lives of hardship, living on welfare for the most part—becoming a burden rather than an asset to society.

Yet, I am not a statistic. And you know why I’m not a statistic? Because God doesn’t do them.

Did you hear that?

God doesn’t do statistics. In fact, He likes to blow them out of the water.

You see, God has a history of seeing something that no one else does. Like seeing a king in a shepherd boy named David, seeing an apostle in a young zealot named Paul, and seeing a mighty warrior in a frightened no-body named Gideon.

God has X-ray eyes that see right through any outward characteristics or any national statistics. His X-ray eyes scan down to the heart.

And what did God see? He must have seen something worthwhile. Because . . .

At age 37, I’m a multi-published author of magazine articles, Bible study notes, curriculum, and fifteen books. My book for teenage mothers was nominated for a prestigious award. I’m a national speaker, traveling to share God’s good news.

While in my twenties I helped to launch a Crisis Pregnancy Center, helped start numerous abstinence programs, and launched support groups for Teen Moms.

Now, if I were not a believer, all these would be things I could really tout. But honestly, I can say that it doesn’t have to do with me at all.

It’s about:
A BIG God with BIG dreams.
A God who has made an agreement with me that is eternal, final, and sealed.
A God who is constantly look after my safety and success.
A God who is be strong in my weakness.
A God who sees the future, sees the past and has a perfect plan for me.

Well, I guess the whole truth is that I do have something to do with it. It’s only a little something, but I guess it makes a pretty big difference. See God can be all those things in my life, only if I let Him.

There is one thing I must do . . . and that is Be Available.

Of course, I didn’t just wake up one day and say, “Here I am. God use me.” I didn’t just clear my schedule and wait for God to show up.

Rather, the steps towards my availability were a work-in-progress. They started on the day I was six months pregnancy and accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I like to look at that as Day One.

In those nineteen years from then to now, I’ve learned a lot.

#1 The first thing I learned about being available to God is sometimes being available means stepping away from status quo. For me that meant moving 1,000 miles away. Seriously, 1,000 miles.

You see, after I gave my heart to the Lord, I birthed a beautiful son. Not too long later, God gave me an amazing, Christian husband and two more children. Then He asked us to move . . . (in a round about way.)

First, God put us into a community of like-minded people. Our friends longed for a simple life away from the hurry and worry in California.

Next, He placed a desire in our hearts to raise our children in a better place. A place called Montana. We’d talk about it with our friends, we’d dreamt about it, and hoped that many someday it would come true.

Then, we decided to pray. My husband and I got on our knees and prayed that IF it was God’s desire He would make it clear. John was just graduated from college, and I was raising three small children under the age of 5.

We knew we’d be leaving our families, leaving our friends, leaving everything we knew. We had no job in Montana, no money to move, in fact we’d never even been there before! Still, we had a desire. One we couldn’t shake.

At the time, my husband sold computers on commission in a small store. He’d usually sell 1-2 a week. He went to work the next day after our joint-prayer, and sold 11 computers! Enough to pay off our current bills, enough to move and live on. It was the confirmation we’d been looking for.

So we did it. We packed up our three kids and moved. Our families thought we were crazy. They were sure we were joining some commune or something. We saw Kalispell for the first time as we drove in will our stuff. Within one week we were renting a house. Within three weeks, my husband had a far better job than he had in California. Within six months we’d purchased our first house. Within one year we were plugged into an amazing church and ministering to children in ways we’d always dreamed of.

That was lesson #1. We serve a BIG God with BIG dreams.

You have to believe this. If you don’t believe in a BIG God with BIG dreams there’s no use being available. But when you trust that fact. Trust God completely. Trust His dreams, THEN you can also trust Him to lead you to the right path.

Seeing God-at-work. Seeing what He did with our lives when we were available made me hungry for more. I wanted to experience God at work like that again.

Henry and Mel Blackaby says, “Watching the activity of God from a distance can never compare with the thrill of being full involved in the Spirit’s active work.”

You have to want God. Not want to work for Him. Or learn about Him. But want Him. You have to want to experience Him at work in your lives. You have to be hungry for what only He can give—a hope and a future.

Sweet September blog tour...and CONTEST!

2008-09-15T20:06:00.000-06:00

Catch the buzz at these awesome blogs! Many of the bloggers have copies of Sweet September to give-away! (hint, hint!)

Make sure to check out the fun contest below!

Harvest time at Heather Creek Farm is an exciting time, but the kids don't seem to be getting into the spirit. One day while he's wandering through the fields, Christopher stumbles across an old piece of metal buried in the ground. He doesn't know what it is, but he hides it in the shed.

That night, the garden by the house is uprooted. Who could have done such a thing? Charlotte is determined to find out, but is distracted when she gets news that Sam is failing school. The sullen teen is indifferent and won't study. He starts spending a lot of time with Pete. Though she loves her son dearly, Pete never finished high school, and Charlotte is afraid he'll encourage Sam to do the same. How can she help him get back on track?

A gripping story that examines the Stevenson family's history as well as its shaky future, Sweet September will bring you deeper into the loving community of Bedford and the deep ties of love that bind this broken family together. As they forge new connections, you'll be entertained, inspired, and reminded that God's grace can make all things new.

Contest!!!!!

Since Sweet September is all about family, Tricia wants to meet yours.

Leave a comment on this post sharing who your favorite family member is (think beyond hubby and kids) and why.

You'll be entered into a drawing to win William-Sonoma’s Pumpkin Harvest Loaf Pan & Quick Bread Set.

YUM!

Go here to enter and CATCH THE BUZZ!

I was so ashamed.

2008-09-11T10:56:00.001-06:00

I had my son Cory when I was 17-years-old. One day I was an honor roll student and cheerleader. The next day I found out I was going to be a teen mom.

I was so ashamed. Everyone knew and teen pregnancy isn't something you can hide. Yet finding out I was pregnant also made me grow up. It made me think about life and what I was going to do with my future.

Before I found out I was pregnant I had no plan. I dated different guys and I drank on weekends with my friends. After I knew I was going to be a mom I knew I had a child to care for.

I broke up with my boyfriend. He decided he didn't want to be a dad. My parents helped me as much as they could. I lived at home and I took classes from a "community school" to get my high school diploma.

I graduated with my class, and I registered for college. It was also during this time I met someone new.

John Goyer was the son of a pastor. He was kind and caring. He loved me and my son. We started dating when Cory was two weeks old and we were married when Cory was 9-months old. We are still married today, and we have two more children. In fact, I had three children by the time I was 22-years-old.

Marriage is not easy for anyone, but John and I made a commitment for life. We've struggled at times (like when an old boyfriend emailed me and messed with my emotions!), but overcoming our struggles have brought us closer. I'm 37-years-old and I've been married 18 years! A success if I say so myself.

More than that, John believed in my dreams. I wanted to be a writer, and he encouraged me. I attended writer's conferences and I wrote while my kids napped. We were dirt poor, but John made my dreams a priority.
I still don't have a college education, but I trained myself to be a writer at home. I read books on writing and sent out queries and proposals. I received many rejections at first, but I didn't give up.

In 1997 a literary agent noticed my talent. I was still unpublished, but Janet Grant took interest in me. Today I'm the author of 300 articles for national publication. I'm also the author of 15 books for publishers like Random House, Harper Collins, and Focus on the Family.

We should do all we can to prevent teen pregnancy ... BUT we should also offer hope to teen moms. Teen pregnancy is not the end. In fact, it could be a key moment when a young woman makes positive decisions to live a better life for herself and her baby.

Working to eliminate teen pregnancy!

2008-09-09T10:45:00.003-06:00

What's the buzz echoing over the airwaves? The media attention over the fact that Bristol Palin, daughter of Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin is pregnant at 17-years-old.

With the buzz, two questions are on our minds. If a teen finds herself pregnant are the parents to blame? Or should we point our fingers at the teen’s own bad choices?

We ask because the issue hits home. If someone like, Governor Sarah Palin, who has her act together well enough to be on the Republican ticket is facing her daughter’s teen pregnancy, what hope is there for the rest of us?

If you don’t want your daughter to be one of the one million teen girls who find themselves pregnant every year, consider this:

1. Be a Role Model. Our kids often follow where we lead. Consider your life. Are you living with integrity? Are you only having sex within the bounds of marriage? The saying, “Do what I say not what I do” never works.

2. Talk about what love is. Love is not sex. Going “all the way” with someone doesn’t prove your love. (No matter what they show on television.) True love is shown through life-long commitment and by valuing the other person. Remind teens that they are the one responsible for setting sexual limits on a relationship. Remind young women, “Sex won't make him yours. A baby won't make him stay.”

3. Remind kids it CAN happen to them. Having sex, even so called "protected" sex, can lead to pregnancy. It can happen even to kids from a good family. The only way to 100% prevent pregnancy is to not have sex.

4. Emphasize that even “good girls” get pregnant. Having a good report card, being a good person, having an important parent, or being conscientious will not protect you from pregnancy. According to teenpregnancy.org, 1 in 3 young women get pregnant at least once before they turn 20--good girls included.

5. Let your daughter know that most teens wished they had waited. Sex before marriage can not only lead to pregnancy, but there are other health concerns, such as STDs. There is also emotional baggage. According to teenpregnancy.org, 60% of teens “wished they had waited longer” to have sex.

6. Encourage your teen to plan her actions BEFORE the situation arises. Talk about set boundaries and not putting herself in situations that will cause her to compromise those decisions. Help her make good plans for her future and stick to goals.

7. Talk about media’s wrong messages. The media (television, radio, movies, music videos, magazines, the Internet) are chock full of material sending the wrong messages. Just because we see everyone in Hollywood having sex and having babies, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. Babies are a responsibility, not a fashion accessory.

8. Encourage secondary purity. Teens can say “no” even if they’ve said "yes" before. Today your daughter can make the right choice and choose abstinence.

9. Realize parents can only do so much … but make sure it’s done! As a parent, you cannot be around your child 24/7. Yet, we can do our best to prepare our daughters. Don’t wait.

10. Let you kids know you are available to talk about every issue in life. It's also important for parents to open up a two way conversation, not a one-way lecture. Parents can do this by turning the above topics into questions such as: What are your boundaries? Do you think sex proves you love someone? What do you think of the messages media gives out?

Let your voice be heard...
Does the fact that vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's unwed teenage daughter is pregnant alter your opinion of her as a White House hopeful?
Answer here

Need help talking to your teens? My Life, Unscripted (Thomas Nelson) is a book for teen girls, encouraging them to script their lives instead of being caught up in the drama and emotions of the moment.

A former teen mom, Tricia Goyer is also the author of Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being a Young Mom

Request-A-Book!

2008-09-08T11:56:00.001-06:00

New Contest...Request-A-Book and Win a gift card to CBD!

Want to help me out? I'd love to get my books into more libraries--YOURS!

To participate in Request-A-Book all you have to do is check out your local library (you can probably do it on-line even) and see if they carry any Tricia Goyer books. If they don't, simply fill out your libraries Request A Book form or give the request to your librarian. And, if they only have a few Tricia Goyer titles, then request one or two they don't carry.

When you're done, send me a little note via my contact page on my website (here) to let me know.

I'll enter your name into a drawing for a $25 gift card to CBD (www.christianbook.com)! Fun. Easy.

You can find a list of my books and ISBNs here.The contest ends 10/15/08! Winners will be announced in the next newsletter and on my blog!

TWITTERdom

2008-09-03T10:27:00.001-06:00

I've been doing a lot of writing lately, at 160 characters at a time. Twitter is sort of like blog, but only shorter. It's a way to keep track of what your friends are up to. It's also a great way to meet new friends.

You can check out my profile at:
http://twitter.com/triciagoyer

If you're at all interested at what I do all day ... that will tell you!

That Girl

2008-09-02T12:03:00.001-06:00

I just had to brag on my son. I knew you'd all appreciate it. This is a poem 19-year-old (never been kissed) Cory wrote. This is a photo of him with the girls he interned with at church this summer--his friends. Isn't the poem sweet?

That girl, by Cory Goyer

That girl
I don't know her hair color
I don't know her smile
I don't know her laugh
I don't know the color of her eyes
Or her favorite song
I don't know her passions
I don't know the thing she hates
I don't know her face
I don't know where she likes to hide
Or the twinkle in her eye
I don't know if I know her
But I know she is that girl

I would give my life for that girl
I would give up everything for that girl
I would die for that girl
I would live for that girl
I would love that girl
I would care for that girl
I would take care of that girl
All for that girl

I know she is beautiful
I know she is smart
I know she is wonderful
I know she is funny
I know she is amazing
I know she is mine
I know she is that girl

She may not know it yet
For I surely don't
She may mat not love me yet
But I know she will
Because I know I will love her
With all that I have
She may not even know me yet
But she will know me more than anyone

She may has a past
Wrong things
Regrets
Sorrows
But I will not see these things
I will wipe away her sorrows
I will not remember her wrong doings
I will not regret
Because if everything
She has ever done
Will lead her to me
Then I thank her past

So God I pray
I pray for that girl
I pray you let me wait
I pray you let her wait
I pray for her safety
I pray for her happiness
God lead me to that girl

Guest Blogger...Mother Inferior, Dena Dyer!

2008-08-28T08:30:00.001-06:00

I think this what Dena talks about here applies no matter your age!

The Swimsuit Blues
by Dena Dyer

Here's a little end-of-summer reflection to (hopefully!) brighten your afternoon:

The other day, our workplace had a cookout/swim party. Because my kids love to swim and my spouse was helping at the grill, I was the designated swim-parent.

Oh, joy.

So I had to get into my suit for the first time in a year. It was not a pretty sight. Since I’m nearly forty, my suit is a “smart” suit, which means it’s made of forgiving fabric and is black with vertical—not horizontal—stripes, for obvious reasons.

Unfortunately, the help stops there. My arms and thighs, God bless ‘em, are fully exposed. And can you say “whiteout”? I needed to apologize to my fellow swimmers for burning their retinas with my paleness. Oh well, at least the pool changing area had no mirror.

You know, on four out of five days, I feel pretty good about myself. After all, I’ve lost over fifty pounds since having my second child (yes, I ate for two—or was it five?—during pregnancy). I could tone up, but who has time when they’re juggling home, family, and work? I’m lucky if I can squeeze in a walk twice a week.

But speaking of squeezing, as I stuffed my post-pubescent body into the Spandex sausage-casing, I rethought my fitness regime. By the time I got one leg through its hole, I was vowing to do one hundred leg lifts a day. After hoisting my other leg up and through, I decided to perform several hundred sit-ups before breakfast. And after sucking in, pulling the swimsuit over my belly, and sticking my arms through, I decided that was workout enough.

Swimsuit season always makes me reconsider my “absolutely not, never, no way” stance on plastic surgery. After all, who couldn’t use a little nip and tuck here and there?

And I’m not alone. The numbers of women who’ve gone under the knife has increased to such an extent that a prominent Miami plastic surgeon has written a children’s book explaining why Mommy is getting a nose job and breast implants (really!).

It’s called My Beautiful Mommy and is written for readers ages 4-7. The book describes a mom explaining how she’ll appear after surgery. The daughter asks, “Why are you going to look different?” and the mother replies, “Not just different, my dear—prettier!”

Yikes!

But maybe the author is onto something. Why not create a whole series of books to help kids understand their mommies:
• My Cellulite-Free Mommy, for kids whose moms have had liposuction. (“Not just firm, my dear—less pockmarked!”)
• My Stylish Mommy, for children whose moms regularly spend way too much on accessories. (“It’s from your college fund, darling—can you say, ‘Prada’?”)
• My Tabloid Mommy, for those with moms on the front page of Star magazine (“I’m just wearing this towel over my face until we get in the car, sweetums.”)

Actually, when I stop beating myself up long enough to consider the costs, not to mention the risks, of plastic surgery, I come to my senses. The only reason I’d consider it is because our culture places such a high value on outer appearances, and I tend to get swept up in all the midriff-baring mania.

The things I read and watch--whether they’re lies on the front of a tabloid magazine or the truth from God’s word---determine the state of my heart. So when I immerse myself in His truth, I remember that God adores me, whether or not my arms are toned. He delights in me more than I can fathom, even though I will never have “abs of steel.” He loves every single part of me, from the stretch marks on my thighs to the tiny dark hairs sprouting on my chin.

And you know what else? My hubby and two sons don’t care what my measurements are, or how perfect I look. They love me simply because I’m me. In fact, they constantly tell me how nice I look. The other day, I woke up with some serious bed-hair. As I sat at my computer in a torn t-shirt and faded sweat pants, my sweet, thoughtful and obviously vision-impaired four year-old said, “Mommy, you’re pretty in your day clothes, your pajamas, or even on a date.” :)

And that, my dear readers, is worth ten Prada bags, fourteen tummy tucks, and at least a thousand sit-ups.
----------------------
copyright 2008, Dena Dyer

Want more info? Visit my website: Mother Inferior

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this devotional, stop by my website and sign up for my newsletter!

Spread the Bread!

2008-08-27T08:42:00.001-06:00

"Do you know a TEEN writer or artist?

The global nonprofit organization, Spread the Bread, (www.spreadthebread.org) is launching a new teen eZine called Planet Bread. They're looking for teen writers and artists with submissions that share real-life messages/stories of HOPE, INSPIRATION or GRATITUDE, using their world as their lens.

Contributors can decide how theyd like to communicate their submission: feature article, opinion piece, poem, cartoon, photograph, blog, video or something else?

The eZine will be launching the last week in October.

For more information,e-mail: planetbread@gmail.com and put "eZine launch" in the subject line.

Teens build houses!

2008-08-26T09:48:00.000-06:00

My two oldest just got home fom Mexico! They traveled there after leaving the Czech Republic and one of the things they did was build a house for a family. The program is called Homes of Hope.

Leslie building house in Mexico.

Cory building a house in Mexico.

In this photo Leslie is helping to lift a wall.

Special gifts from the team.

The house builders with the family they built the house for!

shingle girl

Cory hauling trusses

Brother and sister teamwork

Leslie nailing up drywall

Cory painting

Do you hate gym class?

2008-08-22T08:39:00.001-06:00

Check out this great website!

http://www.ihategymclass.com/I_Hate_Gym_Class.html

"My Favorite Memory" contest

2008-08-19T09:46:00.001-06:00

Earlier this month I announced the "My Favorite Memory" contest and asked you to send in your favorite childhood memories to be entered to win 1 of 10 copies of my new book Sweet September!

Over the next few weeks I'll be posting those entries on It's Real Life. What a treat it has been to read the stories!

Here is the first one entry...

Christy:
My favorite childhood memory is really a collection of memories. My mother's brother played bass in a country/western band in the 1970s, so many of our weekends were spent in bars and supper clubs listening to them play.

I was an only child, and my parents took me with them far more than leaving me home with a babysitter. I always felt incredibly grown-up to sit with them at a table. If I happened to see someone I knew from school, I felt even more excited. Because of Uncle Leon, all the guys in the band knew me on sight, and that gave me a little bit of cachet. I knew nearly every song in every set by heart, but my favorite was Mac Davis' Oh Lord It's Hard to Be Humble, and I requested it nearly every weekend. When I would walk up to the stage, you could nearly see the guys sigh in consternation. I loved dancing with my parents to the fast songs like Peppermint Twist. One of my favorite freeze-framed mental images of my dad is him in a pearl-button snap Western style shirt shaking it to Amie. I loved watching my parents dance because the love between them was palpable. Even better was when Dad would scoop me up in his arms, and we'd all dance together. By the end of the evening, I had overdosed on Shirley Temple cocktails and would fall asleep in the backseat to the sound of my parents quiet conversation. To me that was family and love and fun all rolled up in one.

It's not too late...Submit your own favorite childhood memory here and be entered to win 1 of 10 copies of Sweet September!

Contest ends August 31st. The winner's will be announced September 5th!

Cardboard Testimonies

2008-08-15T20:12:00.001-06:00

Very Powerful!

My Life, Unscripted

2008-08-01T13:07:00.001-06:00

Is featured this month...

check it out here: http://christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/blitz_life.html

What would yours be?

2008-07-29T12:12:00.001-06:00

What do teens want from Christian fiction?

2008-07-01T11:38:00.003-06:00

I stumbled across this survey in Christian Fiction Online Magazine.

Brian Michael Zick operates as a relatively unknown illustrator, writer, and teenager. He showcases his work on his website. Living as a homeschooler, his interests vary from computers, and reading, to skateboarding. He also expresses a strange interest in letters and fonts.

Christian Fiction And Teens
What do teens want from Christian fiction? Or perhaps the better question is: Do teens read Christian fiction?

A friend and I asked twenty-five teens at the Catalyst, a skateboard ministry and youth group at New Hope Church in Sierra Vista, to answer my second question. We also asked “Why not?” to those who answered negatively.

Survey results from New Hope church (please note that many of the teens at the skate ministry are from the neighborhood and not Christians who attend the church):

“Do you read Christian fiction?”
Yes - 5
No - 20

“Why not?”

Don't read - 7
I dunno - 6
Never been introduced - 2
Can’t read - 2
Don’t feel like it - 2
Only read Playboy- 1

That only five of those surveyed read Christian fiction is a little disconcerting. So I had my friend run another survey at Battle of the Bands (for homeschoolers), Veterans Memorial Park, Sierra Vista. With the second survey, my friend also asked for a comment from those who responded.
Survey results from Veterans Memorial Park:

“Do you read Christian fiction?”

Yes - 6

Comments:
Like it because it’s tense with a spiritual message - 2
Very encouraging - 1
Only thing to read in the house - 1
Read one book and liked it - 1
Like C.S. Lewis because it appeals to non-Christians as well as Christians, and it has a good message- 1
Christian fiction is reading material that you can actually get something out of rather than just entertainment -1

No - 8
Comments:
No comment - 2
Never got into it - 1
Too busy - 1
Don’t care for it, like classics better - 1
Don’t read as much anymore - 2
Can’t find any good books - 1

This time, six out of fourteen teens read Christian fiction—a bit more promising. It seems a higher percentage of teens in the Christian/homeschool community read Christian fiction than those we surveyed at the church.

Conclusion

Although Christian fiction offers many great books, based on my survey only 28.2 percent of teens read these books. Authors and publishers need to get the books to teens, because teens aren’t coming to the books. Hopefully one day more teens will pick these books up and read.
Though teen fiction is in the bookstore, that doesn't guarantee teens are going to read them. Whenever I go into a bookstore, most of the teens I see browsing around are in either the graphic novel department or looking at game guides. So it appears most teens aren't even hanging out in the section where they'd stumble upon Christian fiction.

A good marketing plan to get teens interested in books would be using word of mouth, or even discussing novels at youth groups, or creating a new kind of book. Like maybe Christian Manga. “Manga” is Japanese for comics, and Manga generally fills 90% of the graphic novel section. There are many kids who only read this style of writing.

I've never seen a Christian Manga graphic novel, but maybe someone has come up with an idea first. It takes a dedicated artist and talented writer to come up with something interesting, but I believe there's a need for this style of fiction.

Christian Manga: a new genre?

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

A new adventure begins...

2008-06-25T13:00:00.001-06:00

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione
(Multnomah Books - June 17, 2008)
by
Chuck Black

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chuck Black first wrote Kingdom’s Edge to inspire his children to read the Bible with renewed zeal. This captivating expanded parable led him to write the Old Testament allegories, Kingdom’s Dawn and Kingdom’s Hope. Chuck added three more titles to the series, Kingdom’s Call, Kingdom’s Quest, and Kingdom’s Reign which were released in May of 2007.

Chuck is a former F-16 fighter pilot and currently works as an engineer for a firm designing plastic consumer products. He has a degree in electrical and electronic engineering and served eight years in the United States Air Force. Chuck and his wife Andrea have six children and live in North Dakota.

It is Chuck’s desire to serve the Lord through his work and to inspire people of all ages to study the scriptures in order to discover the hope and love of a truly majestic King and His Son.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A dangerous new order threatens the mission of the Knights of Arrethtrae. Only loyalty to the King can bring victory!

As the Knights of the Prince await His triumphant return, they are steadfast in their mission to take His story into the kingdom and recruit as many as are willing. But when a new and dangerous threat is revealed, their mission is jeopardized.

Sir Kendrick and his young charge, the impetuous Sir Duncan, are sent on a mission to discover the identity and origin of a secretive new order known as the Vincero Knights. They travel to the city of Bel Lione where Lord Ra has been enticing young people in the kingdom to join his festivals, after which many choose not to return home. Their families keep quiet for fear of repercussion.

When Sir Duncan disappears while trying to discover the truth of Lord Ra’s castle, Sir Kendrick attempts to find and enlist the help of a mysterious warrior. Time is short for he must save Duncan and call upon the knights of Chessington to join in the battle against the evil Lord Ra.

Journey to Arrethtrae, where these knights of noble heart live and die in loyal service to the King and the Prince. These knights are mighty, for they serve a mighty King. They are...the Knights of Arrethtrae!

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Robin Jones Gunn answers back...

2008-06-23T13:30:00.002-06:00

Last week, Courtney asked this question on the post "You Asked...about Robin Jones Gunn":

Dear Robin Jones Gunn,I love the book I promise. But my friends and I are wondering if Todd and Christy ever have kids.

Here's what Robin had to say...

Hi Courtney,
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed “I Promise”! I started writing another series about all these characters called “The Katie Weldon Series”. The first book in that series is “Peculiar Treasures” and the second book, “On A Whim” will be available fall of 2008.

Please come by my website: http://www.robingunn.com/. You can sign up to receive my email newsletter. I often offer drawings for free books to readers in the newsletters so watch for those drawings!

May the Lord continue to bless you and keep you close to His heart, Courtney. You are one of His Peculiar Treasures.

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Interview

2008-06-16T10:36:00.000-06:00

Hi there!

I just wanted to remind you that I'll be on Moody's Mid-Day Connection Today!

If you don't get it on your local radio station tune in here:
http://www.moodyradio.org/middayconnection.aspx

You can listen LIVE at 12:00 p.m. CST. (Or 11:00 a.m. Montana!!)

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Who I Am Makes A Difference www.makeadifference.com/BR/

2008-06-09T09:08:00.001-06:00

So powerful..yet so simple!

Sometimes we forget...

2008-05-22T11:49:00.001-06:00

My kids are VERY creative. Being homeschooled, they usually had 2-3 hours of school work and the rest of the time they goofed off ... or entertained themselves. Creativity is the result. They write songs, write stories, read, and do video productions ... just for fun.

Also, they've recently "taken over" their youth group's drama department. This week Cory, Leslie, and Nathan are doing a skit on the theme "I am Bold." Nathan (14) has amnesia and he is very timid. The other two tell me that he's actually an accomplished and well-known person, and they enourage him to Be Bold.

The point of the message, of course, is to remind us who we are in Christ. Sometimes we forget.
Okay, most of the time we forget.

Anyway, here are a few of the illustrations the kids came up to to prove Nathan's success. I thought they were great!

Do Hard Things!

2008-04-17T11:16:00.000-06:00

See...you don't have to be old and serious to make a difference!

ALEX AND BRETT HARRIS founded TheRebelution.com in August 2005 and today, at age 19, are among the most widely read teen writers on the Web.

The twins are frequent contributors to Focus on the Family's webzine Boundless, serve as the main speakers for The Rebelution Tour conferences, and have been featured nationally on MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and The New York Times, as well as in publications like WORLD magazine, Breakaway, and Ignite Your Faith. Their first book, Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations, will be released on April 15, 2008, by Multnomah Books.

Sons of homeschool pioneers Gregg and Sono Harris and younger brothers of best-selling author Joshua Harris (I Kissed Dating Goodbye), Alex and Brett have a passion for God and for their generation. Their personal interests include politics, filmmaking, music, basketball, and soccer. And food. They like food.

When they're not traveling around doing conferences, Alex and Brett live with their parents and three younger siblings near Portland, Oregon, where they attend Household of Faith Community Church. They plan to enter college together in the fall of 2008 -- and continue to write, speak, and blog.

What is a Rebelution you ask? If this is all news to you, The Rebelution is "a teenage rebellion against low expectations." It is not just another youth ministry. Though it is not at all legalistic, it does not indulge teens in their usual laziness and consumerism. It is rooted in the Gospel itself and in God's eternal purpose in sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins. It speaks to teens as young adults who are expected to shoulder real responsibility for making their own family, church and nation godly and strong. It asks teens to stop living like guests in their own homes and instead take their place on the family team. It's battle cry is Do Hard Things. Think about that.

Win a copy of the book for yourself...or your parents! Leave a comment on this post!

About the book: The next generation stands on the brink of a "rebelution."

With over 16 million hits to their website TheRebelution.com, Alex and Brett Harris are leading the charge in a growing movement of Christian young people who are rebelling against the low expectations of their culture by choosing to "do hard things" for the glory of God.

Written when they were 18 years old, Do Hard Things is the Harris twins' revolutionary message in its purest and most compelling form, giving readers a tangible glimpse of what is possible for teens who actively resist cultural lies that limit their potential.

Combating the idea of adolescence as a vacation from responsibility, the authors weave together biblical insights, history, and modern examples to redefine the teen years as the launching pad of life and map a clear trajectory for long-term fulfillment and eternal impact.

Written by teens for teens, Do Hard Things is packed with humorous personal anecdotes, practical examples, and stories of real-life rebelutionaries in action. This rallying cry from the heart of revolution already in progress challenges the next generation to lay claim to a brighter future, starting today. Read an excerpt.

Buy the book here

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Look who won an iPod Nano!

2008-04-01T11:05:00.002-06:00

Check out the My Life, Unscripted Video Contest for teens here! And go here for the contest rules.

Lauren
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.phpviewkey=01e7a8efd20ad9c25089

and

Ruthcel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9uzTLQMZyI

We'll be giving away one more on December 31, 2008...details to follow.

Another Video Contest Entry

2008-03-28T09:39:00.001-06:00

My name is Ruthcel Mariño, a B.S. Nursing student from the Philippines. My friend forwarded your newsletter to me a few months ago and that's how I found out about the contest. At first I was afraid to join because I don't really know much about making videos but when I searched our area I found out I have a cousin who knows a little in video editing and agreed to help me edit the video so that's how I found the courage to have my own video. I've read your book, though I didn't actually finsih it but it was really nice. It made me think about my life and what I did to my life. You are a really good writer.

Anyhowz, I saw in the announcement that the deadline is March 31, i hope that I am not yet too late.

NAME: Ruthcel
AGE: 18
VIDEO LINK:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9uzTLQMZyI

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

I'm not ignoring you... I promise!

2008-03-25T12:54:00.001-06:00

Hello Friends!

I found out last week that the contact page on my website does not work. Has never worked.

Yep. That's right. If you've ever left a comment on my website, it is now floating around cyberspace La La land, unread and unretrievable.

The good news is that it works NOW! So comment away...I'll be waiting. :)

Also, the blog tour for Generation NeXt Marriage began yesterday!

Here are the first few stops:

3/24
Julie at The Surrendered Scribe
http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/
http://christianwritersforum.com/Blog/

Martha at Our Family’s Adventures
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Martha

Katrina at Callapidder Days
http://callapidderdays.blogspot.com/

3/25
Rebecca at Ripples and Reflections
http://www.rebeccabarlow.blogspot.com/

Angie at God Uses Broken Vessels
http://godusesbrokenvessels.blogspot.com/

Gina at Portrait of a Writer…Interrupted
http://portraitofawriter.ginaconroy.com/

FUN!

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends. Last week's winner is Grateful Gramma! She left a comment on the It's Real Life blog! Congrats! Send your book choice and mailing address to my trusty assistant Amy (amy@triciagoyer.com)!

Fiction by Teens

2008-03-20T07:35:00.002-06:00

Installment Six here

Installment Seven here

Installment Eight here

Last installment: Have you ever heard of the word “irony”? It could be used very often in this story. Irony means “humor based on opposites” or “when disparity seems comical”. Doesn’t that sound exactly like this story? Isn’t ironic that as soon as Amelia is about to admit her true feelings towards the frog he has left? Isn’t it ironic that as soon as Amelia is about to search for the frog the big game comes up? And isn’t it ironic that after treating our frog so badly, Amelia felt as though she was the one that had been abused?

She couldn’t concentrate on her game. In warm-up, she had accidentally hit the referee with the ball. In the first quarter, she had passed the ball to the third little pig instead of her teammate. At the end of the half, she had made an incredible shot, but it was into the other team’s basket.
Her parents were disappointed about the frog leaving. Her mother had even mentioned that he was such a nice talking animal that she would be happy if had decided to live with them forever. The king had agreed saying that he had been such a polite lad, uh, frog.

Amelia shuddered. If only she had just told the frog how she had really felt earlier! Then she wouldn’t feel like such a bad person. She would try to push the frog out of her mind and get on with the game.

When she walked out onto the court, she noticed that the crowd had lessened considerably. Obviously she wasn’t going to get that basketball scholarship. She couldn’t help but look around to see if the frog was there. She glanced over by her parents. They sat alone; Charming hadn’t even bothered to show. Her parents waved at her.

The players got ready for the toss. Amelia was just about to jump when she heard a croakish voice calling her name.

“Come on, Amelia!” the voice cried.

Amelia froze. The ball came from the referee’s hand like slow motion. She turned her head to see the frog in the bleachers. The other players whizzed by her, all she could focus on was that croakish voice…

“Time-out!” the coach called after seeing Amelia frozen in space.

She quickly ran off of the court.

“Oh, you came back, uh,” it was at that moment that Amelia realized that she didn’t know his name.

“It’s Henry,” the frog croaked. “Yes, I’m back.”

“Henry,” Amelia said, liking the sound of his name on her lips. “I am sorry for what I did. You are not just a frog, and I have known that in my heart. If there is anything I can do to make it up to you—“

“A kiss,” Henry said simply. “Once the game is over, I would like a kiss.”

BLAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

Just then, the buzzer blared loudly. Amelia nodded her head towards the frog and jogged back onto the court. As the second half officially started, Amelia began to feel rejuvenated. She could do this, she knew she could!

The game began to pick up pace. Amelia was now making three pointers and passing the ball. She kept on going, even though you could tell the whole team was getting tired. Whenever she began to feel sluggish, she would hear Henry cry out her name and it gave her new strength.
Finally, it came down to the last three seconds. If Amelia could make this shot, they would win the game, and Amelia would get her basketball scholarship.

The whistle blew.

The ball was passed to Amelia.

She took a shot…

And she missed.

The crowd that was left erupted in one loud sigh of disappointment. Amelia hung her head. How bad she had wanted to win! She looked up at her parents. They waved at her. She looked at Henry. He smiled.

It was okay that she had lost.

She walked over to him. Her face still wore a beaten look, but it grew happier when she reached him. She scooped him up gently in her cupped hands.

“Thank you, Henry,” she said, then gave him a soft kiss on the head, and…

Nothing happened.

Henry had expected to become a handsome prince, or at least, human. But he soon found that he hadn’t changed at all. He was still warty, he was still green, and he was still a frog.

Amelia saw the frown on his face.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, concerned.

“Oh, nothing,” Henry shook his head. “It’s just I thought that I might become something that I’m not.”

“Well, I like you the way you are,” Amelia smiled.

Henry couldn’t help but smile back.

Henry and Amelia lived together for a very long time. Henry’s dad was promoted to the coach for the Fairyland Hoopsters, and offered Amelia a scholarship. Although she was grateful, she declined and found that she was much more suited to being a lawyer. Henry got a job as a translator for those that needed to know how to speak frog. They lived together along with Amelia’s mother and father, who fully respected and loved the new member in the family.

I once told you that this story might not end with a “happily ever after”, it being a story with much irony, much imperfection and many choices. However, I think I can say that it is true.

Yes, indeed, they did live happily ever after.

The End

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Join the Rebelution

2008-03-17T11:13:00.000-06:00

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Fiction by Teens...

2008-03-13T07:57:00.001-06:00

Installment Five here

Installment Six here

Installment Seven here

Installment Eight:

Charming looked relieved.

“Oh, that’s a relief,” he said quickly. He sheathed his sword and took Amelia’s hand. Amelia smiled.

“I am not just…” the frog started, but he lost his courage half-way through. Maybe Amelia and Prince Charming were right. Maybe he was just a frog. The only thing that he could do that other frogs could not was talk, and to be honest, that hadn’t done much for him either.

“Charming, should we go and check out my basketball court? I want to show you my lay-up.”

“Of course, Sugar Plum!” he said, and they quickly left the room.

Our frog just stood there. He did not follow, or engage in pleasant conversation as he could have. He did not smile or laugh at Amelia’s jokes. He just stood there. Puzzling.

Could it have been that he did not care for Amelia anymore? Was he tired of her? She had never been very nice to him. Whenever he had tried to be a good frog and do what she had asked, it always seemed like she did not care.

Then, the realization hit him hard, like an old gym basketball.

She did not care.

Amelia did not care about our frog whatsoever. The reason she had treated him badly was that she just didn’t care at all.

At that moment, our frog made a decision. He would leave.

He hopped down the marble hallways, thinking about so long ago in his childhood, when his dad was teaching him to play basketball, hoping that his child would make it onto the high school team.

He remembered when he felt like he just couldn’t do it, he tell his dad he couldn’t, and his dad would pick him up and shake him softly. “You are not just a frog” he would say, then set him back on the court.

He hopped down the stairs, this memory bringing pain to him. Where he would go he did not know. But he did know that he would go some place where he was not just a frog.

And he did.

Now, this story could be over. I could tell you that our frog was found in The Seven Dwarfs Getaway Spa or he got a job teaching other young frogs to play chess...but that would not be true. I could tell you that Amelia went off to college and became the greatest basketball player of all time. But, that also would be a lie.

I could tell you that I just won a million dollars, but sadly, that is not true either.

Amelia knew our frog was not just a frog. In fact, Amelia knew in her heart that he was much more than a frog, almost much more than a human being. He was a special soul, she knew. He cared for every creature on the planet, and didn’t even know he did.

So that’s why what she had said to him did not sit well with her. She could not stop thinking about how she must have hurt him. This may surprise you, because Amelia has never really shown much compassion so far. But, I will tell you something. Every heart has a little bit of good and a little bit of bad. Sometimes there is more good than bad, or bad than good, but there is always that small amount of good that can change a person for the better.

As soon as she saw Charming off, she raced up to her room, thinking about what she was going to say to the frog. She stepped into the room, assuming that the frog was behind the closet door. Sitting on the bed, she began her apology speech.

“Mr. Frog? Are you listening? I just wanted to say that I know that you are not just a frog. Actually, you’ve become more of a friend to me. I have enjoyed having someone to talk to; even if it is all about me and I’m sure it bores you. It’s just that, dang it! I have never had to live with anyone before, and I’m used to getting my way. From now on, I will try to be more considerate and think of you.”

There was no answer from behind the door.

“Oh, come on, I said I was sorry,” Amelia said, mad that he did not at least acknowledge her attempt at being thoughtful.

There was no answer from behind the door,

Quietly turning the door knob, she opened the door to find the closet was empty. There was no warty frog in sight.

Amelia sighed.

The frog had left her.

{End of Installment XII}

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Fiction by Teens...

2008-03-07T10:25:00.004-07:00

Installment Five here

Installment Six here

Installment Seven:

So, Prince Charming came, and reader, as I am sure that you are excited to know how this meeting between our frog and the prince will go. So, I will tell you this part of the story.

He arrived in a carriage very much like any other person would, but as you could expect, it was no ordinary carriage. It was the most amazing, beautiful, expensive carriage ever invented. It was a 1597 Mustang. It came up to front of the castle, where Amelia and the king and queen were waiting. The prince stepped out of his incredible machine into the loving arms of Amelia.

“Charming! I missed you!” Amelia cried hugging him. He returned her embrace and quickly strode over to the king and queen.

“Mr. King, Mrs. Queen, how lovely to see you again.” Charming bowed at the waist, his blonde hair bobbing. “Mrs. Queen, is that a new hairdo? It looks lovely!” He kissed her hand softly.

The queen giggled giddily, and then stopped when the king gave her a look.

“Shall we retreat into the parlor?” she asked, somewhat embarrassed.

“What an excellent idea, Mother,” Amelia nodded, taking Charming by the arm. “I’m sure Charming would love to tell us about the adventures he’s been having.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to bore you,” Charming said modestly. “But, okay.”

Now, I bet you are wondering, where is our frog? Why wasn’t he there to greet Prince Charming? It is because reader, he is stuck in a most unpleasant spot. He is back in the closet. Amelia had made it clear on the first day that he had moved in with them that she did not want him hopping about when Prince Charming came to visit, so as she said she would, she, quite literally, threw him into the closet. Our frog sat on the floor of the dark closet contemplating on how he was going to get out. He wasn’t going to let Charming steal Amelia!

Unfortunately, there is only a small amount of things a talking frog can do. For example, a talking frog can hop, and talk, and maybe catch some flies. But as you know, our frog didn’t like flies so this was an unnecessary skill. But one skill that I have not mentioned was that, a frog can croak, and the croaking can be quite loud if needed. So what did our frog do?

“What a fascinating story,” the queen said. “Snow White must be very grateful.”

“I never did get any thanks,” Charming replied. “She was off fighting in those dreadful galactic wars before she could even say goodbye to Grumpy.”

Amelia laughed loudly.

“Are you coming to Amelia’s basketball game?” the king asked. “Her team is looking awfully good this year.”

“Oh, Daddy, it’s not my team,” Amelia smiled, though she knew it basically was.

Coach had based her team around the star player, which had turned out to be Amelia. For the first time, Amelia began to wonder if the other girls felt left out. What did they really think of her being the “star player”?

The thought quickly passed through her mind. She had more important things to worry about. This was Charming’s special day. Everything had to go exactly perfect.

CROAK!!!

At first, Amelia thought that she was hearing things that were not there. Maybe she had gotten used to the frog’s croaking and she was beginning to hear it everywhere. Or maybe the furniture that they were sitting on had creaked. But the look on Prince Charming’s face showed Amelia that he had heard it also, and that it wasn’t just creaky furniture.

“What was THAT?!” Charming asked standing up in a gallant pose.

“It was just the creaky furniture I am sure,” Amelia said quickly.

CROAK!!!

“There it was again!” Charming cried. He now reached for his sword, ready to kill the rather loud and annoying creature that might be threatening his princess. He started to make his way towards the door; causing Amelia to grab his arm is desperation.

“I am sure that it is just the settling of the house!” she made another excuse, but Charming’s mind was made up. This beast was threatening his future in-laws and the love of his life. It reminded him of last season’s championship football game, which he of course, was the team captain. When he broke that linebacker’s arm it had clean snapped. And now, he was planning to do this to the creature’s spine.

Running swiftly up to Amelia’s room with Amelia not far behind him, he burst open the closet door to find our frog. They looked at each other for awhile, with Charming’s sword raised above his head, and our frog bravely facing him.

“Don’t hurt him!” Amelia said quickly. “If you do, something bad might happen to me.” She stepped in front of our frog. “He is living with me.”

There was a moment of silence in which Charming was trying to figure out why a frog might be living with Amelia. He thought, and thought, and thought, and then finally an explanation came to him.
“You got a pet? How wonderful!” he exclaimed, wishing that he had gotten her a pet frog instead of her having to go out and buy one herself.

“I, most certainly, am not a pet.” A voice came from the floor.

“Who said that?” Charming demanded. “Speak now or face the wrath of me and my sword.”

Amelia slapped her face in disbelief.

“It is I, the frog,” our frog said. He hopped up to Charming with a smile.

That must have jogged the Prince’s memory because at that moment he cocked his head to think again. That voice, and that frog, it seemed all so familiar. In fact, he vaguely remembered a frog in high school…

“YOU!” Charming cried. “You were on the chess team! And the Glee Club, and the Boyscouts, and the-“

“We get the idea.” the frog’s smile faded.

Charming turned to Amelia.

“Is he your new, frogfriend?” he asked in utter horror.

Amelia, for one of the first times in her life, was extremely confused. How could Charming know who this frog was? How could he know that the frog was a nerd? And what the heck was a ‘frogfriend’?

“A ‘frogfriend’? Amelia questioned.

“I think he means a boyfriend,” the frog said quickly.

Amelia looked at the frog.

The frog looked at Amelia.

They both let out a loud laugh.

“Oh no, Charming! He’s just staying with me. There is nothing between us. Besides, I mean, well, he’s just a frog.”

Just a frog…

Just a frog…

Just a frog…

The words echoed throughout Amelia’s room. The funny thing was, the only one who seemed to notice this was the frog. Have you ever heard the expression, “blind as a bat”? I’m sure you must have because it is a very common expression. It means that someone can be either literally or figuratively, blind to their surroundings. I think that this applies to Amelia very much. She is blind to the people around her and what they are thinking. Amelia, pardon the expression, is as blind as a bat concerning the frog. She has no idea that it might offend him by saying he was, “just a frog”, because as you know, he is not an ordinary frog.

End of installment.

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Christian Dating Bubble

2008-03-03T07:35:00.000-07:00

Hear Pastor Mark Driscoll's sermon on “How does a Christian date righteously; and what are the physical, emotional, and mentally connecting boundaries a Christian must set while developing an intimate relationship prior to marriage?”

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Get Expelled - The Movie - Super Trailer

2008-02-29T10:20:00.001-07:00

Don't miss this movie!

Your questions answered...

2008-02-25T10:41:00.004-07:00

Sarah asked this question: I'm having trouble with a friend, I’ve struggled with school for a long time and I don't like being called stupid. Most of my friends know this, but this friend does it anyway. She is always insulting me and saying mean things to me. how to I tell her to stop without being mean?

Leslie answered:

I've totally been where you are! ...and it's not fun when your friend makes fun of you all the time! You need to just tell her that if she wants to stay friends with you, she needs to stop insulting you. -It might be hard, cuz she's your friend and all, but if she treats you like that, she isn't really your friend!

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends! Last week's winner was Cindi Choppes who left a comment on the GenX Parenting blog! Thank you for un-lurking! Send me your book choice and mailing address!

Fiction by teens...The Frog Prince part 6

2008-02-21T07:42:00.002-07:00

Installment Five here

Installment six:
The next few days continued as the first. Amelia was still reluctant at the concept of our frog, but she was also beginning to warm up to him a little. There were certain things that made her feel good to be around the frog. I guess it was the way he listened to everything she said with fascination. She could have said that sky was blue, and he would have been amazed at her revelation. Or, the way he liked to listen to her read her speech and debate arguments. He never criticized her. He never told her she was wrong. He just listened.

But there were things. There are always things. Amelia couldn’t stand how our frog always treated everyone the same. He always treated people with respect. For once she would like it if he would get mad at her. Whenever she would force him to do something that no one would like, he accepted it. In fact, the main reason she made him do those things was to see if she could get a rise out of him.

The frog watched her play basketball, and although he felt like he should say something to her he wondered what he would say.

“Your parents are right, you should be a lawyer?”

No one wants to listen to their parents. No, instead he held thoughts inside and hoped that no one would know what he really thought.

Eventually, the day of Prince Charming’s visit came. Now, we have heard a lot about Amelia and a lot about our frog, but what about Prince Charming? How does he fit into this tale? Well, reader, I’m certain you have noticed something about our characters so far. I am sure that you have seen that each of these characters have strengths and weaknesses and good things about them and bad things. That’s what being a human, or a talking frog, is all about.

Amelia is a smart, interesting, beautiful girl with all the potential in the world to become someone great. And yet, she continues to treat our frog badly. Our frog is a sweet, loving soul, but he relies on Amelia for his happiness. The king is a great ruler, yet he has a little bit of a temper. The queen is beautiful, yet she not quite the smartest person in the world. Not one of these characters is perfect.

Prince Charming is no exception. No matter how charming he could be, Prince Charming could never be perfect. Amelia seems to think he is. But as you will soon know, she will be surprised. And reader, as I have mentioned before, our frog has something that the prince could never possess.

Do you see how this tale is coming together? Do you see how everything is beginning to intermingle? If you don’t, reader, you soon will, and you will soon see how everything is beginning to fall into place.

{End of Installment VII}

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Pam interviews Robin Jones Gunn!

2008-02-18T12:52:00.002-07:00

Last week on we met Pam...and she had a few questions for Robin.

1. What is your inspiration?

I love watching and listening to people from around the world. I feel inspired to tell a variety of stories whenever I hear from someone how God has drawn them closer to His heart. I love reading and listening to classical poetry to get inspired on how to fit words together and make them sound beautiful. Above all, it’s God’s tender Holy Spirit who inspires me to fall more and more in love with Him.

2. How does God work through your writing?

Many readers have written to me over the years to say that God used one of my stories to bring them to Christ. Some readers say they opened their heart and lives and asked Christ to come in and be to them the Savior and Lord He longs to be to each of us. Some have said that they were struggling with making a right decision in some particular area and one of my stories gave them the motivation at the heart level to make the right decision. Others have told me that they simply felt they grew closer to Christ after reading one of my book.

3. What’s your favorite jelly bean flavor?

Coconut

To learn more about Robin check out her website!

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Meet Lauren...

2008-02-14T12:09:00.003-07:00

She interviewed Robin Jones Gunn last month, well she's back today to share a little bit about herself.

Have you watched a good movie you'd recommend? Or listened to a good song? Or read a good book? What did you like about it? Why?

I like a lot of movies and most songs (but the sound track for Across the Universe is very good).

To date or not to date? How far is too far? How do you know when you've found Mr. Right? Send me your questions OR offer advice!

Too far is when you feel uncomfortable, and are past your moral goal for that date. If you don't want to kiss that night, and you get in a situation where you might kiss and you feel uncomfortable, then you kiss. That is too far. How do you know when you've met Mr. Right?

Do you have any tips for healthy food? Exercising?

Some good tips for exercising is doing it with a friend. They laugh and have fun with you. For health food, just eat what is recommended. A good web site to see how much you personally should eat is http://www.mypyramid.gov/ this is great because it personalizes just for you!

How do you deal with body image in a world that obsessed with thin and sexy? What advice do you have for others?

I work out and eat well so when I think I'm "fat" I know I am actually not, because I am doing what is good for my body. Also, I go to church. honestly, if I weren't a Christian I don't know what I would do about body image.

What is your favorite .... (fill in the blank). Here are some to get you started. Bible verse, Color, Food, TV show, actor?

Bible verse: John 11:35 Jesus wept. I love that because it truly shows that God came to the earth to be there for us.
Color: yellow
Food: sweet potato casserol
TV show: Scrubs

What is something you want to learn to do? Where is some place you want to go? Do you set goals for yourself? What do you hope for your future?

Learn to do: Sky Dive
Place to go: Australia
Goals: I set small and big goals. A small goal is to finish my homework tonight so I can watch a TV show. A large goal is to make good enough grades to get into college with a scholarship.

What does being a Christian look like in the real world? How do you cope? What do you struggle with? How do you connect with God day-by-day?

In the real world people are mean to people who believe in God. I cope by praying all day long. I struggle with not going into the trends like showing my mid-driff, or cursing, or gossiping. Day-by-day I read my bible and pray. My best friend is also a Christian and my small group goes to my school. Also, on Tuesday mornings at 6:30 am (EARLY) haha, FCA is a group that meets at my school. There I can hang and talk with other Christians who care about the Lord as much as I do.

Tell a joke. Share a cool saying ... the sky's the limit!

He died for me I live for him
next time you think your perfect, try walking on water

Do you struggle with parents? Friends? a boyfriend? Siblings? Do you have any questions about relationships you'd like answered?

Parents: I don't really fight with my dad, we get along well. My mom and I fight sometimes.
Friends: I get annoyed with them sometimes, but we don't fight, I keep to myself
Boyfriend: I don't have one
Siblings: I don't fight with my sister, when we do, its only because we are fighting to fight. haha

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Meet Pam

2008-02-08T10:11:00.003-07:00

Who is your favorite author? If you could ask him/her three questions, what would they be?

I love Robin Jones Gunn. I would ask her, What is your inspiration? How does God work through your writing? What is your favorite jelly bean flavor?

Have you watched a good movie you'd recommend? Or listened to a good song? Or read a good book? What did you like about it? Why?

Oh, wow! I like this topic.

I love the Song "It's all Good" by Joy Williams. It is sorta like my theme song for life. Because it talks about how life may not be perfect but "It's all good" cause I know Jesus. Great song.

I really liked Enchanted. It was a great little film. Very intertaining and enjoyable. I would highly reccomend it.

I just read the book "Where the heart is" by Billie Letts. Oh, my goodness. That book was so well written. I feel like i know all of the characters. It made me laugh out loud and then made me cry. It had a great story line, and the writting was good. A must read (or at least i think so)

Do you have any tips for healthy food? Exercising?

Go to Cooking Light.com my mom fixes food from there all the time. Its yummy and low in calories.

How do you deal with body image in a world that obsessed with thin and sexy? What advice do you have for others?

I don't think i deal with this like everyone else does. See I am skinny and lots of people think I look cute. I don't want people to look at me with that stereotype image. Its so hard sometimes when people come up to me and are like 'your so cute..I want to look just like you!" like really what are you supposed to say? Thank You?

What is your favorite .... (fill in the blank). Here are some to get you started. Bible verse, Color, Food, TV show, actor?

Favorite...
Color- yellow
Food- anything Italian
TV show- Pushing Daiseys
Actor- Zac Efron and Ashley Tisdale (Yes i am a disney freak, but they really are good!)

What is something you want to learn to do? Where is some place you want to go? Do you set goals for yourself? What do you hope for your future?

I want to travel the world. See it all. Especially Boston. I don't know what it is but i just really want to go there.

A dream I have is for my book to be published, and I hope that one day, that dream will be met, but for now I'm still writing.

What does being a Christian look like in the real world? How do you cope? What do you struggle with? How do you connect with God day-by-day?

It's hard. My youth pastor made a good point last night at our teen service. He said today most people will tell you God should be #1 in your life. But then he pointed out that God shouldn't be just one area of your life, he should be in all areas. Not number one, but throughout because that is what makes a christian truely strong.

Thanks Pam!

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Fiction by Teens...

2008-02-07T12:29:00.001-07:00

Installment Five:

“Are you listening to me?” Amelia asked the frog again. She stood with her hands on her hips.

“Yes,” our frog said as he finally came to. “I am listening.”

“Good,” Amelia commented. She stomped over to her bed and plopped on it. A number of stuffed animals fell on the floor.

“Why?” she said quietly. “Why … did you have to choose me?”

Amelia had said it so quietly that our frog had barely heard it at all, but he did hear it.
“Because it seemed like a good choice to make,” the frog answered.

Amelia began to sniffle.

“Go.” She pointed accusingly towards her closet. The frog hung his head and hopped into her closet.

“Goodnight, Princess,” he said softly.

She got up from her bed and slammed the closet door in his face.

In the darkness of Amelia’s closet, the frog had slept rather soundly. Using one of Amelia’s shoes as a bed and a sash as a blanket, our frog had made a rather comfortable place for himself.

Our frog woke up to the sound of voices. He rubbed his eyes with his webbed feet stirred.
“I don’t care how much it costs,” he could hear Amelia screech. “I want everything to be perfect for Charming when he comes next week!”

“Yes, you’re Highness.” a voice answered her. The frog guessed it was a palace maid who the princess had so violently yelled at.

“Leave now. I shall head down to breakfast in a moment,” Amelia ordered.

“But, what about the frog?” the maid asked.

“Fine, we will head to breakfast in a moment.” Amelia sighed. The frog heard footsteps nearing the closet.

Amelia opened the door, and the light from her room created a circle of light around her head. If the frog didn’t know that Amelia was a spoiled brat, the sight would have been worthy of an angel. But, reader, Amelia was a spoiled brat and our frog did know better. So, the sight wasn’t nearly as gratifying.

“Get up. It’s time for breakfast,” Amelia snapped. And with that, she turned around and marched down the hall. Our frog, who was a slow riser, hopped sleepily after Amelia.

When they reached the dining room, the frog was surprised to see that there was a rather simple breakfast on the table. Only two bowls were on the table. Amelia sat down quickly and placed her spoon in her breakfast and began eating. Our frog saw how high the chairs were and softly croaked to Amelia.

“Do you mind helping me up?” he asked.

Amelia rolled her eyes. Picking him up with two fingers, she quickly set him on the chair.
“Thank you,” the frog said. He had always been taught to say his please’s and thank
you’s.

Amelia grunted.

The frog looked into his bowl and saw something that made his skin crawl. Flies. There were flies in his bowl. Amelia had served him flies. He glanced over at Amelia. Of course, she was eating oatmeal, our frog’s favorite breakfast dish.

“Uh, Princess?” Our frog bravely asked.

“What?” Amelia gruffly replied.

“I don’t really like flies that much. Could I have a taste of your oatmeal?”

“I thought that’s what frogs ate,” Amelia said, daring to look at him.

“Most frogs do,” the frog said. “But, as you have witnessed, I am no ordinary frog.”
Amelia sighed. Taking a butter knife off of the butter dish, she dipped it into her oatmeal and placed it in front of the frog.

“Thank you,” The frog said. He had always been taught to say his please’s and thank you’s.

After a lovely breakfast, Amelia went to her own indoor basketball court. Now, I know what you’re thinking. She has her own basketball court? Yeah, right! But it is at this point that I will remind you that she is a princess, and that she has gotten whatever she has wanted all of her life.

Our frog followed her. He was excited to see how good Amelia was. He was also surprised. As he watched Amelia play basketball, it seemed to him that she missed more shots than she made. Her jump wasn’t high enough, her dribble was often doubled, and she just wasn’t fast. In fact, he was sure that she would make a better lawyer than a basketball player!
As Amelia finished her daily routine, she couldn’t help but watch the frog watch her. What was he thinking? Whatever his thoughts were, she was sure that they had something to do with her amazing basketball skills.

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Scripts by Teens!

2008-02-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

Last fall I ran a contest during the blog tour for My Life, Unscripted. The contest was for teens to write their own review of My Life, Unscripted or to write their own script.

Here is the winning script from Anjulie!

ANJULIE'S SCRIPT
Go here for an interview with Anjulie!

Int.
Basement-afternoon-establishing
ANN (12), sits against the table. Across from her are WILLIAM (18), JASEY (15), and ADAM (10). In front of her there is a line of white powder half gone, next to the powder lies an empty pen shell.

ADAM: So…..what do you think? I told you it was great!!!!

ANN: My nose hurts, but that was awesome! (coughing)

William and Jasey laugh.

WILLIAM: And it only gets better from here (he pulls out a bottle of Vodka from under his coat) you ready to try this.

ANN: (laughing) You're hilarious! Do you really think this is the first time I have ever had cheap Vodka?

JASEY: Told you Will, she's not a goody-goody. Her parents keep her trapped up in her house most of the day. What the heck do you think she does to keep herself sane?

They all begin to laugh. William opens the bottle takes a swig and passes it around.

WILLIAM: (slurring his words) Sooo Ann do you want to buy some or not?

ANN: Duh…here take it before I change my mind (hands William $60) How long does this stuff last?

JASEY: Well you'll get off your HIGH horse (chuckling at his own joke) in about 3 hours. But trust me honey, you'll want more before then.

Jasey puts on some music and before long they are all high and drunk.

WILLIAM: Ann are you OK?

ANN: Actually, I am getting really tired... OH @#*^, I'm gonna barf.

ANN runs to the bathroom, and isn't seen again for about 10 minutes. ADAM walks in after her and finds her passed out on the floor of the bathroom

ADAM: I am sooo not carrying her home.

JASEY: I'll have my sister call her mom and ask if she can spend the night…..

WILLIAM: Let's have some fun first.

,
FADE OUT

And here are the 2 winning reviews:

Katie
I thought that this book was a very good book. The lay out of it was fantastic. I love how it was very easy to understand. One of the best things I thought was how she used things that actually happened in her life to make the book real. She really became a real person in my eyes. Not like one of those people that you read or hear about that seem to have had their whole life figured out since they were a child. I was in a class that was about video production. And all of the terms that she used were extremely accurate! I love how you just think that from the title, the book is going to be a narrative. Which is what I thought. But then as I started reading I realized that I Was wrong but it wasn’t in a bad way. This book really opened my eyes to some real truths. I think since she used things that actually came from her life it made the book real. And it’s not like a self help book. Its more like a book saying that you will need help from God because when you live your life un-scripted it doesn’t turn out the best.I would definitely recommend this book to my friends. The Bible verses that she uses really fit well into the point that she is trying get across. I think that she did a great job writing this. I also think that every teenage girl should read this because there are real points that need to be told and I think that she did a great job conveying them.

Reborn Butterfly
Here's my review of My Life Unscripted by Tricia Goyer!

My Life Unscripted is a wonderful read specifically geared to teens girls.

Each chapter starts off with a scripted scene from Tricia's life. Spread throughout the chapters are "My Scripts", with real teen girls expressing their thoughts and feelings. Tricia Goyer asks questions and leaves space for journal time. Tricia doesn't shy away from the hard issues that effect teenagers today. She's like an older sister gently guiding us through her life story. She has a genuine heart for teenage girls, and it shows. I loved how she displays this in the final chapter "Climax".

Many of the scripts were situations that have happened to my friends or to myself.

Tricia shares her shortcomings and mistakes, while showing us that there is a 2nd chance.

At the end of the book there are discussion questions that would make a great daily devotional or bible study with a group of teen girls. In fact, once I finish with my current devo now I plan on using this.

I believe that each young woman today should have a copy of this book in her room.

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Your Questions...answered!

2008-02-05T10:20:00.001-07:00

Sarah asked:

How do you know when god wants you to be with someone? how do you know who it is that god chose for you?

Leslie answered:
Sometimes it can be hard to know whether the person you care for is who God has chosen for you, or if he isn't.... first off, does he have a solid relationship with Christ? -Notice how I don't ask if he's a Christian or not.

Is his relationship with Christ evident in his daily life, or does he act like his non-christian friends?? If yes, that may be a step towards knowing if he is who God has intened for you.... if no, that is a strong sign that he isn't who God has chosen for you.

But for the most part, throughout this time put extra focus on your Bible reading & prayer time- as you grow closer to God, He'll make his plan for you clearer...

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Meet Sarah

2008-02-04T10:30:00.001-07:00

Who is your favorite author? If you could ask him/her three questions, what would they be?

Meg cabot is my favorite author, if i could ask her three questions they would be: how do you get the commitment to write a book? How do you get your ideas for books? how did you learn to write? (click on the link here to read Meg's answers)

Have you watched a good movie you'd recommend? Or listened to a good song? Or read a good book? What did you like about it? Why?

I have this song that i love by between the trees, it's about depression and how god is always there for you. It's called "the way she feels" i love it because it sends an amazing message about the effect that depression has on our world. It's about how just one spark of hope for one person could start hope for another person.

How do you deal with body image in a world that obsessed with thin and sexy? What advice do you have for others?

Don't be obsessed with how you look. If you want guys to like you for how you look your looking for the wrong type of guy. Guys should like you no matter what you look like. IF it bothers you how you look all that much diet in a healthy way. Don't do a diet that could hurt you.

What is your favorite .... (fill in the blank). Here are some to get you started. Bible verse, Color, Food, TV show, actor?

My favorite move right now is Saving Private Ryan. It's got tom hanks, it's the best war movie i've ever seen.

What is something you want to learn to do? Where is some place you want to go? Do you set goals for yourself? What do you hope for your future?

I really want to go to France, and visit Paris.

What does being a Christian look like in the real world? How do you cope? What do you struggle with? How do you connect with God day-by-day?

Being a christian for me is just listening to god every day. It's really hard for me i listen to him sometimes because the rest of the world says one thing while god is saying the other.

Write a quiz. Tell a joke. Share a cool saying ... the sky's the limit!

This guy has a parrot, This parrot doesn't say nice things. The guy is always telling the parrot to shut up because the parrot has bad grammar and it's mean. One day the parrot is really bad so the guy locks it in the freezer. When the guy takes the parrot out of the freezer the parrot says "i'm sorry i was so bad, i will try to use better grammar and be nicer from now on." The guy is surprised and is about to ask the parrot why it had such a change of heart when the parrot says "may i ask what the turkey did wrong?"

Do you struggle with parents? Friends? a boyfriend? Siblings? Do you have any questions about relationships you'd like answered?

I'm having trouble with a friend, i've struggled with school for a long time and i don't like being called stupid. Most of my friends know this, but this friend does it anyway. She is always insulting me and saying mean things to me. How to i tell her to stop without being mean?

Thanks Sarah! Let's see if I can get those questions answered!

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Fiction by Teens

2008-01-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

The Froggy Prince continued...

by Alexa Schnee
Alexa is sixteen year old homeshooled, aspiring author. She participates in tap dance and plays the violin (though badly). She loves hanging out with her animals and reading books that make her laugh.

Installment One here

Installment Two here

Installment Three here

Fourth installment:

“No,” the king said quickly.

“No?” the frog asked.

“No?” the queen said confused.

“NO?” Amelia questioned.

“No,” the king confirmed. “Amelia has gotten away with too much. Just yesterday she asked me for a new carriage, even though she just got a brand new one this year. My dear, it is time that you showed some responsibility in keeping your word.” He stroked his beard.

“But Daddy,” Amelia whined.

“You promised,” the king said. “Now take this nice frog up to your room and show him around.”

Amelia slammed her silverware onto her plate, creating a large clanging. Stamping her heels into the marble floor, the princess marched up to her room, again leaving our frog to hop behind her.

Now, the nicest joint our frog had ever been in was the Hotel Far, Far Away. And let me tell you, it was nothing special. Our frog thought that a mediocre dinner that was served to him was nice. Imagine how he felt when he saw the marble floors, the colorful tapestries and the beautifully carved wooden doors! Now, this was worthy of something. It amazed our frog how someone could actually live in a place this nice. Wouldn’t you be upset if something got dirty?

Amelia stood at the end of a hallway, opening the door for the frog. As soon as he entered the room she slammed it with fury.

“Okay frog, let’s get this straight. You play by my rules, not my daddy’s. No matter what he says, you will do what I say. Got that? If the girls come over for a sleepover, you will stay hidden in the closet. If Charming comes over, you will stay hidden in the closet. At night you will sleep under my bed and you will not say a word unless you are spoken to. Understand?”

Our frog could not answer.

Our frog was in awe of this room.

Amelia’s room was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Her bed was the largest thing he had ever seen in his life. It was covered with pillows, blankets and stuffed animals. Her walls were painted pink, and they were covered with pictures of her Princess Academy friends. At the center of these pictures was a large poster of Prince Charming, her one and only. It was signed in the bottom right hand corner, saying, “I am charmed for you, Beautiful. Love, Charming.”

Looking to his right, the frog saw a large closet. In fact, our frog couldn’t see the end of it. It was filled with as many dresses as it could hold.

“Are you listening?” Amelia said annoyed.

I have a favor to ask of you, dear reader. Please don’t be too mad at Amelia. Yes, it is easy to be mad at her. She did run away from our frog when she had promised that she would hold up her end of the deal. She did back-sass her father, and she was being a terrible sport about things. But, reader, pardon the expression, put yourself in Amelia’s shoes. She has had everything she has wanted all of her life. Whatever she desired she has gotten. Now, her life has drastically changed. Imagine having a stranger come and share your room with you. They are always with you, they talk in their sleep and they use all of the warm water in the shower. Now does Amelia look like such a bad guy?

You see, life is all about choices. Sometimes you make a good choice. Sometimes you make a bad choice. Amelia chose to run from our frog. Our frog chose to come and live with Amelia. The king chose to make Amelia live with her promise, and Amelia chose to be a brat about it. But one thing many of us have learned over time is that, whatever choice you make, with a little positive thinking, you can make it the right choice.

the end of installment 4...tune in next week

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Choices, Choices

2008-01-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I helped a family member purchase a money order to mail to her daughter who lives out-of-state. It seems her boyfriend kicked her out, and she’d been staying in a hotel. Unfortunately, she ran out of money, and her boss from the local diner had already fronted all he could. This person needed money quick, and she didn’t know where else to turn.

Around the same time a friend of mine related the story of being startled awake by her son. It was 3:30 a.m. when the phone rang. Her son had been partying and needed a ride home. Though my friend had to work the next morning, she jumped out of bed and hurried to her son’s aid.

Does this sound unusual? Maybe not. People find themselves in binds like this all the time.

Well, what if I told you that these people in trouble were 50 and 55-years-old? That’s right. They experienced adolescence in the 1960s, yet here they were not straying far from their old ways.

Many times teens get a bad rap for being irresponsible. Teens drive too fast. Party too hard. And don’t make wise choices about their future.

Well, as far as I’m concerned, wise-decision making has more to do with a right heart-attitude than with age. I’ve seen teens make very wise choices . . . ones that their older acquaintances should try to copy!

Proverbs 1:15 and 18 says, “Don’t go along with [sinners], my child! Stay far away from their paths . . . they set an ambush for themselves; they booby-trap their own lives! Such is the fate of all who are greedy for gain. It ends up robbing them of life” (NLT emphasis mine).

For the past few weeks, I’ve been wearing a white wristband similar to Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong. It says these words: “Choose Life.” On the surface the meaning is pro-life, of course. But to me this bracelet also reminds me to choose life in all the decisions I make.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 says, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him” (NIV).

Choosing life means choosing God’s way. It’s choosing to seek Him instead of the world’s answers. It’s choosing hope, peace, abundance, and faith. It means serving God and loving people, instead of attempting to find happiness through live-in boyfriends and all-night-parties. It means not booby-trapping your own life by making bad choices over and over again.

Each of us messes up. I have too many times to count! But being “grown-up” means realizing those mistakes and deciding to take a better way. As Psalms 119:30 says, “I have chosen the way of truth” (NIV). Truth as Jesus gives it--not as Hollywood tries to display.

So the next time someone tries to give teens a bad rap, be sure to tell them differently. Let them know you’re choosing life. You’re choosing not to bobby-trap your future. Choosing blessings instead of cursings.

After all, your choices are good choices when you choose God’s choices for your days!

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends. (Last week's winner was Beth B!)

I'm curious!

2008-01-25T12:38:00.000-07:00

Do you blog?

Do you have your own blog or do you contribute to someone else's blog?

What blogs are your favorites and why?

What about a blog turns you off?

Inquiring minds...

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Fiction by Teens

2008-01-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

The Froggy Prince continued...

by Alexa Schnee
Alexa is sixteen year old homeshooled, aspiring author. She participates in tap dance and plays the violin (though badly). She loves hanging out with her animals and reading books that make her laugh.

Installment One here

Installment Two here

Installment Three:
It was a lovely dinner. Roast duck, pork, cooked veggies, (for Amelia, who liked to be lean) and buttered frog legs. Amelia didn’t take these. It felt a little awkward after meeting a talking frog, but she was trying to forget that incident.

The king sat at the head of the table with the queen at his side. Amelia’s mother was the fairest in the land; of course, someone had to take Snow White’s place after she had the crazy notion to fight wars in the galaxy. She was the runner-up in the Fairest of the Land Beauty Pageant.

Amelia had her long brown hair and her piercing blue eyes. In fact, Amelia was the exact image of her mother, but she got her brains from her father. Though no one would admit it to the queen, pardon the expression, she wasn’t the brightest light bulb ever screwed in.

Anyway, as Amelia was explaining how she would get all of her dresses to Princesston there was a knock on the door. A very soft knock, so soft, that Amelia could barely hear it. But she did, and she stopped talking.

“Who could that be?” the king asked. He stood up slightly, and then motioned for a guard to answer the door.

The young man ran to the large doors and pulled them open ever so slightly. Amelia watched as his eyes roamed farther and farther down until they met the ground. He turned around to announce the visitor.

“It is a frog, sir,” he said quizzically.

Amelia’s veggies almost made an appearance on her new dress. The frog was back? Amelia felt like saying a few choice words, and they wouldn’t be appropriate for this story, so she whispered them under her breath.

“A frog?” the king asked.

“Yes sir,” the guard said. He swallowed nervously before he continued. “A talking frog.”

“When you meet up with a talking animal, you should always pay attention,” the queen mentioned.

Everyone looked at her. The king and Amelia exchanged a look. The queen had often said this, but it wasn’t often that her advice actually applied to anything.

“Sir,” the guard whispered. “He says he knows the princess.”

Amelia’s eyes grew wide. The king turned on her.

“Amelia?”

Amelia began to think. Though she may have been spoiled, though she may have been naughty for leaving our frog, she was very smart.

“A talking frog, huh?” she said entering her speech and debate mode. “Is that scientifically possible? How could a frog speak when he has no capabilities of proper humanist speech? Clearly, a frog’s brain does not have enough capacity to fit the part of the cortex of the brain that controls speech.”

By now, the king was getting angry and the queen was getting confused. But, the queen was always confused.

“My daughter is right,” the king said. “Is this a joke young guard?”

“No sir, I assure you that this frog has spoken to me,” the young guard said, sweat now pouring down his face.

“Bring him in then,” the king commanded. “Let me see this talking frog.”

The guard opened the large doors a tad more, and in hopped our frog.

“Hello, Princess. Next time you run, could you do it so I can keep up?” he asked. It looked like it had taken him hours to make it to the castle on those puny frog legs. He was warty, he was green, and now he was muddy. Amelia knew she had lost this battle, but for sure, she wasn’t going down without a fight.

“Amelia, it is a talking frog,” the king said raising one eyebrow at his daughter.

“Yes, I am,” the frog said hopping towards the king. “Your daughter made a promise to me. She said if I got her basketball out of the well, then I could live with you.”

“I did not!” Amelia cried.

“Yes you did!” the frog exclaimed. “You shook on it!”

“I crossed my fingers!” Amelia cried.

“Crossies didn’t count!” the frog exclaimed.

Amelia’s smile began to fade. She was starting to get desperate.

“I LIED!” Amelia cried, her scream echoing on the palace walls.

The frog was silent. The room was silent. The world was silent. Then, he opened his mouth and spoke.

“You promised,” he whispered.

Everyone looked at Amelia. She looked at everyone. And then, Amelia began to cry. Now, Amelia only cried when it was a desperate situation. When she lost, she cried. And when she cried, she usually got what she wanted. Again, it was another instance of Amelia being spoiled. Big tears began to roll from her eyes.

“Oh, don’t cry!” the queen sympathized as she ran over to her child. She stroked Amelia’s long hair.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” the queen scolded the frog. “even though I believe talking animals are a blessing, you have been nothing but a curse to our daughter.”

The frog hung his head in shame and embarrassment. Although he felt bad about Amelia leaving him, he felt even worse if he was a burden.

“Fine,” the frog said quietly. “I’ll leave.”

end of installment...check back next week to see what happens.

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

New Holiday

2008-01-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

Today, I am making a new holiday! Yes, I decided that on my own, and I think you'll want to add it to your calendar.

BE A FRIEND DAY.

I got started thinking about this when I read the 'thoughts from the editor' from the Feb. 08 Issue of Christian Single (which is a great magazine that I read even though I'm not single!) Anyway, the editor, Larissa Amanlt was talking about the struggle of trying to keep up with all her friends ... and the problem of added one more. Yet how can we say no to one more friend? I know I can't. Here is what Larissa said:

"I'm learning something here that's coming as quite a shock--friendship is not all about me. It's not cramming my schedule with people who make me feel full, but it's stepping out on a limb for someone who might need it more than I do ... realizing that a small piece of my time could make a difference in someone else's life gave me a change of heart."

So on BE A FRIEND DAY the task is to schedule time with someone new--someone God has placed on your heart. It can be going out for a cup of coffee or just chatting on the phone. Either way, be the friend ... be the difference!

And ... if you have a few minutes email THIS FRIEND and let me know how it went. I'd love to hear!

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

The first Video Contest entry!

2008-01-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

Here is a note from Lauren-Cool!

Friends and family,
I have created a video for a video trailer contest. The person with the most viewers on their video wins. Please click on the link to view the video I have made. It is promoting Tricia Goyer's book my life unscripted a devotional book for teen girls. Feel free to forward this on to all of your family and friends so they can forward it on to all their family and friends so they can forward on to all their family and friends...you get the idea.

Love Lauren
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=01e7a8efd20ad9c25089

Who will be next?

Garbage in, Garbage out...

2008-01-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard the saying Garbage In ... Garbage Out? What you read, you think. What you think, you live.

For many years, garbage is exactly what I read, thought, and lived. And amazingly, once I started reading books with good morals, I started living better. So, maybe you don't know what to read ... here are some suggestions!

Also, tell me about your favorite book that you'd recommend!

The DragonSpell books by Donita K. Paul

The Christy Miller Series and Sierra Jenson Series by Robin Jones Gunn

Anything by Melody Carlson

Anything by Sandra Byrd

Anything by Sarah Sumpolec

Historical novels by Wendy Lawton

Anything by Nancy Rue, Bill Meyers, Robert Elmer, Bryan Davis, Lauraine Snelling

These are all friends of mine (and EXCELLENT writers) and I can vouch for their character as well as their good, moral stories. Check them out!

Fiction by Teens

2008-01-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

The Froggy Prince continued...

by Alexa Schnee
Alexa is sixteen year old homeshooled, aspiring author. She participates in tap dance and plays the violin (though badly). She loves hanging out with her animals and reading books that make her laugh.

Installment One here

“Oh, it’s very simple,” the frog said softly. “I want to come and live with you. I want to eat with you, be with you and be treated like a prince.”

Amelia was horrified. What would her boyfriend, Prince Charming, say when he found out that she had a frog living in her palace? What would the other princesses from the Academy say? That the Valedictorian had lost her marbles? Still, she really needed her basketball if she was going to practice for the big game. She knew her parents, the king and queen, would never think about getting her another one. Maybe she could keep the frog hidden from her friends, and then no one would have to know!

“Alright, frog, you have a deal,” she said holding out her hand hesitantly. She took his webbed hand in hers, sealing the deal.

Then suddenly, the frog dove into the well, creating a small ripple of water. She watched as the frog’s head popped out of the water, and how he situated is back legs to push the ball out of the water.

“Fire in the hole!” The frog cried with his croakish voice, and suddenly, the ball went flying out of the well like a cannonball out of a canon! It flew higher and higher and higher, until it slowly drifted down and landed at a thud at Amelia’s feet with a PLUNK! She picked it up and placed it under her arm. Hiking up her very large dress she took off in a very brisk run towards her castle.

“Wait!” The frog cried, again jumping on to the ridge of the stone well. “I can’t keep up with you!” Still dripping wet and wishing he had paid more attention in gym class in high school, the frog began to hop as fast as his little legs could after Amelia.

Amelia reached the doors of the castle far before the frog. In fact, she wouldn’t have been surprised if the little fellow had given up and gone back to the well to freeload off of some other princesses. Now she was safe. He wouldn’t follow her all of this way, would he?

Opening the castle doors, Amelia could see her father, the king, looking over some of his notebooks at the big long table they used for dinner events.

Now, here’s a little know fact about the king. He was a brilliant man, who believed he was much more suited to be a reporter for the Fairyland Times. In fact, when he had just gotten out of college he had gotten a job writing for the Weekly Neverland, a tabloid newspaper.

Unfortunately, the most important articles he had written were the titles; “Beauty Weds Beast” and “Grandma is a Wolf.” Once his father had died, he took over the family business and pushed his dreams of writing aside.

“Hello, Daddy,” Amelia said, setting her basketball down in an empty chair and kissing her father on the cheek.

“Amelia!” The king exclaimed through his long, white beard. “I didn’t even see you come in! What have you been doing today?”

Amelia shrugged her shoulders. There was no reason to mention the frog. It had been a great day, why ruin it with mentioning something bad and warty?

“Here’s a letter for you,” the king said handing her a neatly sealed envelope. It was sealed with elegance, something worthy of even the richest princess. Amelia tore it open, anticipation gnawing at her heart.

“Princesston? I got into Princesston?” Amelia began to do a little dance around the table. Princesston was the finest university for girls in the kingdom! And Amelia was accepted! She could just imagine enough basketball to make her sick, beautiful campuses, and an opportunity to become a queen if she worked hard at her studies.

“How about we have a family dinner tonight?” The king asked. “This is a special occasion.”
Amelia kissed her father on the cheek again and grabbed her basketball.

“Thanks Daddy, I’m going to go pick out something to wear.” And with that Amelia ran up the stairs as quickly as possible.

Now, I’ve bet you’ve noticed by now just how spoiled Amelia is. She has this beautiful castle, a loving family, a princess-ship, and the opportunity to go to the best college in the land. Yet, she always wants more. She isn’t happy with being a princess; she wants to be a queen. She doesn’t want to just play basketball; she wants to be a professional player. She doesn’t want a frog, she wants Prince Charming. Have you ever heard the expression, “to have your cake and eat it too”? That is what Amelia believed her life should be like. As such, pardon the expression, she wanted to have her cake and eat it too. But you seem to know this story as well, an unexpected visitor happens to change Amelia, and I think you know who this visitor is.

{End of Installment II}

You Asked...about Robin Jones Gunn

2008-01-16T11:24:00.001-07:00

Meet Lauren, today she is interviewing author Robin Jones Gunn!

Lauren: My favorite author is Robin Jones Gunn. I have three questions for her.

Tricia: Lauren, good choice for your favorite author! Robin is one of my dear friends, and her answers to your questions are below!

Lauren: What do you like to do for fun?

[Robin Gunn] I LOVE to travel. Any time, anywhere. Last year at this time I was in Brazil and that was amazing. I also love meeting up with friends from around the world and lingering over a leisurely meal or cup of tea.

Lauren: How do you plan out your books?

[Robin Gunn] I start with a written out prayer, asking God for a new story that will draw His children closer to His heart. Then I get a three-ring binder and start collecting all kinds of bits of info like pictures to get an idea of what the characters look like, maps, a calendar so I know when the story starts and stops and any other helpful info from the internet or from photos I’ve taken. Then I start with a pen and paper and just write and write until I see a summary of some of the key points of the story. It always changes, but the freehand start is a good loosening of ideas exercise. Then I sit down at the computer and write chapter one, page one and go from there.

Lauren: Who is your favorite author?

[Robin Gunn] I don’t know that I have one favorite. I like different authors at different times. I love reading biographies to see how real lives played out as God wrote their stories. I adore Tricia Goyer. (and she didn’t make me say that, either!)

Lauren: to find out more about Mrs. Gunn check out her website!

Ever tempted?

2008-01-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

Yeah, not me either. JUST KIDDING!!!

All of us are tempted. In fact, it's something that should be expected. We live in a world that promotes "you deserve it, go ahead." Our mind and body likes this idea. In fact, it's a fight not to listen.

Matthew 19:7 says, "Temptation to do wrong is inevitable, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting."

I don't know about you, but I don't like to think about the other side of the coin. It's easy to fight against temptation in our lives. It's harder to realize that some of the time I'M the one doing the tempting--maybe by how I dress, or how I talk, or simple kindness that leans toward the flirting side ... that can lead places it shouldn't go. Anything I do that could cause another person to stumble is not cool. Knowing that helps me to watch myself--to see if I'm doing something that could lead someone else down the wrong path.

What about you ... what things tempt you most?

What things do you do that might tempt others?

What do you do about both?

Kristen Anderson blog

2008-01-14T15:27:00.000-07:00

Last week I was in Chicagoland, working on a book with an AMAZING person that is one of my new favorite people: Kristen Anderson. Kristen tried to commit suicide when she was seventeen by laying down in front of a train. God saved her--both physically and spiritually--and now she travels and speaks and has given millions of people hope!!!

Anyway, I couldn't stop talking about Kristen's story when I got home, and I can't wait until we finish the book. Our desire is that God will be glorified and that many millions, millions more will hear about Jesus through Kristen's story.

If you missed Kristen on Oprah, you can watch it by going here: http://www.myspace.com/kristenjaneanderson

Just look under BLOG and OPRAH.

And ... remember to keep us in your prayers as we write!

You Asked .... about Meg Cabot

2008-01-11T11:25:00.001-07:00

Sarah W. asked the following:

Meg Cabot is my favorite author, if I could ask her three questions they would be: How do you get the commitment to write a book? How do you get your ideas for books? How did you learn to write?

Tricia answers:

I wish I had Meg's number so I could call and chat. But ... I did find your answers Sarah, by going to Meg's website: http://www.megcabot.com/

These answers come from her website!

What inspires you to write?

Meg: The same thing that inspires you to breathe. I can’t help it.

Where do you get your ideas?

Meg: Much of what is in my books is taken directly from my own diaries that I kept when I was in high school ... I still have them, though I am the only one who will ever be allowed to read them. I am only using the selective bits that won’t incriminate me.

What advice do you have to give to aspiring writers?

Meg: My advice to young writers is:

Write the kinds of stories you like to read. If you don’t love what you’re writing, no one else will, either.

Don’t tell people you want to be a writer. Everyone will try to talk you out of choosing a job with so little security, so it is better just to keep it to yourself, and prove them all wrong later.

You are not a hundred dollar bill. Not everyone is going to like you … or your story. Do not take rejection personally.

If you are blocked on a story, there is probably something wrong with it. Take a few days off and put the story on a back burner for a while. Eventually, it will come to you.

Read—and write—all the time. Never stop sending out your stuff. Don’t wait for a response after sending a story out … start a new story right away, and then send that one out! If you are constantly writing and sending stuff out (don’t forget to live your life, too, while you are doing this) eventually someone will bite!

It is nearly impossible to get published these days without an agent. The guide I used to get mine was called the Jeff Herman Guide to Agents, Editors, and Publishers. It was well worth the money I spent on it, since it lists every agent in the business and what he or she is looking for. It also tells you how to write a query letter, what to expect from your publisher, and all sorts of good stuff...a must buy for any aspiring author!

And above all, become a good listener. In order to write believable dialogue, you need to listen to the conversations of the people around you—then try to imitate them!

Good luck, and keep writing! If I can do it, so can you!

Who was the first person Jamie Spears turned to when she found out she was pregnant?

2008-01-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

A friend.

What if you were that friend?

Who was the first one Jamie Lynn Spears turned to when she found out she was pregnant? Not her mom. Not her sister. She turned to a friend.

So as a teen what can YOU do when a pregnant friend comes to you for advice?

Remain calm and loving. Your friend most likely feels alone, frightened and extremely sensitive about her pregnancy. The most important thing you can offer is your continued friendship.

Show God's love and forgiveness. Your friend may have been looking for love by giving herself intimately to a guy. Now she might feel ashamed and unworthy of love at all. Point her to God, who loves her unconditionally.

Celebrate life. Your friend may consider this baby a "mistake"—a barrier between her and "normal" life. She needs you to lovingly remind her that no matter how the baby was conceived, he or she is a gift from God.

Be available to share … and to listen. Your friend has big decisions to make, and although you can't make those decisions for her, you can be available to help her consider her options. Share information you've discovered on fetal development and on the physical and emotional trauma of abortion. Most of all, be willing to listen to your friend's deepest concerns.

Find help. Your friend is most likely in need of more answers than you can give. Visit a local crisis pregnancy center with your friend, or call CareNet for help at 1-800-395-HELP. Encourage her to tell her parents and to seek the counsel of a pastor or youth pastor.

Partner with her to make better decisions in the future. My Life, Unscripted (Thomas Nelson) is a book for teen girls and encourages teens to script their lives instead of being caught up in the drama and emotions of the moment. Read it together. Talk about the importance of making good choices.

Give her a book to help her face her unique issues, such as Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being Young Mom (Zondervan).

Tricia Goyer writes articles for national publications such as Focus on the Family and is a columnist for teen moms through MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International: (www.mops.org/teen)

For more information, go to: http://www.triciagoyer.com/

Fiction by Teens

2008-01-09T15:02:00.000-07:00

The Froggy Prince

by Alexa Schnee
Alexa is sixteen year old homeshooled, aspiring author. She participates in tap dance and plays the violin (though badly). She loves hanging out with her animals and reading books that make her laugh.

Installment One:

Once upon a time, yeah, yeah, yeah, you’ve all heard that before. And let me guess, it ends with a “Happily Ever After”. Not this story. You see reader, not all is always well in fairytale land, no matter what you read in the storybooks. Once in a while there is a mess-up, and there is nothing the brothers Grimm can do about it. First, Cinderella’s slipper was made of wood and Hansel and Gretel were middle-aged moochers that still hadn’t gone to college and gotten a real job. Then, Sleeping Beauty was having a good dream and decided that she would rather not wake up no matter how insistent the prince was. And Snow White decided she wouldn’t like to be so innocent and joined the mafia in the Ernerian galaxy along with Captain Trann. But that’s a different story.

Our story starts out with a frog. A simple, warty frog with a goal that would make going to the moon in a tin can look easy. He had to kiss a princess, and not just any one, but the most beautiful princess to come out of the Princess Academy of Princesses. Yeah, no small feat. Her name was Princess Amelia. And she was the Valedictorian, Homecoming Queen, Head Cheerleader and organizer of the “Give Elves their Rights Club”.

And he was just a frog. A frog that had joined the chess team in high school, but it’s hard to move your rook with webbed hands. Even the local geeks, Pinocchio and Rumpelstiltskin were safe to call our frog a nerd. He wasn’t even able to give the chess team a win. He was banished from the high school social scene.

Anyway, he graduated and set out to do something with his life. After he found out that no college would accept him because his grades were too low, (that’s what you get for having a giant as your study partner) he decided to follow his dream and become a prince. A handsome prince. He knew that the only way he could succeed in life is if he could be something he wasn’t, and if that meant becoming a prince, he was okay with that. So he sat by a well, waiting for Amelia to come by and maybe give him a kiss.

Well, one day, it actually happened. Princess Amelia came by the well with a basketball. Now, this is a little known fact about Amelia. Her dream in life was to become a professional basketball player for the Fairyland Hoopsters. Her parents, however, wanted her to be a lawyer, but who wants to listen to their parents? Anyway, Amelia took a jump shot and aimed her favorite basketball at the well. It fell in nicely, creating a slight splash at the bottom.

“Dang it!” Amelia exclaimed, using the words that she was famous for. “That’s my only basketball!” She ran over to the well and looked down into it. There was her beloved ball, floating ever so nicely on top of the water.

“Nice shot!” A voice said croakily.

Now, Amelia, who was very concerned about her ball, did a little jump. She hadn’t seen anyone at the well. Was she hearing voices?

Suddenly a frog jumped onto the rim of the well and looked her straight in the eye. He was warty, he was ugly, and he was green, so Amelia immediately felt like running. But her mother, the queen, always said that when you met up with a talking animal, you had better listen up. But who wants to listen to their parents? So Amelia began to run.

“Wait!” the talking frog cried, hopping on the edge of the well. “I can get that ball for you!”
Amelia stopped. It was her ONLY basketball. Turning around she slowly walked up to the frog.

“You can help me?” she asked trying not to flinch.

“Yes. But you have to do something for me in return.” The frog said.
Amelia thought. It was her ONLY basketball.

“Okay,” she said. “What are you thinking?”

The frog smiled.

Check back next Thursday for the next installment!

Light...let there be

2008-01-07T11:44:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what it meant that God's Word is Light? I used to wonder that. For many years I believed in God ... or rather I liked the idea of God. I'd pray ... at basketball games when we were down by two points and I wanted our team to win. I'd think about God, at Christmas time. But the rest of the time I pretty much did what I wanted to do. And the truth is, that what I wanted to do wasn't always pretty. In fact, I made a lot of stupid choices.

Looking back now, I can see they were stupid. Mostly because I've had many years to live with the consequences. I've had to deal with emotions tied to old boyfriends. (Yes, the connections you made will stick around for YEARS.) I've had to deal with regret over having an abortion at age 15. It's a choice that I can never take back ... a choice I regret every day. But what does this have to do with light/darkness?

Psalm 119:105 says, "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

If you've accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, then God's Word will guide you. It will help you make good decisions. It will lead you on a path heading in the right direction. And because of that you hopefully won't have huge regrets to deal with.

What if you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus? Or if you don't use God's Word to help you guide your way? Then you're in darkness ... and most of the time you WON'T make right decisions.

For many years I lived in this darkness. In high school, I was like a blind person in a dark room. I had my hands outstretched and I was desperately seeking love, acceptance, and happiness. In the darkness I'd bump into things. I'd run into walls. I'd grasp onto anything (or anyone) that seemed to fit my need. Do you know anyone like that?

Looking back, I realize that I was grasping and coming up wanting. Now that I'm in the light, I see so much more. Mostly, I SEE. I see hope found in God. I see a good future. I see God active around me. I see how God's Word applies to everything I do. I SEE.

If you're still stumbling in darkness, it's not too late to pray and ask Jesus to come into your life ... to be your light.

If you know someone who is stumbling in darkness, then pray. Pray that their hearts will want Jesus and seek Him.

If you have done stupid things in the past, realize your bad choices were a result of grasping--trying to find love, acceptance, and happiness. Ask God forgiveness for those things, and seek Jesus and His Word to help you in the future.

And no matter what, realize that Jesus wants you to walk in the light. It is no coincidence that you're reading this. Maybe these works are the spark that will grow into something bright in your life!

Cooties

2008-01-04T12:38:00.001-07:00

Circle, circle, dot, dot now you got the Cootie shot!

How important to you is having a boyfriend?

2008-01-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

At this point, not very important because I have higher priorities and need to focus on other things right now.
Miranda, Georgia 16

That isn't important to me at all! I love the band Barlow Girl because they feel the same about boyfriends and dating as I do. I know that God has a plan for my life, and I know that if God wants me to be married to someone, then it'll happen. I don't need to worry myself in finding him. Being friends with guys is enough right now. My favorite quote is something Lauren Barlow said, "If our hearts were meant to be broken, God would have given them to us that way." If you have a boyfriend at my age, usually you're not going to end up getting married, and there will be a break up involved, someone will always get hurt.
Mallory, Arizona 14

Kind of important. I want a boyfriend but I want a guy who is going to be good for me. It is more important for me to make good choices in my life than to have a boyfriend.
Sarah, Minnesota 14

I don't care. I'd be fine with it if I found someone that could be it, but otherwise I just want a guy friend and nothing else. Having a boyfriend just to have one can be really dangerous to your heart if you're not careful.
Anna, Texas 14

This may seem strange but having a boyfriend is my last priority at this point. Having a perfect relationship with God is far more important than having a relationship with a guy. I think that God should be the foundation for any relationship and, I don't feel that I am "right" with God at the moment.
Sophia, Texas 14

I would like to have a boyfriend now, but I still haven't found the right person to date yet. I have a guy who shares my same values, but I'm not sure if he is interested.
Shelby, Iowa 15

What about you?

Welcome!

2008-01-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

Hi friend!

I'm very excited to bring in 2008 with a shiny new blog called Teen-Script: Your Story, Your Life. The cool thing is that I want to make the blog interactive like My Life, Unscripted. I just don't want it to be about me blabbing about teen issues, I want to involve YOU. I want your voice to be heard.

I was wondering if you'd like to help? (Say, yes!) Here is how you can do it:

1. Bible Q and A: Do you have any questions about the Bible you'd like answered?

2. Author interviews. Who is your favorite author? If you could ask him/her three questions, what would they be?

3. Media: Have you watched a good movie you'd recommend? Or listened to a good song? Or read a good book? What did you like about it? Why?

4. Romance: To date or not to date? How far is too far? How do you know when you've found Mr. Right? Send me your questions OR offer advice!

5. Health and Fitness: Do you have any tips for healthy food? Exercising?

6. Body Image: How do you deal with body image in a world that obsessed with thin and sexy? What advice do you have for others?

7. My favorite things: What is your favorite .... (fill in the blank). Here are some to get you started. Bible verse, Color, Food, TV show, actor?

8. To do: What is something you want to learn to do? Where is some place you want to go? Do you set goals for yourself? What do you hope for your future?

9. Real Life: What does being a Christian look like in the real world? How do you cope? What do you struggle with? How do you connect with God day-by-day?

10. Fun Stuff: Write a quiz. Tell a joke. Share a cool saying ... the sky's the limit!

11. Relationship: Do you struggle with parents? Friends? a boyfriend? Siblings? Do you have any questions about relationships you'd like answered?

I can't wait to hear from you!!!

Tricia
http://www.triciagoyer.com/

Submission Guidelines

2008-01-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

Teen-script.blogspot.com Submission Guidelines

Teen-script is eager to work with teen writers. Teen-Script is looking for fresh, creative, and entertaining stories, articles, and opinion pieces from teens.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:
We are actively looking for teen writers in a wide range of genres.

We're interested in all kinds of commercial young adult short fiction, including: mysteries, children's, sweet romance, ethnic, science fiction, fantasy and general fiction. We are also interested in literary fiction as long as it has a strong narrative voice.

In nonfiction, we are interested in current affairs, history, health, adventure, personal experience, Bible reflections, and opinion. Tell us your thoughts!

We will not accept any material that uses bad language or is offensive. Please be positive and encouraging!

How to submit your work:
Your submission should be submitted via email to bookmarketing@triciagoyer.com and should include:

• Short piece (300-800 words). If you are submitting a longer piece, then please break it into small segments.
• a short author bio
• any corresponding artwork as a .jpeg attachment
• contact information (i.e. address, email address)

Response Time
Our average response time is a little over a month, but that's an average; sometimes we take longer. You will be contacted via email to confirm receipt of your work. You will also be notified via email if your work is accepted for publishing on Teen-Script.

Payment:
Teen-Script pays $5 dollars per published piece. Payment upon acceptance.

Rights:
Teen-script.blogspot.com retains one-time publishing rights for your work.