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| Introduction | |
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| The Power to Make a Difference | |
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| Every oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who stood their ground. | |
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| Anonymous | |
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| Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God. | |
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| William Carey | |
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| Follow anything that makes you want to do right. Pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. | |
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| 2 Timothy 2:22 | |
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| Write a book with our mom? That's not how we envisioned spending the summer of 2003. We must admit, we didn't have picture-perfect, positive attitudes when we started; but then again, how many teens do? With all the stress and pressures of school, friendships, and family, a positive attitude isn't easy to come by - especially when you're between the ages of twelve and twenty. Yet, as we wrote this book, we began to see that it is possible to be a positive teen, even in the midst of life's struggles. Things around you don't have to be 100 percent perfect before you can have a positive attitude! | |
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| In offering this book to you, we're not pretending to have it all together. Let's face it: We're only teenagers. How much can we know? The main ideas and thoughts in this book don't come from us; they come from the greatest source of knowledge and wisdom in the world: God's Word. What we've done is searched the Scriptures for messages that apply to our lives as teens. Along with these truths, we've compiled stories from other teenagers and information from a variety of sources (and, of course, Mom's input) to create an all-around guide for surviving the teenage years in a positive, powerful way. A Reliable Source | |
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| One thing we know for sure: The Bible isn't just for adults or people in the ministry. It has real, everyday applications for teenagers too. Its wisdom has stood for thousands of years and is as pertinent to our lives today as it was to those who lived long ago. In fact, we believe that in today's fast-paced world of "take-your-pick" philosophies and "if-it-feels-good-do-it" morals, God's Word offers the only firm foundation on which to build our lives. | |
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| You will find seven biblical principles highlighted in the pages of this book. They have to do with relationships, responsibility, attitude, courage, confidence, integrity, and spiritual growth - all factors that play a big role in our lives as teenagers. In each of these areas, we have choices of responding positively or negatively. And that's what being a positive teen comes down to: making positive, godly choices in the way we react to the important issues of life. | |
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| Maybe you're wondering, Is it really possible to be a positive teen? Can even a negative sort of teenager become positive? The answer is yes! The choice is yours! You can choose to see God's hope in the challenging situations of life, or you can choose to grumble and complain. You can choose to allow God's power to work mightily in your life, or you can choose to ignore him. You can choose to build relationships, or you can choose to destroy them by your actions and words. | |
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| Every day we are faced with these kinds of choices. What we've discovered is that when it comes to making positive choices, the Bible is our best resource and guide. Second Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do." | |
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| In other words, through the power of God's Word (and the work of his Holy Spirit), we can become positive teenagers who make a powerful impact in our world. After all, Jesus took the simple sack lunch of a young boy and fed five thousand hungry mouths. Just think what he can do with the simple gifts, talents, and abilities we have to offer! If we have positive, willing hearts that are open to the God-possibilities, there's no limit to what God can do in us and through us. We need to expect God to move! Power Boost | |
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| It's our hope that the principles presented in these pages will be an encouragement to you and give you a powerful boost in a positive direction. You can read this book on your own or with a group of friends. At the end of each chapter, we've included a "Power Point" section that gives you additional scriptures to read and discuss, a prayer to pray, a verse to remember, and an activity to do. | |
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| We pray that this book will be the beginning of a whole new perspective on life for you. Writing this book has made a positive impact on our lives; we hope reading it will make a positive impact on yours. | |
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| Through God's power and strength, you, too, can choose to be a positive teen! | |