Skip to main content
#
HeartTouchers.com
Touching Lives Across the Globe -- One E-mail at a Time!
Archives
Hope and Encouragement For Teenagers!
Author Michael T. Powers
Author Kristi Powers
Inspired Audio
Creation News
The Most Touching, Heartfelt Gift You Can Give -- Guaranteed!
Give the Gift of Inspiration to Others... And Yourself!
Christian Nation?
Inspirational books for sale!
Heroes Among Us
Even writers need inspiration!
HeartTouchers.com readers share their hearts on this fateful day
Interviews with some of the best writers on the Internet!
HeartTouchers.com Writer's Guidelines
Ways to Help You Honor your Pastors
State Champions
IwoJima
Life Purpose
Site Map
E-Mail Help

Check out our Creation News Section!
Weekly articles, daily Q & A, and a Creation Comic!

http://www.heart4teens.com/

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

Stop by our web site to view past stories or to browse through the tons of resources we have there for teens!

____________________________________

http://www.hearttouchers.com/filter

Finally there is a great filter to block Internet pornography and other objectionable content! Kristi and I have used this filter for 5 years now and want to recommend the Bsafe Online filter to you. We absolutely love it. To find out more and get your own FREE 10-Day Trial, just visit: http://www.Heart4Teens.com/filter

_____________________________________

http://www.hearttouchers.com/books

Michael's updated book Heart Touchers "Life-Changing Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter," is finally here! ($13.95)

Visit the link below to preview the book. Autographed copies are available at no extra charge and we will pay the shipping for you. An e-book is also available for $3.25.

http://www.Heart4Teens.com/books

Be sure to let us know who you would like it autographed for and then allow about two weeks for us to sign it and send it on its way to you.Credit card, PayPal, Checks, and Money orders accepted! The book is also available through Amazon.com, Borders.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Booklocker.com


_________________________________

It's Official! 

I was finally talked into adding Heart4Teens to Facebook!

Just type in "Heart4Teens" or "Michael T. Powers" in the Facebook search box and request to be our friend!

_________________________________


EVALUATE YOUR MOTIVES


Proverbs 12:15 says, "The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice."

Motives are tricky. They're often deceptive and difficult to uncover. Ten people can do the same thing, but they might do it for ten different reasons. Yet motives are tremendously important. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encouraged his followers to pray, fast, and give-but not so that anyone else would know they were doing those good things (see Matthew 6:1-18). He knew that too often we do things--even good things--for selfish reasons.

Human beings are masters at rationalization. A song from a few years ago tried to rationalize a person's desire for sex with these words: "How can love be wrong when it feels so right?" We often assume something is right just because we want to do it. But that attitude is no different from animal instinct. We just have prettier words to describe it, such as passion and romance and desire.

Some people think they can get away with anything as long as they attach God to it. I've talked to teenagers who tried to tell me, "I know God wanted me to have sex."

So I asked, "How do you know that?"

"I just know," came the reply.

Sometimes reason takes a backseat to raw selfishness. I've talked to young people who've stolen things, and when they were caught, they came up with this brilliant explanation: "I needed it more than he did." That's deep.

All of our decisions seem right to us initially. It's only later that we realize just how stupid or short-sighted they really were. What's more, many of us are masters at twisting words to make our actions sound reasonable. If you're uncertain about your motives for making a certain decision, ask yourself these questions:

* How strongly do I feel about one solution over another?

* Am I so biased toward one decision that I'm not open to other ideas?

* Do I know deep inside that my desire is wrong?

While it's difficult to uncover every bias, it's good to force yourself to think about some of the ways in which you're influenced. If you're not sure how strong your biases are, answer the following questions:

1. Do you typically favor one political party? If so, then in just one sentence, explain why.

2. Are there people in your life whose side you'd take even if they're wrong?

3. List the five worst sins a person can commit.

4. What quality do you admire most in people?

5. Why do you dress in the style you do? With what look do you identify the most?

6. Which is more important to you: finishing a task or interacting with someone?

7. Do you typically prepare in advance or do you wait until the last minute?

8. If you're supposed to meet someone, how late can the person be before you get annoyed with her?

9. What kinds of people make you cringe inside?

10. What do you think about people from other ethnic backgrounds?

11. Which groups do you admire and which do you not respect? Explain your attitude in one sentence.

Once you answer these questions, you'll find that you definitely have opinions on some matters--sometimes strong, emotionally driven opinions. Take a moment to reflect on how that might bias you in a given situation.

**

Taken from "Wisdom On... Making Good Decisions" by Mark Matlock, copyright 2008, Zondervan/Youth Specialties. Used by permission. Release date January 2008.

_________________________________

Creation Q & A

Q: Shouldn't one always start reading at the beginning of a book?

A: When we buy a book or watch a video, we always start at the beginning. If not, we won't know what the book or movie is all about. If we don't understand the plot, the rest won't make sense.

This is obvious. But there's one book that most Christians don't start at the beginning--they start in the middle or towards the end. It's the Bible!

So many Christians think that the Old Testament is not important today, and that the Book of Genesis could just be myth or allegory. It's about time Christians started to wake up and realize that all of the New Testament is built on the Old Testament, and all of the Old and New Testaments are built on the first eleven chapters of Genesis.

One of the major reasons many Christians don't know how to defend their Christian doctrine is because they don't understand or believe Genesis--the beginning.

Christians need to start being consistent, and read God's Word, beginning with Genesis. If not, they'll never really understand many of the wonderful truths in the rest of God's Word.

Source: AnswersInGenesis.org


http://www.hearttouchers.com/Creation_News

Creation News

Click on the Bible above or visit the web site listed below!
http://www.HeartTouchers.com/Creation_News

This new addition to our web site will give you an article on the leading news in the Creation/Evolution controversy each day.

This section also includes a rotating Question and Answer feature and a weekly Creation Comic strip from the people at AnswersInGenesis.org.

Be sure to come back and visit each day for an informative article that will help you keep up to date on the latest news in this controversial area!


___________________________________________


 
Thought For The Day

"Blessed is the man who having nothing to say,
abstains from giving in words evidence of
the fact." -- George Eliot


Verse for the Day

"The tongue is a small part of the body, but it
makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest
is set on fire by a small spark." -- James 3:5


Teen's Thought For The Day

"If you can't find a way through the crowd, make one."


Parent's Thought For The Day

"The best way to keep children at home is to
make the home atmosphere pleasant -- and
let the air out of their tires." -- Dorothy Parker


Coach's Thought For The Day

"Be more concerned with your character than
with your reputation. Your character is what you
really are, while your reputation is merely what
others think you are." -- John Wooden


Deep Thought For The Day

"What do you do when you see an endangered animal
eating an endangered plant?"

 

__________________________________________

 
http://www.hearttouchers.com/

Author MICHAEL T. POWERS
Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Christian Teenage Soul and 26 other inspirational books.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
 
Over 120,000 people have listened to popular Chicken Soup Author Michael T. Powers' free inspirational message entitled: "Breathing Life into Others". If you aren't one of them just visit: http://www.Heart4Teens.com and click on the link to listen to the free streaming audio message!

__________________________________________


http://www.faithcommunitychurch.net/Youth

ALL-STAR Youth Ministry

--The Youth Church of Faith Community Church in Janesville, WI
 
If you are in 7-12th grade and live in the southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois area and would like to check us out, we meet every Sunday night from 6:30-8:00 PM at Faith Community Church which is located at 2931 Lucerne Dr. in Janesville, WI. (About 3 blocks south-east of Menard's.)
 
Currently we have students from Edgerton, Fort Atkinson, Milton, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Marshall, Franklin, Clinton, Beloit Memorial, and Beloit Turner. E-mail me back if you have any questions about our weekly meetings or would like to come to any of our events that are listed below... We have way too much fun and then, most importantly, talk about issues that are relevant to you as a teenager.

Currently in an 11-week series called: "No Stinkin' Way!"

This Week:

December 9: The Great Sand Doodler! (NSW Part 7)

Upcoming Topics: 

December 16: All Up In My Kool-Aid! (NSW Part 8)
December 23: Wee Little Man (NSW Part 9)
December 30: Christmas Party!


Visit our youth website to see our topics for 2008!

http://www.faithcommunitychurch.net/upcoming_topics


____________________________
______________


http://www.faithcommunitychurch.net/Small_Groups

Teen Community Groups

6:30 - 8:00 PM Wednesday nights -- These groups are limited to no more than ten teens and are split into Jr. High and High School ages. This night is for those teens who want to dig deeper than what we do in All-Stars, but may not be ready to be a part of the Xtreme Teens. These cell groups will also be doing special activities with each other as the year goes on to build community.

Jr. High age meets at the church and are led by Kent & Rachel Martin (Call 373-0886 if you have any questions!)

High School age are led by Tedi Knox: 1110 Nantucket Dr. (Call 774-2592 if you have any questions!)

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

This Week December 5: This I Know

For more info on our small groups, visit: http://www.faithcommunitychurch.net/small_groups

___________________________________


Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?

Transfer your photographs or old home videos over to DVD or MP4 files! Give the gift that will touch your family's heart and soul.

You can join the 15,000 followers on his Facebook Nature Photography by clicking on the link above!

Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time!
Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
Site Powered By
    BizStudio Site Manager
    Online web site design