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


_________________________________


GIVING MY TIME

It seems as though people are busier today than ever--especially middle school students. When we were in middle school, there really wasn't much else happening. We'd come home from school and sit around, hoping to find something fun to pass the time. But life for you gets really busy really easily. You play sports all year round, you're in a couple of after-school clubs, you have tons of homework, and you probably go to church once or twice a week. When you do find yourself with a little free time, you probably spend it hanging out online, playing video games, or reading really cool books about middle school life! None of that stuff is bad. Heck, both of us enjoy going online, playing video games, and reading books, too!

But when you look around, it's pretty easy to see that lots of people are using some of their free time to do stuff that helps others and makes the world a little bit better. When a disaster like a hurricane or tsunami happens, people from all over the world chip in to help out. In the inner city, caring volunteers tutor and mentor children. Volunteers who enjoy sports and spending time with kids coach the sports teams you play on.

You're probably good at lots of stuff. In fact, take two minutes and make a mental list of everything you're good at. It'll probably take more time than that, but two minutes should give you a good start. God gave you those gifts and abilities for a reason: So you can use them! Not so you can use them just for your own fun and excitement, but so you can make a difference!

Are you good at sports? Then maybe you can help coach a team of younger kids.

Are you good at math? How about asking your math teacher if he knows of anybody who needs extra help?

Do you like little children? The children's department at your church is probably looking for extra help!

Life keeps us really busy. But most of our time is taken up being busy doing stuff that only helps ourselves. What if you slowed down just enough to spend some of your time doing something that makes a difference in someone else's life?

GIVING MY TALENTS

If you're reading this book in order, you'll probably notice that this chapter is a lot like the last one. In fact, this chapter is almost like part 2 of the last chapter. So you may want to read the chapter on giving your time before you read this one.

Jesus told a story about a landowner who was going away on a long trip. Before he left, he pulled aside three of his servants and gave them each some money to take care of while he was gone. He was gone for a really long time, and when he finally came home, he called his servants to see what they had done with his money (in the Bible, this money was called "talent"). Two of the three servants had used the money in creative ways to make even more money for the landowner. He was super excited and thankful. The third servant didn't do so well, though. He played it safe and did nothing with the money. Instead of using it to make more money for the master, he just dug a hole in the ground and hid it. In his way of thinking, it was better to play it safe than to take a chance and risk losing the landowner's money.

That doesn't sound terrible, does it? Well, it must have been, because the master was totally ticked off! He called the servant evil and lazy because he didn't try to use the money he had been given. The story doesn't say this, but it seems as though the landowner just wanted the three servants to do something...anything...with the money he left them. It would have been better for the third servant to take a risk and lose the money than to just bury it and not use it at all.

God has given you lots of gifts. You are good at lots of stuff. If you're a Christian, you are God's servant, and God gave you these talents to make a difference in our world. He doesn't care if you try and fail. He understands that using your talents for him feels a little risky. He's okay with all that. In fact, part of growing in your Christian faith is practicing using the gifts, talents, and abilities God has given you. When you start using your talents, you'll find out pretty quickly that things won't always work out exactly the way you think they should. The truth is you'll probably make lots of mistakes. But that's okay, because the biggest mistake is playing it safe, taking no risks, and doing nothing with what God has given you.

**

Taken from "My Faith!" by Kurt Johnston and Mark Oestreicher, copyright 2006, Zondervan/Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

Order the book here:

http://www.YouthSpecialties.com/linker/index.php?id=6544

______________________________________

 

Creation Q & A

Q: What are "biblical glasses"?

A: Christians need to understand that because the Bible is the revealed Word of God, and a true record of history--we need to look at the world through the Bible. In other words, we should always put on our biblical glasses in order to understand the world.

For example, if you took your children to the Grand Canyon and they asked you how the layers of rock and the canyon formed, what would you say? If you put on your biblical glasses, you could answer this way:

Well, children, those layers contain fossils. The Bible teaches that there was no death before sin; therefore, these layers couldn't have been laid down millions of years ago--before Adam sinned. But the Bible tells us about a global Flood--this would have created layers burying lots of dead things. And the catastrophic runoff would have carved the canyon.

Here is another example regarding dinosaurs. When we put on our biblical glasses, we can say much about dinosaurs: they were created on the sixth day, so they coexisted with man; they ate plants before sin; they were on a huge boat that landed in the Middle East; and so on.

By building our thinking on the Bible--beginning with Genesis--we can put on biblical glasses so that we're always ready to give answers to a world that needs them.

For more information, see What's Your Worldview at:  http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v1/n1/whats-your-worldview

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

Any plant growing in the wrong place is a "weed." --Farmers Almanac


Verse for the Day

"But in fact God has arranged the parts of the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be." --1 Corinthians 12:18


Teen's Thought For The Day

"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness"


Parent's Thought For The Day

"The reason home schooling works is the teacher can administer whatever discipline is necessary."


Coach's Thought For The Day

"Ain't no chance if you don't take it." - Guy Clark


Deep Thought For The Day

"My Uncle Sammy was an angry man. He had printed on his tombstone, 'What are you looking at?'"

 

__________________________________________

 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.

Starting a new 10-week series called: "No Stinkin' Way!"

This Week:


November 25: Jesus and the Zombie (NSW Part 6)


Upcoming Topics: 

December 2: Battle of the Sexes! Fun Night!
December 9: The Great Sand Doodler! (NSW Part 7)
December 16: All Up In My Kool-Aid! (NSW Part 8)
December 23: Wee Little Man (NSW Part 9)
December 30: Christmas Party!

January 6: In Love with the Darkness (NSW Part 10)


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 November 21: Ya Gotta Show (How Can I Show That I am a Christian?)

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