[reallifenewsletter] FCC - YS Student E-mail Newsletter #170

Yo,
I haven't gotten too many replies yet for choosing the ski site:
Holiday Valley vs. Snowshoe (only 2 so far, one vote a piece).

We are still going for Feb 29. I need votes in by this Sunday or we'll
just pick one without your vote.

All for now.
-Nathanael
P.S. How's the fast going?

YS STUDENT E-MAIL NEWSLETTER #170
January 31, 2005

Contents
1. Something for Your Heart
2. Surf Report
3. Forgettable Fact
4. Potent Quotables
5. Parting Shot


===========our|sponsor===========

REMEMBER WHEN LAURA DUFFY HAD FRIENDS?
In "'Nama Beach High Book 4: Totally Unfair," when old enemies choose to
use their faith against them, Laura Duffy and her circle of friends have
to decide how best to protect themselves in the face of unfounded
accusations. Closed-door meetings, classroom arguments, and
demonstrations on the school lawn drive a wedge between Laura and the
best friends she's ever had.

http://www.YouthSpecialties.com/linker/index.php?id=5103

DON'T KNOW WHO LAURA DUFFY IS?
Check out the 'Nama Beach High Books!

http://www.YouthSpecialties.com/linker/index.php?id=5104

All books also available in your local Christian bookstore.

=================================


1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

Here's a brief reflection on the song "I Believe" by Third Day

"Give me something that I can believe and then I'll Share it with the
world for everyone to see."

Give me something to believe in. I think that is the cry of every heart.
We want heroes to believe in. We want governments we can believe in. We
want friends and family we can believe in. But what does it mean to
believe in something? It means to trust it.

What do you trust? The news is filled with stories of people who have
betrayed the trust others have placed in them. Government officials,
managers of corporations, spouses, parents, children all have failed
this trust. Has anyone ever failed the trust you placed in him?

I have a friend who really cares for me. He has proven that time and
time again, but he has also failed me. There have been times when he has
broken promises or just forgotten that he made them.

I have been left standing somewhere waiting for him or have had to
complete a project on my own or even had to go to someone and break my
promise because I was counting on his help to fulfill it.

But as many times as he has failed me, I am certain I have failed him
just as often. I am sure I have forgotten promises and missed
appointments. I am sure I have disappointed him time and time again.

But we are friends in the Lord. And our ultimate trust is not in each
other, but in the One who died for us. We have each received his
forgiveness and because we are forgiven, we can forgive each other.

The bottom line is this: when you have something to trust in that will
never fail you, you are not destroyed by the failures of others or
yourself.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own
understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your
paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

If you are having trouble forgiving yourself or others today, ask
yourself where your trust lies. If we truly learn to trust in the Lord
with all our hearts, then the failures of others will not destroy us.
Meditate on this verse today. Ask yourself if all your trust is in the
Lord. Get to the heart of what you believe and you will find the
forgiveness that you need.
(Suzy C.)

Daily Reflections from Solid Sounds, copyright 2005 The Good News
Broadcasting Association, Inc. (Solid Sounds). Used by permission. To
receive daily Reflections by e-mail or to read on-line, visit:
http://www.solidsounds.org

2. SURF REPORT

~ Backward Fish
This one's for all the girls out there. What do your clothes say about
you? What would you like them to say about you? Backward Fish offers
stylish clothes designed specifically for Christian girls.
http://www.backwardfish.com

~ Ships of Discovery
Here's a site guaranteed to give you a sinking feeling. It's all about
shipwrecks--where vessels have sunk, what caused them to sink, what
treasures were on board, and more.
http://www.shipsofdiscovery.org

3. FORGETTABLE FACT

Ancient Egyptians kept cheetahs as pets.

4. POTENT QUOTABLES

He does not believe that does not live according to his belief.
- Thomas Fuller

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.
- Unknown

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.
- Aristotle

5. PARTING SHOT

When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

Copyright 2005 Youth Specialties











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[reallifenewsletter] FCC - YS Student E-mail Newsletter #169

Howdy!
Ok, here's the scoop. I haven't heard from all yet, but from the
responses so far, we're going to stick with the Feb 26 date for the ski
trip. As far as location, we have usually gone to Holiday Valley but
there were some requests to try out Snowshoe. The concerns are money
and time.

If we did Snowshoe, it is about a 6-7hr drive so we'd leave fri night
and drive down. Sleep in hotel or cabin, drive sat am to Showshoe, ski
8 hrs, drive back to hotel or cabin, sleep, drive back home on Sunday
AM.
So Showshoe would add lodging costs, food costs, gas costs and
lift/rental costs:
On the cheap we could get the lodging to be around $25-30 per person,
addl food say $15, gas say $10 and lift/rentals about $11 for a total
increase of 30+15+10+11 = $66 increase

Here's the lift/rental rates:
Showshoe
Adult lift - $54
Student lift - $49
Ski rent $28
Board rent $34

Holiday
Lift $44
Ski rent $21
Board rent $27

So what do you think?
Holiday
Or
Snowshoe

-Nathanael

YS STUDENT E-MAIL NEWSLETTER #169
January 24, 2005

Contents
1. Something for Your Heart
2. Surf Report
3. Forgettable Fact
4. Potent Quotables
5. Parting Shot


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exercises, journaling, and memorization. It will give you the tools for
that "good hair day" feeling, regardless of how your hair behaves.

http://www.YouthSpecialties.com/linker/index.php?id=5062

Also available in your local Christian bookstore.

=================================


1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

Her name was Felicia, she was twelve years old, and she died a few
months ago. When her cancer was discovered, she responded with
confidence, hope and optimism. She smiled and radiated faith. She
believed she would beat the disease. And she did. But this was one of
those cases where the chemotherapy and radiation damaged her lungs so
much that she died from the treatments. Yet her funeral, like Felicia's
life, was a tribute to her unique spirit and steadfast trust in God.

This exceptional 12-year-old humbled the adults who witnessed her
strength and devotion to God. Months later, her name still comes up
frequently and almost always elicits a smile. We're all still thinking,
"What an example she was!"

Of course, we struggle with all the WHY questions: Why a vibrant
12-year-old? Why Felicia instead of some old person who's lived a good
life already? Or why her instead of some cruel person determined to defy
God with all his might? Why not allow Felicia to be the example of
healing and answered prayer rather than a good life tragically cut
short?

Most of our questions will remain unanswered. But we can't afford to
overlook the lesson of Felicia and people like her. She proves that if
you're old enough to read this, you're old enough for your faith to make
a difference to others. Few of us will experience death by age 12. Even
fewer are likely to make a lasting impression on the adult community
around us.

What we can learn from the Felicias of the world is that it's not the
length of our lives that's important, but rather what we do during the
lifetime we are given. Death is mysterious and scary, yet Christians are
promised new bodies, eternal life and the sheer joy of finally
experiencing God's presence without fear or distance. In the meantime,
however, it's LIFE we need to contend with.

The rewards of heaven and eternal life are for all Christians. But only
a handful leave behind strong legacies of faith that actually inspire
other people. Felicia was one such person, and you can be one, too.

Your age isn't important; your obedience to God is. Do you read the
Bible enough to know what God challenges you to say and do? Are you
committed to prayer, seeking his will and strength to actually act on
the things you know you SHOULD do? Do you see other people from the
perspective of Jesus, noting loneliness, fear, shame or other defeating
emotions? Do you respond to those people with genuine love and
compassion?

A godly, obedient teenager in today's culture is certainly going to
stand out eventually. But even if others are slow to notice, you can be
certain that God will see and reward you. Felicia inspired people with
her death. But if you are willing, you can inspire others with your
LIFE. As you do, you prove that the deaths of people like Felicia are
certainly not in vain.

On your own ...

Read 1 Timothy 4:6-8.
http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NLT&passa
ge=1Timothy+4%3A6-8

Read 1 Corinthians 15:42-58.
http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NLT&passa
ge=1Corinthians+15%3A42-58

What did Paul want Christians to know about death? What was he able to
say as his own death approached? What would you like your epitaph to
say? What do you need to do NOW to ensure that your life will accomplish
that goal?

2. SURF REPORT

~ Questions + Answers
How does God feel about war? If you're interested in the answer to that
question, check out this site.
http://www.passageway.org/qnalink_r.asp?q=168

~ The Art Room
Here's a site that teaches you not only how to create art, but also how
to think like an artist.
http://www.arts.ufl.edu/art/rt_room

3. FORGETTABLE FACT

A Boeing 747 holds 57,285 gallons of fuel.

4. POTENT QUOTABLES

You don't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when. You can only
decide how you're going to live. Now.
- Joan Baez

Live as you will wish to have lived when you are dying.
- Christian Furchtegott Gellert

You can take no credit for beauty at sixteen. But if you are beautiful
at sixty, it will be your soul's own doing.
- Marie Stopes

5. PARTING SHOT

A lot of money is tainted. It taint yours and it taint mine.


Copyright 2005 Youth Specialties







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[reallifenewsletter] Ski Trip Dates

I've gotten some feedback on dates and there has been one request to
move the date back to March 19 weekend due to scheduling conflicts. I
checked it out and there is typically good snow (in fact some say the
best snow is in mid March) and ski conditions. So, here are the
possible dates:
- Feb 26
- Mar 19

Send back an email with votes for either one (if you care either way).

-Nathanael



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[reallifenewsletter] FCC - YS Student E-mail Newsletter #168

Hello all!

We are going to shoot for Feb 26 as the weekend for the ski trip.
Please let me know if this won't work out for you since we still have
time (for a short time) to make changes to that date.

We've been studying how Jesus ministered and interacted with people as
we look to be disciples who make disciples. We're currently in Matthew.
We've also started Lee Strobel's "The Case for Christ". Lee started out
as an athiest who was an investigative reporter for a Chicago newspaper.
When his wife became a Christian, he couldn't believe it and set out to
disprove Christianity and the claims of Christ and found that the
evidence pointed him to the truth that Jesus is who he said that he is,
namely God. It is a good book if you haven't read it before. It is one
that can be given to someone who doesn't believe in Jesus or who is not
sure etc.

In the good news department: Becky got accepted to Allegheny with a
scholarship offer and Hillary was accepted to the nursing program at
Kent! Way to go! Becky still wants prayer that she'll get a
scholarship(s) big enough to make it affordable. Jennifer has taken the
challenging steps of following God's word to her to pursue a nursing
career. That required a change of school which was hard along with the
uncertainty of where to go exactly - kinda like when God told Abraham to
go to a land He would show him - but he didn't know where that was until
he got there. Pray for her too that God would give her courage and
direction.

All for now...
-Nathanael


YS STUDENT E-MAIL NEWSLETTER #168
January 17, 2005

Contents
1. Something for Your Heart
2. Surf Report
3. Forgettable Fact
4. Potent Quotables
5. Parting Shot


===========our|sponsor===========

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ways to be a good friend by showing Godly love and support to your
friends that are going through tough stuff in their lives.

http://www.YouthSpecialties.com/linker/index.php?id=5035

Also available at your local Christian bookstore.

=================================


1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

Here's a brief reflection on the song "(There's Gotta Be) More to Life"
by Stacie Orrico

"I've got it all but I feel so deprived
I go up, I come down and I'm emptier inside

There's gotta be more to life
Than chasing down every temporary high to satisfy me."

Do you ever feel empty inside? One of the things about being a Christian
is that it requires honesty, even with ourselves. And if we are honest,
we will have to admit that all of us feel empty at times.

I've felt it. It is a hollow feeling, something inside is just not
right. And as I go through the day, I feel sort of, well, blurry. Things
seem slightly out of focus and muddled. All the color seems to drain out
of life leaving a bland feeling. But there is an answer for those empty
days: spend time with the Lord.

"For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things"
(Psalm 107:9).

God has promised to satisfy every longing of our souls. You know,
sometimes we don't even know what is missing from our lives; we just
know something is wrong. At those times, especially at those times, we
need to run to the Lord.

There's always a great temptation to rush to fill those empty places
with the things of this world, perhaps by spending money, eating or,
even worse, resorting to drugs, alcohol or bad relationships. Those
things are only distractions, and the distraction will only last for a
short time. They cannot cure the problem and often leave us feeling even
emptier than when we started.

In the song "(There's Gotta Be) More to Life," Stacie Orrico sings about
trying to fill the emptiness of life with temporary highs. In this song
she searches and cries out for the answer. The answer is found not in
the song but in the pages of the Bible.

Nothing created by man can fill a hole in the human heart that was made
by the Creator. God knows what you need. He has the answers. Often what
we think we need is not what will lead to lasting happiness because we
only see things from the vantage point of earth.

But God, who knows the end from the beginning and the depths of every
person's heart, knows the destiny he created for you and the path to
that destiny.

There is more to this life than temporary highs, amassing wealth or
chasing fantasies. But the only One who can reveal to you the something
more you need is the One who made you.

If you are having an empty day, turn to the unlimited source of love and
life. Turn to the Lord. He satisfies the longing soul. There is more to
this life.
(Suzy C.)

Daily Reflections from Solid Sounds, copyright 2005 The Good News
Broadcasting Association, Inc. (Solid Sounds). Used by permission. To
receive daily Reflections by e-mail or to read on-line, visit:
http://www.solidsounds.org

2. SURF REPORT

~ What a God
If you ever need to be reminded about what an awesome and mighty God we
serve, this site is the place to go.
http://whatagod.com

~ I Hear America Singing
Do you like music? Have you ever wondered where popular music--songs you
can sing along to--got its start? If so, check out this site.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas

3. FORGETTABLE FACT

More of your brain is used to control your thumb than your stomach.

4. POTENT QUOTABLES

If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can
satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another
world.
- C.S. Lewis

The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of its filling a vacuum,
it makes one.
- Benjamin Franklin

Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart.
- Abba Poemen

5. PARTING SHOT

Pessimist's blood type: B-negative.


Copyright 2005 Youth Specialties











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