Week 3 Day 2: Choosing Friends that Build Up

You love hanging out with friends. You probably prefer to be with friends than with your parents right now. Your friends are the ones who understand you. Friends are and should be a very important part of your life. But, according to our verse this week, a friend should build you up not bring you down. What do your friends do for you?

You will have friends at school that you talk to in class or occasionally text. And you should be talking to everyone. As Christians you should not be ignoring anyone. But the people you spend the most time hanging out with, texting, etc. should be people who build you up. They should encourage you to be the best you can be and should encourage you to do what is right.

If you spend a lot of time with someone, you are going to pick up their habits. Hanging out with someone whose choices displease God will eventually influence you to do the same. Whether it is a bad attitude, dirty mouth, drinking, or sexual activity, too much time around it will make it more tempting for you.

Now, if you are arguing that you are trying to lead them to Christ, you still have to be very careful. You should invite them to church. You should talk to them at school. Texting is ok if you keep the conversation on the right topics. But hanging out just to hang out all the time will bring you down.

Think about it this way. If you are standing on a chair and your friend is standing on the floor, is it easier for you to pull them up or for them to pull you down? It is easier to go down.

I want you to love and talk to everyone. I want you to treat everyone as a friend. I want you to invite them to every church activity. You can even invite them over to eat with your family and watch a movie. But I just want you to be careful how much time you let them influence you. You will face enough trials and temptations these next years without someone who will try to lead you to more.

Choose your very close friends carefully. Choose to surround yourself with those who build you up. It will make it easier to become like Christ when those around you the most are trying to do the same.

It is my life I will choose…

*To read my verse.
* as I brush out the tangles, to ask God to forgive me for choosing to do things that others do even though it is wrong..
*as I put on my contacts (eye makeup), ask God to show me which friends build me up and which ones tear me down.
*as I brush my teeth, to let my mouth honor Him by choosing not to speak like others at my school.
*as I put on my clothes, to put on the armor of God..

Week 3 Day 1: Choosing Friends

How many friends do you have? How many are close friends? How many of those close friends are Christians? How many those Christians friends are completely and truly living their life for Christ? Do you have a friend that encourages and strengthens your relationship with Christ?

A good friend is hard to find. A friend you can trust is even harder to find. When you are young, a friend who has amazing relationship with Christ and lives their life for Him is even harder to find. But is so important to have that type of friend.

You need to choose to find a friend who loves God and loves you so much they will only encourage you to follow God not the world. A friend who will help you stand up for what is right. A friend that will pray for you and with you. A friend who will speak the truth to you.

Let's stop and think who you know who could be that type of friend. Is it a classmate, youth group member, an adult (that is also a girl), a sibling, a parent? The friend does not have to be your age. She just needs to have an active relationship with Christ and truly has a desire to live for Christ. You want someone you can talk to and for her to be willing to speak the truth to you in a loving way. And of course she needs to be fun, too.

Really spend time praying about who could be this friend. Your teen years are hard. You will face a lot of trials and temptations. God will always be with you but He also wants you to have a friend. So the question is not if you will choose, but who will you choose to be your true buddy?

It is my life, I choose...

to write on my mirror:

Two are better than one, because they have good return for their work; If one falls down his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up."
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

*as I brush out the tangles, to ask God to forgive me for not always choosing Him.
*as I put on my contacts (eye makeup), to ask God to help me see who can be my true buddy.
*as I brush my teeth, to ask God to help speak love to others today.
*as I get dressed, to clothe myself in the armor of God.

Week 2 Day 5: Choose To Know Who You Are

You were created by God.

You were created in His image.

You are a child of God.

Your Father is the King of Kings, you are His Princess.

You are His masterpiece.

You are the apple of His eye.

You are forgiven.

You are loved by God.

You are chosen by God.

You are all those things. Read them again and again over the weekend until you believe it and know it. Rejoice in the truth of who you are.

Now that you know the truth of who you are, will you choose to be that person? Will you choose to be like Christ? Today, I will choose to be like Christ. I hope you do, too.

It is my life, I choose...

*as I brush out the tangles, to seek forgiveness for choosing to belong to the world.

*as I put on my contacts (eye makeup), to ask God to help me see who I am in Christ.

*as I brush my teeth, to ask God to help me proclaim who I am in Christ.

*as I get dressed, to clothe myself in the armor of God.

Week 2 Day 4: Choose Who Are Today

We have discussed and thought a lot about who we are more like, Christ or the world. I think we would agree that all of us have a goal of being like Christ. You and I wish we were more like Him. I would even say we probably wish we were less like other people in the world. These are things we should want and we should make them our goals. But it has to be more than just a goal to reach. You and I have to choose today, and each day after that, to be like Christ.

My question to you is this; who will you be like today?

If your answer is 'like Christ', then start your day with Him. Use the daily steps as you get ready and play your favorite type of Christian music. (If you live in the DFW area, you can turn the TV to 58.3)

I think a saying we should know and put in a locker, on a notebook or on our phone is "I know WWJD now WWID (What Will I Do)." You can put a scripture or scripture reference underneath it. It will help us not just remember what Jesus would do but help us remember we have to choose what we will do at that moment.

And we have to remember that we will mess up. We might lose our temper, speak words we regret, watch or listen to something we shouldn't or show disrespect. When we choose actions unlike Christ, then we just need to stop, admit it and seek forgiveness. Jesus died for you so when you make a mistake you can be forgiven. Do not beat yourself up over it. Accept the forgiveness and move on to a better choice.

So, today choose to be like Christ and take the steps necessary to reach that goal. And tomorrow choose the same. Let's take it day by day and each day choose to be like Christ.

For my life, I choose

*to read the verse on my mirror and say it aloud.
*as I brush out the tangles, to ask God to forgive me for not spending time with him so I can be more like Christ.
*as I put on my contacts (eye makeup), to ask God to help me see where I am more like the world then like Christ so I know where I need to change.
*as I brush my teeth, ask God to use my mouth to speak loving, respectful words to others.
*as I put on my clothes, to put on the armor of God so I am prepared the battles I may face.
*to "I know WWJD now WWID" on my phone or notebook.

Week 2 Day 3: Choose who You Are By How You Speak

I am very upset and really have a broken heart after what I have seen and heard the past couple of days. As I subbed in the classroom, I heard one kid after another insult each other. I witnessed students join in together and insult one student. I am still in shock after hearing the way students talk to teachers and principals. A couple of students were even mean to me. It was sad and very discouraging.

Now, I am going to plead with you. Please, please, please, choose not to insult another student no matter how different they may be. Please, please, please, choose to be respectful to your teachers even if they are not the best or nicest teacher. As God's children, Christians, we cannot follow the world. You and I cannot laugh and attack other people with our words. We cannot choose to look cool by joining the crowd and putting down others.

But we cannot just choose to not insult. We have to choose to encourage. Yesterday, I watched tears fill the eyes of a girl because of the way another student talked to her. I watched for three days as boys laughed at another student. Now he seeks their approval so bad, he ended up in detention. You may have no problem not being the one choosing to speak the ugly words, but what can you choose to do in these situations?

Will you choose to be like Christ? Will you be like Christ stopping the others from throwing stones at the person? Will you be like Christ and be the one to offer encouragement?

Think about the movie Princess Diaries. When everyone starting picking on her about her new hair, her friend stepped in and asked the teacher if they could start learning. Maybe you could choose to get the focus back on learning or bring up another topic to change the conversation. Choose a topic about a song, TV show, or ask about your current assignment.

Maybe you are too shy to speak up or would get in trouble for speaking in class. I understand that completely. You can choose to offer encouragement silently. Maybe it is an encouraging note in their locker (signing it is optional). Or you can choose just a nice pat on the back and whisper an encouraging word. Sometimes just choosing to look at them and smile when you pass them in the hall. Choosing to find one thing to compliment whether it is shoes, backpack, just anything.
Please choose to be the one to encourage. This may sound drastic, but it could save a life.

So today will you choose not to insult? Will you please choose to encourage? Please stop and heal the hurt.

"And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and everyone else." 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15

It is my life I choose...
*as I brush out the tangles, to ask God to forgive me for hurting others with my words and laughter.
*as I put on my contacts (eye makeup), to ask God to open my eyes to classmates that are hurting and need encouragement.
*as I brush my teeth, to ask God to keep my mouth from speaking hurtful words and to put encouraging words on my lips.
*as I get dressed, to put on the armor of God so I am ready for the battles.

Week 2 Day 2: Choose Who Are Part 2

Yesterday we began discussing who you are more like, Christ or the world. If we are honest, I bet we could say most of us have more worldly qualities than Christ-like qualities. We know what it means to be Christ-like, but we just struggle with choosing some of it. So, is it possible to be Christ-like?

First of all, please understand you and I are not perfect. We will, just like Paul says in Romans, struggle with doing what is right. We desire to do right but still make bad choices. But just because we make the occasional bad choice does not mean we stop striving to be like Christ.

Second, we have to find where some of our worldly desires fit. For example, choosing to be like Christ does not mean you have to dress like a nun. You can dress in style, but just be appropriate and not let it consume you. It also does not mean you have to stop listening to other music or stop watching TV. It is deciding not to watch shows or listen to music that encourage ungodly behavior like sexual immorality. (I know that cuts out a lot of TV, but there are still other shows.) And here is the big one, you can love the latest book series, but it cannot consume you. If you have read and watched the Twilight series numerous times, but roll your eyes at reading a chapter in the Bible everyday...your priorities need to be refocused.

Third, we have to choose to make God a part of our everyday lives. Only hearing about Him on Sunday and Wednesday is not enough. Becoming like Christ will be difficult if we do not spend time with Him. Think about it...you become like the people you are with the most. You start liking what they like. You start acting like they act. So if we want to be like Christ, we have to choose to be with Him.

These are just steps to start thinking about. You will never be perfect, but you must still choose to be like Christ. You can like things in the world, but you must choose not to make it a priority in your life or choose to be a part of things that are ungodly. If you want to be like Christ, you must choose to hang out with Him everyday.

It is my life, I choose...
*as I brush out my tangles to ask God to forgive me for putting so much before Him.

*as I put in my contacts (eye makeup) for God to show me what of this world I need to take a break from for now and read my verse on the mirror.

*as I brush my teeth for God to make my words be more like His.

*as I get dressed to put on the armor of God.

Week 2 Day 1: Choose Who You Are

The big thing on facebook right now is who is your celebrity look a like. Everyone is posting pics or asking for everyone to tell them who they resemble. It is a lot of fun. But now I have a question for you. What would be your profile pic if I asked you who you are more like, Christ or the World? If you asked your friends, parents or teachers, what would they say? What would be your profile pic?

Now I am not asking you this question to make you feel bad. I want you to think what your life reflects the most. Do you reach out to those who have no friends or ignore them? Do you forgive others or hold grudges? Do you show respect? Do you spread hope and joy or anger? Are you selfish or selfless? Are content with what you have or jealous over what others have? Do you choose God everyday or are you too busy?

We are human. All of us will make bad choices. But at what point do you make choices to reflect Christ instead of the world on a more consistent basis.

First of all, you have to choose to want to be like Christ. You all know WWJD, but you have to choose to do what Jesus would do. You cannot stop at the knowing. It is a desire you need to have and I hope you want to have. Do you want to be like Christ? Do you want your look a like to be Christ?

And if you do not want to be like Christ then why? Is it the appeal of the world? Does the world seem to have more fun? Do they seem to have it all? Or do you think being like Christ is too hard and you do not want to fail? Or maybe you do not want to be like Christ because too many Christians have been so unpleasant.

I want you to think about it. We will continue our discussion tomorrow. I would love for you to share why you lack desire or why you think it is too hard to be like Christ. My prayer for you is that you desire to be like Christ and experience the full joy that is in Christ.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. " Romans 12:2

It is my life, I choose
to write on my bathroom mirror Romans 12:2 (see above)
as I brush out the tangles, I will ask God to forgive me for choosing the world over Him.
as I put on my contacts (eye makeup), I will ask God to show me where I am more like the world than Him.
as I brush teeth, I will ask God for mouth to speak His words, not ugly words of the world.
as I get dressed, I will put on the armor of God so I may be ready for the battles.