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{Heart4Teens.com} *My Little Brother*

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Good morning Heart4Teens subscribers!

We just got back from SnoBall Weekend, a winter youth retreat in Northern Wisconsin... Our speaker this past weekend was author Mark Rempel, and God spoke through him in a mighty way. However, I am one tired youth pastor. I had forgotten that sleep was optional when you go on these trips. But I did finally go downhill skiing for the first time in my life. (I had always thought that I would injure myself. Like running face first into a tree or something.) However, when I saw three young, tender, fragile Jr. High girls from our youth group whiz past me on their skis while I was videotaping them, I decided it was time for me to be a real man and put those sticks of death on my feet. So I did... and I am happy to report that I was able to downhill ski without any injuries and that not even once did I scream like a little girl...

May you all strive to keep God first in your life and may you have a wonderful week!

From my family to yours,
Michael


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My Little Brother

By Christine Walsh


It was a stormy Saturday afternoon when my mother took my five-year-old brother, Christopher, and me to a new enormous toy store she had read about in the newspaper.  "So many toys," the advertisement had shouted in full and flashy color, "that we had to get a huge warehouse to fit them all!"  Christopher and I couldn't have been more excited.  We ran across the parking lot, through the cold and biting rain, as fast as our little legs could carry us.  We left our mother outside to battle with the frustrating umbrella, which never worked when she wanted it to.

"Christine!  I'm going to find the Lego section!  There's a new pirate ship I want, and I have four dollars! Maybe I can buy it!" Christopher exclaimed and ran off excitedly.  I only half heard him.  I took a right turn and, to my wide-eyed delight, found myself in the midst of Barbie World.

I was studying a mini mink coat and doing some simple math in my head when suddenly an earthshaking clap of thunder roared from the storm outside.  I jumped at the noise, dropping the accessory to the floor.  The warehouse lights flickered once and died, covering the stuffed animals, matchbox cars and board games in a blanket of black.  Thunder continued to shake the sky and whips of lightning illuminated the store for seconds at a time, casting frightening shadows that played tricks on my mind.

Oh no, I thought, as my stomach twisted and turned inside of me.  Where's Christopher?  I ran up and down the aisles through the darkness, panic filling my small chest and making it difficult to breathe.  I knocked into displays of candy and tripped over toys, all the while frantically calling my brother's name.  I needed to know he was all right, but I could barely see.  Tears of frustration and fear trickled down my face, but I continued to run.  I found Christopher in the Lego aisle.  He was standing alone, perfectly still, clutching tightly to the pirate ship set.  I threw my arms around him and hugged him until he couldn't breathe.  Then, I took his hand in mine and we went to find our mother.

Years later, on a beautiful Tuesday morning, I was leaving my computer class on my way to sociology.  As I drove, the radio filled my ears with horrendous news: A hijacked plane had crashed into the Pentagon and two other planes had crashed into the World Trade Center.  Fires, destruction and chaos echoed across the east coast from Washington to New York City.  My first thought was of Christopher.

My brother had joined the Air Force just a year earlier, and he was stationed in Washington.  I had grown used to seeing him for a few days every five months or getting 2:00 a.m. telephone calls just to let me know he was alive and well.  But as the Towers collapsed and newscasters began to cry, I was overcome with the need to see Christopher, to hug him and make certain he was all right.  I pulled over to the nearest pay phone and frantically dialed my grandmother's number.  Christopher would call her to let the family know what was happening.  The operator asked me to hold; it seemed as if everyone in the nation was on the telephone, trying to get through to loved ones.  I felt the familiar panic steal my breath as I waited for a connection.  Finally, I heard my grandmother's voice.

"He's fine.  He's okay.  They might have to move him out.  He might be called to help somewhere in some way, but he's fine, Christine.  He called and told us he was fine."

I spoke with my grandmother for a few more minutes.  Boston was evacuating its tallest buildings.  Schools were closing.  Some workers were being sent home.  All airplanes were grounded.  The sky was silent and crystal clear.  As I hung up the phone, I began to cry from relief.  It was silly of me to worry about Christopher, I scolded myself.  He was an adult.  He stood 6'2" while I, his big sister, never hit 5'5".  He could fit both of my hands into one of his.  Christopher could take care of himself.  But I realized at that moment that there is still a piece of my heart that will always run to try to protect him, no matter how big he may be or where in the world he is located.  That same piece will always remember the five-year-old boy standing in the dark toy store with the pirate ship clutched to his chest, saying, "I knew if I just waited here, Christine, you would find me."

   
Christine Walsh (c) 2001
from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Love and Friendship


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Thought For The Day:

"As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do." --Andrew Carnegie


Verse for the Day:

"Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." --James 2:18


Teen's Thought For The day:

"You can accomplish more in one hour with God than a lifetime without Him."


Parent's Thought For The Day

"Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry." --Tom Mullen


Coach's Thought For The Day

"Hustle is: doing something that everybody is absolutely certain cannot be done. Earning a position because you learned it first, or stayed with it when everyone else gave up. Getting other players to say yes when they have already said no. The sheer joy of winning. Heaven if you are a hustler, torture if you're not."


Deep Thought For The Day:

"Did you know that the word gullible is not in the dictionary?"


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Author MICHAEL T. POWERS
http://www.heart4teens.com/

Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Teen's Soul on Love and Friendship and 18 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

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ALL-STAR Ministry

--The Youth Church of Faith Community Church in Janesville, WI

If you are in 6-12th grade and live in the southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois area and would like to check us out, we meet every Sunday night from 6:00-8:30 PM at Faith Community Church which is located at 2931 Lucerne Dr. in Janesville, WI. (About 3 blocks south-east of The Skating Place.)

Currently we have students from Fort Atkinson, Milton, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Marshall, Orfordville, Clinton, Beloit Memorial, Beloit Turner, South Beloit, and Hononegah. 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.


THIS WEEK:

All-Stars: 2/8 -- Stump the Youth Leaders Panel Discussion!

Come join us as the youth of All-Star ministry get to ask any questions they may have on their mind about God's Word, life, and even the personal lives of the youth leaders. If you have a question you want answered but don't feel comfortable asking it out loud we will have pen and paper available where you can anonomously submit your questions in writing! Best of all, if we don't know the answer to your question, we will just make something up! (Just kidding... if we don't know the answer, we will be sure to try and find the answer to your question for the following week.) Come join us this Sunday night!

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UPCOMING EVENTS:

February 27-28 -- 30 Hour Famine! (Jr. High)

During these 30 hours teens learn more about what it's like in other parts of the world where children don't have enough to eat. The students will spend their time learning about world issues and at the same time find ways to serve their own community by actually doing service projects that weekend.

Participants ask family, friends, and neighbors to sponsor them with pledges as they go without food for 30 hours to identify with those who are hungry.

To kick off our 30 Hour Famine this year, the nationally known Christian band ApologetiX will be performing Friday, February 27 at 7:30 p.m at Faith Community Church in Janesville, Wisconsin.

Tickets: $10 Adv.  $15 Door
On Sale Monday, January 26 at Lighthouse Books & Gifts, Janesville, WI (608-754-2665), People's Church, Beloit (608-362-7556), Bible Book Center, Rockford, IL (815-654-0020) and Lemstone Christian Books, Rockford, IL (815-332-5505)


GIRLS NIGHT OUT! Sunday Night February 29th

Ladies,
How would you like to come to church and have a sit down dinner served by the good looking, strapping young men and teens from our youth group? (Oh yeah, Michael will be serving you too!) Then, after your wonderful meal, head down to Rockford, IL and attend a concert by three of the most popular Christian groups and artists in the nation! Then pay close attention to the following!

All-Stars Youth Ministry is taking a group of girls to be a part of the national "FREE EXPERIENCE" tour.

ATTENTION YOUNG LADIES OF ALL-STAR YOUTH MINISTRY!

Instead of attending our regular youth group meeting on Sunday night February 29th, you will meet at Faith Community Church at 4:00 pm and have a sit down dinner prepared by the men and boys of our Youth Group. Then you will leave for Rockford at 5:45 pm to attend the "FREE EXPERIENCE" (More info on this below).

You will return home between 10:30 and 11:00 pm.

Tickets for FREE EXPERIENCE are $12.00. (And you thought the tickets would be free!)

All money must be turned in to Tedi Knox by FRIDAY FEB. 13, 2004 -- No exceptions. Make checks out to FCC Youth.


The FREE Experience events are touted as much more than a concert but a unique, youth-focused ministry and musical event for church and youth oriented groups, families, mothers, fathers and anyone who wants to have a load of fun, hear an amazing message and great music from ZOEgirl, Superchic(k) and Joy Williams. Susie Shellenberger, Editor of Brio Magazine, well known as a dynamic speaker, former youth pastor and author will host and emcee the night, helping to center the night on Christ with fun, fellowship, great music and an inspiring message.

The FREE Experience features exceptional sound and lighting production and a multimedia presentation along with plentiful audience participation. To end the night, The FREE Experience will give away free merchandise, Brio Magazine and other surprises, including the opportunity to win free magazine subscriptions. The theme of the night is the The FREE Experience?the awesome FREE Experience that Christ offers.

ZOEgirl has tallied collective sales of over one million records worldwide, bringing a solid, powerful message to teenagers, young college-aged students and even parents, searching for a way to understand their kids. Their most recent single, "You Get Me", from Different Kind Of FREE, reached and retained its place at #1 on AC radio for 6 weeks and ranked in the top 5 for 10 weeks on CHR. ZOEgirl remains the fastest-selling new artist in the 25-year history of Sparrow Records with touring credits including Newsboys, Plus One, Avalon and Carman.

Superchic(k) is a high energy band with more than 40 TV and film musical credits, including Alias, and Legally Blonde. The band's spiritually-centered lyrics offer encouragement to a teen audience that struggles with the pressures from peers and society. Their current record, Regeneration, released this October.

Joy Williams is a 3-time Dove nominated young, emerging voice with two studio records and touring credits with artists including Point Of Grace, Avalon and The Katinas. Her second release, By Surprise (Reunion Records), is a deep, heartfelt offering about surrender and obedience.


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All-Stars has extended its time to 6:00 - 8:30 PM on Sunday nights. 6:00 - 6:30 will be time for the youth to chat and discuss anything they want with the youth leaders or each other. 6:30 - 7:00 PM will be for games or fun activities and then 7:00 - 8:30 PM will be for the lesson and discussion time. Students are still welcome to "hang out" after 8:30 PM if they want, as the leaders are usually at the church until at least 10:00 PM, and some nights even later. (For the past couple of months the students have continually complained that we are running out of time before we get to really discuss the topics in full and asked if we could have longer teaching times... I know, most of you are probably now getting back up off the floor from the shock. have been most encouraged that the teens have been wanting to stay longer to be able to discuss the lessons more fully.)


The Outlet: "Get plugged into Jesus Christ!" (Teen Cell Groups)

Wednesday night community groups for teens. The groups are limited to no more than ten teens and will be originally 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 Extreme Teens. These cell groups will also be doing special activities with each other as the year goes on to build community.

Extreme Teens" (formerly the Core Group) meets from 5:00 - 6:00 PM at the church. 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. (If your teen will also be attending All-Stars that night, they are encouraged to bring a sack lunch or snack to tide them over until 8:30.)

We are very excited at what God is doing with our youth!


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Reading Books, Changing Lives!

For those of you who love to read or love to give out books as gifts...

You can now order a number of different autographed best-selling inspirational books for the same price you would get them in the store, the shipping to you is paid for, and you are helping change the lives of teenagers and those they come in contact with! And best of all, every penny from the book sales are going to youth ministry!

If you love to read inspirational stories, these books are most likely those you will eventually buy anyway. And how cool would it be to be able to buy books like those in the Chicken Soup series for your friends and family with a personalized autographed message by one of the contributing authors! How's that for a unique gift! Not only are you changing lives through supporting a youth ministry, but every book included on our website has the power to make a difference in the lives of those you give the books to. Check out this link to find out more!

http://www.HeartTouchers.com/books