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{Heart4Teens.com} *Following My Heart* ______________________________________ 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 Heart4Teen.com readers around the world by sending a blank e-mail to: Heart4Teens-subscribe@myinjesus.com Visit our inspirational web site and read all the past articles in our archives, and view the tons of resources we have there for teens! http://www.Heart4Teens.com/Teen_Stories ____________________________________________ Be sure to check out our other inspirational email list and web site! http://www.HeartTouchers.com To subscribe send a blank email to: HeartTouchers-subscribe@myinjesus.com _________________________________________ Before we get to today's story I just wanted to let everyone know that the Clinton Lady Cougars basketball team made it to the State Tournament with two hard fought victories over the weekend. Ladies, we love ya and then some and are so proud of you... For those of you who live in Wisconsin be looking for them on TV at 10:30 am this Thursday morning on Channel 3 (CBS). From my family to yours, Michael _________________________________________ Following My Heart By Becky Holloway Way back when I was in high school, I had definite ideas about what I wanted to be when I grew up. I knew without a doubt that I wanted to be a wife and mother. I was very happy with my decision; and at 16-years-old, I had even met the love of my life and knew that he was the one I wanted to spend my life with and have children with. I felt very good about all this until my senior year in high school. It was then that it became evident that I was going to rank at the top of my graduating class. That should have been something else for me to feel good about, but it seemed to bring me undue pressure. It seemed that every adult I came into contact with wanted to know what my future plans were. I shared confidently that I wanted to be a wife and mother with those who asked and that's when the pressure began. No one seemed to think that my goals were lofty enough. They all urged me to aim high. I couldn't think of a higher calling, but they didn't seem to understand. No one did except for one teacher, my English teacher. She encouraged me by telling me that she trusted my judgment and knew that in the end all would work out for me even if I followed my heart and chose to simply be a wife and mother. I was so grateful for her understanding and encouraging words. Well, life was good as I pursued my goals. I did attend college for 1½ years while waiting for my love, who was serving in the Navy to get back to the States. I knew that I was really just buying time until our marriage, but I had scholarships that took care of the expense, so it seemed like a good thing to do. Finally, we were married, and I was extremely happy with my choice to be a wife. Two years later, we started our family; and again, I knew that I'd made the right choice. Being a mother was so wonderful. We went on to have two more children, and I was blessed by being able to be a stay-at-home mom. It was all I'd ever dreamed of. When the day came that all our little darlings were in school, I began to pray about what to do with the time I found I had on my hands. Through a series of events that could be an entire story of their own, God let me know without a doubt that my next goal should be to become a teacher. I was so excited! I mean, how many people get the chance to grow up and be exactly what they want and then do it again with a new dream? I made preparations and was all set to begin classes in June of 1991. On May 16, 1991, however, things changed. My husband was in an accident that resulted in his having to have his arm amputated. He was left unable to work, and we were left with lots of questions. While it was evident then that we would actually need for me to go to work, we weren't sure exactly how we'd be able to put me through college with neither of us working. Fortunately, when life was good, it was very good. We'd been able to purchase our home while Jimmy was working and the day after his accident I made the last payment on the only bank note we had, so we were debt free. I had postponed starting school in June, but by August we were feeling led by the Lord to go ahead with my plan to go back to college for my degree in education. There were many times that we weren't sure we could "make it". As a matter of fact, it never did make sense on paper that we were able to do what we were doing, but we never went without anything we needed. God always came through just when we needed help. One Christmas we weren't sure about the next semester, so we asked my father if he and mom would buy my books for that term instead of other Christmas gifts. He immediately wrote me a check that covered not just my books but the next semester's tuition as well. Not long after that I was awarded a nontraditional student scholarship and another smaller scholarship that I'd applied for. I wanted to send thank you notes to the companies that funded the scholarships, so I went to the financial aid office to inquire as to whom I could address notes to. What I found out that day assured me that God was in control and that I had been right all along in following my heart. You see, the big scholarship that I was awarded had been funded by the very same teacher who 20 years earlier had encouraged me to do what I knew was right in my heart. Even after all those years, there she was enabling me to fulfill not only one dream in my life, but a second one as well. Thank you, Mrs. D You know you're the best. Becky Holloway jdh@ipa.net Send Becky an email and let her know your thoughts on her story! **************************** Michael, I have to add this note for you, kind of "the rest of the story" My first teaching job was back at the very high school I'd graduated from. Due to recent renovations, my first classroom was in the very spot where I'd stood in the auditorium 20 years earlier to make my valedictorian speech. I had thanked my teachers for all the lessons they'd taught me and said a special thank you to those who had truly believed in me. As I taught that first year, I daily gave thanks for Mrs. D and the encouragement she gave me by believing in me. _________________________ A little bit about Becky: I live in a small town in south Arkansas, where I teach middle school. I am married to the love of my life, and we'll soon celebrate our 26th anniversary. Our two sons are in college, and our only daughter is a senior in high school. They bring us immense joy and keep us very busy following them to ball games and other activities. We are also active members of First Baptist Church of Smackover. __________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "No matter what a man's past may have been, his future is spotless." --John R. Rice Verse for the Day: "...forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before."--Phillipians 3:13 Teen's Thought for the day: Whatever you dislike in another person take care to correct in yourself." Parent's Thought For The Day "Some parents bring up their children solely on thunder and lightning. But thunder and lightning never yet made anything grow." Coach's Thought For The Day "You are only as good as your last game." Deep Thought For The Day: "I am in shape. Round is a shape." _________________________________________ Let's Go Surfing Dude! A free youth and family Bible study, based on each week of the latest "Survivor Amazon" reality series. http://home.attbi.com/~survivortheology __________________________________________ 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 6:30-8:00 PM at Faith Community Church which is located at 2931 Lucerene Dr. in Janesville, WI. (About 4-5 blocks south-east of The Skating Place.) Currently we have students from Fort Atkinson, Milton, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, 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 Sunday March 16: We start our Dating Series! Come join us as we begin a great discussion on Dating! _______________________________________________ Change Is Here! All-Stars will be extending 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. We 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! 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. "The Extreme Teens" (formerly the Core Group) will be starting Sunday March 16 from 5:00 - 6:00 PM at the church. This group will be 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 will be doing with our youth! ______________________________________ Author MICHAEL T. POWERS www.Heart4Teens.com "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 ___________________________________________ Would you like to see your story in Heart4Teens.com? Writer's guidelines can be found on our Web site here: http://www.Heart4Teens.com/guidelines/ ___________________________________________ "I need a daily source of inspiration and encouragement in my life!" SUBSCRIBE: To become a Heart4Teens.com Member send a blank e-mail to: Heart4Teens-subscribe@myinjesus.com Then get ready to laugh, cry, and be deeply touched by some of the best stories on the Internet! __________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: Send a blank e-mail to: Heart4Teens-unsubscribe@myinjesus.com __________________________________________ Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you? http://www.greatcom.org/english/four.htm __________________________________________ Reading Books, Changing Lives! For those of you who would like to purchase the books from the HeartTouchers.com bookstore via your credit card, you can now do so! 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 to help pay for a life-changing winter retreat and a missions trip to Guatemala this summer! To purchase via credit card or for detailed descriptions of each book visit: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/books |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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