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{Heart4Teens.com} *If The Dream Is Big Enough, The Facts Don't Count*
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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 or visit: http://www.heart4teens.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
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Be sure to check out our other inspirational email list and web site!
http://www.hearttouchers.com/
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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
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If The Dream Is Big Enough,
The Facts Don't Count
By Cynthia Stewart-Copier
I used to watch her from my kitchen window and laugh. She seemed so small as she muscled her way through the crowd of boys on the playground. The school was across the street from our home and I would often stand at my window, hands buried in dishwater or cookie dough, watching the kids as they played during recess. A sea of children, and yet to me, she stood out from them all.
I remember the first day I saw her playing basketball. I watched in wonder as she ran circles around the other kids. She managed to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into the net. The boys always tried to stop her but no one could.
I began to notice her at other times, on that same blacktop, basketball in hand, playing alone. She would practice dribbling and shooting over and over again, sometimes until dark. One day I asked her why she practiced so much. As she turned her head, her dark ponytail whipped quickly around and she looked directly in my eyes. Without a moment of hesitation she said, "I want to go to college. My Dad wasn't able to go to college and he has talked to me about going for as long as I can remember. The only way I can go is if I get a scholarship. I like basketball. I decided that if I were good enough, I would get a scholarship. I am going to play college basketball. I want to be the best. My Daddy told me if the dream is big enough, the facts don't count." Then she smiled and ran towards the court to recap the routine I had seen over and over again.
Well, I had to give it to her -- she was determined. I watched her through those Junior High years and into High School. Every week, she led her varsity team to victory. It was always a thrill to watch her play.
One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting in the grass, head cradled in her arms. I walked across the street and sat down in the cool grass beside her. Quietly I asked what was wrong. "Oh, nothing", came a soft reply. "I am just too short." The coach told her that at 5'5" she would probably never get to play for a top ranked team--much less offered a scholarship -- so she should stop dreaming about college.
She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat tighten as I sensed her disappointment. I asked her if she had talked to her dad about it yet.
She lifted her head from her hands and told me that her father said those coaches were wrong. They just did not understand the power of a dream. He told her that if she really wanted to play for a good college, if she truly wanted a scholarship, that nothing could stop her except one thing -- her own attitude. He told her again, "If the dream is big enough, the facts don't count."
The next year, as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game, she was seen by a college recruiter who was there looking at the opposing team. She was indeed offered a scholarship, a full ride, to a Division I, NCAA women's basketball team. She accepted. She was going to get the college education that she had dreamed of and worked toward for all those years. And that little girl had more playing time as a Freshman and Sophomore than any other woman did in the history of that university.
Late one night, during her junior year of college her father called. "I'm sick, Honey. I have cancer. No, don't quit school and come home. Everything will be okay. I love you."
He died six weeks later -- her hero, her Dad. She did leave school those last few days to support her mother and care for her father. Late one night, during those final hours before his death, he called for her in the darkness.
As she came to his side, he reached for her hand and struggled to speak. "Rachel, keep dreaming. Don't let your dream die with me. Promise me," he pleaded. "Promise me."
In those last few precious moments together she replied, "I promise Daddy."
Those years to follow were hard on her. She was torn between school and her family, knowing her mother was left alone with a new baby and three other children to raise. The grief she felt over the loss of her father was always there, hidden in that place she kept inside, waiting to raise its head at some unsuspecting moment and drop her again to her knees.
Everything seemed harder. She struggled daily with fear, doubt and frustration. A severe learning disability had forced her to go to school year-round for three years just to keep up with requirements. The testing facility on campus couldn't believe she had made it through even one semester. Every time she wanted to quit, she remembered her father's words, "Rachel, keep dreaming. Don't let your dream die. If the dream is big enough, you can do anything! I believe in you." And of course, she would remember the promise she made to him.
My daughter kept her promise and completed her degree. It took her six years, but she did not give up. She can still be found sometimes as the sun is setting, bouncing a basketball. And often I hear her tell others, "If the dream is big enough, the facts don't count."
© Cynthia Stewart-Copier
Cynthia Stewart is an international speaker, author, and playwright. She has spent the past twenty years developing a writing career and business that spans the globe and encompasses a diversified list of successful achievements. Her resume includes the following:
AUTHOR - 1996-CURRENT
Cynthia Stewart is a fiction and non-fiction writer and playwright. She is the author of several books, which include Dream BIG! A Woman's Book of Network Marketing, and Creating Wealth on the Web. Her short stories have been published in New York Times best-selling books, which include Chicken Soup for the College Soul, Christmas Miracles, Stories For a Grad's Heart, and Heart Touchers. Her books have been translated into 5 languages and read worldwide. Cynthia writes for popular magazines, websites, and various editorials. She has been a guest on numerous radio and television shows including popular morning show, The View, hosted by Barbara Walters.
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, PBS TELEVISION 1998-2002
Corporate Experience America, a PBS Television's nationally broadcast weekly show. Cynthia headed up the funding project and worked directly with the producer and cast to produce this popular PBS show signing corporate sponsors for the 1.3 million dollar annual budget.
PUBLIC SPEAKER 1995-2009
For audiences of up to twenty thousand and corporations across the country, Cynthia has spread her infectious enthusiasm for life, over-coming obstacles, and has inspired people worldwide with her message of hope. She has shared the stage with celebrities and industry greats such as Dale Carnegie, Zig Ziglar, Dexter Yager, and two presidents of the United States.
FOR MORE INFORMATION - PUBLIC SPEAKING AND APPEARANCES
Cynthia lives with her family on the west coast. If you would like to request an appearance, or schedule a reading, please email Cynthia with details: Cynthia@CynthiaStewart.com
Web site: http://www.CynthiaStewart.com
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LET'S GO SURFING DUDE!
University students wearing the same T-shirts for a whole month? Ewwww! Ten students from Cambridge University in England did just that throughout the month of May as a "clothing fast" and a challenge to materialism.
Click on the link below to read more!
http://www.24-7prayer.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=affairs&file=newspop&arearef=$area_ref&id=407
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Thought For The Day:
"Love sees through a telescope, not a microscope."
Verse for the Day:
"Love endures long and is patient and kind...it takes no account of the evil done to it (it pays no attention to a suffered wrong)." --1 Corinthians 13:4,5 (AMP)
Teen's Thought For The Day:
"The wise does at once what the fool does at last."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"If your parents never had children, chances are you won't, either." --Dick Cavett
Coach's Thought For The Day
"When you help someone up a hill, you'll find yourself close to the top, too."
Deep Thought For The Day:
He introduced himself as a criminal lawyer. I thanked him for being so honest.
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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 Lucerene 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: 7/20 -- The Judge
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Summer Challenge continues this Friday June 20th!
The Summer Challenge is for those students who would like to develop good spiritual habits. We will meet every other Friday night from 6:30- 8:30 PM throughout the summer. Those that make it through the challenge will be rewarded with a special all-expense paid two day trip at the end of the summer.
Meetings will take place at the Powers' house from 6:30-8:30 PM on the following dates: 6/20, 6/27, 7/11, 7/25, 8/8, 8/22
Wednesday July 9: Trip to Great America!
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Upcoming Topics:
All-Star Topics
7/20 The Judge
7/27 The Trial
8/03 The Hatred Within
8/10 No All-Stars (All Church Picnic)
8/17 Holy Bible, Wholly True
8/24 My Brother's Keeper
8/31 Water Wars!
9/7 Fresh Start (Also welcoming new 6th graders)
9/14 Creation/Evolution 7:00 - 8:30pm
9/19 Creation/Evolution 7pm - 8:30 pm
9/20 Creation/Evolution TBA
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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. 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. 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.
"The 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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Author MICHAEL T. POWERS
http://www.heart4teens.com/
Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Teen's Soul on Love and Friendship and 15 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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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/
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Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?
http://www.greatcom.org/english/four.htm
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