Standing Strong

So I have been reading this amazing book called Ten Time Bombs by Ron Hucthcraft.  I admit that when I pick up a non-fiction book, I usually start it and not finish it.  I get more hooked on books by Dandi Daley Mackall (who happens to be my ultimate favorite woman fiction author) and Jerry B. Jenkins (my favorite guy author).  But Ron Hutchcraft has gotten me hooked on his book, and I have been spending more time reading that than any of my exciting, suspenseful mystery books.   This book is for both teens and parents of teens, and it teaches on how to "defuse the most explosive pressures teenagers face" in a Christian's perspective.  He brings up topics like friends, family relationships, sex, things that make you angry, things that make you depressed, things that make you hurt, and the lonely times.   I have to say that I am really impressed in this author's writing talent, and it seems as if he's actually talking to you. I just finished reading a ch...

It's hard to stand strong in your faith when other people persecute you for firmly believing in something. My parents, my four younger siblings, and I have experienced this quite a bit with homeschooling.  There has been numerous people who have put us down for homeschooling, whether they realize they're doing it or not. Sometimes the smallest things people say end up being something that the person they're saying it to will remember forever, and could hurt them deeply. In a situation my brother, sister, and I were in, someone said to us in front of other people, "You guys probably only do like 2 hours of schoolwork." That made me frustrated, because it was not the truth. I spoke up, almost without really thinking about what I was doing. I told them that we don't just do a small amount of schoolwork, that we go well into the afternoon.  Even though that person said they were only joking and that they were sorry, I most likely won't forget what they...

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:1, "But know this, that in the last days, there will be perilous times." We are in the last days, and these are perilous times.  All you have to do is look at the world around you and you will know that we are in perilous times.  For example, two devastating earthquakes in Haiti and in Japan.  Evil leaders in Libya and Egypt. Quarreling among various countries. You can also tell it by looking at people. In 2 Timothy 3:2-5, the apostle Paul warns us, "Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying its power." The Bible also says that there will be wars and rumors of wars, famine, earthquakes, and floods. If you don't notice that all this stuff it going ...

There's one thing that we won't be able to run from no matter how many times we try to, and that's temptation. Temptation is always coming at us every which way. There's temptation when you go to school or work, when you're alone, and when you're hanging out with friends. There's temptation to watch ungodly movies, read ungodly books, and listen to ungodly music.There's temptation to take things into our bodies that we shouldn't be. You might not even realize you're being tempted at the moment, because the temptation is something a lot of your friends are doing, and it's normal to them. For instance, eating something sweet right before you go to bed. Or drinking pop when your parents told you not to. Or taking that extra piece of candy when no one was looking. But don't worry; you're not alone! We're all being tempted to do things. We're all human. Even Jesus was tempted when He was fasting for forty days. So, what do ...