“I can’t wait to upload my new pictures. I wonder who e-mailed me today? I’ve gotta get that video posted, too!”
Promote me. See me. Need me. Like me. Love me.
“Oh, please erase those pictures; I hate the profile of my face!” “So many people commented that I’m getting fatter; I really need to diet.” “Failed again? Everything I do, I mess up. I’m a failure!”
I’m not good enough. I’m not beautiful enough. I’m not handsome enough. I’m not strong enough. I must be a failure.
Have you ever said any of those lines before? Have you ever felt that way? I know I have, more than a few times.
Everybody’s trying to tell us who we should be —a model on a magazine cover, a singer on MTV, a superstar in a movie. But when we stop thinking that the universe revolves around me, myself, and I, then we start to get a glimpse of the bigger picture. We realize that what makes us attractive is not what we show off but what shows up on the inside!
In his Teen Edition of “It’s Not About Me: Live Like You Mean It,” Max Lucado, master storyteller and author of countless bestsellers, challenges us to “bump our lives off self-center.” Max helps us discover who God truly is... and who we really are. He prods us to switch from me-focus to God-focus and see how life was meant to be lived. As Max puts it:
“Talk about a healthy shift. Life makes sense when we accept our place. The gift of pleasures, the purpose of problems—all for Him. The God-centered life works. And it rescues us from a life that doesn’t.”
Now if you really want to become irresistibly attractive, Andrea Stephen’s “True Beauty: Devotions for Teens” is a must. A former model, Andrea saw the world’s definition of beauty – and realized there’s something more than skin deep. Today, as the beauty editor for Brio (a magazine for teenage girls), writer of 12 books for teens, and an inspirational speaker, she wants to let us gals know:
“I found out (God) created and designed me in a way that delighted Him. To Him, I was beautiful. I learned that I didn’t have to look or act perfect for Him to love me. He accepted me. And He gave me talents and spiritual gifts that He wanted me to develop so I could use them to serve Him. I am blessed by Him. No flashy stuff that was here today and gone tomorrow. God’s plan for me is eternally significant.”
Through devotional-style reading, we are introduced to the “make-up kit” for a beautiful heart—the beautiful qualities of the Holy Spirit. Do we really possess true joy that makes us “dazzlingly delightful,” or true peace that makes us “captivatingly calm?” Jam-packed with “Beauty Builder” questions, “Gorgeous Girl” profiles, female Bible character’s stories brought to life, and more, “True Beauty” opens our eyes to beauty that lasts forever, from the inside out!
Two must-haves. Two journal-style books that give readers a chance to think, express, and dig deeper. Two award-winning authors. One important message for all teens: if you thought being the next big celebrity or turning into a campus heartthrob is all there is to life, think again. God’s got a bigger and better plan for you than you could ever imagine!
Grab your own copies and be the teen God wants you to be – not what the world tells you.
Now available at Philippine Christian Bookstores and National Bookstores nationwide.