"THINK 4:8" ~ A Giveaway from C4C & Co-Author, Lyn Smith!

THINK 4:8

"40 Days to a 
Joy-Filled Life for Teens"

by Tommy Newberry 

and Lyn Smith

(A Book Highlight PLUS a Giveaway!*)




"Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right.  Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about."  Philippians 4:8 TLB 

Lyn Smith is a good friend to Church 4 Chicks and has blessed us in the past with her writing and speaking.  She has recently teamed up with best-selling author Tommy Newberry in this great book for teens, called "THINK 4:8" based on The 4:8 Principle!

Check out just a few of the great things you or a teen you know will benefit by reading this incredible newly released book.

• Placing a high value on what people look like and being distracted by it is not God's best for you.  It limits the kind of relationships you will have.  Not only that, but focusing too much on people's bodies and having inappropriate sexual thoughts about them is harmful to your spiritual and emotional health.  Until you are married, nobody else's body is your business.  You were created with natural sexual thoughts and desires, which are wonderful because they lead to marriage, but before that time, sexual thoughts stirred up by looking at and dwelling on the wrong things are to be replaced with God thoughts.  Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:7 that, "God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life."

• One of the best ways for you to receive God's blessings is to honor your parents.  How you treat your parents is so important to God that He made it one of the Ten Commandments!  He did not add any qualifications either, such as saying the commandment only to nice parents, married parents, rich parents, powerful parents, or Christian parents.  All people, everywhere and for all time, are commanded to honor their parents.  Good things come to those who do.  

• You may get so busy keeping up with the things you need to do - homework, helping around the house, practices, church activities - that you forget about God.  You forget that he has a special plan for you!  The things you are doing now as a teenager are good and worthwhile in and of themselves, but they are also preparing you for your great life purpose.  You have a divine mission that will serve others and bring you joy at the same time. 

• Right now, doing what your parents, teachers, coaches, and church leaders ask you to do is your greatest service.  At this point in your life, you are learning a lot and growing up.  That is God’s plan for you now, but don’t forget that he is getting you ready for the special purpose that waits for you.  Nothing will give you greater joy than knowing you are doing what God wants you to do and that you are seeking his path for your life. 

Order your own copy(ies) and get an inside look HERE

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About Lyn Smith: 

Leader and Bible teacher Lyn Smith is the co-author of three books, appears regularly on Christian Discipleship TV, and travels the world with her teaching.  Known as a truth teller, Lyn brings the reality and power of God into daily living.

Connect with Lyn at www.lynsmith.com 

*GIVEAWAY INFO:  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Revealing Wounds by @ShelleyHendrix (A New Post)

 

"He refreshes and restores my life (my self)"

Psalm 23:3a Amplified

"When you are in the midst of your God-ordained destiny, it WILL expose unhealed wounds in others. Be kind. Offer grace. But keep going." 

~Shelley Hendrix

I posted those opening words above on Twitter and Facebook yesterday after thinking about how this reality has played itself out in my own life. Whether we want them to or not, our lives impact other people's lives--and emotions. One of the starkest examples for me happened in 2007.  I was in the very early years of following God's call on my own life and I had just taken a big risk: I had written a book. I think the statistic out there says that 90% of writers who set out to write a book never finish one, so I felt mixed emotions. On the one hand, I felt pride in my accomplishment, and on the other, absolute terror at the idea that I had actually put enough of myself on paper for others to read, judge, and even mock. 

Through a friend, I was able to get this new book into the hands of an editor for a large, well-known publishing house. Getting the book to him took little effort and I appreciated that. I truly never expected to hear anything from him--and if you knew who I was talking about, you'd understand why. This editor works with the best of the best in this industry; so when he called me on the phone a few weeks later, I was stunned!

I will never forget that phone call nor will I forget his affirmations about the book and my writing style. I will also never be able to forget when he said, "Unfortunately, though, we can't touch it. "So and So's" next book is on Esther." 

The lump building in my throat nearly choked me to death, but I knew I had to hold myself together to get through the call. He was so kind, encouraged me to keep writing, and then we hung up. And then, the dam broke. It was such a big break that it took me nearly four days to clean up the mess it left in its wake. 

I cried out to God, "Why?...Why would You lead me to write a book and work so hard on it only to give this same topic to someone who could write a book about teaching your children to burp the alphabet and it would sell? Did she need this as much as I do? Did I misunderstand You when I sensed you telling me to write this book?" I felt like the butt of a joke. 

I cried on the shoulders of my husband and my children. It seriously broke my heart. 

I wish I could tell you I got over all of that within those four days, but I would be lying. 

What I know now, 6 years later, is that God allowed one of His girls (the other author) to walk in His calling on her life and as she did, allowed me to bump into her just enough to pull back some bandages I had placed over some unhealed wounds in my own soul; wounds with a voice, and played on repeat, mine said, "Who do you think you are?"

"Who do you think you are to write a book?"

"Who do you think you are to think anyone wants to hear what you have to say?"

"Who do you think YOU are; of course people want her books...why do you even bother?"

These questions hurt so much because the accusations behind them seemed so solid. Who was I? Who did I think I was?  

These accusing questions pointed to my insecurities and fears and God loved me enough to bring about just the right circumstances to expose places within my heart that I preferred leaving covered up. These were wounds that God had begun to heal in me in the past, but when it got to a certain point, I guess I put a cute band-aid over some and felt like that was healed enough. Sure, I felt better; but I wasn't whole. Not yet. And because the wound had continued to fester underneath my false covering of a cute band-aid, its voice was louder now than it had ever been. 

I'm thankful to say I learned a lot as I allowed the Voice of Truth to speak into my life. In fact, a few years ago, when I began speaking with my publishers at Harvest House, they too, turned down my Esther book because one of their authors was currently writing one (which came out the same day as "Why Can't We Just Get Along?"). I was so encouraged by my own emotional response to this news. I felt a little discouraged, but more than that, I smiled because I was okay. I could trust that God wasn't taking something away from me in order to give it to someone else He liked better. 

I can also tell you that as I've taken step after step in my own calling, I have become aware of how my own moments of success have revealed wounds in other people. This reality can create the temptation to pull back from a God-ordained destiny if we don't understand this dynamic. It might cause us to feel false-guilt for hurting other people when in truth, we aren't wounding anyone--all we are doing is living our life. God may be using this, though, to reveal unhealed wounds in His other kids. It doesn't necessarily mean that we caused them. 

I close with something my friend, Lori Kennedy, fellow Team C4C Writer had to say about this reality:


"I have encountered this in the past. And, at one point, began to question whether or not I was fulfilling my God-given destiny as I was thinking that my walk and talk shouldn't hurt others. Then I remembered that healing does hurt--but only for a short while. Afterwards, the taste of freedom is incredible! Holding all of that poison inside of you is much worse! We must grieve our wounds because grief says that the wound mattered. Yes, YOUR wounds matter- don't ignore them- don't stuff them- allow God to raise them up in you because maybe He's saying it's time to grieve them and throw off those chains that bind you so that you can walk in FREEDOM!"

• How have you seen your own wounds revealed through someone else's journey?

• How have you seen someone else's wounds revealed as you've walked in your own destiny?

• Is something holding you back from pursuing God's clear call upon your life? Could it be that He is inviting you to allow Him to tend to some covered over wounds?

*****

What about you?

C4C Brand New Writing Team REVEALED!! (Part One)

We are so super duper excited to add a new element to this ministry as we seek to help as many women live with purpose (without the pressure that typically accompanies this kind of lifestyle) as possible. With this in mind, Team C4C has added a powerful dynamic to what we can offer you on a regular and on-going basis. It is our hope, our prayer, our desire and our expectation that this is going to become a great resource for your personal growth in grace within the context of you relationship with God, yourself and others.

And, now, without further ado...it's time to meet the Writing Team!!

Shelley (in the center)
 with  her daughters

Meet C4C's Founder, Shelley Hendrix. Shelley is a wife and mom who also gets to host a Christian Talk Show on Atlanta's WATC 57, write books for Harvest House Publishers, and share the message of grace and new identity with folks all over the US and abroad through conferences, media appearances and more.

Shelley's third book. "Why Can't We Just Get Along?" releases globally on March 1, but you can pre~order yours and get a sneak peek here!

Connect with Shelley on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and at www.ShelleyHendrix.com

Deborah Lenderman is currently serving as the Director of Operations for Church 4 Chicks.   Deborah served as a Partner and Executive Vice President of a successful international recycling company for 15 years.  She attends Tapestry Community Church in Roswell, Georgia  and serves as one of the worship leaders in the music ministry.  She is married to Ron, they have three children, one “son-in-love” and soon to be blessed with the first of hopefully many grandchildren!

Connect with Deborah on Facebook

Lucille Zimmerman is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with a private practice in Littleton, CO. An affiliate faculty member at Colorado Christian University, Lucille is also a member of the Columbine High School community and was thrust into a bed of hurting people after the shootings in April of 1999. Before earning her master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, Lucille was part of a team of counselors providing aid at Ground Zero following the events of 9/11. And under the umbrella of Billy Graham’s Prayer Center, she ministered to the uniformed officers in New York City. Lucille lives in Colorado with her husband and two adult children.

Her first book, Renewed: Finding Your Inner Happy in an Overwhelmed World 
is available for preorder here

Find her workshops, resources and more at www.LucilleZimmerman.com and connect with her on Facebook

Subscribe to this blog now and come on back tomorrow and Monday to meet Lori, Cheryl, Melissa and Tracee! And, while you're at it, go ahead and share this with your friends. It's the gift that will keep on giving all year long! Articles will begin posting on January 1 to help you get your New Year started on the right foot.