Dream & Soar Tween Magazine: Faith & Fun for Christian Tweens and Teens

The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you.” Jeremiah 31:3

God’s everlasting Love has drawn us into everlasting life through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So many of us miss out on the greater gift of discovering Him because we settle for the surface level of receiving from & knowing about Him…

When we delve deeper into God we find there is always so much more to be found in Him, all joy and peace and everything that is good. He bridged the gap so we can have eternal intimacy and true freedom with Him now and forevermore.

Let’s never forget the precious gift we have to seek God’s face and experience His supernatural presence, where He longs for us to be for eternity…

In our Youtube pick, two teens Shirley and her friend Abby share a moving message to let you know how much you are loved and how your life has purpose. You can subscribe to their Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/FarAwayDistance.

With realness and encouragement Jenna Lucado Bishop shares her heart with young women around the country, relating to their everyday questions and delving into the truth of God’s word with them. Whether speaking on stage at The Revolve Tour, a faith and fun-filled weekend for teen girls, or co-authoring books with her father, best-selling author and speaker Max Lucado, Jenna’s passion for God is apparent and inspiring, and her energy and the warmth of her personality are inviting. In this interview Jenna shares how she was led to get involved with The Revolve Tour and gives advice for dreaming on in God and serving Him right where we are, even in uncertain times:

Interview by SOAR’s Editor Julene Fleurmond (A special thank you to the Revolve Tour staff for the interview!)

SOAR: I wanted to start off by asking what led you to be involved with The Revolve Tour and having a heart especially for teen girls?

Jenna Lucado Bishop: My heart for teen girls can be traced back to college. I joined a little singing group that would travel to various girl’s events to lead worship. It was at these all-girl weekends that I realized I loved talking to, encouraging, and offering advice to teenage girls. I wasn’t much older than them, but I had just enough wisdom to offer since high school was finally in hindsight:) I knew that one day, I wanted to work with teen girls full-time. I just didn’t know what that would look like. And it DEFINITELY would not look like me speaking from a stage! Seriously. I never wanted to be a speaker.

Well fast-forward four years, and I hear about this new conference called Revolve. Revolve comes from a “mama” tour called Women of Faith. I knew Women of Faith through my dad, and they told me all about this new conference for girls that they were starting. I casually mentioned that I would love to serve at something like that. I was envisioning helping behind stage or on the concourse, selling product or joining the marketing team. I never knew Mary Graham (president of Women of Faith) would sit down with me a year later and ask me if I wanted to try teaching on stage.

SOAR: When and how did you realize that God was calling you to be a speaker and writer, (did your father’s work have a big influence)?

Read More »

“It was what God had taught me growing up that helped me overcome my fear and get back on the board. ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go’ (Joshua 1:9).” – Bethany Hamilton

How would you face extreme and life-changing circumstances in your life? Here’s the journey of a young woman who shows us how to be courageous even when it seems the world is crashing down around us…

The movie Soul Surfer, premiering in theaters April 8th, tells the inspiring true story of Bethany Hamilton who lost her left arm in a shark attack at 13 years old but overcame the tumult and went on to become one of the most amazing surfers in the world:

Bethany has become a source of inspiration to millions through her story of determination, faith and hope. Born into a family of surfers on February 8, 1990, Bethany jumped on the board at a young age. Bethany entered her first surf competition—winning both the short and long board divisions at age eight.

On Halloween morning 2003, Bethany was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark, which bit off her left arm and seemed to end her career as a rising surf star. After losing more than 60% of her blood and undergoing several surgeries, Bethany began her recovery with an unbelievably positive attitude. Miraculously, just one month after the attack, Bethany returned to the water. Two months later, Bethany placed fifth in the Open Women’s division surf competition and just over a year after the attack she won her first National Title. In 2007, Bethany realized her dream and turned pro. Bethany has since participated in numerous Association of Surfing Professionals and World Tour Events with her major highlight being a second place finish in the ASP 2009 World Junior Championships. “It has been an incredible journey for me and now, I’m just so excited to share it!” says Bethany.

“Bethany’s story is so powerful,” says Soul Surfer Director Sean McNamara. “Most people would have given up after what happened to her, but not only did she make an amazing return to surfing, she excelled at it, and has turned her life into an inspiration for people all around the world. She is someone you look at and think, ‘If she can do all the incredible things she’s done, I can set the world on fire, too.'” says Sean.

The movie stars AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany Hamilton, Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt as Bethany’s parents and singer Carrie Underwood, in her feature film debut, as a church youth leader. Visit the Soul Surfer movie site to find out more on how you or your youth group can see this powerful movie! You can also visit Bethany’s Official Website: www.bethanyhamilton.com

Watch the Soul Surfer Trailer Below:

Alyson Stoner is a talented actress, dancer and singer who you’ve seen in music videos, Disney movies like Camp Rock and shows like The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Did you know that she also loves God and loves to inspire young people?

Here’s some great inspiration she shared with young people on her blog that is great for the New Year or anytime:

Here are some snippets from the post:
“It pains my heart to see my generation lying around, using their teen years as an excusable “transition-phase” so they can avoid taking on responsibilities before it’s necessary. This period is intended to be the launching pad for our futures!…”

“…Invest your time and money in something purposeful. Everyone has a gift, along with potential to use it. And it’s unfair to the millions of lives you were created to touch if you don’t follow your calling. Please, friends, I encourage you to look at yourself in the mirror and ask, “Who do I really want to be today? tomorrow? in 10 years? What small steps and giant leaps do I need to take to get there?”

…Dare to dream. We have an imagination for a reason. Write down your wildest dreams and then create an action plan to make it happen. Stay focused on improving your character and skills (instead of nit-packing others’ flaws) so you’ll be prepared to fly when the opportunity arises. You were created to do amazing things, and I’m not going to let you fail. You are strong. You are valued. You are loved, and you are gifted. Do not waste your life…”

For inspiration, research 3 past, positive world-changers. For example, read about Martin Luther King, jr.’s life, or Nelson Mandela’s famous speeches. Or, check out these books:

1) Lose Your Cool — Zach Hunter

2) Do Hard Things — Alex & Brett Harris

That’s some great and powerful advice to take into the New Year! You can read the full blog post on her official website by clicking here.