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

Features of Dream and Soar

“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:

Video Pick & Inspiration: Headphones from Britt Nicole

Britt Nicole sings about the ups and downs of life, and reminds us that God’s love is always in reach in this colorful, inspiring and playful video for her song “Headphones” from the album The Lost Get Found. You can also find a guitar-accompanied version on her Acoustic EP.

Britt Nicole on the Story Behind Headphones:

“I actually wrote it to my cousin, who is around ten years old; I think she’s twelve now. I wrote this song for her…

“The first verse talks about how we want to fit in, and how sometimes we want to be like everybody else. But God has something so special for you, you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and He made you unique. He made you to be who you are. If you’re ten years old, you’re kind of figuring out who you are. You’re learning different things at school. You’re seeing that some people live one way, and some people live a different way. I would encourage her to be who she is, and to not be afraid to stand up for God.”

– From an Interview with Tracy Darlington on TitleTrakk.com

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The Revolve Tour Update

Above: Photos from the “Dream On” event in Dallas, TX (from The Revolve Tour’s Facebook Page).



Britt Nicole is currently on The Revolve Tour: Dream On, a fun, faith-filled weekend event for teen girls coming to a city near you. I got to meet her when the tour kicked off in Dallas and could tell that Britt has a beautiful heart for God and people from the way she took the time to speak to each of the girls during the autograph signings, and even gave me some words of encouragement before she left.

It was amazing to see her and her dancers do the song Headphones and others live – each one was awesome and so full of energy. I was especially moved to tears during the song “Have Your Way,” also from the album The Lost Get Found which talks about giving all of our heart, dreams and life to God.

Visit www.revolvetour.com for dates and more information about the Revolve Tour, it is an amazing event! Check back later on SOAR for more on my experience.

When I was a teen I read Elizabeth George’s book A Young Woman After God’s Own Heart and loved the way she encouraged girls to seek God and build their relationship with Him to know His ways, heart and love for us. It’s wonderful that she also has a version for younger girls, A Girl After God’s Own Heart; check out the descriptions below:

A Young Woman After God’s Own Heart: A Teen’s Guide to Friends, Faith, Family, and the Future

Discover God’s plan and purpose for your life! What does it mean to pursue God’s heart in your everyday life? It means understanding and following God’s perfect plan for your friendships, you faith, your family relationships, and your future. Learn how to grow close to God, enjoy meaningful relationships, make wise choices, become spiritually strong, and fulfill the desires of your heart. As you read along, you’ll find yourself caught up in the exciting adventure of a lifetime-that of becoming a woman after God’s own heart! You’ll love the special “Heart Response” sections that are just for you, and the practical “Things to Do Today” will help you make instant progress in your desire to become a godly woman.

Girl After God’s Own Heart

Bestselling author Elizabeth George follows her popular teen books (more than 400,000 copies sold), including A Young Woman’s Guide to Making Right Choices, by reaching out to tweens, ages 8 to 12, in A Girl After God’s Own Heart. Upbeat and positive, Elizabeth provides biblical truths and suggestions so tweens can thrive. She reaches out to girls where they’re at and addresses daily issues that concern them, including- building real friendships talking with parents putting Jesus first handling schoolwork and activities deciding how to dress Girls are busy developing new skills and increasing their knowledge as they grow into young women. A Girl After God’s Own Heart shows them how to establish healthy guidelines that honor God, promote their well-being, and help them get the most from this wonderful time in their lives. Perfect for Sunday school, preteen groups, and individuals.

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.

“Make sure you make a difference in someone’s life and do something positive…” – Evelina Solis

To kick off the New Year and a new semester of school, here are some words of inspiration from Dream & SOAR’s friend Inspirational Speaker, Radio & TV Personality Evelina Solis of the speaking resource Sol2Soul: