Spring2015issue by FHP MAG

Forever Princess

His

Spring Issue 2015

your heart is a

treasure Pg 8 overcoming

ProcrastiPgnati40on Amazing Salads Pg 22

Trustworthiness

Character Building: Pg 24

Contents Spring Issue // 2015 // Issue 2

JustForYou Your Heart Is A Treasure | Page 8 10 Ways to Bless Others - part 2 | Page 30 Overcoming Procrastination | Page 40

ExtraSpecials Foot Prints | Page 16 Annie | Page 36 3 Amazing Salads | Page 22 2

18 40 36 29

路Opening路 4 Do not reproduce any part of Forever His Princess, without expressed permission. Thankyou.

New Word

bonhomie bah-nuh-MEE | n.

// good-natured easy friendliness \\ Kayla was worried that she wouldn't get along with her new roommates, but their bonhomie quickly put her at ease.

OurTeam Editor, Creative Director: Elisa Knicely CoEditor+CreativeAssistant: Elesa Stoltzfus Photographer: Rosa Yoder Columnist Photographers: Macy Sheaman, Jess Wingard Guest Photographers:

Guest Writers:

Megan Helmuth Sylvia Yoder Samantha Skrivseth

Dorcas Yoder Janelle Yoder Jody Byler Kristy Yoder Louisa Friesen Melody Esh

Cover Credit: Rosa Yoder

Kristy Yoder

Behind the lens

Writer

My name is Kristy Yoder and I’ve been happily married to Ivan for 15 years. We live in Rustburg, Virginia, with our 4 children and attend Bethel Mennonite Church. Most of the time I’m busy being a wife and mom and enjoying my homemaking responsibilities. In addition I like spending time with extended family and friends, digital scrapbooking, and hiking/camping in the beautiful outdoors of Virginia. My choice many years ago to become a Christian and child of God continues to impact my life every day. My Heavenly Father’s faithfulness encourages me to share a verse with you from Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the Lord Is good, blessed is every woman who trusts in Him.”

Megan Helmuth My name is Megan Helmuth. I am 15. I have 3 siblings, a younger sister and two older brothers. I live in Idaho- and some of my hobbies are swimming, biking, snowboarding, and horse-riding and photography.

A Note from Elesa Seeing little bits of life coming back after winter is so much fun! No longer do I have to worry about the frostbite, but I can breathe in gulps of warm air that refresh my lungs. Oh, I am so glad to see spring! And I must say that I am not sad at all of letting winter go! 100 degree weather—I welcome you! Spring is only one of the many things I am blessed with—a niece, friends, piano. And I hope you all go through this day with eyes opened by God’s grace. I had so much fun designing this issue—even in the busyness of life. I hope you enjoy it just as much as I have! Blessings to your next few months!

your heart is a

Treasure Dorcas Yoder

Photography: Rosa Yoder

Your heart is a treasure. We have seen this many times before, but it still catches our attention. A young couple walking together, with that special something that seems to surround them. He's bending close, hanging on her every word, with a sparkle in his eyes as she looks up at him. They must be in love, and love between a man and woman is a special gift perfectly planned by God. It is beautiful. I want to talk with you about your heart and how careful you should be with it. Most girls start noticing boys early in their girlhood and that is nothing to be ashamed of, for it is a God-given desire. But it is also extremely important how you handle those feelings. Girls who give their hearts to God first, and seek His leading in their life companion choice, can look back on their girlhood with pleasure and a sense of peace. That is so much better than living with huge regrets because you didn't.

Here are three reasons why a girl should wait till she is older before starting a special friendship with a boy. First seek God while you are young. Let Him fill that void for love in your heart. His love can be foundational for you in all our other relationships. Let your love for God develop your character and learn to seek Him first. Your love for God will never disappoint you, and He will always be there for you.

You may think you are mature in your early teens, but compared to where you will be at twenty, you have a ways to go. As you have experiences you will become more and more the person you will be as a adult. The kind of young man you think is nice at age fifteen may be quite different by the time you are older. Don't choose a boy too young. Thirdly, keep yourself for the one God will lead

you to marry. Develop character Second, you are too immature and have so much to learn, for these young years are formative ones qualities that will bless and attract for you. Finer character can be developed without a godly, faithful, young man when boy relationships to distract you. Maturity comes the time is right. How disappointing to through time and experience. have given your love, which is a priceless treasure, to someone you never marry and wouldn't even consider marrying by the time you are older.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;So what do I do if I really admire a young man?â&#x20AC;? This may be a question you will ask. As I mentioned before, it is only natural for you to notice a nice, young man. But giving him too much thought, especially in a romantic way, will only cause you to act

awkward and unnatural around him. Pray about it and God will help you work through those feelings in a good way. Tell your mom, she was a young girl once upon a time. She can give you wise advice. On the other hand, it is not always a good idea to share these feelings with your close girl friends. As dear as they are to you, they may not treat your secret with the carefulness you would like. To summarize this, treat all young men as friends. Learn to enjoy their company in a friendly, respectful way and keep the romantic thoughts away. If a young man starts giving you special attention, what should you do? Always the first step to take is to bring it to God. He delights in hearing even your smallest requests and will guide you. Your dad and mom are also vital at a time like this, don't hesitate to tell them about this attraction.

You have one

Heart

â&#x20AC;Ś it is a treasure

Or if your parents aren't there, maybe there is another adult you could trust and confide in. There are two warning signs that you should watch for to discern the character of a young man at a time like this. If he really cares about you and is a truly nice boy, he will wait on you to grow up and mature. Second, if he is nice, he won't try to have a friendship with you behind the backs of your parents or his. This is

also a character gauge for you. Are you willing to have a sneaky relationship with a boy without your parent's knowledge? It is not a wise thing to do at all. Remember, you have one heart and it is a treasure. Cherish it, teach it to love God, and be careful who you give it to. This can make a huge difference in whether you have joy or grief in the years to come. 12

Enjoy photography as a pastime? Here at Forever His Princess we are always on the lookout for beauty catchers. Check out our site for the requirements!

Footprints Louisa Friesen

Sometimes I follow Jesus along life’s fair beach. The tide is out, the shore is soft, the air is fresh, and the land is flat. Jesus walks in front of me and I can always see his footprints in the sand. Sometimes they are quite far apart and I have to jump to keep up. Sometimes I can pitter-patter on behind and the footprints are exactly my size. Once the day was so splendid, the tide so far out, the sky so cloudless and the footprints so easy to follow and close together, that I decided to take it easy. I figured I didn’t need to follow the footprints as closely as I was supposed to. Besides, I’d seen the biggest, prettiest conch shell. It was smooth and the colors were hues of fine pink and grey. I stopped to pick it up. And then just a little farther over, I saw a perfect sand dollar. I’d never found a whole one before, and I’d

always hoped to find one someday. I picked it up and patted its smooth side. Gently I laid the conch shell and the sand dollar inside my backpack. It was very empty and I decided to find more treasures on the shore and fill it up. And much to my delight, just down the shore I found another intricate shell. And then another. Soon I was scampering back and forth, gathering every fine shell that caught my eyes. I had large shells and small ones, colored ones and plain, white ones. For hours, I collected. There was so much to see and so many treasures to gather! Finally, my backpack was full. I arranged and rearranged everything so it would be not break; for I realized the sun was getting low and I’d have to run to catch up with Jesus. When the shells were safely packed in, I lifted the backpack to my shoulders. And, oh was it 15

heavy! Would I be able to catch up with Jesus, carrying such a heavy load? I pushed the thought away and started running along the shore to the place I’d last seen His footprints. But when I arrived there, I searched the ground for His footprints and found none. Instead, the tide was coming in and any earlier marks on the shore had been erased.

“Then why did you stop following Me, to collect shells?” He paused for a moment and then went on,

“Do you like gathering shells better than following me?”

I was confused and lost. Oh, where was Jesus? The tide crept farther and farther in. The daylight was dwindling. Soon a wind began to stir up the waters. I was scared, but I decided I had better walk on and try to catch up with Jesus. I tried to hurry but the wind blew me back and the waves at my feet nearly tripped me. The longer I tried to go on, the heavier my backpack became and the stronger the wind and water opposed me.

I stammered and shivered; partly from cold and partly from the firmness of his voice. Finally, I managed to weakly reply, “I stopped...to collect shells.”

Soon I was drenched and cold. I felt tossed about and very tired. Oh, where was Jesus? What could I do to catch up with Him?

I knew my answer was lame and I worried that Jesus was aggravated with me. I added quickly, “It was fun.”

Finally, I thought about calling to him. I yelled, but the words were flung back in my face. I opened my mouth to call again, but a giant wave lifted me off the ground and sat me down below the surface of the water. I quickly tried to regain my footing, coughing up salty, sandy water and gripping tightly my backpack.

“Fun?” Jesus asked me. He was now very near and I could see his strong figure a little ways off. He didn’t come closer though and I desperately wished he would. The wind was blowing stronger and the waves were tossing me around. My backpack grew heavier, it seemed.

I called to Jesus again, “Help me! I’m scared! Oh, where are you Jesus?”

“Jesus! I’m cold and scared! Help me.” He came a few steps closer and I hoped he’d reach out, pick me up and place me on solid ground where I could follow his footprints again.

This time there was a response. A deep, loving voice from far down the shoreline called back, “I’m here. Where are you?” “I’m far behind,” I called desperately, “Can you help me catch up?” “Why are you behind?” This time I could hear the voice closer and it comforted me to know Jesus was on His way back to help me. But I didn’t know how to answer His question. So I didn’t. Jesus’ voice was a little closer as he repeated his question, “Why are you behind?”

He didn’t. Instead, he said, “I can only help you, if you leave the things you love better than Me, and follow Me.” “I don’t like anything else better than You, Jesus. And I love following you,” I replied. “Then why did you stop following Me, to collect shells?” He paused for a moment and then went on, “Do you like gathering shells better than following me?”

Jesus,

I wanted I wanted to follow his footprints again. With all the force I could muster, I tossed the heavy backpack into the waves.

Photography: Elisa Knicely “No!” I called. I wanted to get out of this tumultuous water. I was so cold, so scared and so willing to give up anything to follow Jesus again. And Jesus told me what to do. “Leave behind the things you love better than Me,” he said. I ripped the backpack of precious shells and exotic sand dollars from my back! They had been carefully packed and cautiously carried up until now. But I didn’t care about those worthless shells. I wanted Jesus! I wanted to follow his footprints again. With all the force I could muster, I tossed the heavy backpack into the waves. Oh, the relief and the peace I felt! I suddenly felt lighter and free. Jesus called to me once again, “Come to Me.” And come I did! I ran through the waves and into the wind. I didn’t notice the opposing forces anymore but ran with all I had, towards Jesus. I reached him out of breath, but full of joy! “Well done!” He said and patted me on the back. I smiled happily. And Jesus smiled back at me. “Let’s keep going,” he said. He led me across the solid shore on and on. This time I followed his footsteps intently.

As the sun rose the next morning, I was still following Jesus’ footprints along the shore. This day was splendid, the tide was out, the sky was cloudless, the footprints were close together and easy to follow. I began losing interest in following the footprints and started looking around. The first thing I saw was the largest, most gorgeous conch shell I had ever seen! But the minute I saw it, I turned my eyes back to Jesus and His footprints.

Meet The Author Hey! My name is Louisa Friesen and I’m almost 17! I’m the youngest of five sisters, and the fifth of eight children. I love traveling, especially internationally! I enjoy writing and have been writing poems, stories, letters, etc. since a very young age. For me writing poetry is a de-stresser! Besides writing, I enjoy spending time with my many wonderful cousins (one of them being FHP’s photographer Rosa Yoder)! Someday I dream of being the enthusiastic mother of twelve children! I also would like to move to another country. But most of all, wherever I am, I want my life to make a difference in the kingdom of God and be an encouragement to the people I meet. 17

Mission Outlook

El Salvador Melody Eash

I currently consider myself a resident of El Salvador, C.A. However my family lives in West Virginia. If it is true that home is where your heart is then I have at least two homes. And I used to be scared that I wouldn’t be big enough to stretch around, that it would have to be one or the other. But God has been showing me that He is the Source of Boundless Love and I have free access to that so I never have to fear a shortage. God has stretched my heart to include all my little people here plus all the peoples I have to leave behind. Currently, I am teaching at a school for Deaf children in a little town in El Salvador called Aguilares, about an hour from the capital. I first came here in Feb. of 2013, not knowing at all what I was getting into, and probably a good thing I didn’t. I most likely would have changed my mind. God has taken me through some very challenging times here. Times when I see myself for who I really am, when I have none of my “normal” influences. He has taken me through times when the only way to get through the day was to fully lean on Him and ask Him for grace for the next moment. Last year God also opened my eyes to some of the needs of these special kids. Being Deaf certainly has it’s challenges in any culture, but being Deaf in a 3rd world country with very 18

few resources and with the attitude that being Deaf is a shame and a handicap is another thing entirely. And as these kids get older and leave school, they are tossed into a society that sees them as less than normal and therefore cheap labor. After hearing one to many stories about bosses cheating my friends out of their wages, I realized something had to be done. And therefore was born Threads of Purpose. In order to teach the girls here some life skills and also provide them with a source of income, we started a small sewing business. My friend and partner in crime, Andrea Hershberger and I started marketing purses on Facebook, just to see if it could be a go. We were beyond amazed at the support we got and therefore decided to make a go of it. This year Andrea is handling stateside operations, shipping etc. while I work with the girls, teaching them the ins and outs of sewing. Our dream is that one day they will be able to run the business on their own and in that way be self-sufficient.

And so God continues to lead me into things that make me stop and say, “Whoa! What’s going on!” But I know from experience I will look back and say, “I am so glad I took that chance!” As my signature quote says, “ . . .

and then I realized that adventures are the best way to learn!” And God is without a doubt the Author of the Best Adventures. Still learning, Mel

Hey To see products and learn more you can check out our Facebook page at facebook.threads.of.purpose.com or e-mail us at threads.of.purpose.es@gmail.com. 19

3 3 amazing

salads

½ cup cherry tomatoes 1 English cucumber 1 lemon zest 1 Red onion, small 5 cups Romaine Lettice ¼ cup black olives 3 tbsp Lemon juice 1 tsp black pepper 1 ½ tsp sugar ¼ cup apple cider vinegar ¼ olive oil

Greek Salad

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar in a small bowl.

Apple Fruit Salad Ingredients: • 6 cups spinach or field greens (I used 3 cups each) • 1 cup sliced strawberries • 1 cup blueberries • 3/4 cup mandarin orange slices • 1 ripe avocado, sliced • 1/4 cup sliced almonds • 12 ounces skinless, boneless cooked chicken, chopped • poppy seed dressing (homemade or store-bought)*

Apple Cranberry Walnut

1 -

1 apple, red 1 apple, green 1/3 cranberries, dried Honey ¼ tsp Black pepper ½ scant tsp salt 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar ¼ cup oil 1 cup walnuts 1 cup apple juice cup salad

Readers Share Our

This Month’s Question

Why do you love your best friend? Next Month’s Q:

Coming Soon!

I love her because we are on the same page. We know each other so good, are totally comfortable with each other, and can be ourselves with each other. -anonymous

My friends are there to make me laugh when I am having a bad day and they are so supportive. The other day I was meeting with a principal and missed my bus, If it wasn’t for my friend Leah’s kindness I would have been locked out of the school without a ride. -Kate Gold

She encourages me in the things of the Lord, can make me smile when I feel like crying and reminds me to choose joy! -Tashia Lehigh

She is just the perfect one to tell those deep secrets with. Also she’s great to have with me in the tough times of life. -Kaylynn Haines

She is nice, friendly, and fun to be around. She loves he Lord. We have known each-other since cribs. I love when I get to see her! -anonymous

We enjoy a lot of the same things and just like being together (talking, playing games etc.)

She listens and then offers priceless advice. -MariElla Reinford

She gets me. I can’t talk to her without saying everything.... -Dora

Through laughter and tears, she is always there. She understands things no on else would. I love our inside jokes! –Harmoni Ropp

-Brianna Reinford

Letitia Wadel

My best friend has an incredible imagination and love for life. We have such fun talking and bing crazy cousins and working at together at the barn. She keeps me cheerful and tells me not to be bitter when I need it. –Lily Eby

Take your brush when day is dark When the world grows hushed and cold Take your brush and make a mark

Bravely paint with colors bold

Paint my face with brightest shades

The inside joy spread on my face

Readers Poem

She loves me no matter what weird things I do. I don’t deserve her! -

Paint until the darkness fades

Paint my face and make it smile

Paint my smile in brilliants hues

Make me merry all the while

Bright reds, fuchsia, greens and blues

Make it shine if storms are near

Paint it darker, let it show

Make it glow with joy and cheer

That I am happy, I can glow.

Hold the paintbrush extra tight

Grief can’t hide the joy I feel

Paint my face to look just right

Death can’t stop my smile that’s real

Paint it fine with careful touch

God is painter of my smiles

Make me smile, just like such.

Painting joy in spite of trials.

When my friends feel life is doomed

I love my best friend because you always know there is someone who loves you and understands you. –Sarah Ebersole

Real, true happiness; peaceful grace.

Let my face show no such gloom

-Louisa Friesan .

Make me radiant, bright and sure

Paint with faith that it’ll endure

Character Building

Rewards of

Trustworthiness

Written By: Kristy Yoder 24

At first glance it may seem that a girl has so much to do with homework, volley ball, friendships and chores that she barely has time to ponder the value of a long word like trustworthiness. Actually a girl has so many important choices to make that she cannot afford to ignore this complicated and lengthy noun. Completing Driver’s Ed, applying for a term at Bible School, graduating from high school, and fun girlfriend time----all of these experiences can benefit from a good dose of trustworthiness. And if applied with faith and persistence it will definitely add blessing and goodness to our lives. The Bible tells the story of a young Moabite woman named Ruth who made a choice to be trustworthy. The story of Ruth is found in the Old Testament. She had been part of Naomi’s family for about ten years when her husband died. Her motherin-law was completely crushed by the loss of both her sons and decided to leave Moab. On their journey she offered her daughter-in- laws a way out. “Stay

here in your own country with your own people and gods for I have nothing to offer you,” she told them. They loved her and found it hard to leave her poor and alone. However her advice was wise and the best course to take, Orpha returned to her people. Ruth clung to Naomi and promised to stay with her and be her family forever. Naomi couldn’t persuade her to leave so they returned to Bethlehem together. Naomi’s friends greeted her in amazement for the hardness of her life had changed her. She complained of the Lord’s affliction and in great bitterness spoke of her loneliness and desolation. She did not even remember to thank God for her faithful daughter-in-law. Alone in a strange land with a bitter motherin-law, Ruth realized they needed food and offered to glean the leftover grain from the barley harvest. She took up the occupation of a servant and gleaned all day in the hot sun. Even the servant girls working by her side were of a higher social order than Ruth 25

for she was only a foreigner. She never expressed disappointment at how her adventure turned out. If she was disillusioned by the dirt, heat and loneliness we’ll never know. She had promised to be Naomi’s family forever and she started right away to take care of her. All during the barley and wheat harvest she continued working in the field and in the evenings returned home to her elderly mother-in-law. God sent a relative of Naomi to notice her courage and dependability. Her trustworthiness resulted in a home of her own and a place forever in the hearts of God’s people. She became the great-grandmother of King David and is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Ruth’s story is one of the bright spots in the dark history of the Old Testament. She did not know what awaited her in Bethlehem and she did not complain about the discomforts she found there. She was faithful and her trustworthiness was rewarded. Today we may not have to travel to a foreign country or work all day for 22 liters of barley, but somewhere God does have a job for us to do. Are we of the lineage of Ruth? Would trustworthiness describe us? A trustworthy girl is worthy of trust or confidence. She’s honest, dependable and reliable. Such a girl can claim to be responsible. She doesn’t let down others expectations and she is capable of keeping her promise. We can confide in her without worrying that

our most embarrassing moment will be shared with others. Keep in mind that to earn such a title a girl must show her integrity over time. Trustworthiness is a characteristic that takes time and effort to acquire. We all would like to be honest and dependable. What if we discovered that it begins at home with doing our chores faithfully? It may involve how

A trustworthy girl is worthy of trust or confidence. She’s honest, dependable and reliable. Such a girl can claim to be responsible. She doesn’t let down others expectations and she is capable of keeping her promise.

thoroughly we clean, how carefully we sew, or how consistently we have time alone with our Heavenly Father. A dependable girl can be counted on to do excellent work that will not need to be touched up or done over. Sometimes our efforts at honesty crumble because we can’t be trusted to tell a story accurately or monitor a playground fiasco without bias. We can always attempt to make things right and start again. Just remember that trustworthiness builds on itself. Multiple false starts will make it difficult for our friends to describe us as reliable. A dependable girl will be a delight to her Mother. She can be trusted to be a responsible example to younger siblings. Instead of harboring ill-feelings and secrets, she will confide in her mother and be open to hearing and responding to good advice and counsel. Accepting advice from others, even from Mother can be challenging. Life often makes us feel like no one understands our difficult situation. Let’s remember King Solomon’s advice. He warns us in the book of Proverbs to, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.”

Secrets are such fun! Anyone would add trustworthiness to their resume if it meant receiving more secrets. Sometimes they’re hard to keep though. It’s a late Friday night with three fluffy sleeping bags spread out and a large bowl of popcorn being passed around. All we need is one more story. Why did we promise not to tell? Or maybe we know all the details and we have to bite down on our tongue to keep from blurting out what really happened. Right at such a moment we may wonder if integrity is worth the effort. Let’s take heart and memorize the words of King David. He tells us in the book of Psalms, “May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.” Just like Ruth we can promise to be part of God’s family forever. We can turn from our own way and follow after God’s plan for our life. And like Ruth our choices will determine our destiny. Let’s embrace trustworthiness and grow in the knowledge of our Savior so that our names can be included in the family of God. The Apostle Paul writes to the Colossian Church, “We pray that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. . .”

Color Design &

// Organization in your bedroom //

3 Ideas to keep your room cleaner: 1. Opt for Storage under the Bed Get more mileage out of the horizontal space in your bedroom with sliding or rolling under bed storage bins. It's a great extension of your closet, allowing you to rotate your seasonal items or even store bigger, bulkier items like backpacks, purses and blankets- plus, the storage hidden if you have a bed skirt. Stick a label on the outside of each container so when you peek under the bed you'll know exactly what you're looking at. Short on linen closet space? Another idea is to keep extra sheets for your bed here.

3. Make Your Bed Every Day "Don't think of [organization] as 'putting things away,' but think of it as positioning [something] for its next use." Treat your bed as the sanctuary it is by positioning it for use every day. If you spend three minutes each morning to tuck and fold, you'll develop a habit of keeping order in the room, which may translate into motivation for picking up the pile of clothes on the floor.

2. Create a Reading Nook Rescue your reading chair from clothes and magazines by adding proper organization to a bedroom's reading nook. Next to a comfortable chair, place a side table with drawers and/or shelves to keep piles of books off the floor. Keep one shelf for library books and another for your permanent collections. Magazines are best grouped in a magazine rack. To promote an uncluttered feeling, make sure you have fewer books than fit the space. If you read in bed, have a small bookcase as your bedside table. 28

Spring d Splash /

Several ideas from Pinterest to brighten up your room!

practical ways to bless

others Part two

Janelle Yoder Photography: Elesa Stoltzfus

Bless others. What simple, wonderful words. And what a wonderful thing to desire! We have all experienced blessing from others, but exactly how do we go about doing it ourselves? Before rushing off to bless others, we need to understand a key element in our own lives that allows us to do it. I believe that a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ is foundational to blessing others. I like to think of our heart as a little cup. Each morning we lift our cup toward our Heavenly Father in humility, submission, obedience, surrender, and worship. As our cup receives a constant flow from Christ, it begins to overflow, affecting those around us. It flows out to our family and friends, and they are blessed because of the work Christ is doing in us. 1) A Smile. This may seem very simplistic, but a smiling, radiant face can be a very simple, yet effective way to bless others. We all enjoy being around joyful, smiling people. When there is true joy and thankfulness in our heart, it will show on our faces. People around us at home and at school--even people we meet at the store will be blessed by our open, approachable, happy countenance.

2) Prayer for others. The wonderful thing about prayer is that it can be done at any time, and we can never pray too much. Pray for those in your own home. Bless your dad by praying for him daily, then letting him know that you do. Pray for your mom and leave a note on the table letting her know that you prayed for her today. Make a list of people you want to pray for. Don't forget your teacher, your minister and his wife, your Sunday school teachers, and your friends, brothers and sisters. 3) Be a true friend. A true friend puts others first and thinks more of how others benefit from your friendship and less about what you're getting out of it. A true friend is solid and loyal. A true friend is consistent and caring. The best test of true friendship happens right at home, with brothers and sisters. 4) Write a card, leave a note. We all appreciate a card or a note of encouragement. Be sensitive to what people around you are going through, and write an appropriate note of encouragement. Carrying blank note cards or paper with you can provide an easy way to quickly bless someone on the spur of the moment when we sense they may need some encouragement.

Prayer

The wonderful thing about prayer is that it can be done at any time, and we can never pray too much.

5) Learn to spot lonely people. It feels easier to reach out and bless people we easily connect with or really like. But there is a real blessing in finding the hurting, less accepted ones around us. Jesus is a great example of this. He reached out to the most needy people around him. When you're in a large group at school or church, look around for someone who is by themselves, not engaged in conversation with anyone. Seek them out and show them some love and acceptance.

Handicapped people are often neglected and forgotten. Though we sometimes feel uncomfortable and don't know how to relate, we can begin by purposing in our heart to at least go say hello when we see a handicapped person.

Reaching out to them will not only bless you, but will encourage them and their family. 6) Take interest in younger people. Little people really look up to and admire people older than themselves, especially older people who pay attention to them. This is especially important right at home with younger siblings. You can make them feel important by playing a game with them, reading to them, or taking them with you. Also take an interest in the little people at your church.

7) Remember Birthdays. Everyone has a birthday! It's a great time to focus on the person and do something for them. It's great to remember your friends' birthdays, but remember those in your church who might be forgotten, like an elderly grandma or your pastor. Just a card or a phone call on their birthday can send an important message: you matter to me. 8) Be helpful. It's a blessing to be around helpful people who are sensitive to others' needs. Be quick to open doors for people, carry things for people whose hands are full, or help a young mom at church who is left with a bench full of little children while her husband takes part in the service. Quickly help at home with needs around the house. Sweep the kitchen after a meal, volunteer to do the dishes, or offer to make a meal for your mom. She'll love you for it!

10) Bake cookies! Everybody likes cookies, and a plate of them will make anyone happy! And they're lots of fun to make. So stir up a batch. Bless your mom with most of them, then make up little plates to put into people's cars after church! And now a bonus idea! Gather a bouquet. Someone recently gathered a bouquet of gladiolas from their flower garden and put them in my car after church. What a blessing! It brightened my day and gave me a real boost. There are so many ways to bless others. Let's always do it with a heart of love. Ask God, "Who do you want me to bless today?" Then quietly wait for His direction as you go through your day. We all have different talents, so we'll have different ways of reaching out to people. And remember, when someone is blessed by what you do, the credit goes back to God, for we can only give what we have received. Jesus said it best: ...freely ye have received, freely give.

9) Offer to help a young mother. If your own mother is feeling well taken care of, offer to go help a busy mom for the day. Even watching her children for a couple hours so she can fold wash or mop the floor is a big help. Or offer to do those chores for her so she can have a rest.

Ask God:

Who do you want me to bless today?

Meet the Author: Janelle Yoder lives in Willis, Virginia and attends Wills Ridge Mennonite Church; she enjoys cooking, serving others, taking walks with her husband and being a mom to five children. 32

And if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead , will also give life, to your mortal bodies through His spirit who lives in You. Romans 8:11 |NIV

33 Picture Credit: Dora

Inspired Using the beauty of words

Photographer: Jess Ann

Friend ship A person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection

“I knew when I met you an adventure was going to happen.” – Winnie the Pooh

Friendship in itself is just so weird. You just pick a human you’ve met and you’re like, “Yep, I like this one,” and you just hang out and tell everything to them.

Friendship isn’t about whom you’ve known the longest. It’s about who walked into your life and said, “I’m here for you,” proved it. True friends say good things behind your back and bad things to your face.

Best friends are people who make your problems their problems, just so you don’t have to go through them alone. 34

A best friend won’t agree with you to make you happy. If anything, they’ll say what needs to be said, no matter if you want to hear it or not.

Friends are those people who will pick you up when no one else has even noticed you have fallen.

Everyone has a friend during each stage of life. But only the lucky ones have the same friend in all stages of life.

Friends pick us up when we fall down, and if they can’t – they listen for a while.

Thank you God, for the friends who are willing to give up their whole day, Just to make sure you get through yours okay.

We are so hilarious. I feel bad for the people who don’t get to listen to our conversations and enjoy our hilariousness.

Annie Louisa Friesen

Learning to love everyone with equality

Every summer since I turned thirteen, I join many other youth, in a rough, yet exciting summer job. Together we rouge and detassel thousands of acres of seed corn. “Detasselers”, as we are called, are not uncommon sights in the Corn Belt of the United States. As detasselers, we work, laugh and endure together. I enjoy meeting new people and building new friendships, making my job a wonderful social experience. But with any large group of people from various backgrounds, nationalities and upbringings, there are sure to be people who we do not understand. Often times, the people I don’t understand, I tag as “weird”. I can easily avoid them; or at least avoid talking to them. I observe them though, with hawk eyes and notice everything they do different from me. Because of this, I rashly judge and decide that, “I don’t like them.”

Photographer: Rosa Yoder

But so often, this process of judging is gradual and I don’t realize what I am doing. That’s how, under the disguise of simply saying, “I don’t like Annie,” I spent one whole year looking down on, and rashly judging her. I was judging her, when I knew close to nothing about her or her family. She was weird. And I didn’t like her. Nevertheless, God brought me to a point where he allowed me to know more, so that I could understand her. It happened this past summer on a very hot day in July. The boss was sending in two people37to a block

of seed corn. Much to my relief, my cousin stood near me. We partnered up and waited at the edge of the block to get our names signed in. To make a long story short, there weren’t enough people ahead of us to make exactly two people per block. Annie was right in front of us, and she waited, without a partner. The boss signed her in and called, “Another one in here with Annie.” I didn’t want to go. I had a partner, a very nice one. I didn’t want to ruin my day by going with Annie. However, after a few awkward moments I decided it was in my best interests to volunteer for the need.

When Jesus was on earth, he didn’t snob “weird” people. Instead,

Love

So I did. I slowly dragged my backpack forward and plopped it down beside Annie’s bag. After a good long drink of water from my thermos, we began down the rows. What do you think happens when two people walk beside each other, and neither knows the other very well at all? Awkward. I decided that since talking was better than silence, I should begin exchanging small talk with Annie. And I did.

So far so good. As we progressed down the block, I told Annie about my family and then asked her about hers. We talked about policemen, marriage, driving permits, homeschooling, our siblings and all manner of different topics. As we talked, I started to hear some things from Annie that I didn’t know. I was shocked and saddened. Suddenly I forgot that my initial impression of Annie was “weird”. Instead, I felt sorry for her. I felt sorry that she had to be caught up in such a turbulent situation. I felt sorry for her family. I suddenly started to understand. What if I had all the insecurities Annie had? What if my home life was like Annie’s? Wouldn’t I be “weird” too? For quite a while, there was a break in our conversation. As I silently worked, I tried to process all these things. I prayed for Annie especially, but also for her family. I prayed that God would help me be a friend to Annie. And lastly, thanked God for his perfect plan to have Annie and I be partners. He gave me an opportunity to see who Annie really was. Annie was a precious girl, a girl that he placed here on earth in that particular family for a purpose. She wasn’t “weird.” And suddenly I didn’t dislike Annie anymore. She was really a gem! When Jesus was on earth, he didn’t snob “weird” people. Instead, He went out of His way to show them love.

Annie hasn’t changed. Her life is still hard. But I have changed. And I thank God for changing my plans for that day, and showing me that I had unreasonably judged Annie.

As a Christian, I want to be like Jesus. And I know that if Jesus were on earth, he would not ignore Annie. It’s good for us to remember that Jesus loves those “weird” people in our lives as much as He loves us! Take for instance, the story of Zacheaus, who really badly wanted to see Jesus. Zacheaus was short and probably was often overlooked. But he had a strong desire to see this Jesus, so he climbed up in a tree to get a good look. I can imagine how special it must have felt to this little man when Jesus paused from greeting the “normal” and “good” people in the crowd below, and looked up into the tree. He knew about Zacheaus and the wrong things that he’d done, and He knew that Zacheaus was short and sometimes probably looked down on as being “weird”. Yet He looked up into that sycamore and called, “Zacheaus, come on down! ‘Cause I’m coming to your house for supper!”

And I want to challenge you: Find an “Annie” in your life and be her friend. Not only will you be pleasing God, but you will also find that she may not be as weird as you think! Now, Annie and I aren’t best friends. But God has definitely cleared my vision. We’ve had good times together; we’ve been able to laugh together. Annie hasn’t changed. Her life is still hard. She still has her insecurities. But I have changed. And I thank God for changing my plans for that day, and showing me that I had unreasonably judged Annie. I actually like her now. She’s a neat sort of girl.

Jody Byler

Procrastination

Overcoming

I am queen of procrastination… or at least I feel that way sometimes. Since I know so much about procrastinating, I fancy I could tell you all about it. I can, and will, tell you how to procrastinate, and hopefully how to avoid it. So, what is procrastination? It is putting things off till later that SHOULD be done now and filling up the time with other less important things. I do this too often. When I have a deadline, I’ll either miss the deadline or I’ll go through unnecessary stress to finish it on time. Sometimes the chore never gets done (such as organizing a closet). One of the main reasons I procrastinate is… well, I’m just plain lazy. I don’t want to clean my bathroom, or sew that dress. I can think of hundreds of more interesting activities to do. Maybe some of them are legitimately good activities… such as playing with my little brother or doing some other odd job or sitting in the sun with my book (oh wait! Some people may not consider that a legitimately good activity!). In school I’d procrastinate in writing reports and In school I’d procrastinate in writing reports and other school work. I would push it off other school work. I would push it off until the day until the day before, then spend all my time stressing over the project. It’s not so much that before, then spend all my time stressing over the I didn’t want to do the project… it’s just that I’d wait for the right mood. I’d wait until I project. It’s not so much that I didn’t want to do the felt like doing the report and I never felt like doing it (basically a nice way of saying I felt project… it’s just that I’d wait for the right mood. I’d lazy). wait until I felt like doing the report and I never felt like doing it (basically nice way I felt When I taught school, Iafound thatof mysaying procrastination just got worse (or at least the lazy). consequences did). I’d arrive at school and remember I needed to have devotions for the whole school that morning (talk about intimidating and last minute scramble!). Other times When I taught school, I found that my on Friday morning I’d rush around trying to find an art project for Friday afternoon (very procrastination just got worse (or at least the uncool). You really think I would learn! consequences did). I’d arrive at school and remember I needed to have devotions forthe the job whole Sometimes I may procrastinate because looks too big. Maybe it’s cleaning out my schoolJust that the morning (talk about through intimidating andclothes last and boxes and keeping some, room. thought of going all my minute ascramble!). Other times on gives Fridayme morning selling few, and pitching the rest the horrors. I’d rush around trying to find an art project for Friday afternoon (very uncool). You really think I would learn! 41

Usually, when I do that, it ends up being a big project lasting a few days with things looking like a hurricane met an earthquake during a tornado in my room. I go straight into procrastination mode whenever deep cleaning my room is even mentioned! And there’re the times I push doing something off because I’m not good at it. For me that’s talking on the phone. I HATE talking on the phone. It makes me feel incredibly insecure (don’t laugh at me. This is a real phobia). So usually, when I need to call someone, I will just keep pushing it into the back of my mind where I don’t have to think about it. When I do this, I really end up making my day/week so much worse, because I have a longer time to stress over it. So how can you beat the bad habit of procrastinating? It’s really very simple to write and say, but so hard to live up to. Self-discipline. Quite simply, that is the best answer. There are a few other hints I can give you, but I give you fair warning that it will all come down to self-discipline. The first thing you need to realize is that you’re procrastinating. Notice when you do it. You can’t stop procrastinating unless you realize you’re procrastinating.

If you procrastinate because you’re lazy, work your self-discipline. Just STOP being lazy. As a side note… laziness IS spoken against in the Bible and Self-discipline is a fruit of the spirit. (Go to the ant thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise.)Here I’m preaching to myself. The best way to fight this is to treat it as a sin and refuse to be lazy. It sounds so easy… but it’s not. Procrastination from forgetfulness is a little easier to forgive… at least for me, because I’m an extremely absent minded person. The problem is that usually I remember some time or other beforehand and don’t do anything about it. Maybe I remember at an inconvenient time (in bed) or maybe I truly am too busy to do the task at that moment, but I have no excuse, because I could write myself a reminder. Sadly, like the procrastinator I am, I usually procrastinate in jotting the note… and so I forget to prepare the devotions until the morning they’re due. And as far as the job being too big… every task would be too big unless first broken down into little steps. Every day, if looked at as a task, would be too big to face unless we broke it into smaller steps.

Meet The Author: Jody Byler lives in beautiful north Idaho. Her desire is to live life to the fullest. Jody loves reading and worrying on occasion. She also loves to travel and will soon be teaching English as a second language in Cambodia.

Quite simply, that is the best answer. It’s really very simple to write and say, but so hard to live up to.

Photographer – Megan Helmuth For example: Step 1. Wake up; Step 2. Get dressed; Step 3. Eat breakfast; etc. (I think step one a little too big to face some days). And last, but not least, is the excuse to procrastinate because the task is too hard and/or you don’t feel like you can do a good job at it. How will you ever get better unless you try? If a baby would procrastinate at learning to walk because he wasn’t good at walking, that poor baby would never learn to walk. It’s not fun doing something difficult with the feeling of failure hanging over your head, but sometimes you just must. If you try, failure is possible, but if you don’t try, failure is 100% guaranteed. So, as an encouragement, notice when you’re procrastinating and refuse to procrastinate. Lift your chin a little higher, face the difficulty, and muddle in. At first you’ll hate it, but later on, when the deadline looms close, you’ll thank God you started earlier. (As I am with this article!)

Photography Tip Don’t leave home without your camera! This easy act separates casual picture taker from serious image makers. By routinely carrying a camera, you’ll often come up with good pictures you wouldn’t have captured otherwise.

7 creative| 6 Ways to stay

1. Carry a notebook everywhere; try free writing. Write those thoughts down! 2. Get away from the computer 3. Be open 4. Quit beating yourself up 5. Allow yourself to make mistakes 6. Read a page of the Dictionary 7. Stop trying to be some else’s perfect

Instead of the Word look use

 Stare

5 reasons why we should Laugh

 Peep  Admire  Glare

 It reduces stress

 Notice

 It helps improve sleep

 Address

 It encourages creativity

 Cast

The newspaper was

 It increases your lifespan

 Observed

old and yellowed, and

 Helps improve a person’s

 Focused

Story Prompt

bearing next year’s

productivity

 Glaze

date.

If you are down  



Think of 5 things babies laugh at, and laugh at them! Draw the ugliest picture you can imagine. Name it Elmo. And whenever you feel ugly- take it out and remember that Elmo will always be uglier than you Think of the worst possible thing that could happen – and smile because it didn’t.

Contest Winner Cornelia Hertzler Have a story set in a time where crying is

Did you know?

forbidden.

Check our site to read her amazing story!

You can heal paper cuts and immediately stop the pain with chapstick.

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SummerThe HighlIsightssue: 3 Summer Smoothies! Pray for your future husband? Make your own Chalkboard notebook!

My View on Modesty BORED|

several ways to keep you occupied during the summer!

A Girl Who knows true happiness

Part 1

â&#x20AC;Ś and much more! 47

Girls are like apples, The best ones are at the top of the trees. The boys don’t want to reach for the good ones because they’re afraid of falling and getting hurt. Instead they just get the rotten apples that are on the ground that aren’t as good, but easy, so the apples at the top think there’s something wrong with them when in reality, they’re amazing they just have to wait for the right boy to come along – the one who’s brave enough to climb all the way to the top. - Pete Wentz

lovely

Whatever Is True whatever is Noble Whatever is Right, whatever is Pure Whatever is whatever is

Admirable-

If anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.. Philippians 4: 8 NIV 50