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��� Introduction ..................................... 4

Don’t Read the Label .................... 110

That Really Makes Me Mad! .............. 6

More Than a Woman ..................... 114

Anytime Now, God .......................... 10

On Idle .......................................... 119

Ugly Grudges ................................... 15

My Ultimate Valentine ................... 123

Enjoy the Ride ................................. 19

Pick a Side, Any Side! ..................... 127

The Big Picture ................................ 23

Caught in the Cookie Jar ............... 131

Someone’s Watching ......................... 27

Beyond the Looking Glass ............. 136

Who’s Calling the Shots? .................. 31

Mood Rings .................................. 140

Distorted Images ............................... 35

Get Over It! ................................... 144

Fatal Flaw? ........................................ 40

Mystery Man ................................. 148

Fear Factor ....................................... 44

Meet the Parents ............................ 152

A Slap in the Face ............................. 48

Party Girls ..................................... 156

Good Times, Bad Times .................... 53

Get Out the Airbrush .................... 161

Good Enough? ................................. 57

Playing Fort ................................... 166

What’s the 411? ................................ 61

Anytime Minutes ........................... 170

Know Your Audience ........................ 65

Daddy’s Little Princess ................... 174

Where Are You From? ....................... 69

Nowhere to Run ........................... 178

Just Because ...................................... 73

Thirsty? ......................................... 182

Can You Hear Him Now? ................. 77

True Colors ................................... 187

Hope to Carry On ........................... 81

A Rule for Life .............................. 191

American Idols ................................ 85

Need a Pedicure? ........................... 195

Just a Sec ......................................... 89

Catch Me, Daddy! ......................... 199

Leave Your Mark .............................. 93

Down in the Valley ......................... 204

Green’s Not Your Best Color ............. 97

Take That! ..................................... 208

Happy Birthday to Who? ................ 102

Walk On ....................................... 212

Got Joy? ........................................ 106

Count on It ................................... 216

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�� ��� ��S � �D! .................... ..........................

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in unfailing love, The Lord is slow to anger and rich ion. forgiving every kind of sin and rebell ............

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Numbers 14:18

One of my responsibilities as a school-

next phone call, feeling stung as if I had

teacher is to maintain communication with

been slapped across the face. The mother

my students’ parents, particularly in the

that I had just spoken to had spent our

case of a student who is doing poorly and

conversation accusing me for her son’s

may even be in danger of failing. Perhaps

failing grade!

your parents have received a phone call from one of your teachers before.

She told me, “You know, he is just like that. If you talk to his teachers, they’ll tell

At the end of one grading period,

you that this lack of effort and the failing

I made a series of phone calls. Even

grades are a pattern with him. I’m trying

though it is technically a part of my job,

to get him in for counseling because I

it is very hard to find time to do it, so

don’t know what’s wrong with him. He

I felt quite smug in taking extra time

won’t do anything at home. You teachers

to be concerned for my students in my

are going to have to talk to him. Find out

efforts to save the world! Up until my

why he’s acting like this. You’ll have to

fourth phone call, I received very positive

make him do it, because I can’t.”

feedback from all of the parents to whom

I could hardly believe my ears—this

I had spoken. Yeah for me! Pats on my

kid doesn’t even belong to me. I didn’t

back! My elation quickly faded, however,

give birth to him! But I’m being asked

when I hung up the receiver from the

to take the blame for his failure in my

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French class! I spent the rest of the

instead of praying for this guy, his situation

afternoon feeling bitter—angry that I

and the insight for his mother to know

had even wasted my time trying to talk

how to handle him, I got my feathers

to this student’s mother. And then it hit

ruffled and only thought about how

me. Didn’t Christ do the very thing for

I felt on my end of the deal. The Holy

me that I resented doing for my student?

Spirit reminded me that Christ’s example

When I was a sinner, when I was the

should motivate me not to give up on my

one not doing the work, not carrying my

student. He may still fail my class; but I

load—didn’t Christ take the blame for

will help him carry his cross.

me? He died on the cross for my mistakes,

Thank goodness God does not give

my laziness, my insecurities and my shame.

up on you and me. I am sure there are

He could just as easily have said, “She’s

times that he would like to. But I am

not my problem. I can’t figure her out.

learning that he does not reject me when

Let someone else counsel her. Someone

I frustrate him; not only does he not

else will have to make her straighten up.

reject me, but he continues to love me

I can’t do it!”

with an unconditional love, rather than

But God did not give up on me.

acting in anger and bitterness toward me.

That afternoon, this reminder of God’s

Aren’t you glad that God allows us to be

faithfulness humbled me. I realized that

his “problems”?

100 Green’s Not Your Best Color

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Anything But Plastic .......................................................

1. Is anger a problem for you? Has someone else’s anger had some sort of effect on your life?

If so, where and when do these problems tend to rear their ugly heads?

2. Read Proverbs 15:1. What does this verse say that harsh words do?

Can you recall a specific situation when you calmed someone’s anger? Or did someone do this for you? Explain.

3. Read Ephesians 4:26. In this passage, Paul encourages you to deal with unrighteous anger right away. Typically, how are you about harboring bitterness or holding a grudge?

Do you storm off in heated situations and wait for the other person to chase you down and apologize first, or do you attempt to fix the problem and help heal the rift?

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4. Read 1 Timothy 2:8. What does Paul say prayer should be without?

Have you ever attempted to pray when you were upset with someone? What was your prayer like as a result of your anger? Do you feel that your time spent with God while you were angry was meaningful? Was your prayer effective?

5. In 1 Samuel 25, a man named Nabal insults David and David gets so angry, he wants to kill him and his whole family. Read 1 Samuel 25:23-35 to find out what Nabal’s wife, Abigail, did. What kinds of things did she say to calm David’s anger? What was the result?

Read on through verse 42. What blessing did David see by not acting out in anger?

Beyond Plastic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The battle of anger can be won as you allow the Holy Spirit to control your life. He longs to give you victory in this area as you yield to him. If this is what you truly desire, I encourage you to voice your concerns to God in prayer.

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