DEVELOP THE RIGHT SELF ATTITUDE Author Unknown

Here are 10 suggestions to help you develop and maintain a healthy self-image. Read them slowly. Meditate on them regularly.

1. Hate your sin, but never hate yourself.

2. Be quick to repent.

3. When God gives you light, walk in it.

4. Stop saying negative things about yourself. God loves you and it's wrong to hate what He loves. He has great plans for you, so you're in conflict with Him when you speak negatively concerning your future.

5. Never be afraid to admit that you've made a mistake and don't always assume that when things go wrong, it must be 'my fault'.

6. Don't meditate excessively on what you've done, right or wrong; both of these activities keep your mind on you! Center your thoughts on Christ.

7. Take good care of yourself physically. Make the best of what God gave you to work with, but don't be obsessed with your appearance.

8. Never stop learning but don't allow your education to become a point of pride. God doesn't use you because of what's in your head: He uses you because of what's in your heart.

9. Realize that your talents are a gift, not something you have manufactured yourself; never look down on people who can't do what you do.

10. Don't despise your weaknesses they keep you dependent on God.

POSITIVE CHANGE Contributed by Melanie Schurr

"... let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is." Romans 12:2

Change can be frightening at times because it entails a breaking away from the familiar in order to step into something new. That new thing may be a relocation to another state, joining a new club, meeting new friends, or trying a new hair style.

Think of how giving in to ungodly acts can change someone. Consider the person who steals from an employer, resulting in the loss of a job. Or what about the individual who gives into lust by getting unhealthily close to a member of the opposite sex, then having an extra-marital affair that ends up destroying a marriage?

God does call us to change; to open our wings like a butterfly who has transformed from a caterpillar, and broken free of his cocoon. God desires this beautiful transformation so that we can live up to the potential He calls us to: new creations who thirst for God's good a nd pleasing ways. Our Creator wants our desire to be to please Him, not man.

What society may deem as acceptable is not always okay is God's eyes. Man may say it's okay to have a little fling as long as no one finds out, but God defines adultery as sin. So too does man often support a spirit of vengeance by wanting to return jab for jab and blow for blow, but God calls us to love one another and treat each other as we wish to be treated.

While change can be disconcerting at times, there is no need to fear it with our Heavenly Father. He is our loving Dad who only wants what is best for us so that we may not only be approved in His sight, but live more joyously and peacefully.

Won't you take His hand and make a positive change today?

PRINTS OF ELBOWS ON MY BED Author Unknown

I was but a youth and thoughtless,
As all youths are apt to be;
Though I had a Christian mother
Who had taught me carefully.

There came a time when pleasure
Of the world came to allure,
And I no more sought the guidance
Of her love so good and pure.

Her tender admonitions fell
But lightly on my ear,
And for the gentle warnings
I felt an inward sneer.

But Mother would not yield her boy
To Satan's sinful sway,
And though I spurned her counsel
She knew a better way.

She made my room an altar,
A place of secret prayer,
And there she took her burden
And left it in His care.

And morning, noon and evening
By that humble bedside low,
She sought the aid of Him who
Understands a mother's woe.

And I went my way unheeding,
Careless of the life I led,
Until one day I noticed
Prints of elbows on my bed.

Then I saw that she had been there
Praying for her wayward boy,
Who for love of worldly pleasure
Would her peace of mind destroy.

Long the conflict raged within me,
Sin against my Mother's prayers,
Sin must yield - for Mother never
While she daily met Him there.

And her constant love and patience
Were like coals upon my head,
Together with the imprints
Of her elbows on my bed.

And so at last the fight was won,
And I to Christ was led,
And Mother's prayers were answered
By her elbows on my bed.

LITTLE SPRINGS By Sally I. Kennedy

To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. 1 Corinthians 12:7,11-12

I almost missed it. The ground looked soggy, the trail puddly. And muddy. On closer look, a little spring was coming from under a rock to the right of the trail.

One little spring. Enough water to give drink to animals, birds. As it meandered across the road, and downhill on the massive mountain, it would join other little springs.

The little springs would merge and eventually flow together into one mighty river at the base of the mountain. Together they would make beautiful music as one, as they rolled through the floor of the mountain valley.

Little springs. Like different gifts and talents, I thought. Individually they are wonderful, and have a purpose. Sort of like musical instruments. So great individually. Together, though, they create bands, and songs; orchestras, and symphonies.

God gives the gifts as He sees fit. And every believer is guaranteed one or more. He alone knows what beautiful music they will make together - for us, as well as for others.

That is good news!

STANDING IN MY STADIUM Author Unknown

If You've Ever Been In Love...

Think back (for some of you this will take longer than others) to when you met that man/woman that you just knew would be the one. Remember when you realized/admitted to yourself that you loved him/her. Now remember how much you wanted to act like you were in a movie, and yell to everyone in the football stadium "I love (fill in the name)!!!!" You told family and friends how perfect he was. You told your boys how
she was just what you were looking for.

Well, I told THE LORD I loved Him today. And He said to me, "How much do you love me? You haven't told anyone how good I've been to you. You haven't shared how perfect my love is. You haven't spread the good news that I am always there to listen to your problems. You haven't told your family how I helped you pay your bills when you didn't have a high paying job, or how I got you a better one. You didn't tell your boys how I took away that addiction that would have cost you not only your job, but that woman that was just what you were looking for. So how much do you really love me?

So, I said I would share with my friends and family (for starters) just how wonderful, perfect, understanding, patient, loving, unselfish, considerate and forgiving GOD really is. He has blessed me with a family that loves me and friends that I can confide in. But even more than that He has saved me from a destruction I couldn't even see coming. He gave to me the peace of knowing Him and He has never
broken a promise. Truly He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. And I stand in my stadium today to yell to you all "I love THE LORD!!!"