Margie's Teen Blog: Service with a Smile

Margie's Teen Blog: Service with a Smile:                                                              Service with a Smile                          “My command is this: Love each o...

Service with a Smile

                                                             Service with a Smile
                       “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

                                John 15:12

A Facebook message from a young teen read as follows:

“ I just wanted to say that this is the first year of my life I actually feel that I'm actually loved by people! I appreciate it. Thank you”

Ashley’s story

Ashley walked onto the new campus reluctantly.  She was not comfortable with crowds and that's what high school is—crowds of unfamiliar people. They all appeared confident and well liked—nicely dressed and successful. She was afraid.

Oh, they’re not going to like me. They’ll probably hate me. If only someone would just smile at me!
 
Rachel’s story.
Rachel transferred to a new school.She said" hi" to everyone. Many times Rachel

Rachel

had no response. But she wasn't daunted. She kept on smiling and saying “hi”! By the end of the year she had plenty of friends. She joined clubs and got involved. She was friendly!

The Bible has great advice on friendship.

“A man who has friends must himself be friendly.”
Proverbs 18:24a

Have you ever heard friends say?

I’ll never forget when you smiled at me."
                                                  
Or
                  
I felt so alone until you smiled at me”
                                              
 Or
                                                          
“Out of all those people, you are the one who encouraged me.”

You're great when you serve God with a smile. So many like Ashley feel uneasy when they're around strangers. But someone said "hi" to Ashley. Someone smiled.  That's right! She's the teen with the happy Facebook message.

Ashley

Do you have a story to share? Please share. I’d love to hear from you!

Greatness - Rejoices with Those Who Rejoice

                                  

             Greatness – Rejoices with Those Who Rejoice

Sue and Shirley had the inside scoop. They had helped count the votes for the senior superlatives—they knew!

They couldn’t wait to share this news with Elizabeth. The three of them had been friends for a long time.

“Hey Elizabeth, we know who got the senior superlatives. So and so got Most Likely to Succeed and so and so got Cutest Couple and so and so got Wittiest.”

On and on they went. Elizabeth was impressed but she wasn’t surprised at the choices. But—she was amazed when smiling Shirley piped up with, “And, Elizabeth, you missed getting wittiest by only a few votes.” 
“Me…really?” Elizabeth’s jaw dropped, but Sue looked as though she had just swallowed a canary. Sadly, Elizabeth realized that the girl she called her best friend didn’t want her to know! 

“Why, Lord? Why would she keep such happy, such encouraging news from me?” To be certain, Sue was no friend, not a true blue friend. Not a friend she could count on when it really mattered.

A great friend shouts hooray when others succeed. Jesus always cheers for you. When you succeed He says, “I’m not surprised. I knew what was in you all along. I created you!” He is your best friend, your greatest friend. This is what He says about Himself.

                       “Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends”
                                                                       John 15:13

Elizabeth has become a cheerleader for her friends. I watch people run to Elizabeth and hear the whoop go up. Oh, yes, there’s another win for a child of God. One that Elizabeth had a part in. I watch her face, so glowing so alive she is!

Does Elizabeth see what God sees? Probably not. But the Almighty sees a girl who is light and free. He sees a girl who is great because she serves others with the love of God. He sees a daughter who looks a lot like Him and He shouts,

                               “She is glorious and beautiful. Her clothing is fashioned with gold 
                                                      and her name is engraved on my palms. She is mine!”
                                                                    Psalm 45:13 and Isaiah 49:16

Greatness...Found in a Closet?

                           Greatness…Found in a Closet?
 
  
 Father fixed His eyes on a young teenaged girl named Joy. His face was beaming. I love that! Love her heart! Love her desire to serve her parents. She really does look a lot like me. She’s some girl! Even her closet is in order…that she may bless her folks. Wow, she could have just shut the door! Who would know?

                        What’s happening? What’s the big deal?

Joy’s parents were returning home after a five day jaunt to NYC. She had missed them. She wanted to bless them. And so…Joy rolled up her sleeves and cleaned the house.

The dog was walked, the dishes were put away, but the task of hanging up her clothes took the most time. It was not until everything in her room was back in order that she breathed more easily. But of all she did, her closet was the most amazing. Why so amazing? If anyone knew, who would care? If anyone saw, would they say, “Wow, this is greatness!”? 

                                                                   So what? 
                                                 So your shirts all hang together, and your jeans
                                                         and shoes are in their proper places.
 
Once the closet doors were shut—no one would see—no one but God. The Lord saw beyond an uncluttered closet. He saw a heart of gold. He saw a girl He could trust, a girl He could use to impact the world. He saw a girl like another teen named Mary who said yes when the angel told her she would bear a son named Jesus. Just obedient, just a heart for God…a heart to please!

There remained one more task.  With broom in hand Joy swept the kitchen and dining room floors. Joy felt peace, and God said,  

                              'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things;

                                                              I will put you in charge of  many things…”
                                                                             Matthew 25:23

Joy!