rebelling against low expectations

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Three Things I Learned Through Depression

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Life is hard. I’m not talking about doing hard things, I’m talking about life that’s hard. Death in the family, sickness, despair, the sin in our world that we can’t stop, but we do look to God to help us with it. But sometimes even that can be really hard. The difficulties in life can make us ask, “Why God? Why would you let this happen?” And trust me, I’ve been living with that question for a...

3 Lessons I Had to Learn in My Teen Years

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I turned 20 a few weeks ago, which means I’m officially no longer a teenager. In some ways, I’m glad to have those years over, but I also know that I grew a lot during that time. My teen years were a period of growth and change. It was when I realized what my shortcomings were, and how to work towards overcoming them. While I learned many valuable lessons as a teenager, three stand out: How to be...

What Giving Up Comparison Taught Me About Following Jesus

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“You don’t understand! Your life is perfect compared to mine! You wouldn’t understand.” “Ha! You think my life is perfect? Oh, no…” Comparison. That’s what it was. I was recently watching one of my favorite TV shows, and this scene eerily reminded me of a scene from my own life. I had believed someone else’s life was perfect.  I complained that their life was perfect. I compared, allowing myself...

4 Ways to Share Your Faith In Extracurricular Activities

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How can I share my faith while engaging in extracurricular activities? For the majority of my life, I have been blessed to participate in several extracurricular activities. Lately, I’ve been thinking about something: How can I show people the light of Christ while engaging in these activities? This is a question that should be at the forefront of every Christian’s mind. It’s so easy to get...

Am I a Good Neighbor?

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He crumpled to the dusty road as blow after blow landed on his back and head. Everything went black. Moments later, he felt something warm trickling down his cheek; then heard footsteps shuffling closer to where he lay. An audible gasp, and the shuffling faded off into the distance. Again, all went black. A second time he came to but instead of blows, he felt strong arms lifting him off the...

“What do happy teens do?”

It’s an unfortunate reality that our generation struggles intensely with anxiety and depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 32% of teens 13-18 years old struggle with an anxiety disorder. There’s a lot we could (and should) go into here, but it makes you wonder what’s causing this and what can teens do to reverse the trend? What do happy teens do? I...

What Winnie-the-Pooh Taught Me About Friendship

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When you have a four-year old brother, your entertainment options become quite narrow–and very repeated. The chosen show changes every few months, and some picks endure the repeated use better than others. The old Disney classics lie on one end of that spectrum, while most bright, loud, obnoxious toddler shows are banished to the absolute other. Fortunately for me, the current chosen show...

5 Ways to Share Your Faith at School

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I used to be completely passive about witnessing to my friends. I would often shy away from witnessing opportunities and become embarrassed about my personal faith. “I’m too shy,” I would tell myself. How can I share the gospel? Thankfully, last spring God began to open my eyes through a combination of different devotionals and sermons. One day in church, we were singing “Let Your...

The Day I Walked Out of the Theater: Social Shame and the Gospel

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It started out just fine. A cast I admired, an intimate and dark setting, a sense of excitement as the audience chattered in low voices before the first act. I sat in excited anticipation. The cast was all I expected them to be– funny, engaging, perfect for their individual roles. They had the audience chuckling in the first minute. But I was surprised by the outburst of profanity as the...

True Friendship is Committed

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Have you ever felt overwhelmed and frustrated with your life? I definitely have! Just recently, I received a call from my best friend, where he told me I could have his car for a mere fraction of what it was worth. It was an answer to prayer, because in about a month, I would be heading off to school, and didn’t have a method of transportation (other then asking other students for a ride). And...

rebelling against low expectations

The Rebelution is a teenage rebellion against low expectations—a worldwide campaign to reject apathy, embrace responsibility, and do hard things. Learn More →