June 2019 Th!nk Magazine – Freedom

Summer is officially here! And this month we’re talking about freedom. Yeah, yeah, we’re a little early for the 4th of July, but personal, spiritual freedom is applicable all the time. It’s a struggle for some many with false guilt and hidden sin and all kinds of things, sadly. If you or someone you knew needs some freedom right now, keep reading. 😉

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February 2019 Th!nk Magazine – Singleness

Happy February!

As everyone is celebrating love and everything is covered in pink and red, we wanted to take this month to talk all things singleness.

We have a short story, poem, book review, and a bunch more waiting for you. Not to mention an interview with the debut author Sarah Grace Grzy, which you don’t want to miss.

Enjoy!

October 2018 Th!nk Magazine – Surrender

Happy fall! This month we tackle the topic of surrender, as well as share some new favorite Christina songs, and an interview with an accomplished Christian indie author about her new book. Enjoy!

August 2018 Th!nk Magazine – Creativity

School starting, hints of fall . . . August is almost gone! This month we had a lot of fun with a variety of pages, including several by some pretty awesome guest writers. We are also excited to welcome Grace Maples to the team and introduce her to you as the newest Th!nk author!

In this issue of Th!nk, we are diving into the topic of creativity. Creativity is a God-given gift, but so often we tend to try to fit it into a specific box. Which is sort of a paradox since it is “creativity”. We hope you enjoy!

We also have a book review for Fawkes by Nadine Brandes, a tasty lemon chicken recipe, a short story about comparison, a letter to the girl who misses her dad, and a few others.

June 2018 Th!nk Magazine – Summer

Yesterday was the first day in summer! And Ainsley’s 17th birthday (make sure to comment happy birthday to her! 😉 ).  How are all of our wonderful readers doing? Well, I hope.

Today we have an awesome (If I do say so myself) magazine for you to enjoy! The theme is summer, and we had some fun with summer art inpsirtaion, summer activities you can do, and we even tackle the importance or clearing your conscience and how to properly apologize. Also, we were delighted to be apart of Kate Willis’s blog tour for her new book Kiera a Christian dystopian novel. So make sure you don’t miss that! She’s also doing an awesome giveaway.

January 2017 Magazine – Theme: ‘New’

New year. New creations. New believers. Being renewed. We hope that you enjoy this month’s magazine, and are both challenged and encouraged!

Have a great month!

-Th!nk Authors

Life’s Instruction’s – God’s Power

A women living in China heard shouts. Not long later she was summoned by the governor to the prison. Why? What was going on? The governor quickly explained. There was a riot in the men’s prison, somehow they’d gotten a hold of weapons, and no one could go in there without being killed. The governor wanted her to go in and stop it. Her?! Why would he send a small women when he could send in lots of armed guards? The governor explained, “You said your God will protect you from anything!”. Right….

Gladys Aylward was a missionary in China, known for the inn she ran where she would tell nightly bible stories to the travelers who stayed there, and for her care of many, many orphans. In this particular instance, however, she did go into the prison full of bloodshed, and commanded that they men stop and surrender their weapons. And they did. She trusted God even in the overwhelming fear she surely must have felt!

So often our human fears stem from our not trusting God’s power and supremacy. Do we really trust that He will provide for us, protect us, and equip us? We say we do, but would you have gone into that prison? Perhaps  Gladys Aylward’s actions seem foolish, but if God were telling her to go, surely they weren’t! God clearly blessed them! If God is on our side, and we are doing what is right and what is His will, surely nothing can touch us, and nothing will stop us! How dare we doubt God’s power? Read and pray through the following Scriptures and their context, surrendering any fears that you are holding on to. Choose to trust God’s power and not doubt it any longer!

• Matthew 14:27 (NIV) –  But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
• Acts 4:13 (NIV) – When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
• Acts 27:25 (NIV) – So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
• Proverbs 28:1 (NIV) – The wicked flee though no one pursues,  but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
• Romans 13:3 (NIV) – For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.
• Joshua 2:11 (NIV) –  When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
• Deuteronomy 31

I challenge you, actually print out this page and read through these Scriptures and their context in the Bible! You can read all about our ideas and experiences of defeating fear, and living in courage, but in the end it is you who must make the choice to do this on your own, to seek the truth for yourself, and to make this topic yours. I had learned so much about this topic over the years, but as I sat down to research and write for this month’s magazine, there was so, so much more truth that God had laid out. We couldn’t fit it all in this magazine! Whether you are battling fear now, or not, fears will come, and the only way to defeat them is if you know God’s truth and His power when they come. For they will come!

*Note: We do not post the full magazine on this blog every month, to read the full magazine monthly for free, email us at thinkauthors@gmail.com

Life’s Instructions – the fear of the Lord

Life’s Instructions– The fear of the Lord “Is-is he a man?” asked Lucy.“Aslan a man!” said Mr. Beaver sternly. “Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. Don’t you know who is the King of the Beasts? Aslan is a lion-the Lion, the great Lion” “Ooh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he- quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.” “That you will, dearie, and make no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.” “Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy. “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” ~C.S. Lewis, in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe God is not a human, and if our relationship with Him is to be right, then we should bear this in mind!! God is the all powerful, omnipresent, omniscient, King of Kings! He is God. As Mr. Beaver says, Aslan (who represents God) is not at all ‘safe.’ If you choose to seek Him, come close to Him, and surrender your all to Him, be prepared for the most wonderful adventure. But not at all a safe one curled up in your comfort zone safe from embarrassment and learning. And yet again, as Mr. Beaver says, ‘He is good, and He is King’. And we should fear Him. He is a jealous God. A just God. The Bible tells us of all His marvelous deeds. Both those of His healing deeds and undeserved mercy– and those of His just and unquenchable anger. He is the great I AM. He is the one who killed all the firstborn in Egypt. Who called the FURIOUS storm. Who created the universe. Who crumbled the walls of Jericho. Who killed a man in punishment for wrongly touching His holy ark. And SO MUCH MORE! Our God is an awe-some God! HE IS ONE TO FEAR. And yet, it is a wonderful fear. It isn’t the dread, because He is a good King. One who, even in all His glory, loves us. I am having trouble finding the words to say all that I want to say. Our God is worthy of praise. Of awe. Of adoration. Of our whole-hearted obedience. Psalm 34:9 (NIV) says, ‘Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.’. Picture a scale. One one side put all the things you are afraid of: spiders, new things, heights, learning to drive, large dogs, …fill in the rest. Now, on the other side, put just this one thing: fear of God. Awe. Respect. Understanding of His power and justice. …And then watch the scale hit the table on that side with a resounding bang. When you fear God you fear nothing else, because you trust in His power. When you don’t fear God, you fear everything else, because deep down you know you sure can’t handle anything! You may think you can, but the truth remains. As Psalms says, we are but a breath. And God is beyond our comprehension! Rahab understood that the God of Israel is One to fear, and God made it so that she did not lack anything. I cannot fit all that I want in this one article, and even if I had a hundred I could not describe what it means to fear God… mainly because I cannot comprehend it myself. But I challenge you to seek this yourself. Before the day is up start your quest by reading Isaiah 42.

Life’s Instructions- Trust

Life’s Instructions

Verse: Joshua 1:9-Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

Day 1: Read this verse. Doesn’t it make you feel relieved and fresh? Doesn’t it make you feel ready to do anything? Write a list of places and situations when you can be strong because the Lord is on your side.

Day 2: Read this verse again, but this time, wherever you go, remember not to be afraid or nervous about anything. If you are, remember that God is there to comfort you.

Day 3: Write this verse on a note card and put it somewhere where you will always read it. It could be in your lunch box, on your dresser, or even in the bathroom(like my mom always does:)).

Day 4: Make it a habit that if you are ever nervous, afraid, or scared, that you turn to God in prayer and remember that he is there to comfort and help you(Phil 4:6 & 7).

Day 5: Send one of your friends or family members and email, call, or letter with this verse in it. Hopefully it will be like a fresh breath of air and comfort them while bringing them closer to Christ. It could even tell them about God’s Grace if they aren’t a Christian.

Day 6: Open up to your Bible and read Eph. 6:10-17(The full armor of God). I think this goes well with our main verse. While reading this, imagine yourself putting on each object. My family does this every morning before we go out into our “battle field” which could be school, work, etc. It’s a great way to help us be ready for anything.

Day 7(optional): Memorize the whole armor of God. I think that it’s a great idea if you’re looking for something good to memorize. Believe me, me and Sara are right there with you. We are working on memorizing the whole book of Ephesians(If you would like to do that with us, please email us).

Life’s Instructions-June 2014

Life’s Instructions

Last month, we ended the series where we explained Christian songs. Please tell us  you liked it/ what we should do next. This month, we are going to change-up the usual Life’s Instructions. Hope you like it!

 

Verse: Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)– Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

 

Training Day 1:  Read the verse above and really meditate on it. Try to understand everything it talks about, and the meaning of it.

 

Training Day 2: Read the verse again but in a different translation. I would recommend reading in the NLT & NKJV versions. Pray to God and ask him to open your mind to what you are reading.

 

Training Day 3:  Read the verse again and see if it means anything different to you. Pray to God and ask him to help you obey your leaders.

 

Mission Field Day 1: Today is the day you will work on doing what this verse says. Choose your mission field like in last month’s Life’s Applications. Work on obeying your authorities and also being a good authority.

Mission Field Day 2-5: Today, do the same as in Mission Field Day 1, but this time, see how many times you can do it. Continue to do this for a few days and see if you can obey more and more times each day.

Life’s Instructions- Gratitude

Life’s Instructions

Life’s Instructions is a page we regularly do that helps you live out a Bible verse. Follow these day by day activities to help you better understand the verses.

Verse: James 1:17-Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Day 1: Read this verse and think about what it means.

Day 2: Read this verse again and as you do this, read the verses surrounding it. I would definitely read James 1:2-18. It talks a lot about being grateful.

Day 3: Pray and ask God to help you be grateful, even when you are suffering.

Day 4: Take time today to praise God for all he has provided

Day 5: Try to ask as many people as you can, what they are grateful for.

Day 6: Challenge yourself to be grateful always(Ephesians 5:20). I would recommend making a gratitude journal to write down these things. Look in Crafty Corner for more information.

Day 7(optional): Spend a few minutes thanking God for everything He has provided you with.

Life’s Instructions (S.O.A.P)- Goal Setting

Life’s Instructions(S.O.A.P.)

This month, I really wanted Th!nk to focus on why goal setting is helpful and why it is harmful since it is the beginning of a new year. Below I have listed some verses that talk about goal setting so that you can use them for S.O.A.P. Please email us if you would like us to remind you how to do S.O.A.P.

2 Corinthians 5:9 Colossians 2:2 Matthew 6:25-34 Psalm 20:4 Psalm 33:11 Proverbs 13:16 Proverbs 16:3 Jeremiah 17:7 Romans 12:2

There are a lot of great and helpful verses listed above. I would definitely read all of them and see which one you like the best or will help you the best. Below, I will tell you why we chose goal setting as our character trait and talk to you about it.

We really wanted to talk to you guys about goal setting since it is the beginning of the year. We thought it would be helpful to tell you how it can benefit you and how it can go against you. You may not understand this at first, but once you understand it, it can really help you.

Every year, I make a list of new year resolutions. I will soon be making mine but I will have better (and hopefully less) resolutions. So as (if) you make your “list” of things you would like to do(or overcome) in 2014, please keep in mind what is said below.

I think goal setting is a great thing because you can encourage yourself to be healthier, grow relationships, break bad habits, etc. When you plan ahead/ set goals it helps you to work hard and keep pushing to finish your goal(s). When you set goals, it helps you realize what talents God has gifted you with and the ones he hasn’t. So when you make your list, you can be thankful for the talents he has provided you with.

The harmful thing about goal setting is that you can be so focused on completing your goals that you forget God. You can forget to do your devotions or even forget to pray. Sometimes, we get really busy and don’t have time to do any of our goals. This means that you spent the time making this list that wasn’t used. Instead of making the list, you could have been doing a devotional or reading the Bible. God may also change your heart and your thoughts. I know He did that to me. He made me realize that what should be on my list is things that matter to God. Looking at the “list” of resolutions I made for 2013, I have barely completed anything and I understand that I wasted so much time making that list. I put silly things that don’t matter in heaven. Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
My main point is that if you are serious about setting goals, then do so. But don’t forget you daily thing s that grow your relationship with God. Remember what matters in heaven and to God.