July/August 2008

Abuse and Forgiveness -- Learn more about child abuse and long-term effects it can have on a young person's life. Then explore the spiritual practice of forgiveness to help you find healthy ways to forgive someone who has abused you or someone you know.

AIDS in Africa -- Explore the impact of HIV/AIDS in various countries on the continent of Africa. And watch a YouTube video of Zanele, a South African AIDS orphan, who has captured the hearts of many of us at The Upper Room.

Am I at Risk? -- Find out how the disease is transmitted and how to protect yourself. What you don't know can hurt you.

Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope -- Working in Latin America as an intern for UNICEF, Jenna Bush was inspired by Ana, a 17-year-old girl living with HIV, who possessed hope and the determination to fight against all the odds in order to survive. To dig deeper into this story, check out a note from the author, a reading guide, and a list of ways you can help make a difference.

Bible mp3 -- To add scripture to your playlist so that it goes everywhere with you, download free audio files to your mp3 or load the Bible on your iPod (for a small price). Also check out the new award-winning audio Bible complete with celebrity voices and a musical score. Of course, you can also go to your favorite online music site, such as iTunes, to find some new tunes with lyrics based on scripture. Enjoy tuning in to God's word!

Build a Virtual Bridge -- Pamela Trunk, one of our writers, built a balsa wood bridge for a competition in high school. Sound fun? Start with a virtual bridge -- discover the strengths and weaknesses of various types of bridges and how to design a bridge to withstand earthquakes. If your virtual skills are good enough, do it for real and enter a competition!

Building Healthy Relationships -- Learn what makes a relationship healthy or unhealthy; and check out these tips for building healthy relationships with your siblings, parents, friends, and dates.

Dark Night of the Soul -- If you feel completely lost or as if you are sinking into the depths of sorrow and uncertainty, find hope in this classic masterpiece by Christian mystic St. John of the Cross. Check out the book or read it online to discover how by persevering through the dark night with patience and trust, even though God seems absent, you can emerge from the darkness and into a closer union with God.

Do You See What I See? -- Take some time this week to sit and watch the clouds and to feel the presence of God. If you have to be indoors, reflect on these cloud formations to see if you can find in them what others have seen of God and creation.

Find Your Way -- If you are lost or need to find your way somewhere, try Google maps or perhaps a GPS system. If you've lost (or found) something else, post it online!

Get Involved -- If you are inspired by the efforts of Invisible Children and by the stories of young people who have dared to love these displaced and abused children in revolutionary ways, then find a way to make a difference -- buy a bracelet, sponsor a screening of the film, encourage your school to join Schools for Schools, or even become an IC roadie!

Give Away Stuff -- Are you in bondage to all your stuff? Learn how one young man learned to clear the clutter through the discipline of giving away his possessions.

HP and the Gospel -- In these tales of wizards and magic, are there glimpses of the gospel? To explore the issue, check out an article by the Washington Post religion editor, a review of The Gospel According to Harry Potter, and a review of the Harry Potter series in Christianity Today. Or join the discussion room at www.devozine.org and let us know what you think!

"I Dream of Africa" -- In this series of blogs and articles, Kami Rice tells the stories of some of God's beautiful people, whom she met during her four months in Africa in 2007. Watch for more from Kami in the months ahead.

Learn More About AIDS -- Take a quiz to see how much you know, then get the basics about the disease or learn more about this global pandemic. Check out this Q&A list to find some honest answers, or explore the facts in different languages. If you'd like to get involved, discover what YouthAIDS is doing in over 60 countries to spread awareness and to empower young people to protect themselves from this disease.

Learn More About BMH -- Looking for something meaningful to do this summer? Check out Bahamas Methodist Habitat and apply now to be part of this ministry of rebuilding homes and lives.

Legos or Life? -- Log in, create your own Lego® avatar, play games, and learn more about Lego® products. After you play a while, check out this helpful information for youth whose parents are going through a divorce and learn how you can help to build up someone else.

Lwala Community Clinic -- The powerful new documentary Sons of Lwala tells the story of two brothers who seek to fulfill their father's dream and to repay the generosity of their Kenyan village by building the first health clinic in Lwala. If you haven't seen this award-winning film, put this on your to-do list today. Then learn more about the clinic and about how you can be a part of this fight against poverty and disease.

More about Handel -- Learn more about Georg Friederich Händel, master musician of the Baroque era and composer of Messiah.

Pet Lessons -- Some people resemble their dogs physically, but do we learn how to love unconditionally from our dogs -- or our cats? What other life lessons might we learn from out cats? Or from our dogs, sheep, cows, and so on? If you don't have a pet, adopt one and start learning today!

Princess Bride Trivia -- Whether you like quotes or quizzes, here's more movie trivia than any Princess Bride fan could ever tackle!

Punxsutawney Phil -- Visit the Official Site of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to explore the history of Groundhog Day, to discover the identity of those guys in the top hats, and to learn more about this famous little critter Phil than you'd ever want to know!

Quiz: R U Too Trusting? -- Find out if you trust other people too easily. And if you have been burned by someone you trusted, learn how to let go and move on.

Read the Book of Job -- Compare the life of Job with the story of Jake Smith as told on pages 75-77 of devozine. But before you read either story, reflect on this thought from the introduction to the Book of Job in the Spiritual Formation Bible: "All of us eventually travel the way of suffering. As we journey into its darkness, we may find ourselves tempted to doubt God's goodness, mercy and love. But Job gives us the courage to face honestly our hard questions and to wrestle with God. Like Job, we may meet God face-to-face at a depth we have not known before. Like Job, we can come to know that when all we have is taken away, God is enough."

Red Letters: Living a Faith that Bleeds -- After encountering Christ in a teenager living on the streets of Moscow, Tom Davis challenges us to look for Jesus in the "least of these" and to join the fight against suffering and injustice in our world. This review and downloadable first chapter will make you want to read more about Tom's work with orphans around the world and will challenge you to get involved.

Stitch a Prayer -- Turn your hobby into ministry. As you sew clothes for premature and sick infants, stitch quilts for cancer patients, or knit prayer shawls for those in need of comfort, offer your prayers for those who will receive your handiwork.

Take a Mini-Retreat -- Need some time away to focus on God? Take an afternoon retreat -- by yourself or with a few friends. Here's how!

Try a Trust Walk -- Introduce your youth group to a trust walk exercise in which each person leads a partner by the hand or by verbal commands through a simple obstacle course. Then help the group to debrief the experience to discover the importance of trust among the members of your group.

Watch with Eyes of Faith -- Are you movie lover? Though not every movie is created from a Christian perspective, many films suggest lessons, questions, and conversations about faith. Invite your family and friends to watch movies with you, and use this simple film review process to help you think and talk about what you are viewing through the eyes of faith.

What Do Others Think? -- Ever wondered what it means to be "poor in spirit"? Read "The Poor in Spirit" (meditation 16) on page 23 in devozine to follow one writer's journey to understanding. Next, read Matthew 5:3 and explore what some other deep thinkers have written. Then write in your journal your own ideas about what it means to be "poor in spirit."

When God Feels Far Away -- If you are experiencing a dry spell in your relationship with God, it doesn't necessarily mean that you've lost your faith. Discover how a spiritual winter can be a time of growth or change; and learn some things you can do to open yourself to God's presence, even in this difficult season of your spiritual life.

Who's In Your Circle? -- Are there people who always sit alone in your high school cafeteria? Are there youth you know who feel left out and isolated? Take a look at your circle of friends, and decide if you are part of a clique or part of a group that would welcome Jesus and all God's family.

World Health Organization Stats -- Thanks to greater efforts toward awareness and prevention, fewer people are getting infected with HIV/AIDS. However, the number of people living with and dying from this disease is still staggering. Get the stats.

Zambian Street Children -- Learn more about the deplorable conditions in which these children live and the dismal outlook for improvement in the near future, even though individuals and groups are offering shelter and hope to these children. If you want to dig a little deeper, explore the issue of street children throughout the world, and perhaps challenge your family or youth group to sponsor a child in need.