Browsing Tag

success

3 Practical Steps to Help You Accomplish Your Dreams

Posted on January 16, 2017

 

Youth and Teen Devotion - 3 Practical Steps to Reach Your Dreams

If you’re like most teenagers, you want to do something big with your life. You don’t want to be ordinary, but you do want to accomplish something meaningful. You desire to live your life to help others.

These desires are God breathed into your life. They’re exciting and fun and for some of you, they will be world changing. As fun as dreams are, success doesn’t happen automatically. To help your dreams become successful in the long term, we’ve come up with three practical steps to help you accomplish your dreams.

Step One – Prayer.

When you’re in the midst of doing something big for God prayer is vital. You’ve got to get God’s vision for your dream. God will show you how to do something when you don’t know how. He’ll show you the people you need to do the things that God is calling you to do, and He’ll give you the grace to do it. Be quick to go to God for His help.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

God sees the big picture. He has the benefit of knowing the future, so it’s important to get His input on your dreams and goals. Sometimes God will tell you to wait because the timing isn’t right to accomplish your dream. Other times, He might show you that you need some help or training to do what you feel in your heart to do. Be open to hearing from God about your dream. Follow His leading on the timing, and whether the dream is really what you’re to be doing right now.

Often God will put things in your heart, but they won’t come to pass all at once. Be patient and let God lead you in the development and discovery of your dream.

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Step Two – Discovery.

Discovery should always be a step in reaching your dreams. Discovery is simply getting to know yourself. During this phase, you’ll want to identify what types of things you excel at, and discover potential weaknesses. Its also helpful to get to know about jobs or careers that could potentially interest you. Learning about both of these areas is what dream discovery is all about.

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. – 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

You have a God given gift that you can use to help others. Spend the time to find out what that is for you. Ask God to show you what things He’s put inside you and how you can begin to use them to make a difference.

Another part of discovery is to begin looking for others who have done something similar to what you want to do. Maybe you dream of a music career. Seek out others who have careers in music. Find out what education they needed for what they do. Find out what they do on a daily basis and see if it seems like this is something that would be a good fit for your strengths.

Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe. – Proverbs 28:26 (NLT)

It’s always worth it to invest the time to discover if your dream is a good fit for your gifts, personality and strengths.

Step Three – Reality Check.

After exploring the other two steps above, it’s good to do a little reality check. After you’ve spent some time discovering some of your gifts and talents, does your dream fit within your gifts? Do you believe that you could realistically accomplish your dream?

Also after praying and spending time with God, how do you feel about your dream? Is the timing right for you to pursue your dream? Do you feel like this dream is inspired by God? In answering these questions, choose to put God’s leading ahead of your own excitement if it’s needed. Be open to adjusting your goal or dream if God is pushing you that way. Choose to put God first in the pursuit of your dreams and goals.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. – Matthew 6:33 (NLT)

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God has given you a dream to do something exciting with your life. He’s gifted you in a unique way to accomplish the things that He has put on your heart. Don’t be afraid to dream big and get involved with your dreams. With God’s help you can accomplish big things!

If you’ve got a Bible study or a youth group and would like to use this devotion for discussion, we’ve got some easy to use discussion questions based on this devotion.

 

What Google Maps Can Teach You About Success

Posted on May 11, 2015

Devotion on Following God's Plan For Your LifeI want you to imagine for a moment that you were in a new town and you didn’t know your way around. Let’s say that you’ve got a smart phone, and you know that you’ve got Google Maps on the phone. You know that Google maps can give you turn by turn instructions on how to get to your destination.

The interesting thing about your Google maps on your phone is that it is up to you to use it. You can keep your phone in your pocket and never use it and wind up lost. If you don’t ever consult the directions, or look to see where to go on the map, you won’t get to where you want to go. You’ve got to consult something smarter than you…Google Maps to help you get to your destination.

The same is true in life. Whatever path you take in life, you’ll find success in that by letting God lead. Success is consulting God on each turn, like you would Google Maps on your phone to help you get to your destination and to get which way to go.

Proverbs 3:5-7 5. Trust in the lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the lord and turn away from evil.

So to be successful in life, do what this verse says and let God lead your life. Don’t run around life without direction and lost. Find success in your endeavors by letting God lead. Seek God’s direction in the decisions you make…include Him in what you do.

Self- sufficiency & self dependence have been the ruin of man-kind since Adam. The grand sin of the human race is their continual endeavor to live independently of God – Adam Clarke

Just like Adam said, living independently of God, just doesn’t work. It doesn’t bring happiness or fulfillment. When you try to live your life in your own strength and ability you will always fail, be unhappy or feel like something is missing.

The foundation for happiness and success in your life is knowing Jesus and letting him lead in your life. As you go through life, as you make decisions and as you make choices for your future, consult God in everything you do, and you’ll find true success!

If you’re a youth leader and you liked this devotion, we’ve got a lesson outline and powerpoint download available for you in our online youth leader resource center.

 

Why What You Speak Matters

Posted on April 13, 2015

Devotion on the Power of Words

Words Matter

If you’re like most teenagers, you’re speaking a lot of words everyday. You might be texting friends, posting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or talking to friends in the hallway. The fact is, you’re using lots of words all day long. On average, a person speaks between 10,000 and 25,000 words a day. That’s a lot of words!

With so many words coming out of our mouths all day long, its understandable that God puts a lot of importance on the words we speak. For example, in Proverbs 18:21 it says, “Those who love to talk will experience the consequences, for the tongue can kill or nourish life. ” (NLT). That’s a pretty strong statement on the importance of your words.

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When you’re in math class and find out you missed 10 problems on the homework assignment, what comes out of your mouth? Do you say things like, “AHH! I’m so dumb…I’ll never get this!” Words like that will shut off your success in school.

The words you speak are important.

The words that you speak every day, even the smallest words, are important. They set the course and tone for your life. If you don’t like something that is happening in your life, pay attention to the words that you’ve been speaking regarding that thing or situation. Perhaps you need to begin to speak words of life.

Words will direct the course of your life, so begin to pay attention to what you’re speaking.

Pray: God, I choose to pay attention to the words that I speak each day. I ask you for your help in speaking words of life over me each day. I know that my words are important and I choose to speak words of life every day. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

 Listen: Words by Hawk Nelson

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3 Ways to Succeed in Sports

Posted on April 8, 2015

3 Ways To Succeed at Sports

Sports can be a really fun part of your time at school. They are a great way to develop good habits and get to know new people. Here are a few tips to help you become a success at any sport you play.

  1. Be dedicated.
    Dedication will beat talent every time. You may not be the best athlete ever, but if you’re dedicated you can go far in your school’s sports teams. You can show dedication by going the extra mile. You could run more, or put in some extra practice time. Whatever approach you decide to take, after awhile you’ll find that you’re coming out ahead on your sports team. No amount of talent can substitute for hard work and practice. If you put in the time and work, you’ll be sure to get noticed.
  2. Be Mentally Tough.
    If you’re mentally tough many times you can win against someone who is physically better than you at sports. A lot of success in sports comes down to mental toughness. If you get defeated mentally, you will lose the game physically. Keep your mental focus, and you can win the majority of the games you play. Unless your opponent is a lot better than you in terms of talent, you will be surprised at how many games you can win by keeping a good mental attitude.
  3. Have Fun.
    School sports are supposed to be fun. However, its easy to get wrapped up with the winning and competition that you forget that the point of school sports is to have fun. School sports are a good way to get to meet new people and find out which sports you enjoy playing.  More than likely, you won’t go on to play these sports professionally, so have some fun while you’re playing.

Following these tips will help you to be more successful at the sport you’re involved in.  Remember to always put God first in anything you do. In any sport you play, remember that you’re there to bring glory to God. Don’t get all wrapped up in the drama and excitement of sports that you forget to give God the glory. He’s there and willing to help you out in anything that you put your hand to.
[Tweet “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. –  Matt 6:33”]

Pray: God, I come to you right now in the name of Jesus and I ask for your wisdom in the sports that I play. Help me to have creative strategies and ideas that will help me succeed. I desire to put you first in everything I do. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Go Deeper: Read Little Black Book for Athletes (Little Black Book Series)

6 Traits of Successful Teens

Posted on January 5, 2015

traits-of-successful-teens

Many teenagers define success in lots of different ways. Some would say success is having lots of friends. Others would say its making lots of money. Still others would say success is doing well in sports or at school. If we’re totally honest, lots of us don’t really know how to define true success. With everyone’s different definitions of success, its can be confusing to understand what success truly is.

Here are six traits that successful people all share.

  1. A successful person reads the Bible.
    “My son, don’t forget my teaching. Remember what I tell you to do. What I teach will give you a good, long life, and all will go well for you. ” – Proverbs 3:1-2 (ERV)
    A successful person does not forget God’s teaching, or what God has said in the Bible. To be a success in life, you need to pay attention to the things God says in His word. If God tells you something in His word, then you should apply it to your life and live it out. Being a success is all about letting God’s word have a voice in your life. Don’t tune God’s word out, but rather make God’s word something that you don’t forget.
  2. A successful person trusts God.
    “Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge” – Proverbs 3:5 (ERV)
    A successful person trusts God even when it goes against what’s popular. Trusting God sometimes goes against what seems to make sense at the moment. Trusting God sometimes can be really scary. However, trusting God always pays off. Successful people know that putting their trust in God is the way to really win in life.
  3. A successful person is humble.
    “Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil.” – Proverbs 3:7 (ERV)
    The successful person knows that they aren’t always right. They also know that its better to not just make decisions based on their own knowledge but to get others involved. Humbling yourself to ask for help is an important trait of a successful person.
  4. A successful person gives.
    “Honor the Lord with your wealth and the first part of your harvest.” – Proverbs 3:9 (ERV)
    The successful person makes giving a part of who they are. This person knows that God rewards those who give. Giving is a trademark of success.
  5. A successful person accepts correction.
    “My son, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be angry when he corrects you.” – Proverbs 3:11 (ERV)
    A successful person can accept correction. Even though its not easy to be told when they’re wrong, the successful person knows that correction is important to growing as a person. Without correction, people can’t grow and learn. The successful person accepts correction even when its hard.
  6. A successful person learns.
    “Those who find wisdom are fortunate; they will be blessed when they gain understanding.” – Proverbs 3:13 (ERV)
    Learning is important. People who become learners are always growing and getting better. Learning isn’t easy, but its important. So decide to find time to learn. A successful person look for ways to learn from others and gain wisdom.

Being a successful person isn’t about the friends you have, the clothes you wear, or how much money you make. Its more about who you are. Its about developing character in yourself and getting to know God in a deeper way.

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Why Your Words Are Like A GPS

Posted on May 7, 2014

20130913-190714.jpgHave you ever used a GPS? Its a pretty neat invention. You can speak or program a destination into it and then it will devise a route for you. What we don’t realize is that every day we are programming our direction in life by the words we speak- whether consciously or unconsciously.

For example, you get ready to take a test and say “I’ll probably fail this” and you are shutting yourself down from doing your best. Or you may say “nobody likes me” and the result of that will be that your downcast attitude repels people from you so you get what you say.
How about on purpose, saying what you WANT, not what you feel?
If you want energy to win as an athlete or a musician you can say “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Phil 4:13

Pro 18:20 says “A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; he shall be satisfied with the product of his lips.” This isn’t talking about the food you eat as much as the words you speak (although the size of your belly does indicate what you’re putting into your mouth as well!) You live with the consequences of the words you think and speak just like you live with the consequences of what you eat by the size of your belly.

Set your life for success by thinking before speaking and then speaking faith-filled words of what you want to see. It’s really pretty easy to understand and with practice, you can learn to say only those words that you want to see happen.

To do: Start listening to your speech. What are you saying that you don’t want happening in your life? What aren’t you saying that you wish was happening? As easy as programming a GPS, you can program your life for success.

Prayer: Thank You Lord for giving me a mouth that I can set the course of my life. I want to speak the words that will cause the plan you have for me to succeed. I want to bring You glory with my thoughts, my words and my actions today. Direct me and correct my words and thoughts today.

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Tips to Make Setting Goals Easy

Posted on November 15, 2013

Devotion for teens on making goal setting easyDo you shudder at the thought of having to make goals? You might understand that goal setting is important, but how should you get started? Here are a few tips to make setting goals easy.

 

  • Pick Some Simple Goals – Part of the fun of setting goals is watching them come to pass in your life. One great way to get excited about setting goals is to set a few easy to accomplish goals. With a few wins under your belt, you’ll start getting pumped and want to set more goals.
    Setting some simple goals might be something very basic like going a whole week without forgetting to read your Bible. Or challenge yourself to learn that new piece of music for the band this weekend.
    Pick something simple, that you know that you can do, and challenge yourself to try getting it done. You’ll find it’s lots of fun when you do.
  • Reward Yourself – Goal setting is more fun when you give yourself rewards along the way. For example, if you have set a goal for saving money, give yourself a small reward when you reach the goal. It could be something simple like letting yourself download that song you really wanted off of iTunes. Whatever it is, giving yourself a reward helps motivate you to reach your goals.
  • Ask God’s Help in Goal Setting – Setting big life goals can be a bit scary. It’s difficult to know where to start or what your goals should be. Decide to get God involved in your goal setting. He can help you know which goals are important and what not to focus on. With God’s help, you’ll be able to set goals that are on track with His plan for your life.

 

These are just a few suggestions to help make goal setting easier. Goal setting can seem like a lot of work, but it is worth it in the end. Setting goals helps you to achieve more and will help you reach your dreams. In all goal setting though, be sure to ask for God’s help. Its important to get God involved in goal setting. God wants to see you accomplish big things with His help!

Listen: That’s How You Change The World by Newsboys

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Distractions – The Missing Key

Posted on June 12, 2013

Devotion for Teens on Distractions

The “D” key on my keyboard recently fell off. Its such a small thing, but it really makes typing on my computer hard. Its amazing that it is just one small key out of 79 keys on my keyboard, and yes, I counted them ALL. You would think that one “D” key wouldn’t make a big difference. But it really does. It makes typing really hard. Its a little thing, but it makes a big difference.

It kind of reminds me of how many times, small things in our lives can become big distractions. A distraction could be something really simple like a game you love to play like Candy Crush or Cut the Rope. These are games are not bad in themselves, but if overused, they can become a distraction.

Another form of a distraction could be a crush. While its natural to like the opposite sex, its easy to let your crush become a distraction that keeps you from your friendship with God.

Distractions are usually small things that come in and have the power, just like my missing “D” key, to slow us down.

A distraction according to the free dictionary online is something that draws someone’s attention away from something.

Simply put, many times distractions are things that draw us away from our friendship with God. They’re usually not things that are in themselves bad, they’re things like a TV show, Twitter or hanging out with friends. But these things draw us away sometimes from our main goal in life, which should be a friendship with God.

So I want you to take a look at your life, and see if there is something that has been taking away from your realionship with God. It might be a crush, it could be video games, or a new TV show. No matter what it is, determine to not let it become a distraction. Choose to make your friendship with God your number one priority and not let any distractions slow you down.

How To Be a Nerd (Success at School)

Posted on May 29, 2013

Teenage Bullying Devotional
You might really be questioning our sanity here at Student Devos by this post. How to be a nerd? Why would you want to be a nerd in the first place? Nerds are not cool, unless you’re talking about the candy. Then by all means be a nerd.

Being a nerd might not be your goal in life, but we do have some tips that might help you out with your school work. It probably wont make you a hardcore nerd, but at least it might help you out a little with your school work and grades.

Teen Mp3 download of success scriptures for teens

Here’s our top 3 tips to nerdy bliss:

#1 – Show up. Yep. Not exactly groundbreaking there, but simply showing up for class every day will help improve your grades. Not only showing up physically(body in the seat) but show up mentally(mind there, listening to the teacher). Showing up every day is the #1 thing that will set you apart from others. No matter how boring the teacher might be or how much you’d rather talk to friends, showing up and paying attention in class makes a huge difference in your grades.

#2 – Do what’s asked. How many times have you watched someone do the wrong worksheet or the wrong problems on the assignment? It’s important to pay attention to the requirements given by your teacher. If you do what they ask, you are guaranteed to get better grades.

#3 – No slacking/excuses. If you didn’t do the homework, don’t make excuses about why it isn’t done. Just take responsibility. Own up to your actions and be proactive. If you know that for some reason you’re not going to get an assignment done, talk to your teacher. Find out if you can make up for it, or have an extension. If you’re really trying, your teacher will usually be glad to work with you.

These are our tips on how to be a nerd. Hopefully, you’ll be able to put some to use and get your nerd on!

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