www.Christeenianity.com 3

Contents:

featured artiCles

8Interview With

Jimmy Needham

The Pen’s In Your Hand 13

by Madelyn Olsen

The Artist And His Canvas 7

by Amanda Miller

Non-Profit Highlight 5

St. Jude’s Ranch

Dear Christeen6

A Note From...11

Andy Glenn

Concerts12

Local Youth Groups10

National Runaway Switchboard 800-RUNAWAY (786-2929)

National Teen Dating Abuse 866-331-9474

Connections Crisis Hotline 800-532-8192

TX Abuse Hotline 800-252-5400

Teen Pregnancy 866-942-6466

Alanon/Alateen (SA) 888-829-1312

You may submit articles or your letter to Dear Christeen either by mail

at 5321 FM 311 #1, New Braunfels, TX, 78132, or via email at Info@Christeenianity.com.

If you would like to receive a Free copy of the NLT New Testament Bible, please email

your name and address to info@Christeenianity.com, or call us at 830-481-5058

Welcome to Christeenianity!

All people will die for their own sins—those

who eat the sour grapes will be the ones

whose mouths will pucker. Jeremiah 31:30

As humans we all tend to play the blame

game. We blame Dad’s alcoholism on our

drug addiction, Mom’s lack of affection on our

teen pregnancy, society’s view of the perfect

body for our anorexia or bulimia. The reality

is, we are all responsible for our own actions.

I think when we are able to point our finger

elsewhere, it helps rid us of our guilt for our

wrong doings or mistakes. Afterall, who wants

to admit, “I’m an alcoholic or addict because

I chose to take that first drink or that first

hit.”? The truth is, when we are able to take

responsibility for our actions, it’s the first step

to setting us free from our guilt. It is then that

we can let go of our past and step into the

present. When we can let go of our past, we

are no longer under its power. “. . .Forgetting

the past and looking forward to what lies

ahead, I press on to reach the end of the

race and receive the heavenly prize for which

God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Philippians 3:13-14

Publisher Christeenianity, LLC, Editor - Audra Hughes

Contributing Writers - Andy Glenn, Amanda Miller, Elisa Nodine, Madelyn Olsen

Graphic Designer - Ezrah Khan • Sales - Audra Hughes

in every

issue

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ChristeenJ

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by Amanda Miller - Age 19

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When the enormous dark canvas was fully speckled with bright lights, he put his brush down, and he saw that it was good.

He smiled broadly and said, “My children will gaze upon the beauty of this masterpiece for thousands of years to come. And they shall look at it, as well as all of my other creations, and see me reflected back.”

And the Lord named his creation “Stars of the Night Sky” to go along with the moon, ruling the night, and to go along with the sun, governing the day, all of which he finished within hours of each other. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

JIMMY NEEDHAM

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by Madelyn Olsen - Age 16

Have you ever looked out the

window of the car and just

watched everyone zooming around?

It’s crazy to think that the

person in the Jeep and the kid

driving the Ford truck and the mom

driving the Honda mini-van all have

something in common.It’s crazy to think that each

and every one of us, no matter

our race, gender, size or age, have

something in common.We all have a story to tell. We

all believe in something, we all have

fears, we all have feelings, we all

have lost something and we are all

writing our stories.Life is a book, and you

’re holding

the pen. The first couple chapters

of a book are crucial because

those chapters are what establish

the characters, and if you just read

the last few chapters you don’t

know who the characters are and

what they’ve been through. They’re

simply names on a page that mean

absolutely nothing to you.

The middle chapters of a book

are what make the end worthwhile.

Characters cry, laugh, scream, and

smile. Characters land a

great job, buy a

good car, marry a fantastic spouse

and make new friends. That’s not

all though, there are chapters

when the characters are depressed

and they lose their best friend,

fight with their spouse, get beat

up and get betrayed. Though at

times it seems the hard times will

never end, they do. They’re simply

chapters, not the whole book.

But what good is a book without

a reader? It’s worthless, or so

it seems. An unread book is full

of characters, full of dialogue

and full of potential. Potential

that, unless it’s read, will never be

recognized.My life is a book, as is

yours

and the kid in the truck, and the

mom in the mini-van. We all have a

story of love, loss and fear. And

the greatest thing we all have in

common is the longing to be loved.

The next time you’re in your car

and you’re stressed about getting

to work on time, relationship

problems, etc. look outside the

window and notice all the people

zooming around you, and remember

We’re all writing our

books together.

you’re not alone.you’re not alone.you’re not alone.

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