Dodging Bullets: How to Be a Strong Christian Teen in the World We Live In

By Stephanie Fusco

This book is for any teen who is struggling with fear, anxiety, depression, loneliness, harassment, and more. Many teens feel like they are the only ones who go through these feelings. This book is to help show you that you are not alone, and God is always working on you and making you stronger.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Sep 9, 2013
• ISBN: 9781490806532

Stephanie Fusco

Stephanie Fusco writes about her experiences and how challenging it can be to stay a strong Christian teen in our current day and age. She lives with her mom and dad in New Jersey, where she is home schooled.

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Copyright © 2013 Stephanie Fusco.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-0654-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-0653-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013915408

WestBow Press rev. date: 09/03/2013

In loving memory of my grandmother, Edna Davin. She always believed in me, even when I did not.

Table of Contents

Trials

Fear

How Can Fruit Help?

Confide in Someone

Losing Her

Integrity

God, I’m Lonely

A Blurb about Socializing

Words Hurt

Hope

Set Goals for Yourself

Influence

Forgiveness

Appearance: Inside and Out

It’s Your Turn

Don’t Look Back

Trials

27541.png    Trials—they happen.

No one said life was going to be easy. And if they did, they were either lying or they are psychotic. Life is not easy; that’s the truth. I know you’re probably thinking at this point, What could a teenage, home-schooled girl know about life and the difficulties it comes with? Ha. I may not know much about life, but I do know this: everything happens for a reason.

I’m also quite familiar with trials and hardships, which I will get to in a bit. Right now I’m going to talk about why we go through trials.

The Bible spells out why we must go through trials many times. One of my favorite verses is James 1:2-4: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (NIV, BibleGateway.com) (emphasis added).

This verse clearly states that we will go through trials, but never without a reason. We go through trials to develop perseverance.

Perseverance: (per-se-ver-ance) is a noun that means: 1. Steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. 2. Continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perseverance

We are supposed to consider it pure joy when we go through trials. We know that each trial happens to make us stronger. Now trust me, no one knows more than me that this is easier said