Think 4:8: 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life for Teens - Softcover

Tommy Newberry; Lyn Smith

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1414387164 ISBN 13: 9781414387161

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, 2013

Synopsis

The best-selling author of The 4:8 Principle and 40 Days to a Joy-filled Life returns with a special edition for teens. In just 40 days, teens can change their minds and their attitudes. Tommy Newberry, together with writer Lyn Smith, takes teens from thinking negatively to thinking positively, which will change their entire outlook on life. Not only will this devotional make teens think more positively and have a better attitude, this devotional also points teens to Scripture and helps them understand more about God. The devotions not only help teens understand how their thought life determines their perspective, but they also help them focus their minds on godly truths so they can live out their faith.

This book is the perfect way for teens to get a new attitude and start living a fulfilling, joy-filled life in just 40 days.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Focus on the Good Stuff!
Your mind is a powerful tool. What you choose to think about and focus on today can impact the rest of your life.

So take forty days to get your thoughts rolling in the right direction―to help you reach your goals and live the successful, purposeful life God has planned just for you. When you follow this forty-day game plan, you will start erasing weak, unhelpful thoughts and replacing them with strong, productive thoughts.

Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. Philippians 4:8 (The Living Bible)

Think this, not that―start today, and live a joy-filled life.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

THINK 4:8

40 DAYS TO A JOY-FILLED LIFE FOR TEENS

By TOMMY NEWBERRY, Lyn Smith

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Copyright © 2013 Tommy Newberry
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4143-8716-1

Contents

Acknowledgments............................................................
ix
Introduction...............................................................
xi
DAY 1 Think This, Not That: The Joy of Free Will...........................
1
DAY 2 The Choice Is Yours: The Joy of Decisiveness.........................
7
DAY 3 Hundreds of Problems, Millions of Blessings: The Joy of Perspective..
11
DAY 4 The Fifteen-Minute Miracle: The Joy of Daily Solitude................
17
DAY 5 That's How God Made Dogs: The Joy of Careful Thinking................
21
DAY 6 Write Your Own Story: The Joy of Goals...............................
27
DAY 7 Focus Creates Feeling: The Joy of Awareness..........................
33
DAY 8 The Real Deal: The Joy of Knowing Whose You Are......................
39
DAY 9 Take a Vacation from Yourself: The Joy of Shaking It Up..............
43
DAY 10 The Secret Studio: The Joy of Creation..............................
49
DAY 11 Thanksgiving Isn't Just a Holiday: The Joy of Appreciation..........
53
DAY 12 Your Parents!: The Joy of Honoring..................................
59
DAY 13 It's Contagious: The Joy of Curiosity...............................
65
DAY 14 Making Every Moment Count: The Joy of Right Now.....................
69
DAY 15 Speak Up: The Joy of Words..........................................
73
DAY 16 Feeling vs. Fact: The Joy of the Truth..............................
77
DAY 17 Hunting Rats: The Joy of Being Battle Ready.........................
83
DAY 18 Admit and Challenge: The Joy of Right Feelings......................
89
DAY 19 Just Exchange It: The Joy of an Easy Return.........................
95
DAY 20 Picture It: The Joy of Imagination..................................
101
DAY 21 A Cry for Help: The Joy of Compassion...............................
107
DAY 22 We Are Sponges: The Joy of Our Surroundings.........................
113
DAY 23 What Did You Eat for Dinner Last Night?: The Joy of Quality 
Questions..................................................................
119
DAY 24 Just Do It!: The Joy of Excellent Work..............................
125
DAY 25 Wait and See!: The Joy of Purity....................................
131
DAY 26 Stop and Drop: The Joy of Restraint.................................
135
DAY 27 Don't Sweat the Big Stuff: The Joy of Conquering....................
139
DAY 28 No Excuses: The Joy of Owning It....................................
145
DAY 29 Way to Go!: The Joy of Other People's Success.......................
151
DAY 30 Construction Zone: The Joy of Agreeing with God.....................
157
DAY 31 Motion Rules Emotion: The Joy of Self-Discipline....................
163
DAY 32 Rock It!: The Joy of Using Your Strengths...........................
169
DAY 33 Supersize Your Fruit: The Joy of Living for Jesus...................
175
DAY 34 The Master's Mind: The Joy of His Thoughts..........................
179
DAY 35 God Is Cheering You On: The Joy of Discovery........................
185
DAY 36 My Pleasure!: The Joy of Cleaning Feet..............................
191
DAY 37 It's All in Your Head: The Joy of Focus.............................
197
DAY 38 Extreme Gratitude: The Joy of Being Thankful........................
203
DAY 39 Cut the Clutter: The Joy of Simplicity..............................
209
DAY 40 Plugged In: The Joy of His Presence.................................
215
About the Authors..........................................................
221

CHAPTER 1

THINK THIS, NOT THAT

The Joy of Free Will

Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think aboutthings that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things inothers. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about.PHILIPPIANS 4:8, TLB

YOUR MIND is a busy place. Some researchers say we havearound thirty-five thoughts per minute, adding up to approximatelyfifty thousand each twenty-four hours. Others thinkthe numbers are much higher: 1,500 thoughts per minuteor 1.4 million thoughts per day. Either way, that is a lot ofthinking!

Every time you talk or text with friends, you are sharing yourthoughts and listening to theirs. When you watch television orread a book, your mind is taking in information. Walking throughthe halls at school, you think about what you are seeing andhearing. When an adult gives instructions, you decide how youfeel about his or her directions and whether you are going tocomply with them.

Many of these thoughts flow through your mind quickly.You may not even know you've had them. Yet they are veryimportant. Every single thought affects who you are and whatyou do.

At any given moment you can choose to

think excellent thoughts, not mediocre thoughts;
think fresh, exciting thoughts, not stale, boring
thoughts;
think compassionate thoughts, not harsh thoughts;
think loving thoughts, not indifferent thoughts;
think helpful thoughts, not hurtful thoughts;
think grateful thoughts, not entitled thoughts;
think success thoughts, not failure thoughts;
think giving thoughts, not getting thoughts;
think serving thoughts, not self-centered thoughts;
think responsible thoughts, not irresponsible thoughts;
think positive thoughts, not negative thoughts.

These choices impact every area of your life, from howyou study, to the amount of confidence you have to try newthings, to what you eat, to the quality of your friendships, tohow you play sports, to what you wear, to your relationshipswith your parents. Your thoughts directly affect everythingyou do.

Your thoughts also reveal who you are. Everything you say,text, or share on social media reveals your thoughts. The realyou shows up even if you don't intend it to. Your thoughtsshow!

Whatever you give your attention to expands in yourlife. If you think about your strengths, your blessings, yourgoals, and the people who love you, then you will attract evenmore blessings, more love, and more accomplishments. It's apowerful truth!

If you want to be happy and successful—and by that I meanbecoming more and more like the person God created youto be—make good choices in your thought life. Think positivethings, encouraging things, and kind things. Little by little, yourmind determines the person you will become.

LIVE 4:8

Work It

Wrong or negative thoughts do not simply go away. They needto be replaced. Think about the person you intend to become.Then, in the right-hand column ("Not That") on the followingpage, identify a few specific thoughts that are incompatiblewith that vision. In the left-hand column ("Think This"), identifya handful of thoughts that are compatible and helpful. At thebottom, write a short sentence saying what you will commit todo to improve your thinking.

Talk It

(Note: You can do this section with a friend, a family member,or your youth group.)

Tell one or two people you trust one good thing you are choosingto think about. Ask if they would like to join you so youcan help each other. Send a text in the next twenty-four hoursreminding them to think about the good things they sharedwith you.

Stick It: Thought of the Day

Pray It

Jesus, please help me to be aware of my thoughts. Don't let my mindbe lazy, but help me to think only about things that are important toyou and will lead to your best for me. Amen.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from THINK 4:8 by TOMMY NEWBERRY, Lyn Smith. Copyright © 2013 Tommy Newberry. Excerpted by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1414387164
• ISBN 13: 9781414387161
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240