#2 – Why This Blog?.

I debated for a good while whether to start this site. My message to graduates was timely enough to force me to decide to do this. But as I assembled the list of “Links To Check Out” and “Books You’ll Find Helpful,” I realized that there were good reasons to have this site. For one, I want to have a site where there can be in one place links you can go to that will help you with whatever needs or questions you might have as well as to encourage you. I also see the need to have a list of books I could recommend that I believe would help you in understanding your faith better.

But a real distinction from other youth sites, I believe, and what finally made me decide to start this site, is that this is the only site I know of that will direct you to other sites that will help you to better understand the things happening in our country and the world as well as at times speak on those issues as they relate to you in particular. I have not come across such a site that speaks about “the other side” of what you are hearing from most people in the media and in your classroom and assigned readings in school. I believe that it is WRONG not to have enough respect for YOU to discern truth from error by giving you the full story about things that impact our country and and the world and that will potentially impact you and YOUR children and grandchildren. For instance, maybe you already know that evolution is a theory and not a fact, but did you also know that that there are about 10 times more scientists who question the popular idea of global warming than those who believe in the Al Gore version? Also, has anyone ever told you that because of abortion, about one out of every four who were in their mother’s womb on your birthday were actually aborted, that one out of every four who were supposed to be your classmates were, on average, killed because their lives were considered inconvenient and insignificant?

Sooner than you realize, YOU are going to be one of the citizens of this country who will help to make decisions which will decide whether we remain as free and have the same foundation of values that have made our country the greatest in the world. YOU will help to decide what kind of nation we will be and what kind so many hundreds of thousands have and continue to give their lives to preserve. Therefore, if you are not fully informed to make the right decisions and do not now and throughout your life choose to speak out that our leaders make the right decisions, than, trust me, the day will come when God will NOT bless America anymore! I refuse to let that happen and I want to help you to be able to be sure that doesn’t happen.

Links To Check Out:
· The Squirt Gun Brigade - Stan M. Yonashiro - I list this site first because it is the site I started in mid-April to post a minimum of two weekly articles (Tues and Fridays) that I write or pass on from other writers that make some comment about what is happening in the news. This is where you will regularly find important information that is “the other side of the (popular) views” of today. Please check this site out; I HIGHLY recommend you subscribe to this free site;
· http://Worldmag.com (student edition) - This is a great site for getting a Christian view of the news of the day, as well as reviews of current books, movies, music, as well as some great editorial cartoons you probably won’t find in most places that give you the news. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THE BEST EDITORIAL CARTOONS, BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE EVERY FRIDAY AND LOOK FOR A LINK IN THE COLUMN ON THE RIGHT. GREAT STUFF!
· http://meant4more.com - This is an incredible site with answers to questions teens ask, articles by teens, and links that will tell you tell you about how to know God, and others with such titles as “Real Stories,” and “Life Issues,” and “Connecting With Someone.”
· http://pluggedinonline.com - This site of Focus on the Family has up to date trustworthy reviews of movies, music, and video games. It's an excellent place to check out before you make your next choice and that you can inform your friends about as well.
· http://gotquestions.org - This site provides Bible answers to your spiritual questions.
· http://evangelism.com - This site helps you to answer questions you may be asked when sharing your faith.
· http://GlobalMediaOutreach.com - This site offers over a dozen different presentations of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you are interested in knowing how you can have a personal relationship with God, this is the site to visit
· http://Bible.org - This site allows you to read passages from the Bible in many different translations.
· http://Breakpoint.com - This site offers free daily commentary on things in the news by probably the most brilliant Christian mind today, Chuck Colson. I will sometimes post one of Mr. Colson’s articles. They WILL make you think of the news in ways you never considered.
· http://Mikeysfunnies.com - This site offers you free daily jokes and funny stories. Now who doesn’t need a laugh every day, right?

Books You'll Find Helpful - These books are all great. For more of an explanation of each one, please check them out at Amazon.com. I would also urge you to order a used version of any book from that site, just remembering that there is a $3.99 extra charge for sending any book to you. Even then, I’ve never bought a used book from the site that was not in great condition. Hey, it doesn’t have to be in mint condition to share some great truths with you.

If you are a high school graduate or in college, I strongly suggest your getting books numbered #1- #5, if not all five at least #s 1-3. I would also consider getting two other books entitled, “Ask Me Anything” and “Ask Me Anything 2.”
If you are in high school, I would particularly recommend “Apologetics for a New Generation” and “Do the Hard Things.”
If you are in junior high school, I would recommend “Don’t Leave Your Brains at the Door” and “Do the Hard Thing.”

Don't Leave Your Brains At the Door
Ask Me Anything
Ask Me Anything 2
· #1 - Apologetics for a New Generation
· #2 - The Case for Faith
· #3 - Do the Hard Things
· #4 - The Case for Christ
· #5 - The Case for a Creator
· When God Goes to Starbucks
· Evidence for Faith 101
· The Case for the Real Jesus
· The Case for a Creator
· Evidence for Faith 101

Of course, if you have other books you’ve found helpful, please let me know and give me a paragraph or two of a review, and I will consider posting it. Again, I want this to be a site that’s teen-friendly and with teen input, so I will depend on your sending things on to me.