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

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

Copyright 2013 by Tommy Newberry. All rights reserved.

Smiley face photograph copyright Nicholas Eveleigh. All rights reserved.

Designed by Mark Anthony Lane II

Published in association with the literary agency of The Knight Agency, 570 East Ave., Madison, GA 30650.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. Some quotations may be from the previous edition of the NIV, copyright 1984.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version . Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked CEV are taken from the Contemporary English Version, copyright 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified Bible, copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked The Message are taken from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked GNT are taken from the Good News Translation (Todays English Version, Second Edition) copyright 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Newberry, Tommy.

Think 4:8 : 40 days to a joy-filled life for teens / Tommy Newberry with Lyn Smith.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-4143-8716-1 (sc)

1. Joy Religious aspects Christianity. 2. Thought and thinking Religious aspects Christianity. 3. Christian teenagers Religious life. I. Title.

BV4647.J68N49 2013

248.83 dc23 2013017995

Build: 2013-08-09 11:26:29

With gratitude, this book is dedicated to the next generation of 4:8 thinkers.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am thankful for everyone who has read The 4:8 Principle and 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life and for their encouragement to make this message available and relevant for teenagers. Its finally here!

The book you are reading has incorporated the hard work of many people, and I am grateful for each and every one of them!

Thanks to my agent, Pamela Harty, and to Katara Patton at Tyndale for pulling this project together and making it a reality. I am thankful for Lyn Smith, who beautifully adapted the 4:8 message for younger readers. Ongoing thanks to Karin Buursma for once again expertly polishing another 4:8 manuscript for maximum impact.

I am grateful for my three sons, who inspire me daily

my mom and dad, whose unconditional love still shapes me

my wife, Kristin, who encourages me

and to my heavenly Father, who created me.

INTRODUCTION

THIS BOOK WASNT WRITTEN for your mom or dad, although they might become curious enough to peek inside it when they see what it does for you. It wasnt written for your youth leader, teacher, or coach, either.

This book is just for you!

It was written for you because I believe God has an incredible plan for your life, and I want you to live it. Living Gods plan has a lot to do with the way you think. During the next forty days, you will be inspired and challenged to upgrade your thinking and refresh your attitude. By following this forty-day game plan, you will erase some weak, unhelpful thinking and replace it with strong, productive thinking. The Bible describes the best way to think like this:

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, TLB )

Over years of coaching others to reach their life goals, Ive come to the conclusion that this single verse from the New Testament contains the secret to a joy-filled life. When you apply this verse to your daily life transforming the way you think by focusing on your strengths, your blessings, your goals, the people who love you, and the truths of who God is and who he has made you to be your joy will be amplified. Thats what I call the 4:8 Principle.

If you let it, Gods way of thinking and this book can totally change your life. Do you know that you dont have to be afraid or insecure? Do you know that what other people say about you doesnt have to define you? Do you know that your thoughts today will impact your future? Do you know that an exciting road that God designed with your name on it now stretches before you?

Its all true. And you can live it. In forty days, you can be on your way to a joy-filled, purpose-driven life.

You can go through this book on your own, but my coauthor, Lyn, and I suggest you read it with at least one other person, and preferably with a group, such as your church youth group. Having other people on a similar journey is encouraging and a lot more fun than going it alone.

However you approach this new experience, my prayer is that mighty things will happen in you and through you. I have every confidence in God that as you learn to think and live the way he intended, he will help you become a Spirit-powered influencer and leader.

Hang on, think 4:8... and let the joyride begin!

THINK THIS, NOT THAT

The Joy of Free Will

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, TLB

YOUR MIND is a busy place. Some researchers say we have around thirty-five thoughts per minute, adding up to approximately fifty thousand each twenty-four hours. Others think the numbers are much higher: 1,500 thoughts per minute or 1.4 million thoughts per day. Either way, that is a lot of thinking!

Every time you talk or text with friends, you are sharing your thoughts and listening to theirs. When you watch television or read a book, your mind is taking in information. Walking through the halls at school, you think about what you are seeing and hearing. When an adult gives instructions, you decide how you feel about his or her directions and whether you are going to comply with them.