Blog Archives: January 2008 — December 2008
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December 08, 2008
Self-Embedding: Cutting Taken to Another LevelMerritt Johnston
While most of us are still trying to wrap our minds around the concept of cutting, some self-mutilators are taking their addiction to a new level.
A Fox News article released today reveals that "some troubled teens are embedding nails, paper clips, bits of rock, glass and even crayons in their bodies as a way to cope with disturbing thoughts and feelings..."
According to Dr. William Shiels who conducted the study, "It's cutting gone to the next level."
Q&A:
Have you seen any cases of self-embedding within your ministry?
How does ...
December 04, 2008
Mind-Boggling Stats on Mental HealthMerritt Johnston
A recent study revealed that 1 in 5 young adults has a personality disorder or mental health issue that interferes with their daily life. Sadly, less than 25% of college-age individuals seek treatment.
Translation: we have lots of young people sitting in our churches and our communities who need help.
Q&A:
Do you think these statistics accurately reflect the needs at your church?
Why do you think so few choose to seek out help?
How can we as the body of Christ positively impact the lives of those with personality disorders/mental ...
November 19, 2008
Girls Swoon Over "Twilight" Love AffairMerritt Johnston
If you haven't heard about the Twilight book series by Stephanie Meyer, then you're about to be introduced to it through the eyes of Hollywood. The film based on the series' first novel premieres this weekend with fanfare similar to that given to Harry Potter.
The book and film chronicle the development of a love affair between a vampire named Edward and a teenage girl named Bella. The unlikely romance has captured the hearts of millions of teenage girls, and those numbers will undoubtedly continue to rise after the movie's release.
Q&A: ...
October 08, 2008
Manorexia: Eating Disorders Cross Gender LinesMerritt Johnston
Health officials at the Eating Disorders Foundation in Australia are deeply concerned by the rising frequency of calls they are receiving from the family and friends of boys. Although anorexia and bulimia have never been completely isolated within females, it has been predominantly a "girl issue."
With obesity on the rise in both America and Australia, it seems that boys are becoming more and more self-conscious about their appearances. Teasing and ridicule from peers is prompting many to resort to the extreme actions of bingeing and ...
October 06, 2008
Outfit 2008 in the Record BooksLast weekend SAGE Ministries hosted the 4th annual Outfit Girls Ministry Training Conference in Arlington, Texas. We had over 60 women in attendance from six different states, all with one common vision and passion - to grow in our efforts to reach, teach, and train the young women of this generation.
It was an incredible weekend of networking, fellowship, worship, and training. We can hardly wait until next year, so get out those pens and mark your calendars for October 2-3, 2009.
June 04, 2008
Eating Disorders Strike Even YoungerMerritt Johnston
A recent study reveals that the prevalence of eating disorders among preteens is on the rise, with most of the children in the study being diagnosed by age 11.
I find this especially disturbing given the amount of physical development that should occur during these critical times in an adolescent's life. With children starving themselves and depriving their bodies of valuable nutrients, we are faced with an immeasurable amount of physical damage, not to mention the psychological ramifications.
Why do you think eating disorders are ...
April 24, 2008
Are Eating Disorders Contagious?Merritt Johnston
According to a recent study, the prevalence of eating disorders can be partially attributed to "social contagion."
The study revealed, "Severe food intake restriction, dieting, exercising and diet pill use all showed clustering by county, as did any weight control symptom overall or any eating disorder symptom."
So there is undeniably a link to peer pressure as it relates to eating disorders and body image. The question for us continues to revolve around our ability to teach girls the value of an identity not based on peer opinion or ...
March 11, 2008
Living SimplicityAlyssa Weaver
No wonder this is how God intended it... I have recently noticed that I have been living simply for the past few months without realizing it. It all happened when I moved to Brenham back in January. I was given a beautiful house to live in with a washing machine, kitchen and incredible backyard. It was only missing a few key parts of my existence: TV and Internet. I quickly realized how dependent on these things I have become. Believe it or not, but these things complicated my life. In their absence, I have had to find other ways to occupy ...
March 10, 2008
Are We Opening Pandora's Box?Merritt Johnston
The New York Times ran an article earlier this month entitled "A One-Eyed Invader in the Bedroom" addressing the ramifications of children having televisions in their bedrooms. The article references one study of third graders, which concluded that a whopping 70% of those surveyed had a television in their room. The author goes on to raise questions about the harmful effects of this phenomenon, which include increased obesity, lower test scores, and more prevalent sleep problems.
While I find those issues disconcerting, I am not as ...
February 20, 2008
The World's Views AboundAlyssa Weaver
How do we teach girls that we are called to be different from the world? I wondered this after reading an article in Seventeen called "Sex Q&A: Q’s You Can’t Ask Anyone." My heart was broken with the issues that 15 and 16-year-old girls were dealing with. I hurt to think that girls that age are sexually active and freely admitting it. I remember a time when I wouldn’t even listen to a DC Talk song because it had the word sex in it. Our world has changed so drastically...and not for the better. However, the thing that made me the most ...
January 29, 2008
Small ThingsAlyssa Weaver
Sometimes looking at the world around me, I think that there is no way that God could care what happens in my life on a day-to-day basis. If it bores a simple person like myself, I wonder what it does to the Creator of the universe. However, this is not how God sees it. I had recently ordered a textbook off the internet (which I don't normally do) and paid extra for it to arrive at my new home quickly. I needed the book to complete an assignment that was rapidly approaching its due date. The day that my book was supposed to arrive, I ...
January 24, 2008
The Age of BeautyAlyssa Weaver
I was recently reading an article in an Elle magazine that caught my attention. It was about a young lady who had recently had problems getting a date. With the looming thought of a dateless Valentine’s day, this young woman decided to do something about it. She embarked on finding a plastic surgeon to increase her attractiveness. In a world obsessed with celebrities and staying young, this wasn’t that shocking to me. However, this young lady wanted to have plastic surgery on her hands. According to her, her hands were the reason she wasn’t ...
January 11, 2008
Prude vs. SlutMerritt Johnston
Carol Platt Liebau, Managing Editor of the Harvard Law Review, is garnering attention for her new book entitled "Prude: How The Sex-Obsessed Culture Damages Girls".
In a recent interview with a British newspaper, Liebau spoke out about the ramifications of girls growing up in a culture where "being called a slut is preferable to being labelled a prude."
She goes on to add, "The overwhelming lessons teenagers are now learning from the world around them is that being sexy is the ultimate accolade, trumping intelligence, character and all ...
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