As you make your way through the line, you realize that one item is left untouched. A generous supply of suffering sits under the heat lamp.

You have a decision to make. Dish yourself a generous helping, dip out a mere mouthful like you did as a kid with the vegetables your mom made you eat, or leave it completely untouched like the others ahead of you in line.

If you're anything like me, your first instinct is just to roll on by. After all, everything about our human instinct tells us to avoid suffering at all costs. But in God's economy, suffering has great value.

Ecclesiastes 7:3 (NLT) says, "Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us."

It's hard to fathom that sorrow could possibly be better than laughter, but more often than not we grow far more in seasons of suffering than in seasons of success. And if our end game is to be like Christ, the­re's just no possible way to achieve that without suffering.

Romans 8:17 (NIV) says, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

Now God isn't commanding us to go out and intentionally seek suffering, especially when it's suffering brought on by our own sin. But when difficult times come our way, He is calling us to receive them with joy (check out James 1:2-4). He longs for us to become spiritual grown-ups, and He knows that suffering is one of the most effective ways to help us get there. But thankfully, Christ makes sure that we do not have to endure our season of suffering alone. 2 Corinthians 1:5 (NIV), "For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."

So if you're struggling today, turn to Christ for comfort. He's no stranger to suffering, so there's no better hand to hold on the journey. I know it's tough, but hang in there and let the refining influence take full effect in your life. And when all is said and done, you just might find yourself looking a lot more like Christ.

But most likely, it's not you who is worried about the cell phone bill. It's probably your parents who want an explanation for why you sent 1,000 texts last month. In your mind, texting non-stop seems harmless because you've never had to pay for it.

And grace is just as easy to take for granted. After all, we didn't have to pay for it, but Christ certainly paid a lot in order for us to receive it. So as receipients of that grace, we should be motivated to live in a way that demonstrates our gratitude.

Romans 12:2 tells us, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Basically, we're to be standouts in a world of copycats. We're to be conformed to the image of Christ rather than the pattern of the world. And one of the best ways to make that transition is to put yourself in a place/relationship where you have to be accountable for your choices.

This month's Girls United focus is "Accountability: Paving the Way for Spiritual Change," and we're issuing a challenge for you to find an accountability partner(s) and begin meeting this summer. To help you get started, we've put together a few resources for you, including a weekly discussion guide you can use to jumpstart your accountability time each week. Check it out:

Accountability Ground Rules and Covenant Sheet

Accountability Weekly Question Guide

If you consistently allow others to speak truth into your life, I promise that your spiritual walk will never be the same. So take the challenge. Get real this summer and take the plunge into the rewarding world of godly accountability.

It's important to monitor what our ears listen to, so that we aren't feeding our minds negativity. Seriously, the music we hear can have a greater impact on our lives than we know.

A few years back, I went to a Casting Crowns concert where I heard the lead singer say something that really stuck with me.

He said, "The music you listen to is either who you are or who you want to be."

The more I thought about this statement, the more I understood it to be true. If you look at many of the rappers and secular singers today who talk about sex or drugs in their music, they often partake in those activities. I've had many friends who used to live godly lives now living more sinfully, and I bet you can guess what kind of content was found in the music they listened to.

We might think the words in a song won't affect our behavior, but the more we hear about negative content in a song, the more likely it's going to stick in our minds and soon express itself through our actions. Just think about people who curse a lot. They didn't start off that way. Somewhere in their lifetime they heard other people using that language so much that they eventually picked it up themselves. This is why it's important to check what goes into our ears when we listen to music. Songs with positive messages will encourage us to live in a godly manner.

The best thing about Christian music is that it always has an uplifting message! I know sometimes people don't like listening to Christian music because they think it's all slow, sappy worship music, but that is not true. Christian music by itself comes in all forms. I am a rocker myself and love that there are several Christian rock bands out there. Skillet, Red, Thousand Foot Krutch, and Falling Up just to name a few. There is something to enjoy for everyone in the realm of Christian music. Rappers and hip-hoppers will enjoy the sounds of Toby Mac, Grits, LeCrae, and KJ-52. Looking for more pop, there's Superchick, Newsboys, and Casting Crowns.

I'm not saying you can't listen to anything other than Christian music. It's just important to weed out negative music and keep our ears open to what's pure, holy, and true. So next time you turn on the radio or pop in your favorite CD, ask yourself the question, "What does this music say about me?"

Sarah Smith grew up in Oklahoma and graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with an English degree. She loves being a child of God and serving in missions. She has gone on trips to Germany and London and served a recent term of five and half months in London as a missionary intern. She recently applied to seminary and is looking forward to attending Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in the fall to study Christian Counseling.

Lately I have been memorizing a little bit of scripture at a time. I take those words in scripture and turn them into prayers to God. It's proven to be a great way to share with Him.

Girls, I want you to know that God is so faithful. He knows the depths of our hearts and He yearns for us to know Him more personally. Let me share a recent answered prayer to prove this point.

When I first became a pediatric nurse in June 2009, the only position open was for the night shift (which is from 7pm-7am). I loved the employees and the night atmosphere, but my body was rebelling. I was continuously grumpy and without joy. My heart was crying out to God for a position to open on the day shift so I could get on it. I would sleep during the day but I would still feel tired and down all the time.

I had people from my church, as well as my husband and I, praying for a change. About a month and a half ago a position opened up, and now I am on the day shift. Praise God! My heart and soul are so joyful, and my body is finally rested. It sounds so small, but God definitely heard my prayers and came to my rescue. Trust in Him, girls, for He is a mighty God.

"My siblings drive me crazy!  Why are my parents so strict?  Why does everyone else seem to have a better, more 'normal' family than me?"

As a gal in her teens, it can be a bit difficult to manage everything that is going on in your own life, while at the same time trying to figure out how to deal with the family that God has placed within that life. In today's society a family can take on a lot of different looks, ideas, people, and meanings. Everyone's is a little different, but in the end we all deal with the same struggles, weaknesses, problems, and dilemmas, no matter how different we may look.

So the universal question becomes, "How do I deal with the fact that sometimes my family drives me nuts?"  Because let's face it, we've all asked that question at some time or another. I'm pretty sure God is used to hearing the "Help me, Lord, with this crazy family" prayer. So it's no surprise that He has also given us some guidelines in His word on how to deal with those issues and feelings.

Ephesians 6:1-3 says, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right, 'Honor your father and mother' - which is the first commandment with a promise - 'that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.'"

This is no doubt a widely known passage that talks about the importance of respecting and showing love and honor to your parents. Now I realize that there are times when you will say, "Yes, but they just don't understand" or "It's just not fair" or a numerous amount of other things. But as hard as it may be to understand, most of the time, (now be prepared for what I'm about to say) your parents are right. They've been where you're at. They know what you're going through. And they have reasons for wanting to protect you from certain things. And as hard as it may be to see now, I guarantee that when you get older you'll start to see your parents in a whole new light. You'll understand the reasons for the choices that they made. But until then, it takes true discipline to treat your parents with the respect and the honor that they deserve. But it pays off in the end. I promise!

Now siblings can be another story.  Growing up with three of my own, I know all the struggles and joys of having brothers and sisters. Now mind you, I wouldn't trade having them for anything in the world, but I would definitely trade in some of the annoyances that they brought along with them. This is where the verses on loving others come into play.  One of my favorites is,

1 Peter 3:8 - "Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble."

Harmony.  That is a great word to describe what we wish to achieve with our siblings, isn't it?  And the great part?  It's also what we are commanded to achieve with those around us,  which of course includes the people we are around the most (the fam). Siblings can be a chore. They can get into all of your "business" and make a mess of a lot.  They can get you into trouble with your parents, and overall just be a pain. But they can also bring about laughter. They can bring about inside jokes, and Christmas mornings where you go down to get your presents before your parents are awake.  They can bring about some of the most awesome, heart-filled relationships you'll ever know.  But it takes work, patience, humility, and a whole lot of love to try to achieve the harmony that 1 Peter talks about.

So really, what ends up being the bottom line on family relationships? Love. We were not placed by accident into the families that we have. God has strategically, and purposefully placed each one of you within the family you have for a reason. You are an integral part of that family and you have a huge part to play in making it a happy one.  God has commanded us to love those around us in the same way that He has loved us. (John 13:34-35)

That's a whole lotta love girls!  And by our own strength, we really can't achieve it.  But with the help of our heavenly Father, we can show that kind of love to those around us. (Even when they drive us nuts =)

I encourage each of you to take the time, right now, to thank God for the gift of the family He has blessed you with. And ask Him to give you the strength and the patience to show them the love that He has shown you.

Alysia Fuchs has been in the youth ministry realm for about eight years now. She has been especially involved in Girls Ministry for the last four years. Writing devotions and articles on godly living for teen girls is her passion. In her spare time, she loves to cook, clean, drink coffee, hike in the woods, and play with her dogs. She and her four dogs currently live in Ohio.

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

But it's also important to note that God does not describe money itself as an evil thing. The crossover to evil happens when we allow ourselves to develop a 'love' for money. For those of us who are followers of Christ, money is a means to an end. It does not deserve or warrant our heart's affections, yet it can help us accomplish the end goal of glorifying God. So how is that possible?

John Wesley once said, "I judge all things only by the price they shall gain in eternity.”

So the question for each of us becomes, "How do we invest the money we have been blessed with in a way that has an eternal impact?"

There are many answers to that question. It may be in the form of a financial contribution to a friend going on a summer mission trip or it may as simple as anonymously buying lunch for someone at school whose family is struggling. The challenge for you is prayerfully seeking God on what the answer is for YOU.

The night began with a surprisingly candid and powerful Michael Jackson tribute from Madonna, dressed respectfully in a black suit. After Madonna's intro came a dance medley featuring some of the King of Pop's most iconic music video moments, ending with a brief performance from Janet Jackson. Classy all the way around and enjoyable to watch.

But unfortunately, it was pretty much downhill from there. Russell Brand made his entrance and gave us a glimpse of what was to come: crude jokes, foul language, and just plain "unfunny" segues between performances. I'm just not sure how he keeps getting this hosting gig, but surely I'm not the only one who is wondering.

Then it was time for the first Moon-man of the night in the category, "Best Female Video." Sweet Taylor Swift gets the win and makes her way to the stage seemingly in shock. A few seconds into her humble acceptance speech, Kanye West storms the stage, takes the mic, and declares Beyonce's "Single Ladies" as the rightful winner.

Apparently I am not the only one who thought, "Seriously, Kanye. You're going to take the mic and the moment...again." The VMA crowd promptly booed him and continued to do so throughout the night when his name was mentioned. Media backlash has echoed the crowd's sentiments over the last few days, and the general public just seems tired of these shenanigans as well. Not classy all the way around and painful to watch.

Other interesting behavior throughout the night included Jack Black leading the audience in a prayer to the devil, Pink doing her best Cirque de Soleil impression wearing something I am sure no Cirque de Soleil'r would, and Lady Gaga declaring between curse words that her Moon-man win was for "God and the gays."

One of the only redeeming moments of the night was Beyonce's gracious win for "Video of the Year," when she invited Taylor Swift to come back on stage and finish her Kanye-wrecked speech.

All in all, it was a crazy few hours of television, and a sad and scary glimpse into today's entertainment.

Questions:

• What did you think of the VMA's this year?
• How would you have reacted if you were in Taylor's shoes?
• What do you think about Kanye's apologies to Taylor after the fact?

How is your life chaotic right now?

What steps are you taking to simplify?