By Eric Anderson

YES! Absolutely. But why? And how can you improve your looks?

Okay, okay. “Inner beauty is real beauty.” “It’s what’s on the inside that counts.” You’ve heard all that before. Of course, personality and character matter most. Yet—because of this fact, looks matter too!

We’re not talking about going to extremes in clothing, hairstyles or fitness to improve your looks. But it’s no good going to the other extreme, as some do, to show how much they “don’t care” about how they look.

The fact is—and this is why looks matter—your outward appearance often REFLECTS what is actually on the inside—the way you think and the kind of person you are. Your attitude shows on your face. Your character will be reflected in how you dress, how you groom yourself. And exercising and being healthy is an end-product of the discipline and self-control that exists in your character.

Not only that, your appearance also shows how much you respect yourself and others.

So, how can you improve your appearance and make sure that you are effectively demonstrating what you are on the inside?

Following are some tips on how to have real beauty—inside and out.

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God, the Creator of our wonderfully designed human bodies, says He judges people by what’s on the inside. To Him, what goes on in your mind is far more important than what you look like. Let’s notice an example of this in the Bible.

The Shepherd Boy

Many years ago, one of God’s prophets, Samuel, was told to visit a certain house in the city of Bethlehem and there he would find the man God wanted to be the next king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:1).

Samuel was guided to a home at the edge of Bethlehem. Jesse, the owner, was an elderly but hardy livestock raiser who was surprised and pleased that the prophet had come to visit his family.

Samuel explained that he was told that Jesse had several very fine sons, and that he was looking for a young man to anoint for a special position in Israel. Jesse gladly obliged, and called for one of his sons.

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Did you know that the overconsumption of refined sugar can hinder your progress in school?

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By Stephen Flurry

Having fun has gotten expensive. In 2006, American teens spent $189 billion. For the average teen, that translates into $100 per week! My allowance isn’t anywhere near $100 per week, you’re probably thinking. Maybe not. But when you add it up—school clothes, computer equipment, athletic gear, special occasions, transportation (if you drive), snack foods, fast foods, video games, movies, concerts, CDs—on average, it’s more than $5,200 per year. One hundred bucks a week. That’s expensive!

The problem with that kind of fun is that it’s boring. It might be temporarily amusing—but there’s an emptiness to it. It’s a lot like cotton candy. If you eat a little, it tastes good, but it doesn’t satisfy real hunger. If you eat a lot, you get sick.

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By Ivory Vendig

Have you ever seen white water? White water can be found in the middle of mossy forests or in deep canyons surrounded by layers of rock and soil formations, oftentimes in the mountains. Now, have you ever been on white water? Drifting along in a raft, it would be easy to become distracted by the beauty of creation—until you hit your first rapid! White water rafting is physically and mentally demanding, but fun if you go willing to participate and ready to learn. If you’ve never considered going on a white water rafting adventure, maybe it’s time you should!

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Spring is here—and what better way to enjoy God’s beautiful creation, spend time with friends, relax, meditate, exercise, rejuvenate, explore some near or not-so-near park or forest … than to take a walk!

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By Ryan Malone

The opposite sex can be quite mysterious at times—to teens and adults alike. The awkwardness and the misunderstandings that often result between guys and girls have even been the premise for many hilarious TV sitcoms and movies.

Teens, on the average, feel at least a certain bit of reluctance, nervousness, perhaps even fear around the opposite sex. Girls think they might say something stupid around boys, or boys fear they might do something too weird around a girl. So sometimes, guys will flock together, conversing about whatever they feel comfortable talking about, while girls get in their groups and talk about things that are easy for them to discuss.

Anyone should be able to develop the self-confidence and character traits necessary to talk to, get along with, understand and even feel comfortable around the opposite sex. Though males and females might tend to be interested in different things, you can have good conversations and even develop true, lasting friendships with members of the opposite sex.

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By Harley Breth

Digging trenches through hard clay is difficult work. I remember a day when the wind was screaming past a co-worker and me as we dug a long trench in front of Barbara Flurry Memorial Hall on the AC campus. Our mission was simple: dig a straight trench. But this particular week I was not really feeling up to the job. I felt lethargic after a long day of classes and had convinced myself that there was no use in really giving myself wholly to the job.

My co-worker, a friend and classmate as well, asked me if anything was wrong. He could see my sour attitude through my demeanor. Now I’m going to have to explain it all to him. He wouldn’t understand. He’s probably not having a bad day like me, I thought stubbornly.

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Question: I have lots of friends and enjoy being with them. When I’m around them, I feel natural and not nervous or scared. My problem is that when I’m introduced to new people, especially adults in a crowd, I get uptight and appear withdrawn and cold.

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By Philip Nice

Go ahead, risk it. I know you can do it. I know too that it can be scary—believe me, I know. But it’s worth it.

Get your hopes up.

How many times do you hear something like this, accompanied by a light sigh, from your friends or other people you know: “Oh, I’d really love to do that; but I’m not getting my hopes up”? Perhaps you say it yourself. I have too.

You’d love to study hard and get an A on your math final; you’d love to get a summer job at the farm; you’d love to organize a camping trip with your friends; you’d love to travel to Europe; you’d love to make the cut for entertainment night at the Feast; you’d love to (insert goal here).

But you’re not getting your hopes up.

Think about it. Something comes up in your life; baseball tryouts, maybe. You think, Hey, I’d like to play ball on the team this spring. So you start working out and running a bit, you go to all the conditionings and practices, and you get mildly excited about maybe making the team. But you don’t get your hopes up. You keep it cool. Then, they post the roster.

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