Sparkle Update 2010

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4-19-10

Photo Contest Winner!

Congrats to Amanda A. for winning our first photography contest! Check out our Winter 2009-10 issue to see her this photo and MORE!

A Quiet Winter Morning

-Sparkle 4 God

Photography Contest Ends Tomorrow!

Our photography contest ends tomorrow... Hurry and send in all your photos before November 6th!
The prize will be a $5.00 giftcard to Target and one free issue of Sparkle!
No need to be a subscriber, we will take all submissions. Please email: sparkle4god@live.com. Thank you!

-Sparkle 4 God

Photo Contest

Photo Contest!
Enter your best photos and you could win a $5.00 giftcard to Target!
Please e-mail us your photo along with your name, e-mail address, age and a discription of photo.
Use jpeg form only.
No more than 3 photos per person.
You do not need to subscribe to enter.
Deadline: November 5th, 2009.

Sparkle 4 God Pamphlet

To learn more about our magazine, click on the two pictures below.

Our pamphlet includes: Content, Price list, Our mission, Submission guidelines, etc.

Feel free to print them off and share with your friends!

Our Words

Our tongues are small, but they have unbelievable power. Our tongues can bring happiness and hurt, they can even bring life or death! “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” – Proverbs 18:21
Girls, we must guard our tongues. It is so easy to let careless words slip, but the hard part is, we can never take them back. We must stop unkind words before they leave our lips. This is extremely difficult. Taming the tongue is one of the hardest things anyone can do. “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” –Matthew 12:36-37. As written in Matthew, we will be judged for every careless word. Speak in a way that brings glory and honor to God, not just what brings enjoyment and laughs with your friends.
Swearing comes to mind when peoples talk about watching their ‘words’. While swearing is depraved, there are many other sins that our tongues may struggle with. Perhaps you tease, gossip or tell inappropriate jokes. This is just as dire a sin as swearing. “My lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will utter no deceit.” – Job 27:4. Instead of gossiping, spread the good news of Jesus! Instead of taking the Lords name in vain, say ‘Oh my goodness’! There are many ways to share a laugh with a friend without resorting to gross jokes. Talking with friends is fun, but we have to watch what we say and how we say it.
God’s fifth commandment to us is to ‘honor your father and mother’. That means we are to use respectful words when addressing our parents (and all people in authority over us). I have found that even when I disagree with my parents, if I can respectfully state my position, my parents are much more likely to listen to what I have to say.
Remember that God blesses those who abide by His commands! Use your words for good, not bad. When in a tight spot, don’t let your anger get the better of you, count to 10 or leave the area for a few minutes. Memorize some verses to remind yourself of God’s truths to help you in this time of need.
“If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” –James 1:26

“The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” –Proverbs 15:4

“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.” –Proverbs 31:26

“Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.” –Psalm 139:4 (c)

Am I Gifted?

Before you were born, God had an amazing plan for you. Before your parents even met, God had a plan for you. Before your grandparents even met, God had a plan for you! He gives us each a purpose, a gift or talent to prosper His kingdom. Never doubt that God has created you with a special gift that only you can give.
Every girl longs to do something great to bring glory to her heavenly Father. He has placed that longing in our hearts! How do we know what our gifts are? How will we find them?
Spend time with God everyday. To find out how you can honor God, you must first know Him and love Him with your whole being! Read your Bible and pray about it, specifically asking God to reveal His special mission for you. Remind yourself to pray by wearing a ring or bracelet.
Try to take the focus off yourself and instead think about how you can help others. This is a hard one especially in this day and age when every ad or commercial is about how you can ‘enjoy yourself’. Delight yourself in your family, friends and neighbors and work at being a blessing to them.
Through it all, continue to pray to the Lord and ask for His guidance. Don’t swerve to the right or the left. Stay on the path that God has set before you. Run your race and don’t worry about others around you. I know it can sometimes be discouraging when others win great awards or do splendid things, but you need to focus on your walk with the Lord.
Be willing to do hard things. Bad habits and hidden sins keep us from achieving our great goals! We will not be able to accomplish great things for God if we are stuck in the trap of sin. Do hard things to break free from Satan’s hold on your life. They may seem small and not worth all the fuss, but until you break free of bad habits, they may prevent you from accomplishing your goals.
Don’t be discouraged! Think of this; the more time you spend with God, the deeper your faith will grow. The deeper you faith grows, the stronger your life will be. The stronger your life is, the brighter your light will shine. People will notice and that is a gift right there.
Keep strong in your faith, fellow pilgrims, for I am a work in progress too. As your time spent with God reveals your gifts whether big or small, use them to bring glory to God! (c)

Autumn

As summer comes to a fold, we are suddenly reminded of school, sports, work and other activities that will be coming in to play soon. Autumn is on its way!

Sparkle would like your help! Do you have great traditons that you do with your family? Back-to-school items you found new uses for? Yummy treats you like to prepare? Fun games you play at Thanksgiving? Fun crafts that are unique? Good books you love to read?

Share with us your ideas and you could be in our next magazine! E-mail us at sparkle4god@live.com. Deadline is September 10th, 2009.

-Sparkle

What's Inside?

Here is just a sneak peak of what's inside Sparkle Magazine. Enjoy! 

 

Sparkle's Official Website

Our magazine is recommended for girls 8-16, although anyone can read it.
Here are a few things girls have said about Sparkle magazine:
“Wow, this magazine is amazing! Sign us up!”
“I just love Sparkle!”
“I stayed up late one night and read the whole thing!”
“Thanks so much for the magazine!”

Our Mission

It is hard in this day and age to find an amazing, pure magazine for girls. Sparkle is not ordinary. It helps young ladies grow closer to their heavenly Father.

Our prayer is that Sparkle 4 God will impact girls so that they will shine God’s light wherever they go. Sparkle is to help girls see that they are not the only ones swimming upstream. Our magazine also offers advice as you live your day-to-day life; helping others at school, sharing God’s good news of salvation, or just helping your family around the house.

We want to encourage all our readers to live for God, bless people, and walk in the fruit of the spirit every day. Galatians 5:22.

Our Writers

Emily Bierbrauer, the writer and publisher of Sparkle magazine, lives in Western Wisconsin with her father, mother and 2 siblings. She enjoys quilting and the outdoors; especially camping and skiing. She also has a 4 lb. Yorkshire terrier named Lacey.

Sparkle has many other writers and interviews from our readers!

Content

In our magazine you will find a variety of topics that we hope will be of interest to you. They are:
Reading Corner (articles, stories, interviews, biographies, poems, etc. —written by us and our readers)
Crafts & Hobbies
Bible (verses, advice & tips for you and your walk)
Recipes (always 100% tested by us or our readers)
Q. & A. (real advice from Miss Sparks)
Contests
The Mailbox (send letters and ideas here)
Favorite things (we review everything before we put it in our magazine)
Tips (on sewing, drawing, writing, etc.)
Interviews with girls and women who are making a difference
Quizzes & Games (clean fun for girls)
Hymns (we find the history to your favorite hymn)
And so much more!

Subscriptions

To sign up, please email or write to us at the addresses on right. Tell your friends and family! This magazine is a ministry, not a business. The money you give is used to pay for the magazine materials only. If you cannot afford Sparkle, please contact us. We are always happy to give.

Suggested donation
U.S.A.—$10.00
All other countries—$16.00

Sample issues are also
available for $2.00
each ($4.00 outside
the U.S.A.)