Saturday, May 29, 2010

Teenage Disease is Spreading Fast

All over the world, people are being diagnosed with a terrible disease. Although anyone is susceptible to this disease, teens seem to be the most contagious. This disease has spread worldwide, but the most cases have been reported in the wealthier countries of the world, such as the United Sates, Australia, Europe, and many more. Experts are now calling this disease affluenza. You may not have heard of it before. However, the chances are that you already have it!!! Not sure? Watch this video and see if you can identify with any of the symptoms.



Affluenza - a feeling of dissatisfaction, anxiety, etc, caused by the dogged and ongoing pursuit of more.

Have you been infected?

Wow. I don't know about you, but I am definitely guilty of breeding "affluenza" in my own life. How can any of us ever think that we've got it tough, that life isn't fair? After seeing a video like that, my little, every-day complaints appear as the awful sins that they really are.

If you have not read Francis Chan's Crazy Love, then I highly recommend that you do! These facts about our wealth are taken from his book:

If one hundred people represented the world's population, fifty-three of those would live on less than $2 a day. Do you realize that if you make $4,000 a month, you automatically make more than the average person on this planet?
I can't tell you how often I've thought that I actually need something. Need something. Not only that, but so often I find myself discontent with the possessions I have. I hate to think of what God feels about this sin. Don't you think He just wants to spit us out of His mouth??? I cannot imagine the kind of disgust He has towards my ungratefulness.

We need to wake up and see that we are blessed. Abundantly blessed! Why do you think God has put you where you are with what you have? Do you think maybe it could be because He wants us to use our blessings to provide for the needs of others, for those who have nothing? We are supposed to love those people just as much as we love ourselves (Matt. 22:39).

I want to see God's blessings in a new way. I want to stop complaining. I want to be known as a giver, not a taker.

I want to do something.



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On a side note, I want to mention a few ways that you can do something:

Check out  Jumps 4 Joy where the goal this year is to raise enough money to build  two wells in 3rd world countries.
Or check out  Teens 4 orphans where the goal is to raise funds to build an orphanage in Myanmar.
You also have to see Do: Living Water, a project that is working to raise $25,000 dollars for clean wells in the Congo.

Each of these organizations were started by teens!!!

9 comments:

  1. HOLY COW THAT MOVIE IS AMAZING!!!!! Its disgusting what our world has come to, how our teenage population has become so self-centered. YUCK

    Thanks for putting this out there Chloe. More people need to see and hear the truth

    Love and Blessings,
    Lexi

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  2. Powerful video, powerful post. I suffer from teenage affluenza. Thank goodness there is a cure: JESUS!

    -Hope

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  3. That video is great! It seems like many of us teenagers have been affected by this disease and it is very sad that our world has come to this.

    Please stop by my blog.

    Blessings,
    Maggie
    www.foreverfindingmybliss.blogspot.com

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  4. Thankyou so much for posting this video, Chloe. This post grabbed at me from the blogger dashboard, and I'm sad to sad I guess this means I suffer from teenage affluenza, too.

    You're so right. I'm going to stop asking for an iPod touch. What's my problem?! I have a phone. I have an iPod. We have a playstation, blah blah blah! I don't want to want things like that. I'm going to work so hard to be, well, cured. Is there a cure?

    ..Luv,Emii

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  5. Hey Chloe, to get the music player like I have in my posts I just go into the YouTube vid's HTML and set the height to "25." I don't like wasting space with the vid just having pics in it. :)

    -Hope

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  6. Thanks Hope! That's a great idea!

    ~Me

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  7. That video is so convicting. Sometimes I think I am pretty content with what I have, but I am not at all. In fact, just the other day, I was complaining that my iPod didn't have enough space. Does it really matter!?
    Thanks so much for posting this!

    --Becky

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  8. It's amazing how much we have, and yet a large percentage of American population would call themselves "poor." Thank you for powerfully reminding us to see our riches, and to see the need of others.

    You seem like a teen passionate for an impact on the world, and I know of both Kade's and Lexi's projects, so I'll mention mine as well. I and a friend are leading a project called Do: Living Water that is working to raise $25,000 dollars for clean wells in the Congo. You can check out more at dolivingwater.blogspot.com and see more on our crazy goal at my main blog:

    http://countercultural-blog.blogspot.com/2010/05/big-goal-and-bigger-god-please-read.html

    Camden

    Jerimiah 1:6-7

    Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth." But the LORD said to me,

    "Do not say, 'I am only a youth';for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,and whatever I command you, you shall speak."

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  9. Camden,

    Thanks so much for mentioning your project! I love to hear about what teens are doing to impact our world!!! I'm adding your site to this post and putting your button on the sidebar. I'm excited about what you are doing!

    Keep up the good work and God bless,

    Chloe

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