Sweet and SpiritedHeartwarming, haunting, and often hilarious, the delicious stories inChocolate for a Teen's Spirittouch on the things all young women face as they move into adulthood and search for spiritual grounding during times both tame and turbulent. Written by teens themselves as well as by women with good memories for those years gone by, these true-life tales range from lighthearted vignettes to poignant confessions. TheChocolatestorytellers share their own moving experiences -- about setting a goal and reaching it, about being the victim of a cruel trick and rising above it, about finding love in unexpected places, and about finding the Divine in all things.Chocolate for a Teen's Spiritwill help you discover all the facets of a spirit-filled life -- ways to nurture your faith in yourself, to use your creative gifts, to find love through friends, parents, partners, and teachers, and to experience pure joy.

Kay Allenbaugh, creator of the Chocolate series, is a writer and speaker who is known as "The Caretaker of Stories for Women of the World." She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Contributors to Chocolate for a Teen's Spirit include bestselling authors, motivational speakers, newspaper columnists, radio hosts, spiritual leaders, psychotherapists, businesswomen, and teenagers from all over the world.

Introduction

1

(4)

I GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE

The Love Letter

5

(4)

Kathleen Pimentel

Life's No Day at the Beach

9

(4)

Beverly C. Lucey

Parking Problems

13

(3)

Stephanic Ray Brown

Haunting of Hatchet Hollow

16

(5)

Emily Moorehead

I Don't Know These People

21

(4)

Betty Auchard

How Slick Stan Learned Probability

25

(6)

Laurie Nuck

II DISCOVERING LIFE'S TREASURES

You Can't Go Back

31

(4)

Judith Morton Fraser

Not My Type

35

(3)

Lisa Sanders

Kay's Tips for Teens

38

(2)

Kay Allenbaugh

A Good Lesson

40

(2)

Betty Auchard

Getting Over Him

42

(3)

Anne Pennebaker

Worth Waiting For

45

(4)

Jacquelyn B. Fletcher

III GROWING FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Breaking the Rules

49

(3)

Brianna Mahin-Ayers

The Christmas Ball

52

(4)

Susan B. Townsend

In One Fell Swoop

56

(3)

Wendy (Reid Crisp) Lestina

My Own True Name

59

(3)

Diane Gonzales Bertrand

The Real Winner

62

(4)

Nancy B. Gibbs

Barnyard Tae Kwon Do

66

(3)

Alana Jenkins

Little Miss Goodbar

69

(6)

Robin Michelle Mendoza

IV BRINGING SPIRIT TO LIFE

Oliver Bascom

75

(3)

Kathleen Pimentel

Gettin' My Mojo Workin'

78

(2)

Beth Boswell Jacks

New Girl in School

80

(3)

Susan B. Townsend

Seek and You Shall Find

83

(2)

Kim Keenan

Remembering Jess

85

(3)

Beth Ziemnik

Spirit Petals

88

(2)

Sheila Stephens

Friends Forever

90

(7)

Alaina Smith

V TEEN MISCHIEF

Sometimes You Just Can't Win

97

(3)

Sherry Bennett

Confessions of a Weekend Hippie

100

(3)

Felice R. Prager

Big Buns

103

(2)

Cheryl Jenkins

Sharp Edges

105

(3)

Shelley Sigman

A Fair to Remember

108

(7)

Tamra B. Orr

VI FROM SHIFTING SAND TO SOLID GROUND

Practice Makes Perfect

115

(4)

Carol Sjostrom Miller

Scaling New Heights

119

(3)

Mary H. Wu

Plastic Curtains

122

(5)

Judith Bader Jones

My Unkissed Self

127

(3)

Marilyn D. Davis

One Lick at a Time

130

(4)

Margaret C. Price

The Grass Is Always Greener

134

(5)

April Burk

VII YOU ARE NEVER ALONE

The Witch and Her Magic Potion

139

(4)

Renie Szilak Burghardt

Growing Pains

143

(4)

Kelly Scheufler

Driving Miss Lisa

147

(3)

Lisa Kaufman

That's What Friends Are For

150

(4)

Stephanie Bernier

Looking for Familiar Clues

154

(4)

Alice T. Cheek

Sticks and Stones

158

(4)

Sande Boritz Berger

From Not to Hot

162

(5)

Gayle Trent

VIII PROUD MAMAS

Kelly's Choice

167

(3)

Anne Goodrich

The One-Year Rule

170

(3)

Carole Gaunt

When Yes Means No

173

(4)

Carol F. Fantelli

A Class Act

177

(4)

Nancy Smith Harris

Say What?

181

(2)

Cindi Pearce

Saving the Best for Last

183

(4)

Barbara Ann Dush

More Chocolate Stories?

187

(2)

Contributors

189

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

Introduction

Heartwarming, haunting, and often hilarious, the delicious true-life stories inChocolate for a Teen's Spiritwill remind you how much you have in common with young women everywhere. The Chocolate storytellers have shared their own moving experiences -- about setting a goal and reaching it, about being the victim of a cruel trick and rising above it, about finding love in unexpected places, and about finding the divine in all things. These stories will comfort you and show you that joy often lies just on the other side of pain. You'll also discover why a bit of mischief can sometimes open the path to spiritual fulfillment.

Alive with humor, honesty, and the intimacy of close friends,Chocolate for a Teen's Spiritwill help you discover all the facets of a spirit-filled life -- ways to nurture your faith in yourself, to use your creative gifts, to find love through friends, parents, partners, and teachers, and to experience pure joy.

The stories inChocolate for a Teen's Spiritare written by teens themselves as well as by women with good memories for those years gone by. From lighthearted vignettes to poignant confessions, these stories touch on the things all young women face as they move into adulthood and search for spiritual grounding during times both tame and turbulent. These stories also celebrate the mentors that I believe God supplies each of us -- the role models, teachers, and friends we encounter along the way to help guide us when we're lost, believe in us when we're afraid to believe in ourselves, and cheer for us when we succeed.

So find a comfy, sacred place, nibble on some chocolate, and let the heartwarming stories inChocolate for a Teen's Spiritfill your heart. As you turn the pages, listen for the messages that were meant just for you and look for the stories that would bring your friends the comfort they need as well. I hope that these stories will provide inspiration and show you how far you've come as you decide what you value, what qualities you hold dear in yourself and others, and where to find spiritual comfort when you need it most.

MayChocolate for a Teen's Spiritwarm your heart and bring you the hope, strength, and wisdom you so richly deserve.

Excerpted from Chocolate for a Teen's Spirit: Inspiring Stories for Young Women about Hope, Strength, and Wisdom by Kay Allenbaugh
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.