Dare to Shine!  This week we’re going to talk what it means to shine your light in a world that is full of craziness, chaos, darkness and without hope. Living in a culture and a world like this, it definitely takes courage and boldness to shine the light of Jesus.   Matthew 5:14-16 is our theme verse for UncommonTEEN Live this year. It says, " You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do theylight a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men,that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.  Ladies, you are the light of the world and it’s time to let your let be an influence to everyone around you!  Think about verse 14. It says, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."  I don’t know if you have ever been to the mountains and have seen houses that are set out on a field. About 2 hours from where I live, in Chattanooga, TN, one of the neat things to look at are all of the houses and businesses that are set on the mountains. When you drive through at night, it’s such a beautiful sight to see.  You are like that city that is set on a hill. God is calling you out and He’s saying, “It’s time for you to shine your light so bright that everyone who comes near you can’t help but look at it. It’s time for you to influence the world around you with the light that is inside of you.”  Verse 15 then goes on to say, “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.”  One thing about the lamps that they used during the time of Jesus is that they were their only source of light.   When this was the only source of light for the people living at that time, it wouldn’t make sense for them to hide that light under a basket. They wouldn’t be able to see anything clearly in the darkness. God is telling you to not be afraid to shine your light in this dark world. Let your light shine so you can influence the world around you. They need to see your light and see that there is hope.  When we place our light, the light of Jesus on the inside of us under a basket, nobody can see it. There is no hope. Don’t shy back…be the light God called you to be. Don’t be afraid to stand up and pray when your youth pastor asks if someone will pray. Don’t shy away when you can help someone else or offer to pray for someone. Step out. Be bold. Be courageous. Stand strong for God! Let your light shine!  Then finally, Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” We need to take action and shine our lights so brightly. You may have heard that little kid’s song, “The little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine,” well we don’t want a little light…we want a big flood l SOAR COACHING COMMUNITY The month of November, we are opening back up our SOAR Friday Informational calls so you and your parents can learn more about the SOAR Coaching Community. We want to give back to you by letting you try out SOAR for one month to see if it’s a good fit for you! More information about these calls will be coming to your email soon! Be sure you're signed up on our email list. Go to UncommonTEEN.com and scroll down to where it says, "Don't Miss A Thing." Put your name and email address in there and be sure not to miss all the exciting things going on with UncommonTEEN! Connect with Us! Website: UncommonTEEN.com Instagram: @uncommon.teen UncommonTEEN Live Conference: UncommonTEENlive.com