Pressing for Purity

Running for the mark.

Setting the pace.

Reaching the goal!

My Grandma mailed me a very interesting newspaper article with my birthday card a few weeks ago.

It was about two couples in her town. One had been married for 6 months, the other, 65 years.

But they both had one thing in common.

They both decided to put God first in their relationships.

The younger couple has me going back in time. They had saved their first kiss for the wedding day, didn't say "I love you" until they were engaged and started out courting instead of dating.

This is a rare and beautiful thing you will hear of and when I first heard about it I knew that's what I wanted to do.

BUT

Not all strive for this.

In fact a growing number of my friends whom I love and care about have fallen into the trap that some boy REALLY loves them but oh they just can't wait and are now reaping the consequences.

I am a very firm believer in saving EVERYTHING for one person.

But what does God say about it?

Flee youthful lusts: In this sinful world this will be a daily activity

Love is patient; WAIT! It's worth every day, month and year times fifty.

Avoid fornication and avoid appearance of evil: Don't be alone with members of the opposite sex- all around good idea. You can't trust them or yourself.

You can wear fifty-five purity rings but until you make that commitment to God to stay pure and make sure you aren't putting yourself in the place to be tempted your purity plan won't work.

And if you have messed up God will always forgive- there is none righteous no not one.

But I'm talking to the girls and boys who haven't messed up yet. They are just starting to be a teen and they think they like someone, they go crazy about this person, commit thy work unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established. Focus on your relationship with God, how about your parents, and what about your friends you are neglecting or pushing away because you are so crazy about this "like" person?

So in closing I would like to encourage you and discourage you.

Saving yourself for your husband/wife is the most wonderful gift you could give on this earth- I'm so thankful no one has held my husbands hand but me, no lips have touched his but mine, and when he gives me those melt my heart looks- I know they are all just for me. There is no doubt in my mind that we were meant to be and only by God's grace we are where we are today ( 7 months into marriage WOOHOO!).

I'm sure my friends didn't see being rejected, pregnant, alone, being a single Mom, breaking their family's heart, still a teenager and have been married and divorced.

You only have one life make it count for God's glory- make your story a beautiful one.

Like the old hymn says "Trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey."

I better close before I write a book for I am very passionate about this subject since I have reaped so many blessings and have cried many nights for my friends that I wish I could have made decisions for .