There's no doubt of this: ALL girls are worth waiting for

by Morgan

When I sat down and wrote my first purity blog, I was skeptical and overall terrified. 

Purity has always been a touchy subject with me, not because I'm afraid of it, but because I don't always have the answers I want to have. 

When I was told blogging about purity would be a smart idea for me, I wasn't even positive of where I should start and what words I would say. Like I said before, purity is a touchy subject for me because I am a strong believer that everyone is worth waiting for, and I'm not sure what would be the simplest way to put that.

After writing that purity blog, I felt called to share my faith in that way with younger girls and even older women. I believe that God calls me to do things I'm not very comfortable with because I grow by learning and sharing. 

I cannot stress enough that everyone is able to be pure, whether it's sexually or being made new. God's kingdom keeps growing, and we all deserve the opportunity to come to know Christ and His pure heart. 

It's true: You ARE 'worth more than gold'

by Morgan

1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” 

The past couple years of my life, I’ve leaned on a God who I’ve never leaned on before. I’ve loved a God who I’ve never loved before, and I’ve trusted in a God who I’ve never trusted in before.

Before I became a follower of Jesus, I lived my life on a bad road. A road that would lead to misery, heartbreak, and disappointment. A life I would never wish on anyone. How I saw myself back then, and how I see myself now are so different. I used to see a cute boy and think he was “the one." I wanted that label that made me popular, and I honestly thought sex was the way to get it. 

The attitude I had about sex and boys changed dramatically in the sense that I now see myself as worth it. I see myself as God’s prized possession, because I know I am. And I know you are. 

I struggled with purity and being pure. I struggled with knowing what being pure even meant. When I think of pure, I don’t think of “waiting till marriage” as much as I think of Matthew 5:8 that says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” 

Do I think waiting to have sex until marriage is a good idea? Yes, I do.

I think you are worth waiting for, too, and even if you haven’t waited, God still can make your heart pure and can make you new. He can make all things new. 

I’ve done things in the past that I regret, but I see God in all those things now. I see my life as His life, because He made me and created me. He knows the mistakes I’ve made and the mistakes I will make, but it’s never too late.

Being pure is something I always wanted. Little did I know, God already made me pure in heart and now I can see Him. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s never too late to turn back around.

God’s arms are wide open, and He’s waiting for you to run to Him. Britt Nicole’s new song says this “So hold your head up high, it's your time to shine, from the inside out it shows, you're worth more than gold." 

This is how God sees you, worth more than gold.

Yesterday I encountered the devil on Facebook

Yesterday I was ridiculously close to pulling the plug on my Facebook account. I was literally holding my finger above the button on my phone that says "deactivate account." 

I love reading and sharing encouragement on Facebook. It's where I get a lot of my news through various news outlets and through organizations that I support and love. 

But the drama yesterday was. Killing. Me. 

It wasn't even overt. It was subtle jabs and innuendos at ordinary unnamed people through posts, links, blogs and comments. Oddly enough, I was barely even on Facebook yesterday. I was super swamped and only checked in a few times for mere minutes on my phone. 

Before you get to thinking it was all my teen girl friends stirring up drama, think again! It was pretty much limited to grown ups on my friends list and many of them fellow Christians. 

Here's the killer part though. Because the meanness was so subtle, every time I saw or read something, I began to wonder what I'd done to tick off someone. Did I need to repent? Had I stumbled? 

I think that's OK. It's alright to allow these kinds of things to be used in such a way — to reflect and ask God to show you where you've fallen short. 

But I was obsessing for some reason. It was like a poison running through my veins, this thought that I had tainted my image somehow. Do you see my sin through this? Do you recognize it? 

Suddenly I was more concerned with how others viewed me than how God views me. 

I was actually relieved when I opened my Bible this morning to the assigned reading in my church's daily Bible reading plan and read these words: 

From Psalm 56:2-4
"My slanderers pursue me all day long; 
many are attacking me in their pride. 
When I am afraid, I will trust in you. 
In God, whose word I praise, 
in God I trust; I will not be afraid. 
What can mortal man do to me?"

What an awesome reminder! Mortal man can do NOTHING to you! Mortal man holds no power over you. Satan may try to convince you otherwise. It's a lie, a trick. The devil doesn't need complicated schemes; he simply finds your weaknesses. In my case, he went straight for self doubt and pride. 

But the truth is this, from Psalm 56:13
"For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life." 

Jesus took my place on the cross so that I could hang up sin. What freedom! Satan has no power over me unless I am stumbling. Seeking Christ keeps me walking in the light! 

And even more importantly, our identities have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with how other people see us, even if someone is twisting your words, plotting against you and conspiring harm (from Psalm 56:5-6). 

Because, as you will read in Psalm 57:2, it's God who fulfills his purpose in us. Our identity is securely fixed in Him, and nobody can take that away when we are choosing Him daily. 

If you want a freedom like this, repent and seek Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the light! 

But to fully bathe in it, you need to seek Him continually. That's where He will meet you. He did this for me, today, reminding me of these important truths, and He will do it for you, too! 

Often, I'm asked how I know it's God speaking to me. It's easy to discern the Holy Spirit when there are too many coincidences to explain. The coincidences come from daily prayer and Bible reading, plus song and worship. That's where He speaks to me! How about you? When and how do you hear the voice of God? 

As for Facebook, I'm still there. I'm contemplating another fast from it. It's good to remind myself that I should seek God first! It was also a good reminder to watch my own posts, should they cause someone else to stumble. Just last week in frustration with someone (who is not a Facebook friend or even in my "network"), I posted elusively about a situation involving my daughter. God calls us to confront one another in love. Calling each other out through social media and Internet is NOT reflective of the love of Christ. I was wrong, and I apologize to my FB friends!

But what Satan intended for evil, God was capable of using to shape and mold me. Thanks, Father God, for a loving, teachable moment! 

Hugs, 
Amy