Why I think the Vault is the place to be!!! -- June 21
Here is the next one...
I realized that I should probably give you what my view on dating/courtship is before we go any further--b/c it would help you understand where I am coming from. Of course, your view on dating/courtship needs to be formed by much prayer, going to God's word and open and honest communication WITH YOUR PARENTS. It is truly up to your Godly parents to set the definition of what these words will mean for you. For some of you, they may allow you to date at a certain age or maturity level, but with certain guidelines. For some of you, they may guide you into a courtship style of thinking, and therefore romantic relationships with someone of the opposite sex are limited to those who could potentially be your husband. Most people that are going to court are therefore NOT going to start doing this until maybe the college years (since I dont think any of you want to get married before you graduate high school). For some of you, there may be NO restrictions, and your parents are trusting you to work it out on your own. And for some of you, this topic has not been discussed.
I would first encourage you to TALK WITH YOUR PARENTS!!! If your parents are not Christian, then pray about a relationship with a couple in the church that you respect and admire their marriage, and ask them for guidance. But this is something that must be agreed on with your parents!
From here on out, is JUST my opinion--and it is not the opinion that I have lived out most of my life, so bear with me. But since I feel that I have made so many large mistakes, one's that can never be taken back, I thought I would share! If nothing else I'd love to just make you guys think about this, and go back to God's Word to see what really matches up with HIS plan!
After many years of doing it my own way, I truly do believe that the ONLY reason to have a non-friendship relationship with a boy (in other words to date or court or whatever you call it), is in preparation for marriage. If you are thinking marriage--I havent even gotten my license yet--guess what, then you shouldn't be thinking about a seriously relationship with a boy. Now, before some of my high school girls get bent out of shape--listen to why. (I read this illustration and it just hit home for me!)
Proverbs 31: 10 says "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." God says that a godly wife..a wife of noble character is worth FAR MORE than rubies. How many of you ladies actually OWN a ruby? I don't or any precious stones for that matter. For the majority of us, we own basically costume jewelry. It has SOME value, but certainly nothing like rubies. If you were to go into a high end jewelry store and ask to see their best jewelry, where do they go? Do they motion to you that it is laying out on the counter for all to handle, touch, try on? NOOOOO! They will go in the back to a vault, where it is being kept because it is SOOO valuable. Too many of us use our single years (jr. High up through and past college) to display ourselves like cheap costume jewelry--when what we should be doing, is being kept secure in a safe, allowing God to refine us and mold us into HIS image.
Now--being attracted to boys is a NATURAL thing. It's how we handle that attraction that can lead us to sin. If you are attractedto someone, take some time to think "what attracts me about them? Are these Godly attributes are mearly popular or physical traits?" As Carolyn Mahaney writes, "Being attracted isn't a sin, but indulging in thoughts about them, going out of your way to be around them, allowing them to distract from your pursuit of God and service of others is wrong."
So I would not encourage girlfriend/boyfriend relationships in high school. And I would even caution you to guard your hearts in your friendships with boys. These years are great years to just observe, have fun, keep things simple. Over the past 2 years, I have been forced to really look at what GOD would have me do, not what is normal in the world If you choose NOT to let yourself be out on display for everyone to see, handle, and try on, you will most likely be labeled as odd by the world..or maybe even some in this youth group. Thats ok--for Ephesians 4 says, "So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more." So know right now, most won't understandand that is just fine! Keep going back to God's Word to approve your actions--not to those around you!
Girls, take this time in high school (and even some years in college) to enjoy being in God's VAULT!! It is lonely at times, but that is when you will be forced to turn to God and lean totally on Him! No man will ever be able to make you happy until you are completely 100 satisfied in the Lord and living day in and out for HIM!!! If you take this time in the vault to allow God to do amazing things with you, focusing on serving Him and knowing Him, then someday God may bring a man to the vault who will request to have you brought out--and when that man sees God's beauty in you, he will know that THIS is his RUBY.
Ok...now tomorrow--bread crumbs :)
I realized that I should probably give you what my view on dating/courtship is before we go any further--b/c it would help you understand where I am coming from. Of course, your view on dating/courtship needs to be formed by much prayer, going to God's word and open and honest communication WITH YOUR PARENTS. It is truly up to your Godly parents to set the definition of what these words will mean for you. For some of you, they may allow you to date at a certain age or maturity level, but with certain guidelines. For some of you, they may guide you into a courtship style of thinking, and therefore romantic relationships with someone of the opposite sex are limited to those who could potentially be your husband. Most people that are going to court are therefore NOT going to start doing this until maybe the college years (since I dont think any of you want to get married before you graduate high school). For some of you, there may be NO restrictions, and your parents are trusting you to work it out on your own. And for some of you, this topic has not been discussed.
I would first encourage you to TALK WITH YOUR PARENTS!!! If your parents are not Christian, then pray about a relationship with a couple in the church that you respect and admire their marriage, and ask them for guidance. But this is something that must be agreed on with your parents!
From here on out, is JUST my opinion--and it is not the opinion that I have lived out most of my life, so bear with me. But since I feel that I have made so many large mistakes, one's that can never be taken back, I thought I would share! If nothing else I'd love to just make you guys think about this, and go back to God's Word to see what really matches up with HIS plan!
After many years of doing it my own way, I truly do believe that the ONLY reason to have a non-friendship relationship with a boy (in other words to date or court or whatever you call it), is in preparation for marriage. If you are thinking marriage--I havent even gotten my license yet--guess what, then you shouldn't be thinking about a seriously relationship with a boy. Now, before some of my high school girls get bent out of shape--listen to why. (I read this illustration and it just hit home for me!)
Proverbs 31: 10 says "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." God says that a godly wife..a wife of noble character is worth FAR MORE than rubies. How many of you ladies actually OWN a ruby? I don't or any precious stones for that matter. For the majority of us, we own basically costume jewelry. It has SOME value, but certainly nothing like rubies. If you were to go into a high end jewelry store and ask to see their best jewelry, where do they go? Do they motion to you that it is laying out on the counter for all to handle, touch, try on? NOOOOO! They will go in the back to a vault, where it is being kept because it is SOOO valuable. Too many of us use our single years (jr. High up through and past college) to display ourselves like cheap costume jewelry--when what we should be doing, is being kept secure in a safe, allowing God to refine us and mold us into HIS image.
Now--being attracted to boys is a NATURAL thing. It's how we handle that attraction that can lead us to sin. If you are attractedto someone, take some time to think "what attracts me about them? Are these Godly attributes are mearly popular or physical traits?" As Carolyn Mahaney writes, "Being attracted isn't a sin, but indulging in thoughts about them, going out of your way to be around them, allowing them to distract from your pursuit of God and service of others is wrong."
So I would not encourage girlfriend/boyfriend relationships in high school. And I would even caution you to guard your hearts in your friendships with boys. These years are great years to just observe, have fun, keep things simple. Over the past 2 years, I have been forced to really look at what GOD would have me do, not what is normal in the world If you choose NOT to let yourself be out on display for everyone to see, handle, and try on, you will most likely be labeled as odd by the world..or maybe even some in this youth group. Thats ok--for Ephesians 4 says, "So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more." So know right now, most won't understandand that is just fine! Keep going back to God's Word to approve your actions--not to those around you!
Girls, take this time in high school (and even some years in college) to enjoy being in God's VAULT!! It is lonely at times, but that is when you will be forced to turn to God and lean totally on Him! No man will ever be able to make you happy until you are completely 100 satisfied in the Lord and living day in and out for HIM!!! If you take this time in the vault to allow God to do amazing things with you, focusing on serving Him and knowing Him, then someday God may bring a man to the vault who will request to have you brought out--and when that man sees God's beauty in you, he will know that THIS is his RUBY.
Ok...now tomorrow--bread crumbs :)
posted by KB at 10:01 AM
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