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{Heart4Teens.com} *Pursuing Purity* ______________________________________ If you enjoy this free email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration into the lives of teenagers everywhere! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, you can join Heart4Teens.com readers around the world by visiting: http://www.hundred-acre-woods.com/magic-list/Heart4Teens Visit our inspirational web site to read all the past articles in our archives and view the tons of resources we have there for teens! http://www.Heart4Teens.com/Teen_Stories _________________________________________ Over 52,000 people have listened to popular Chicken Soup Author Michael T. Powers' free inspirational message entitled: "Breathing Life into Others". If you aren't one of them just visit: http://www.HeartTouchers.com and click on the link to listen to the free streaming audio message! _________________________________________ Pursuing Purity by Pam Stenzel Everyone who is committed to sexual purity agrees that protecting the heart, the mind, and the body are absolutely necessary. The question ishow? Each person struggles with different temptations. Person A's weakness might not be a problem at all for Person B. The plan and strategy that you follow will depend on your own areas of weakness. So the first thing you need to do is identify those areas. Then you need to avoid those situationseven if all your friends are there. Beyond that, here are some suggestions that will be helpful as you begin thinking about how to actively pursue a life of sexual purity. 1. Write a personal commitment statement regarding sexual purity. List the reasons for your decision. List some action steps. Sign it. Date it. Have your parents sign it (and maybe include their own statement about supporting you in this pursuit). Make copies and give to a few people whom you can trust and who will help hold you accountable. 2. Take part in a sexual purity ceremony with your family. Write you own vows stating your decision and your commitment. Include a promise to your future spouse about your actions. Keep a copy so that someday you can show it to your husband or wife on your wedding day. 3. Check out some of the national abstinence programs (like True Love Waits) to see if they can offer you help and support. 4. Date in groups. Never get into a situation where you are alone with a guy or girl. That's right.never. If you're with other people at all times, you're less likely to do something you'll regret later on. 5. Set clear boundaries in every dating relationship. If the boundary is crossed even one time, call it quits. 6. NEVER DRINK (read Genesis 19:30-38 to see how drinking and sex can affect one another). 7. Never remain in a tempting situation (read II Samuel 11- 12 and see how staying in a tempting situation snowballs out of control). 8. When all else fails (you've averted your gaze, you've closed the magazine, you've turned off the TV, you've said no, etc.) RUN! (read Genesis 39 and see how running can be the best choice.) 9. Never indulge your fantasies. In other words, don't let your mind imagine and dwell on sexual thoughts (read II Samuel 13 and see what happens when someone lets sexual thoughts go unchecked). 10. Surround yourself with people who share your commitment to sexual purity. This doesn't mean that you can only talk to and associate with people who are virgins. This doesn't mean that you look down on or snub people who don't share your convictions. After all, you live in the world and most of the world doesn't buy into God's agenda. It does mean, however, that you'd better have some friends who will encourage, support, and walk alongside you. 11. Be sure to make God part of your plan. Proverbs 16:3 says, Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Based on what the entire Bible teaches, this means if you will commit to the Lord your plans and desires that are in agreement with His plans and desires, those plans and desires will succeed. Since it's clear that God's plan is for sex to be contained inside a life-long marriage relationship, then your desire to be sexually pure can happen if you commit it to God and let him guide you. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. All three parts of you are included in these versesyour heart, your mind (understanding), and the actions of your body (straight paths). Trust Godbelieve that his plan is best. Don't lean on your own understandingadmit that sometimes you don't know the difference between right and wrong (see Proverbs 16:25). Acknowledge him alwaysdon't exclude him from any areas of your life, especially sex. That's the best plan you can have. Simple, sensible, and supernatural, all wrapped up into one. Taken from "Sex Has a Price Tag" by Pam Stenzel, copyright 2003, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here: http://www.youthspecialties.com/product/249716 _________________________________________ Let's Go Surfing Dude! ~ Online Safety Tips for Teens http://www.teenangels.org/safety_ForTeens.html _________________________________________ Bonus Article Q: People are asking me to have cyber-sex. Is that okay? A: Cyber-sex is just another form of selfish sexual expression. It will leave you hangingalways wanting more and never satisfied. People who tend to dabble with cyber-sex typically are not where they want to be. Usually they desire some form of relationship with a person of the opposite sex and this is as close as they can get, so they venture into it. Cyber-sex is dangerous because it often leads to more destructive forms of sexual expression. You may say to yourself, "No way, it won't happen to me," but you should read some of the e-mails we've received. People get more and more needy, and they find themselves getting in deeper and deeper as they seek out alternate forms of sexual gratification. Why put yourself in that situation? And who really knows what kind of person is on the other side of that cyber-conversation? Sure, the screen name may be "sexygrl22," but chances are really good that people offering cyber-sex are not who they say they are. They could be married. They may say they are the same age as you and a member of the opposite sex, when in reality they could be that old, fat, sweaty guy from across the street. The fantasy of the cyber-world allows people to deceive others into believing they are someone they are not. Taken from ""Questions You Can't Ask Your Mama About Sex" by Craig Gross and Mike Foster, copyright 2005, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here: http://www.youthspecialties.com/product/25812X __________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "Honor's a lease for life to come." Verse for the Day: "We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of the righteous." -- 2 Peter 3:13 Teen's Thought For The Day: So many times Christian teens will ask me, "How far can I go sexually?" I always tell them, "That's the wrong question to ask. You should be asking, 'How far can I stay away!'" Parent's Thought For The Day: "Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like clearing the drive before it has stopped snowing." Coach's Thought For The Day: "Those that know how to win are much more numerous than those who know how to make proper use of their victories." -- Polybius Deep Thought For The Day: By the time they had diminished from 50 to eight, the other dwarves began to suspect "Hungry". __________________________________________ Author MICHAEL T. POWERS www.Heart4Teens.com Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Teen's Soul on Love and Friendship and 25 other inspirational books. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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