Happy Independence Day!

     Today, there are so many Americans who do not realize that the United States has a specifically Christian foundation.  Many founding fathers are incorrectly painted as deists, and we are all to unfamiliar with their own words that prove otherwise.  Let us recommit to knowing our history, and passing that history on through our families. 

     On this Independence Day, I leave you with these quotes from some of the great men who helped to found our nation and who played important roles in its early days. 

“The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity…I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and the attributes of God.” -John Adams, June 28, 1813

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambitn, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."    -John Adams, October 11, 179

"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth- that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that "except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the Builders of Babel” –Benjamin Franklin,1787

“It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.” -Patrick Henry, May 1765

“ Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”        -John Jay, October 12, 1816.

“It [the Bible] is a document in proof that I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus." -Thomas Jefferson, Jan 9, 1816

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever; That a revolution of the wheel of fortune, a change of situation, is among possible events; that it may become probable by Supernatural influence! The Almighty has no attribute which can take side with us in that event." -Thomas Jefferson, July 1774

"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We’ve staked the future of all our political institutions upon our capacity…to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” -James Madison, 1778

"To the kindly influence of Christianity we owe that degree of civil freedom, and political and social happiness which mankind now enjoys. . . . Whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of government, and all blessings which flow from them, must fall with them." -Jedediah Morse, April 25, 1799,

“ It has been the error of the schools to teach astronomy, and all the other sciences, and subjects of natural philosophy, as accomplishments only; whereas they should be taught theologically, or with reference to the Being who is the author of them: for all the principles of science are of divine origin. Man cannot make, or invent, or contrive principles: he can only discover them; and he ought to look through the discovery to the Author."

  -Thomas Paine, January 16, 1797(from a speech on French schools)

"To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian" -George Washington, 1778

 “What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ.” George Washington, May 12, 1779

"In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed...No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.” -Noah Webster, 1828

"...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."                                       2 Chronicles 7:14

                                                                                     

A prayer request...

     Hello, everyone!  I just found out that my soon-to-be-husband has an interview with Verizon tomorrow!  (It's a corporate phone interview, which comes before a local interview.)  We've been waiting and praying for a job for him.  Currently, he has a job in a town about half an hour from where I live, and where our apartment is waiting for us.  So any job here is more economical than there, where he would have to make the trip to each day.  But a Verizon job, which has much higher pay and even benefits, would be such an amazing blessing to our new marriage that would eliminate so much financial struggle.  We would appreciate your prayers!

Ahh, Summer...The Season of Swimwear

     For those thinking of modesty this summer, deciding what swimwear to choose can be a bit tricky.  The "modest" suits produced by the fashion industry are often a far-cry from what many of us consider modest, and the specially-made modest suits can be rather expensive(though I think that's acceptable in such a niche market).  I, as of yet, have only the tankini and board shorts I purchased previously, and would like to purchase a new, more modest outfit for time in the water.

“Would you feel naked wearing your nightgown or undergarments into a courtroom or church? What would your pastor and his wife think if you invited them over to supper, then answered the door in your underwear? Would they be shocked? Why do many of us think it is acceptable then   to invite fellow Christians over for a pool party where everyone is wearing ‘colored underwear’?”

                                                                                       -Stacy McDonald

• I stumbled upon an interesting summary of the history of swimwear over at Feelin' Feminine. 

     Some of the swimwear resources I have found include the following.  These tend to have a bit more coverage.  If you are looking for something with less, just google modest swimwear and you will find all kinds of resources.

Simply Modest Swimwear

Cute dresses with a variety of fabrics to choose from, and leggings underneath

HydroChic
Lots of cute separates, both shorts and skirts...also recommend their outfits for athletics

WholesomeWear
Culottes, skirted, and slimming options...a few color choices.  Skirted suits snap between legs for greater coverage in water.

“[N]udity is not supposed to move us. We are asked to behold without shock, without even surprise, the nearly total exposure of every conceivable shape and size of physique. But I don’t want to look at nudity without emotion. I want it reserved to enhance, not exhibited to destroy, the depth of individual experience. Modesty was a system of protection. But the alarms have all been disconnected. The house is wide open to plunder.”

                                                                                         -Elisabeth Elliot

     Good luck to all of you still searching for a swimsuit this summer!  Have any favorite online stores I didn't mention?  Tell us!  What do you wear swimming to stay modest in the water?

"It's Not Enough"

     In Titus 2:4-5, Paul writes what the older Christian women should teach the younger women:

"...they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored."

     It is my strong conviction that two of the primary aspects of the biblical role of women are to be a helper to their husbands and a trainer of their children.  In times of weakness, however, it is easy to be shaken by the messages our society sends us:  You're smart, you're capable: why don't you go for this degree or chase after that career?  Those things will give you value.  Devoting your energy to your family and home is not enough.  When we begin to second-guess our biblical desires and convictions, we need to be refreshed by God's perspective.  One of the places I recently went for such a perspective was Anna and Sofia Botkin's book So Much More.  They write,

Women were designed by God to be the happiest, most fulfilled, most appreciated, and most honored as homemakers.  No other career can come close to the importance of homemaking.  Most other careers actually undermine God's order by cheating women of their first and best calling and taking civilization in the wrong direction.  This is because homemakers are so central to guiding and shaping civil society.

     In the classic portrayal of a biblical woman in Proverbs 31, we see that though her work is very centered around her home, her works may very well "bring her praise at the city gate." (Pr 31:31)  How encouraging it is to hear biblical principles affirmed and encouraged, as in the passage above, and  for women who embrace God's Word to be honored!  May we not be so bombarded by the world that we forget that living out God's calling is the most noble pursuit we could choose.  That, by staying within God's boundaries, we are influential in a distinctively feminine way. 

     I am willing to pour all of my energy into my God-given calling because... it is enough.

Coming Soon...and you can take part too!

   Revive Our Hearts is a ministry by Nancy Leigh Demoss, which reaches out to women through their website and radio show and teaches about biblical womanhood.  I love reading transcripts of the radio show online, and you can also listen to the show's audio online.  The True Woman Movement is a ministry of Revive Our Hearts, and is a movement of women who are determined to be as counter-cultural as necessary to embrace womanhood as God designed it. 
   The True Woman website currently has an offer out to us bloggers:  they will send us a free copy of the book Voices of the True Woman Movement, a compilation of nine chapters by nine different authors, if we will do a series on our blog giving our thoughts on each of the nine chapters by September 1.  I'm hoping to do this, and it would be neat to see what others wrote about the same topics!  To sign up, just head over to the True Woman website and follow the directions there by June 1.

• You can check out Revive Our Hearts here!
• To get a better idea of exactly what the True Woman movement stands for, read the True Woman Manifesto here.

An Engagement

     I have some exciting news!  Sunday, April 25, Rob asked me to marry him and....I said yes! 

"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame."    Song of Songs 8:6

I Declare...

   I have experienced negative emotions and behaviors that would, in the field of psychology, be considered symptoms of "Generalized Anxiety Disorder" or "Pure-O Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder."  They have interfered significantly in my life, and for some time, I clung to the popular beliefs about these issues as my only answers.  The following are my passionate declarations about a topic that is very important to me, based on a series of discoveries that I feel are groundbreaking in my life.  I think they could be the same for so many others with experiences similar to mine.

* A mental illness is a condition that is known to have a biological cause, that must be treated medicinally. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the case for many issues currently being categorized and diagnosed as mental illness.

                                          My Declarations

• I am an individual with a unique personality: there is nothing wrong with me.  I am the product, in part, of cognition, biological factors, and environmental factors. The presence of certain biological factors have combined with environmental factors to result in my unique personality, making me the obsessive, analytical, introspective, sensitive, conscientious person I am. Here's the thing: the obsessive, analytical part of me has at times responded to anxiety-producing thoughts with hours of analysis to prove to myself that everything was okay. This, as defined by me, is a negative behavior. But that same trait causes me to take great enjoyment from thinking things over deeply, to take notice of subtleties that others might miss, and to be driven to find answers to my questions. There is no biological cause present causing these personality traits collectively as some kind of illness. I am simply a complex human being, and when I do experience anxiety, it is experienced and manifested through the lens of who I am as a person.
• I have the freedom to define my own experiences. I adopted this one from http://theicharusproject.net/.  In the last declaration, I differentiated between a behavior I am displeased with(torturing myself by trying to make sure everything is okay) and behaviors I am pleased with(thinking analytically, etc). Just because the DSM-IV decides to say that obsessive behavior, for instance, is a "symptom" of something does not mean that me being obsessive is always a bad thing.  I am the one who decides, according to own values, what is good and bad in my life.  The popular lists of symptoms have caused me to try to fit many of my own behaviors under certain labels.  The problem with this is that a) such disorders are not quantifiable as such and b) many of the behaviors I was coming to think there was something wrong with weren't negative in any way.  I did this because I had bought into the idea that everything the manual listed was, in fact, an illness and that the symptoms listed could help determine them.  Realizing that this is not scientifically supported makes such categorization senseless and even harmful.
• The negative behaviors I sometimes get caught up in are caused by cognitive habits fueled by anxiety.  Here's how it works:  you think something scary, and you feel anxious.  The anxious feelings may cause you to think more about the scary things, thus causing you to feel more anxious, and well, can you see the beginning of a viscious cycle?  One answer to dealing with bad habits of thinking is found in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT).  The great thing about CBT is that it can be done on your own(one study found that doing it solo was just as effective as having a therapist to help).  CBT simply helps you to recognize thought patterns that cause unnecesarily destructive emotions and to deal with your thinking more constructively, thereby reducing the effects of emotions such as anxiety.
• I may need to take extra care of myself.  If a sensitive nervous system is one factor that causes me to be overwhelmed easily, it will be extremely important for me to do all those common sense things that will make it easier to live the life I want: get enough sleep, eat right, limit caffeine, etc.

  When I stopped thinking that my feelings of anxiety were simply there because of a chemical imbalance, some interesting things began happening.  I had a greater feeling of control over my emotions.  I lost what had become a crutch and found a sense of empowerment.  I have begun identifying simple causes of anxiety I never knew existed because of my past readiness to attribute an unfounded chemical imbalance to my anxiety.  The tremendous shift in perspective was extremely freeing, making me feel beautiful.  The question Why did God make me like this?  turned to Wow, God made me so amazing!  I began to recognize the ways I am uniquely gifted, and I began to wonder if The Icharus Project might not be onto something when they call them "dangerous gifts."

Are You A Lion Chaser?

   I am reading a book called In a Pit With a Lion On a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson.  It is based on 2 Samuel 23:20-21:

"Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave fighter from Kabzeel who did mighty things. He killed two of the best warriors from Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day. Benaiah killed a large Egyptian who had a spear in his hand. Benaiah had a club, but he grabbed the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear."

    It is about how, often-times, the most frightening, difficult circumstances in our lives are also our greatest opportunities, and instead of running from them, we ought to face them head-on.  I thought I'd share an excerpt.

Most of our problems are not circumstantial.  Most of our problems are perceptual.  Our biggest problems can be traced back to an inadequate understanding of who God is.  Our problems seem really big because God seems really small.  In fact, we reduce God to the size of our biggest problem.

 Tozer said a "low view of God...is the cause of a hundred lesser evils."  But a person with a high view of God "is relieved of ten thousand temporal problems."

 A low view of God and a high view of God are the difference between scaredy-cats and lion chasers.  Scaredy-cats are filled with fear because their God is so small.  Lion chasers know that their best thought about God on their best day falls infinitely short of how great God really is.

    I love the picture of Paul and Silus in Acts 16 after they've been beaten and imprisoned.  Not that part, of course, that part is terrible.  But there they are, and instead of questioning why God allowed this stuff to happen, they started worshiping Him.  And God caused an earthquake that made the doors all come open and all the prisoners' chains fall off.  When we respond in faith and worship, knowing our God is a big, faithful God, we open the way for Him to move powerfully in our lives.  Paul and Silus obviously had a big view of God, which allowed them to be lion chasers.  We know that after they got out of that prison, they certainly didn't sit back in fear.  They went on to face any other lions in their paths.

   Today, I am choosing to be a lion chaser.

The Great Matzah Hunt

  
   So Passover begins on Monday night, and I needed matzah for my (sure to be very amateurish) Seder.  I originally wanted to host it for several friends, but because of having nowhere to hold it, decided to just to follow the Haggadah with my boyfriend Rob.  So I'll be making the charoset and such, but we will possibly just be getting some sort of "fast food" to eat during the dinner break.  Doing it with just myself and him will at least provide an environment I will be most comfortable in to worship God in a way I am not used to.

   As for the matzah, I waited until today only to find that no matzah is to be found in my small town.  My search first took me to the south side Walmart.  No luck there.  Then on to Kroger, which typically carries more specialty foods than other places.  I came out with this...Wasa "Crispbread."

   If you're thinking That looks like it might have leavening, it does.  But this matzah-seeking noob didn't bother to read the ingredients after a Kroger employee assured her that other customers had bought it in place of matzah. After my mother brought the problem to my attention, I called the Walmart on north side to have an employee tell me that he he knew what I was talking about and that they did, indeed, sell matzah.  Well, after making the trip and doing a bit of hunting, I came to be pretty certain that he hadn't know what I was talking about after all.

   But on the bright side, I found these crackers that are free of any type of yeast or leavening!  For this year, they are going to be my matzah.

   Over the course of my search, it didn't really bother me that a few employees I asked about matzah and things might assume I was Jewish.  One employee, however, started seeming to imply that I was following all the Jewish dietary laws and I wondered what all she was going to say and at what point I might have to explain myself.  While I don't feel the need to tell everyone, Hey, I'm not Jewish!  I'm a Christian observing Passover!, I don't feel comfortable with the idea of not standing up for what I do truly believe when it becomes a wide-open opportunity. 

   Well, with a bunch of homework, a new book to start reading(does anyone see a potential problem here?...), and Passover preparations, I have plenty to keep me busy!  God bless!

Still Beautiful

   I just posted about not having anything to post about, and then something hit me. hehe
   As I said, I have been researching the biblical basis for head covering.  I am not going to make any sweeping statements in argument for or against it. But I will share that last Sunday, I wore a scarf.  I plan to do so tomorrow, as well.  I was just reading The Biblical Headcovering: Scarf of Hidden Power, a comprehensive online booklet covering not only the biblical arguments for, but also the history of, women covering their heads.  One part of the booklet discussed how humbling it is to a woman's vanity to wear a covering.  I can certainly attest to this, after looking in the mirror wearing a scarf, and then without the scarf, and then thinking, But I look so pretty without it!  So yes, because covering makes us look so different from the way we are used to looking and so different from everyone else, there are vanity issues to be overcome.  However, I think that if one chooses to cover, they need to realize that they do not have to consequently choose to fore-go beauty.  
    I do not think there is anything wrong with women desiring beauty.  I believe that God gave us this desire, just as he gave men the desire for our beauty.  Just look at how God describes what He will do for His bride:

"...Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became mine," says the Lord God.  Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil.  I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk.  I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists, and a chain on your neck.  And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.  Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth.  You ate pastry of fine flour, honey, and oil.  You were exceedingly beautiful, and succeeded to royalty.  Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you," says the Lord God."                                 

                                                           Ezekial 16:8-14

   God used images of a woman ornamented with jewelry and fine clothes to illustrate what wonderful things He would do for His bride!  If trying to look beautiful were wrong, why would God have used an ornamented woman as such an important metaphor?  God loves beauty.  It is an immodest and vain spirit that God detests.  If one chooses to cover, I think they need to simply redefine beauty.  Perhaps we are not conforming to our society's exact version of beauty, but that does not mean we cannot be beautiful.

   I feel bad about not posting much recently, but it's partially due to the fact that I've been thinking about a lot of stuff.  You might think that thinking would equal writing, and in fact, I did start writing some posts.  The problem was that I was writing about things that I'm not 100% sure about, and I think it is important that I actually know I agree with something before I share the argument for it on my blog.  The topics I've been researching are 1) head covering and 2) whether or not Christians should keep the Torah.  The first is something I've been looking into for quite some time.  The second is something that has only recently been brought to my attention by the amount of blogs out there by Torah-keeping Christians.  If anyone has any insights or personal experience exploring these issues, I would appreciate feedback via comments. :-)
   I am on spring break now, and the break from the routine of my college classes has been nice.  Since I don't have much to say, I'll leave you with a song that I think is lyrically amazing...Hold You Up by Matthew West.

Misconceptions, Mistaken Perceptions

   In human relationships, I tend to give myself a hard time.  I got angry and overreacted yet again.  Or I needed comforted once more.   As everything is worked through and made right, I find myself unsatisfied, thinking Do they resent me seeking comfort? Are they sick of putting up with me? Seemingly, all is clear and resolution has been found- except in my own perceptions.  Though I've been told time and again that I am wonderful, beautiful, and loved, I feel like I must be viewed as one huge burden.  Like somewhere in the future could be that one proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back, when those I love decide they've just had too much, are too tired, too frustrated.

   I began thinking about my relationship with God, and realized that I don't imagine His perception of me in the same way.  Sure, He knows all about my flaws, and if I hold onto my sin and stubborness, it will affect my relationship with Him.  But at any given second I can come to Him in a spirit of repentance and be "whiter than snow." (Ps 51:7)  He looks at me and thinks I'm lovely. While people are not capable of forgetting things the way God is, God did make those who love me capable of forgiving and accepting things.  I want so badly to believe the truth they have told me, that I am loved and forgiven and well-worth the effort.  I want to believe that they could hug me with a sigh, putting whatever just happened behind us, and gladly start on from where we find ourselves at that moment.

  "...whatever is true,...think about such things."  (Phil 4:8)

A Happy Valentine's Day

   Saturday night, Rob took me to DaVinci's, a nice Italian restaurant we had never been to.  It was a wonderful evening.  Then on Sunday(actually Valentine's Day), we watched Fireproof, which we had seen last year around this time. I love that movie so much because it is a Christian film with a wonderful message about love and covenantal marriage that is also a good-quality movie.  Personally, I take comfort in the fact that love is not based on feelings, for that is much more secure than having to constantly worry about whether or not I am following my heart.  God wants us to have that security!  I wish that everyone could see this, so that there would not have to be so many broken relationships around us.

“You can’t just follow your heart. Your heart can be deceived.

  You have to lead your heart.”

I got a new sewing machine!

   I had an older one that my mom got me off of Ebay that was the same model Singer she had bought years before since she had always liked it. I had messed around on it a little in the past, but recently I decided I wanted to start sewing skirts and things. Well, the old sewing machine didn't hold up too well, as it stopped working correctly a few hours into my first project.  So I went with the well-reviewed and inexpensive Singer Simple(also recommended by Martha Steward, if you still needed a clincher...haha).

    I can't say too much about it yet, as the farthest I've gotten has been threading it and beginning to try to figure out how to use the automatic needle-threader.  I have a pattern for a simple A-line skirt I'm going to make. I started making it from a sheet for practice, but it was too small and I'm going to have to go up a size.  I've had this nice blue fabric lying around just waiting to be made into a summer skirt!

    I have to fit sewing time in-between studying time, work time, etc., but I'll be sure to post pictures when it's finished!

Goodbyes

   I just found out today that Rachel(left), one of my best friends, is moving to Colorado next week.  We get to spend Saturday together, which is good.  Still, I will miss herr. :-/  As Christopher Robin said to Winnie the Pooh,

"If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together, there is something you must always remember: You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.  But the most important thing is, even if we're apart, I'll always be with you."

   And, on a happier note, visits and letters are expected!

God, My Father

"Jesus used the word 'father' more than any other description or name for God. And He taught us to address God in the same way: 'Our Father who art in heaven....' " 
Mary A. Kassian, Biblical Womanhood In the Home

I'm sure this is probably not a new idea to most of us, but I was thinking last night about God as our Father.  When all we want is for someone to be intimately involved in our lives, He is right there wanting nothing more than to share everything with us.  He is interested in all of the little things that concern us.  And when we desire someone strong to sternly direct us down the right path, we can go to the letter He has written to hear all of his loving directions.  Then, when we need comfort along the way, His Spirit is there with us, holding us.  I thank God that whether we have a wonderful earthly father or have never experienced the fatherly affection we longed for from our earthly father, we can know that God is right there, just waiting to father us.

Are We Overlooking Faithfulness?

Many times I have heard testimonies that begin with “I was into drugs,” or “I slept around,” or “I was an atheist,” followed by the dramatic impact coming to Christ had on these lives. These kind of stories may even be what come to mind when you hear the word “testimony,” and men and women who have followed Christ all their lives sometimes feel that their testimonies pale in comparison. The testimonies of Christians who were once far from God bring him great glory and delight, but I am troubled by what seems to be a tendency to glorify something other than God's ideal. Let's explore what the Bible says about these testimonies and work to build a proper biblical perspective.

First, we must establish how much God is delighted when those who are living in darkness accept Jesus and turn to God. In Luke 15, Jesus says

"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

Jesus made it very clear how important these people are to him, and how happy it makes him and the Father that they have turned to him at last. As God's priorities should be our own, it is important that we also value these individuals' salvation.

While we see that Jesus rejoices over someone turning to him, the Bible makes it clear that God's desire is for individuals to have their hearts turned to him. In Psalm 95:10, God says of a group of people, “For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways." On the other hand, Acts 13:22 records God's words concerning David, whom he had chosen to be king: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything that I want him to do.’ God's word instructs parents to teach their children about the ways of God, and we are cautioned against falling away and falling into sin. God's ideal is that children would grow up to know Him and would continue to serve him faithfully, never having cause for a testimony of a rescue from sin. So much emphasis is sometimes put on the dramatic testimonies of the prodigals, I fear that Christians begin to get the idea that such testimonies are in some way superior. Perhaps it's because they make better stories than things like “I've followed God all my life,” or maybe it makes us feel better about our sinful pasts. Whatever the reasons, we need to make sure that we are embracing and glorifying nothing other than God's will, which has been revealed to us through his Word.

Other than simply being less than what God desires for us, living a portion of one's life in a state of fallenness has worldly disadvantages. Time that has not been spent in God's will cannot be gotten back. Negative influences one has had on others over that period of time cannot be taken back. Virginity, a God-given gift to give to a future spouse, cannot be regained.

Webster defines a “virgin” as a person who has never had sexual intercourse. Some Christians encourage those who have made mistakes in the past to embrace a second, or regained, virginity. This may be possible in a spiritual sense, but not in a physical, mental, or emotional one. If a man or woman sacrifices their virginity before marriage and receives God's forgiveness, they are still not “a person who has never had sexual intercourse.” Sin often brings pain and consequences, which we must live with even after forgiveness has been given. In the case of lost virginity, there are lingering emotional ties and memories and a sense of loss when one does not have the gift to give to their future spouse, to name just a few repercussions. In Deuteronomy, the severe penalty of stoning is given for women who allowed the man they married to believe they were a virgin when they were not. No condition is given for women who were forgiven for their immorality, as virginity is a very real physical state (Note that the penalty isn't for the lost virginity, but for the deceit). Since we see that all cannot be restored after sin, it is better to be able to say that one is a virgin than to be able to have a testimony about the amount of sexual immorality one was involved in before coming to know Christ

Now, in all of this, I do not mean to belittle God's grace or be discouraging to those who have made mistakes. The Bible talks about forgiveness so much because, at some point, all of us badly need it. 1 John 1:9 ensures us that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” The word purify means to rid something of impurities or pollution. In a figurative sense, this means that when God purifies us from all unrighteousness, we are made righteous and pure by his grace once again. Virgins in God's eyes, if you will. God's cleansing power is a beautiful and undeserved gift and we can be comforted that we can once again be, as David said in a psalm, “whiter than snow.” How beautiful second chances are!

Touching and dramatic testimonies are wonderful because God especially rejoices when those who were once lost are found. However, we have also seen that ideally, God would have us continue to walk in his ways faithfully all our lives. We need to challenge ourselves in our thinking if we feel that those who have continued with God are in some way inferior because they lack a dramatic testimony. It is they who should be respected for doing God's will continuously. We must instill in our children an understanding of the value of a consistent, faithful walk with God, and begin to restore the respect that is due to Christian faithfulness. In 1 Peter 3:15, we are told to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Every follower of Christ has this hope to share, this all-important hope which makes any testimony beautiful.