Good Morning Friends,

Today’s post is one that I began months ago. For some reason I kept delaying this one… I’m not sure why. But I finally got my thoughts together, and today I’m finally sharing it.

From working at camp, visiting other churches/ministries, and observing girls and young women in “christian settings” I’ve seen some things that disturb me. The immaturity, the lack of character, the emphasis on outward appearance and material possessions… young women are becoming increasingly carnal. Thankfully, not every girl is this way – and there are many that still have the desire to be godly and please that Lord. And that’s the goal.

What I have to share today is pretty basic. I’m not going to elaborate too much on any one thing. Some of these things are just reminders. However, if I could sit down with some of the girls in our churches today, these are some of the things I would like to tell them.

Things I Want to Tell Every Christian Girl

Choose to keep God first.  I know it’s not easy. If you don’t make the intentional and consistent effort to keep God first, it’s not going to “just happen”. You need to make the choice every day to walk with God. Without Him there is no true and lasting peace, joy, or contentment. Life is hard enough as it is… stay close to God and He will guide through your life, every single step of the way.

“He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8

Make your decisions very carefully.  Sometimes it’s not just the huge decisions that impact our lives. Sometimes, it’s the smaller decisions made here and there that pile up and make a huge impact (good or bad) on our lives. Whether it is a big decision (job, further education, relationship, etc.) or a smaller decision (how to spend your time, who to hang out with, where to go for the evening, etc) make all your decisions very carefully. A Bible example would be Lot in Genesis 13:12. First he chose to “pitch his tent toward Sodom” and before you know it…. he’s living and working in the midst of that wicked city (Genesis 19:1). One seemingly “small” decision could take you places you never intended to go. Make all your decisions carefully with plenty of thought and prayer (and wise counsel!).

Don’t settle for the “good guy”. Our churches our full of good guys… but are they godly? Please don’t settle for anything less than a godly young man. Look for someone who is passionate about Christ, someone who loves God with his whole heart, and someone who will lead you closer to God. Marriage is a serious and sacred commitment, and it was created by God to last a lifetime. Don’t rush into a relationship. Seek God’s will, pray, think long and hard, seek counsel and don’t settle for anything less than God’s best.

Make church a priority and be faithful.  It’s very hard to grow as a Christian without being part of a good solid church. It’s where you hear God’s Word being taught and preached, and it’s where you can connect with fellow believers. Fellowship of other believers isn’t just important for you- it’s important for them too! Where would we be today if the Christians of times past didn’t encourage and sharpen each other in their faith? If you have a church home, be there when it’s open. If you don’t have a church… find one and attend regularly! Be faithful to your church and faithful to your brothers and sisters in Christ.

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Watch out for the internet.  An unprotected internet connection is a dangerous tool that Satan is using to destroy so many people. When I was younger, it was sometimes annoying to have certain sites randomly blocked because of our internet protection. Looking back, I am so thankful for that slight inconvenience because I’m sure it kept me away from a lot of trash I could have stumbled upon. If you have unprotected internet access, fix that immediately. This is not something you want to take a chance on. Hopefully, you or your parents have set up some sort of protection already. If not, take steps to correct that right away. Covenant Eyes is what I use for my devices. There is a monthly fee, but the minimal cost is worth the protection. Be wise and take the necessary precautions when it comes to the internet!

“I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way… I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes; I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” Psalm 101:2-3

Use discretion with social media. I won’t say a whole lot about this yet (there’s a post idea in the back of my mind for this one) but please, use social media carefully. I realize there is nothing inherently wrong with technology or social media, however, more often than not, I believe it does more harm than good. Why? Let me count the ways… 1. It’s easy to waste time. 2. It’s hard to screen what other people post. 3. It feeds a tendency to compare which leads to discontentment. 4. It can easily infiltrate your mind and heart with the world’s way of thinking. There are other dangers involved with using social media improperly, but they are for a different post at a different time. Until then, may this be a reminder for you to use discretion with your activity on social media.

Dress modestly.  Set your dress standards high, and don’t lower them. You are fearfully and wonderfully made… and you are beautiful.  Don’t reveal yourself for the whole world to see. God created you to be beautiful and attractive – for one person only. Your husband. Choose to honor God and your husband (or future husband). Choose to dress modestly. (1 Timothy 2:9)

Remember that the world’s definition of modesty isn’t the same as God’s.  Let me explain. So many “modest outfits” can still be seductive and sexy. Just because your outfit looks “modest” in comparison to a”worldly outfit” doesn’t mean you are modest in God’s eyes. When Adam and Eve realized they were naked they made themselves aprons (Genesis 3:7). Obviously, that was a huge improvement. But in God’s eyes, it still wasn’t good enough. God replaced their meager aprons with “coats” (Genesis 3:21). Only then were they sufficiently clothed. All this to say, don’t compare your “modest outfit” with an “immodest outfit”. Use God’s Word (not the world or other Christians) as your ultimate standard of modesty.

Cultivate a meek and quiet spirit. Some girls and women these days are so… loud. And opinionated. I think some pride themselves in being the one that always has to have an opinion about everything. There’s nothing wrong with having an opinion, and there’s nothing wrong with stating it… but sometimes it’s the tone of voice, the attitude, and the body language that screams, “it’s my way or the highway.” I wish some girls (and older women too!) would learn to let things go, to not make everything their business, and sometimes choose to say nothing at all. I’m not talking about becoming a doormat – I just see a serious lack effort in many women’s lives to cultivate a meek and quiet spirit. Why don’t you and I be different? Let’s choose not to have a say in everything… and choose the beauty of a meek and quiet spirit. (1 Peter 3:3-4)
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness…” Colossians 3:12

Don’t totally forget about outward beauty.  A beautiful heart is far more important and valuable than a beautiful face, but that doesn’t mean you should settle for sloppiness… goodness no! A sloppy appearance is a complete turn off, not to mention a poor testimony for Christ. Spend time cultivating a beautiful, Christ-centered heart, but before you leave the house, put on some nice, modest clothing, use a little makeup (if needed) and fix up your hair.

 

Smile… please. The world is full of enough grumpy looks, scowls and frowns. Don’t be one of them. You have a reason to smile and that reason is Christ. So…smile. 🙂

Share your faith. Okay, this one is hard, I know. It’s one thing to talk about God online or with other believers (although that is a starting place). But it’s quite another thing to open up and share your faith with someone you don’t know. However, it’s something that needs to be done! (I’m talking to myself here too!) If we could just see lost souls the way Christ does, we would be sharing the Gospel with everyone! If we as Christians don’t tell others about the Gospel, how will the unsaved ever hear the good news? My dad got saved by reading a Gospel tract. If no one had ever laid down that tract, I might not be sitting here today writing this post. Just imagine the impact you could have on one life (or several) if you began sharing your faith with those who need to hear about the saving grace of our Lord!

Final Thoughts

As young women there is always so much to be learning, so many things we could be changing or improving on. We will never be perfect, but we need to be growing. This list is not to make you feel guilty for the things you aren’t doing or should not be doing. However, these are reminders that all of us (myself included) need to hear, and then make necessary changes. God’s grace is always available for those who ask for it. He will honor the young women who have the desire to please Him in all that they do.

Share Your Thoughts

What would you add to my list?