You are not alone...

By the title you may think that I'm going to tell you how God is always with you and even though that is absolutely true Its not what we are going to talk about today!

We all have secrets... some are more serious than others, but they each hold a tender place in the owners heart. I will go ahead and tell you this is not a post that you can keep your mask on for. You have to be honest with yourself. I'm shocked each time a girl shares one of her deepest secrets with me. There are some girls that you can look at and know that they are hiding something, but then there are others who seem to have everything together. Life is just all peachy and they have never had anything happen to them. Ive found that those are the ones that are normally hurting the most.... Are you one of those? You know if you are. If you are, when i asked that something specifically popped into your head. Don't let satan tell you, "Oh that little thing! That's nothing..,. she is talking about something big!". That's a lie. To someone else your secret may be small, but to you it is big and as far as God is concerned it is big.... it matters. Here are a few ideas of secrets. Yours may not be on here, but at the same time it may be...

*I hate my family
*I've been abused (Emotionally, physically, verbally, sexually, etc)
*I'm anexoric or bulimic
*I feel unloved at home
*My parents constantly argue/ are getting divorced
*I question my salvation
*Ive been raped/molested
*I feel fat
*I do drugs, smoke, or drink
*My boyfriend and I have gone to far
*I question how God could still love me after all Ive done
*I think I'm ugly
*Ive thought about suicide
*I'm addicted to porn
*I've had an abortion
*When it comes to Christianity I'm a hypocrite

These are just examples or things that Ive had girls tell me lately.... Are any of these yours? I may not have mentioned yours. You fill in the blank. Girls these are real issues... Now why am I making you think about this? I have some news that I want you to realize... YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Seeing that I want to go into counseling God has given me some awesome opportunities to talk to girls. Some share more than others, but here is the deal. We each have a past. If you don't then praise God! You are about one in a million. Satan wants you to think that you are all alone and that no one cares. That is the furthermost thing from the truth. I know personally that Ive had a few secrets of my own that NO one knew. People were shocked when they find out. I try to not sound surprised when girls tell me things, but they do such a great job of covering it up that no one even suspects that anything is wrong. Please do not get the wrong or have any preconceived ideas.... I'm not friends with all these girls from off the streets or anything like this.  Yes I have some friends who aren't in Church, but most of the girls I talk to are regular church members. Girls who act as if life is perfect. You are not the only one who has ever made the mistake you made or been taken advantage of the way you were. You're not.... I can promise you that.

So, now that you know you aren't alone what should you do? I do not advise you telling your secret to just anyone.... People who seem to be your best friend can easily turn their back on you. Choose someone you can for sure trust! You may have tried opening up to someone before and they just hurt you. Been there... but not everyone is like that. People care about you.....Satan doesn't want you to believe that though. Church leaders are great! If they don't know how to help you or you need help past just a listening ear they can get you the help you need. If you can, talk to your parents. I highly advise that one!! Talk to a school counselor. You know who you can talk to! Just like the secret... as soon as i mentioned talk to someone you had someone pop into your mind! Of course, just like everything else.... pray first! Seek God and see who HE would have you talk to! Then talk to that person! You may say, "I just need to get over it.", but the only way you can is by talking it out... you need to have someone that will just listen to you and by no means judge you.

We've talked about not being bound by sin, but this can be the same thing. Your secret can bind you and make you feel as if you, "Aren't normal" or that you do not have a choice, but to keep your mask on. People would think you were a freak if they knew the real you! Not at all babe... Are you going to let you secret hold you back from being who God created you to be any longer? I propose that you don't... :)

With more care than you can imagine,
JEN

P.S. There are some secrets that I mentioned above that need legal attention. I have a friend who is a professional counselor who will be writing a post about those issues soon!

Thought-Filled Thursday!

I have a tendency to sweat the small stuff. Maybe you do too? A really good friend asked me once, will it matter a year from now? A month? Or maybe even a week? I guess my thought for the day is, "Is what I'm upset about really worth my time?" Maybe this will help you in the next week. :D

Love, Kat

Now is the Time...

Sorry, I'm a day late in posting this, but I kinda wanted to combine word-filled Wednesday with my post. Tonight I want to talk to you about time. I know I've posted the verses in Ecclesiastes before, about there being a time for everything and a season for every activity. Well, time has been on my mind a lot lately. I often have 1 Timothy 4:12 on my mind, especially the second part, "set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity."

I have constantly been thinking about Esther 4:14 for a couple of weeks now, "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" My words tonight are simple, now is the time to take a stand for God. Now is the time to protect your purity. Once you give it away, it's gone. God can restore you emotionally and spiritually, but it will not change the decision you made. So be strong NOW, take that stand NOW.

Don't wait until you're in the heat of the moment to make a decision about purity. Take the time to right down YOUR rules today. It helps to have them there so when a time of question comes, you can say "this is what i stand for, take it or leave it." I pray for you girls, that you will be able to stand up for what's right. I know I'm being very short tonight, but this is all I have to say: Now is the time for you to take a stand.

Love, Kat

How many peices is your heart in?

Today's post is going to be an example of what life is like if you do not seek purity... Imagine you have a paper heart. It is cut out perfectly and has no holes, rough edges, or anything. Then one guy comes along and he tells you he loves you. Even though you don't really believe him you give in and tell him that you love him back. It's just a tiny piece, but none the less you give him a piece. A few months later another guy comes along and he takes your first kiss. He doesn't get a huge piece, but that first kiss meant alot to you. So, he gets a medium piece. Guys come and go. You don't do to much with them, yet each one just gets a tiny piece. We are talking very tiny. Then there are those few guys who you thought might be the one and so you did more physically with them. When they left you had some big pieces missing. Time goes on and before you know it you find the perfect guy! You are going to get married, but on your wedding night when you begin to give your heart to your husband what do you have? Nothing but an old piece of paper that has been trampled on. The shape doesn't even resemble a heart anymore. When he ask who has the other pieces you cant even honestly answer him. There were so many guys. Although some only got tiny pieces they still got a piece of something that now belongs to the guy that you love more than life it self!

I know there are some of you who are reading this and you know full well that you've already given away some of the pieces of you heart. I know I have. Maybe just small pieces or maybe some really big ones. It doesn't matter. The truth is God can heal your heart. There is much debate on whether you can become totally new again. Yes, i do believe you can. I also believe that God lets you keep those memories that may hurt so that you can use them for His glory. You can help other girls! Here are a few verses about broken hearts....

Girls no matter where in this story you fit God still loves and He wants you to be able to give you future husband the best thing possible! Are you honoring God and your future husband now?

Psalm 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

With love,

JEN

Thought Filled Thursday!

A woman's heart should be so lost in Christ that a man must seek His to find hers! ~ Unknown

Word Filled Wednesday!

2 Chronicles 7:14 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.

Flashback Friday!

I didn't have anything really original on my mind tonight, but I had been talking to some girls about a post I did a while back. So, I decided to do a flashback, but I may also add some more comments... :) If you have read this before I'm sorry, but many of you were not followers then....so, enjoy!

""If you loved me you would have" or "If you love me you will"

These lines are often used by guys who want something out of a girl that they can not have or at least should not have. Now before you get the idea that I'm bad mouthing guys... I'm not! We are just using this as the circumstances. Ok? So, what is "true Love"? I'm just going to point you straight to the word of God! 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says it as simple as you can get!

~1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind, love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,endures all things.~

Now, you can fill in what usually follows from the statements above. I will give you a few ideas... "Baby if you love me you will "do it", "go all the way", "send revealing or nude pictures" , "go behind your parents back", or the simple ones of "kiss me", or "say I love you back"! Whenever these lines are used it typically means that lines have been drawn (congrats!!), but now someone is trying to push them. I want to show you girls today how false this statement is! True Love does not insist its own way (Go check it out... I'm quoting God's word!)! That goes directly against what that person who says those lines is attempting to do. They are trying to get what THEY want.... That would not include what is best for you or even what you want. Also, if you do happen to say no what often happens? They will get irritable and resentful... Is that love? Check back to God's word.... It is NOT!

So, precious sisters in Christ... I beg you to PLEASE take a step back next time you are told this lie... Whether is seems real or not! Examine the situation and see if "true love" would be asking you to do whatever is being asked of you.



Encouraging you to stay strong,

JEN "
 
Have you ever been told these lies? I know I have... There are plenty of guys who when they say they love a girl they mean it, but love has no conditions. Meaning, they shouldn't love you only if you do something for them. Be aware...you do not have to walk around blinded by the world's lies!
 
With care,
JEN