"...a truly Godly guy..."

"A truly Godly set-apart guy will go out of his way to protect your standards. He will esteem your standards, he will even make himself uncomfortable to preserve your standards. He will be far more interested in guarding your purity than in living for his own selfish pleasure in the moment."

- an excerpt from Leslie Ludy's Answering the Guy Questions 

"Three Questions" by Leslie Ludy

Just Give me Jesus..

"The Christian life can be explained only in terms of Jesus, and if your life as a Christian can still be explained in terms of you - your personality, your willpower, your gift, your talent, your money, your courage, your scholarship, your dedication, your sacrifice, or your anything - then although you may have the Christian life, you are not yet living it! ...True godliness leaves the world convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the only explanation for you, is Jesus Christ."

- Major Ian Thomas

True Purity.

"The wife of Godly character does her husband good, not harm, all the days of her life." - Proverbs 31:12

"Purity, is actually loving someone, before you ever even meet them. Honoring them, before they ever even come into your life. Setting your heart, your mind, everything, your soul, your body, your thought life, everything, living as if they were in your life, and you are honoring them and living for them and concerning yourself with how they would feel."

"What if two people, before they ever even meet each other, could start loving each other like that? Not just try to keep themselves on this side of the cliff, but literally set themselves completely aside out of love, out of honor, out of respect for each other, even before they knew each other's name. So it won't be until you knew that he is the one that God has chosen for you to spend the rest of your life with. (And even then, it would be in the right context, and not just give yourself to a guy just because you are going to be married to him someday.)"

"No sacrifice is too great to preserve these two relationships: honoring Jesus Christ in this area of our life, and honoring our future husband. God scripts amazing stories! (Not the shallow ones some Christians actually live, for they conform to the world and just put a "Christian morality" stamp on top of it, and call their relationships 'God-honoring.'"

- Leslie Ludy, Teaching True Love

Dealing with men the Godly way

In answer to a beloved sister's question (who is amazingly halfway around the world!), I would like to share this thought from one of the very few people who have deeply impacted my walk with the Lord -- it is so because of the fruit(s) of the life they are living.

Q: How do I tell a guy to back off without hurting his feelings?

A: "Whether it is an ungodly guy trying to get you to lower your standards, or a Christian guy enticing you to offer more of yourself than you feel is appropriate, your first concern should not be "protecting his feelings," but rather, protecting the priceless treasure of your heart, emotions, and body. If you can politely send "back off" signals and he takes the hint, great. But often, something more forceful is needed, such as saying clearly, "I have no interest in any kind of relationship with you" or "I don't feel it would be healthy for us to cultivate a close friendship." And if he still doesn't back down, don't hesitate to recruit the help of a "protector," such as a dad, older brother, or pastor.

Too many young women are afraid to rise up with confidence and walk firmly in their commitments, so they end up leaving a door open for a guy when it should be nicely but firmly shut in his face.

Jesus was not primarily concerned with protecting people's feelings, but with speaking the unadulterated Truth. He was not mealy-mouthed where correction was concerned. He even openly called people "whitewashed tombs" and "a brood of vipers" when the occasion called for it (see Matthew 23).

Remember that a Proverbs 31 woman is mighty and valiant, not wimpy and waffling. Don't hesitate to rise up in the strength of God in order to jealously protect the "hidden person of your heart," no matter how much a guy's pride might be dented in the process. Chances are, it's exactly what he needs."

All credits to set-apart girl.

The folly of our own wisdom

Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

- Proverbs 3:7

"Rather than being wise in your own eyes, depart from evil. Assume - with the Lord's widom - that there will be a tendency in the heart to play too closely with sin. So do not to trust that deceitful drive behind your emotions and affections but, instead, fear God and avoid sinful situations." Be careful not to rub shoulders with sin and assume it will do no harm. [Today's Daily Devotion, BBH]

Just because we "don't mean anything by it", doesn't mean it is appropriate. Honor God at all times, for we will reap the consequences of our iniquities down to our children's children. Because we have been given much (the truth of God's Word), much is expected of us, and greater is our accountability with every idle word and every single action that we do.

May we be reminded of WHO we are living for..

Bless! ♥♥

on what matters..

I will not trade what really matters,

And things that truly last,
For the momentary pleasures the world brings..

The things that my King Jesus has reserved for me..

The lasting happiness, joy, and bliss..

To look at myself years from now - and still find love and peace -

Not shattered by a past that foolishness creates..

I am His, hidden by His mighty hand..

By One who is far wiser than I could ever be..
To get to me is to go through Him..

My Prince, my Rescuer, my Restorer, the Lover of my soul.

"Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed." 
Psalm 34:5

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- camille -
Happy December, everyone!