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Why do teens put themselves through so much?
Sex, Alchohol, fights, Drugs...
STDs, DUIs, Parole, death...
Dropouts, Drug Dogs, and Babies...
We see it all Day at school.
"He's high today and guess who else in 6th pd is pregnant? Has she dropped out yet? She wasn't ever here so how should we know? Drug search later, better stop by the bathroom and flush yours... Unprotected sex, "it feels better", no wonder shes pregnant... My peers make me realize that I dont think I want to trust any one my age with my future children... urgh

Please pray for the cummunities surrounding mine. Last night tornadoes ripped through middle Tennessee, and hit very close to home. The surrounding counties have been hit hard, thirteen people died in one county alone so far. A church I've been to was demolished people from my church lost thier homes, my cousin broke her back and is going to be on the early show in the morning. so many people are devastated... please just pray for everyone in this area and everyone who was affected by these horrible storms

I have a Xanga and a facebook to go along with my christunion. I was bored a day or two ago and stumbled across an arguement between believers and nonbelievers on facebook, and with me being me, I couldn't stay out of it. I'm curious by nature, so I asked questions, adn presented my beliefs in a very Christian way. Showing love and encouragement, or well I tried my best to. i may have gotten a little ill there on a couple of comments, but I bit my toungue and held back almost all of my spiteful and sarcastic remarks. I, along with all of the other christians in on this conversation, was contradicted with hateful remark after another. I was called a hypocritical, bigoted, idiot. An evil, uneducated moron. A lying SOB, along with other numerous words I won't repeat on here. All because I presented my beliefs and asked questions about their beliefs. I was however ashamed of many of my fellow "Christians". I do not believe that the way to get someone to see the beauty of the Lord, would be to scream at them and tell them they are going to Hell, or that we hate them because they aren't Christian, or because they are different. I would beg each and every one of you that believe that we should spread the word of God in this way to please go back and look in your Bible at the ways Jesus spread his word. Hanging on the cross, Did he tell God that he hated them and he wanted them all to go to Hell? No he said "Forgive them Father for they know not what they do." Jesus forgave us. Why can we not forgive each other. He forgave them even as they killed him, but we can't get over the smallest of arguements. We hold grudges, and we hate. We damn each other to the fiery pitts of hell, even though we realize that saying it wont make it happen it's just going to make the other person angry. Only God can put someone in Hell, and I am under the belief that he will if you aren't saved when you die. But I want everyone to be saved. Not just my friends and family. not just those I get along with. I want to see the lowest of the low in heaven. I do not wish Hell on anyone. Why do others? Yes I believe that there is a time and a place to teach of Hell, sin, eternal damnation, the rath of God, but why do so many of us leave out the love, the joy, the peace that God brings to our soul. Why?

Love isn't just a good time. It has nothing to do with passion or physical attraction. Rather, these should not even be considered when figuring out love's presence. Love hurts. It truly does cause this physical pain. you ache with the need to be near your beloved, and it has nothing to do with sex. Love isn't about always being happy near them, or about the butterflies in your stomach. True love is knowing that they aren't perfect, and accepting them for who they are or who they want to become. Love isn't just getting through the small, insignificant arguements. Love is overcoming the greatest of fights, and looking back and knowing that even though it hurt, it made you stronger, both individually and as a couple. Love is knowing that even though you can't stand the sight of them at the moment, you can't imagine your life without them. Love is the overwelming urge that makes you dream of pledging to love, honor, and cherish until death do you part. Love is the knowledge that no one will come between you. Love is that longing to simply cuddle on the couch in your beloved's arms, to fall asleep beside them and wake next to them in the morning. Love isn't just an emotion. Love is a need, a longing. Love is very difficult to explain, but what i do know is that love is...

1. Heart felt salvation by grace, through faith, not works.(Eph. 2:8-10)


2. All people can be saved no matter their past.(Ro. 4:1-16)


3. Only one god, who is all knowing and is revealed to us in the Holy Trinity- Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. These three are equaly perfect because they are one and the same.(Ps. 24:1-10;Ps. 139:1-12; Ps. 90:1-3; Ps. 19:1-14; John 4:24; Rev. 4:11; Matt. 28:19...)


4. The Holy Bible, including both the Old and New Testaments, are god's word and therefore can not be edited by man. It shows how to live your life, the path to heaven, and any other advice or rules needed by man.


5. Man was created pure, in the image of God, but by his own free will fell into sin and death. Mankind is now, by nature, sinful, depraved, unholy, and spiritually dead, and liable to eternal punishment. (Gen. 1:27; Gen. 2:16-17; Eph. 2:1-3; Ps. 51:5; Ps. 58:2-5; Acts 17:26-29)


6. Babies and small children are provided salvation through the death of Christ, because the gospel is directed toward accountable sinners. Young children do not have the capability to repent and believe in God's word. Also are the mentally challenged provided for through the death of Christ, because they lack the ability to understand god's word and repent, and therefore will never reach the age of accountability.


7. Jesus christ is the only saviour. He was the only one that could save us from our sins.(Gal. 4:4-5)


8. Repentance must come before faith for salvation to occur, and must be accompanied by Godly sorrow and prayer for true faith to occur in both mind and heart. and one must be saved before baptism and church membership. (Rom. 10:9; Gal. 5:6; Acts 15:9)


9. Every saved person has eternal life. (John 5:24)


10. Sunday is the sabbath and should be devoted to God, and that we should refrain from unneccesarry work.


11. There will be a ressurection of the bodies of both the saved and unsaved at the end of the world, and the soul and body shall meet again.(John 3:290


12. Saved people go to heaven, and lost people go to hell, but all must face God upon death.(Matt. 7:21-27)

This is only the beginning of what I've figured out about my beliefs... I've expressed some of them on here already and therefore I'm not going to repeat myself... I want to be closer to God, and I feel as though I am getting closer, but it isn't enough. I'm not sure that there will ever be a point where I am willing to say this is as close to God as I can get, so I can stop trying now. In fact I don't want that to happen. I want to grow and flurish in my faith and in my life. God has given me so much already. Salvation. A loving family who saw to it that I was taken to church and that I heard the word of God. Wonderful friends who do their best to support me. A loving boyfriend who understands me and believes in me, who also wants to be closer to the Lord, who is saved, who loves me for who I am and doesn't try to change me. Its because of him that I am on this site, reading my bible more, discovering myself. He has changed me for the better, and I am eternally grateful. It is because of Jared that I have learned to put God first in my life, and to never let anyone or anything come between me and God. I knew that I was supose to be doing this before, but there is a big difference in knowing you are supose to do something and doing it. I love God. I love Jared. I love everyone and everything. God Bless

I've begun reading a new book. It's completely fiction and its rather funny, but about 100 pages in I got a little grossed out when it was revealed that one of the main characters is gay, and being the homophobe that I am I thought well I guess I'll stop this one and move on, but I kept reading and trying to put in different words for the gay parts... well there was this one part where a preacher gets up in front of an anti-gay crowd and gives a speech... I was amazed, and I loved what he said... I've always been under the understanding that yes, being gay is not right and the action itself is a sin, but just because they sin it doesn't mean we are supose to cast them out and hate them. Everyone sins. so why do they make such a big deal about gay people. yes, I am a complete homophobe and I do not believe that we should allow gay marriage and such, but I believe in loving the sinner and hating the sin. Just like God...
Romans 5:8
8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
God loves us all even though we are all sinners.
and now I am going to quote my book...
"Some among us, would have us believe that God hates those who are different from the majority. That people who do not live the way we live or love the way we love are an abomination. We are afraid, and in our fear we strike out at those who threaten the beliefs we hold dear. Fear expresses itself in words and deeds of hatred..."
"I am sometimes ashamed of being a Christian, because of what Christians have done to the name. I am sometimes ashamed of being a minister because of how ministers have abused their power. I am sometimes ashamed of claiming the Bible as my sacred text because of how it has been misused to hurt millions of people. But it remains my sacred text, because the voices of hatred and hostility do not tell the story of who God is."
As for me I am going to continue to read this book, even though my homophobic side is in agony, because I want to better understand the thinking behind it.

Ok, I've been raised in a church that is very strict when it comes to their interpretation of the bible. Women are allowed to raise thier hand and vote during conference, but we are not allowed to talk or to ask questions. It has always bothered me that I could vote but that the majority of the time I had no idea what was going on, so what exactly is the point in raising my hand? I've never been shown why it is that I am not allowed to talk, but instead I have gone through my life believing thats just the way it is... I changed my mind recently and wanted to see why it is that they do things this way. I've found my answer in the bible. I'm still not happy about it, and I know that not all church's are as strict as mine, for which i am thankful because I don't believe that they are fair in the way they react to us wanting to understand and know what we are voting on. I would be fine now that I have seen the proof, as long as they would allow me to get a "man" over to answer my question, but the church at which I am a member doesn't even allow that.
1 Corinthians 14

34Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.

35And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

It says that we are to ask our husbands at home. The problem is that I do not have a husband, and when I do have a husband he will most likely never become a member at that church, but of course who knows if I will remain a member there either.... on to point two

My church is also against women being preachers. This is something I agree with. I've never been shown the verse, but with help I found it today.
I have wondered before, "Why can a woman not be a preacher, but she is allowed to teach Sunday School to children and teens?" Well this verse explains it.
1 Timothy 2

12But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

13For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

It only says that a woman can not teach a man. It said nothing about not teaching a boy. Therefore women may teach children in Sunday school, but they are not allowed to preach over a congregation containing adult males.

I know that this is a touchy subject for some, and it was for me for quite some time, but now I understand where it comes from. YAY! One step closer to figuring out my beliefs.

13:1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
13:2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

In other words we should spread the word. It says that some will fall out from under our words and fall to the side, but that we should try and get everyone to see the light and glory of God.

Ok recently I've been trying to get closer to God. Things have happened in my life that have shown me that I want to understand the Bible better and know exactly where I stand as far as what I believe it says. I pray more, sing more, smile more, and cry more, but I know that even the tears are worth it. I deleted my MySpace because I was tired of all of the bad things that go on there even though it is advertised as a teen friendly site. They advertise as being kept free of harmful things, but in reality they shove them in your face. I got fed up when all I was getting on my posts were messages riddled with cuss words, and I learned of all of the wanna be porn stars sending friend requests to my boyfriend and his male friends. I have a guy at work who set up a false MySpace for another guy at work and filled it with links to porn. The guy who set it up also claims to be a Christian, and even goes to a church similar to my own. I don't doubt that he his saved, but he doesn't set a good example and he doesn't let his light shine as the Bible says we should. That is one reason I am trying to better myself. i want to show the world what a good Christian is, and help them see that we aren't all liars.