In 2009 and beyond....

Holiness, Holiness is what I long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness, Holiness is what you want for me

Holiness, Holiness is what I long for
Holiness is what I need (ohoh)
Holiness, Holiness is what you want for me

Righteousness, Righteousness is what I long for
Righteousness, is what I need. (that's what I need)
Righteousness, that's what you want, that's what you want, that's what you want for me
So take my...

Chorus
Take my heart and mold it,
Take my mind transform it, (take)
Take my will conform it, (to yours)
To yours, to yours, own

Brokenness, Brokeness, is what I long for
Brokeness, is what I need (gotta be broken)
Brokeness, Brokenness that's what you want for me

Chorus
Take my heart and mold it, (take... my mind)
Take my mind transform it, (take my wil)
Take my will conform it, (conform my will)
To yours, to yours, oh Lord.

To yours, to yours, oh lord x3

Holiness, Holiness is what I long for
Holiness is what I need (gotta be holy)
Holiness, Holiness is what you want for me

Is what you want for me x3

 

STDs..abstain and have no worries!

Jim- " That was the best sex I ever had, you're the best babygirl."

Sue- " Of all the girls you've dated, you are telling me I am the best? Wow! You do love me"

Jim- "I do love you and I will never do anything to hurt you babygirl as long as we're together"

Sue and Jim are in a long distance relationship. So when they got together on school breaks,they would have sex to make up for lost time.  Sue attends college in South Miami and Jim goes to a community college in Texas. After the summer break Sue noticed something weird happening with her body.She had two weeks of pain when she urinated, inflammation and unusual discharges from her genital area. Sue decided to go and see a physician at a local clinic.

Dr.Flanigan performed a few tests and had Sue to sit in the waiting area until the results returned.Sitting patiently, sweating and heart beat racing and praying, Sue could not wait any longer for the results. Dr.Flanigan read the results. It turned out that Sue had contracted an STD. It was Herpes Simplex Virus(HSV) type-1.

How many of us have seen or heard about these type of situations that affect us or someone we know? We all do. The thing about these situations is not only are they unwanted, but they produce long term effects. Now Jim and Sue are very much in love as you read, but how is it that love has brought on such grief to a young girl in love? What I did not tell you prior to this scenario is that Jim had slept with another girl during the summer break with Sue.Interesting, I know!

There are a lot of Sexually Transmitted diseases that I have not mentioned. Too many to list if you ask me. Here is a website you can check out. http://www.avert.org/ .But fact of the matter is they are out there and most of them are uncurable. We have all sat in those long sex seminars in high school on the dangers of unprotected sex and STDs ,so I wont lecture you on that anymore. But what I will talk about is an option that is rarely discussed in today's society that can prevent these dangers from happening to us or anyone we know. The best and safe option is called abstinence.

December 1st is World Aids Day and I got a chance this year at school to sit down and really think about how is it that the number of infected individuals keep increasing.I am not talking about thirld world countries that are not educated enough and have no resources for treatment. According to the Center for Disease Control(CDC), there are about 19 million new cases of STDs that show up and the majority of those cases comprise of young people between the ages of 15-24 years old.This statistic is not only alarming, but frightening. Why? Because it makes me think if the majority of young people are infected with an STD, then who is educating the other percentage so that they don't contract an STD?

I will not have you to think that I have never had sex, but I was able to not contract any diseases only by the grace of God. Which I am so grateful for. But after giving my life to the Lord I became a born-again virgin and have been abstaining for the last four years. It was the  best decision I ever made. So many times we look at the reasons why we have sex and want pleasure, but do we really know the purpose of sex? Stay tuned for this on another blog.

The reason I wanted to get this blog out on STDs is because the world tells us that the only way we can be effective in our relationships is to indulge in sexual encounters and please our partners. There are so many activities that a couple in love who are waiting for marriage can do. Sex is not the only thing.Unlike Jim, he did not think about what could happen as a result of his one night stand. No one plans to become infected , but when we have sex, we are basically taking a risk. A risk that I believe life is not worth. It is not worth it for anyone to give their soul to someone temporarily and get nothing but pain in return. Now you are probably thinking how is it that through sex you give someone your soul. Sex is a form of expression that connects people together intimately. However, if not done with the right motive, an understanding of the purpose of sex and not with the person God destined to be with you, hurt and pain can be the end results.

For those who of you who have an STD or in a relationship where you feel you may be in danger, get help or talk to someone about it. As a certified pharmacy technician, we know that prevention is the best medicine. I will have you to know that there are some STDs that are asymptomatic( no symptoms). So the best thing to do is to go and get tested at a local clinic. There are over the counter medications that can alleviate minor problems, but GET HELP!

I leave you with a final thought or word. Better yet, the only word that is proven to give great results.  The word of God states:

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (New International Version) 

 18Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

By making a decision to never be worried about whether you have contracted an STD or not, I advise you to pray and ask God how to help you to wait on the mate He has for you. One that you can trust and commit to wholeheartedly. Abstinence has been the only way God wants us to honor Him. It takes having a relationship with Christ and then allowing Him to help you through the struggles of wanting sexual pleasures until He brings you a mate. I am still learning how to be pure in thought and in deeds, but I can offer the word of God to you that has helped me over the years.

So until next time...when you are not sure if to have sex and wondering if you will catch an STD..think about the lives that are already infected and those that don't know they are infected. ABSTINENCE IS THE WAY TO GO!