"You're coming to the dance right?"
"Everyone is coming, you have to be there!"
These are things we, as high schoolers, middle schoolers, and sometimes elementary school students, hear from our friends and peers. It's one of the hardest things to hear, that all your friends are going to the homecoming dance, or prom, etc., but you know down deep in your heart and soul it isn't a place for you, a strong Christian. It's so easy to get caught up in wanting to go to the dances because you want to fit in and be like everyone else. I have had this trouble from a young age, and I want to encourage you that you are not alone if you are feeling this as well! In my doubt, fear, and sadness God reassured me that I was going to struggle with this all my life, BUT!! I won't ever have to go through it alone.
A few years ago in my 6th grade year, I had a boyfriend and I decided to go to the dance with him and so we went. I ended going home early crying my heart out because of the loud music making me nervous along with the fact he had kissed another girl right in front of me! It was heart wrenching! But I quickly learned to listen to that still small voice telling me that's no place for a Christian. So when I transferred to another school the next year, I signed up to be apart of the Honor Society. I got it, and in 8th grade I was inducted in! But then, uh-oh, I looked at our schedule and we had a dance to raise money, and I was so nervous about it. I decided to go and just support the Honor Society and sell concessions, and I did. But then my shift was over and I went to go sit with my friends. The beginning of the night I didn't notice the music as much but when I went to sit with my friends I found it overbearing, annoying and the strobe lights just topped it off. I then called my mom to once again pick me up from yet another school dance.
I'm in my freshman year and haven't been to a dance since then. There was recently a homecoming dance that I decided I would talk to my mom about to see if I should/could go. And now that I see it I think "What was so appealing?" And our amazing, loving, merciful God let me know that I would not have fun, I would be miserable like any other dance, because I try to stay away from ungodly music, and I can't really dance, which I think there's absolutely a reason to that, and many other reasons. I knew immediately that I wasn't going to that dance even though my friends were.
Let me just explain to you how great our God is, I saw their Snapchat stories, and Facebook posts, and they weren't even having a real dance, it was kids playing games such as Monopoly! And while you might be saying, "Well see you could have gone and everything would have been fine." That's not the point, the point is is that God let me know that I was never alone in this and I did the right thing by not going when He told me not to.
So I urge you today to:
1. Don't let others influence you! They will lead you down the wrong path even if they don't mean to. As Christians you know as well as I do, we are being watched like a hawk, and we have to do our very best all the time, no matter if the entire world is watching us or if we are just alone with God. If we are no different than the worldly, lost people, then why do you think they will want to know about JESUS and what He is like? They won't, and I can tell you that from experience. It is better to stand alone with God and be judged by the world then to stand with the world and be judged by God. It is hard to do this, I understand, but in the end it will be so worth it!
2. PRAY before you do things! It is so important to pray about everything; every choice you make! It could be something as small as what grocery store to visit to buy groceries when you are low on money, because God could lead you to some really great sales, or it could be something as big as whether or not you should pursue a relationship with someone because if you are going to date someone then God should be the center of that relationship, if not very bad things could come of it.
And finally
3. Dare to be a Daniel! This is going to be a future blog post and I will further encourage you to to do so, but for right now, I want you to know that it is absolutely great to be different for Christ! I have dealt with this for a long time and for the longest time I was not okay with being different, because I was either made fun of or just judged in general. I want to encourage you to just accept, and embrace the fact that you are a follower of Christ and that you carry different beliefs/actions than the ones around you.
I hope this blessed you and if you have any questions, feel free to email me, @ kadesiaowens50@gmail.com
God Bless You,
Kadesia
A few years ago in my 6th grade year, I had a boyfriend and I decided to go to the dance with him and so we went. I ended going home early crying my heart out because of the loud music making me nervous along with the fact he had kissed another girl right in front of me! It was heart wrenching! But I quickly learned to listen to that still small voice telling me that's no place for a Christian. So when I transferred to another school the next year, I signed up to be apart of the Honor Society. I got it, and in 8th grade I was inducted in! But then, uh-oh, I looked at our schedule and we had a dance to raise money, and I was so nervous about it. I decided to go and just support the Honor Society and sell concessions, and I did. But then my shift was over and I went to go sit with my friends. The beginning of the night I didn't notice the music as much but when I went to sit with my friends I found it overbearing, annoying and the strobe lights just topped it off. I then called my mom to once again pick me up from yet another school dance.
I'm in my freshman year and haven't been to a dance since then. There was recently a homecoming dance that I decided I would talk to my mom about to see if I should/could go. And now that I see it I think "What was so appealing?" And our amazing, loving, merciful God let me know that I would not have fun, I would be miserable like any other dance, because I try to stay away from ungodly music, and I can't really dance, which I think there's absolutely a reason to that, and many other reasons. I knew immediately that I wasn't going to that dance even though my friends were.
Let me just explain to you how great our God is, I saw their Snapchat stories, and Facebook posts, and they weren't even having a real dance, it was kids playing games such as Monopoly! And while you might be saying, "Well see you could have gone and everything would have been fine." That's not the point, the point is is that God let me know that I was never alone in this and I did the right thing by not going when He told me not to.
So I urge you today to:
1. Don't let others influence you! They will lead you down the wrong path even if they don't mean to. As Christians you know as well as I do, we are being watched like a hawk, and we have to do our very best all the time, no matter if the entire world is watching us or if we are just alone with God. If we are no different than the worldly, lost people, then why do you think they will want to know about JESUS and what He is like? They won't, and I can tell you that from experience. It is better to stand alone with God and be judged by the world then to stand with the world and be judged by God. It is hard to do this, I understand, but in the end it will be so worth it!
2. PRAY before you do things! It is so important to pray about everything; every choice you make! It could be something as small as what grocery store to visit to buy groceries when you are low on money, because God could lead you to some really great sales, or it could be something as big as whether or not you should pursue a relationship with someone because if you are going to date someone then God should be the center of that relationship, if not very bad things could come of it.
And finally
3. Dare to be a Daniel! This is going to be a future blog post and I will further encourage you to to do so, but for right now, I want you to know that it is absolutely great to be different for Christ! I have dealt with this for a long time and for the longest time I was not okay with being different, because I was either made fun of or just judged in general. I want to encourage you to just accept, and embrace the fact that you are a follower of Christ and that you carry different beliefs/actions than the ones around you.
I hope this blessed you and if you have any questions, feel free to email me, @ kadesiaowens50@gmail.com
God Bless You,
Kadesia
I'm so glad you dare to be a Daniel every day! Keep shining your light for Jesus and sharing His love and His truth with those around you! You are an amazing teenager and I know God is so proud of you, His faithful servant! I love you!!!
ReplyDeleteI love you too momma! Thank you!
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