Last Saturday, I was privileged to share the day with about 200 of God’s women who want to live their lives in holiness for Him. We talked about tools to help survive the teen years and make it to the sanctified place of a God-approved marriage, having saved sex for the wonderful place where God made it to be enjoyed. It was a blessing for this older woman to see the determination on their faces–the sheer will–to make it down a path of purity that fewer and fewer girls are traversing in a world where the devil is pulling out all the stops to lure them to activities that end in defeat and regret. Three precious girls responded to the messages by walking down that aisle and asking for the prayers of women who want them to succeed. I believe many more responded in hearts of renewed purpose. They need women at home and in their churches who will encourage, teach and provide accountability. We’ve passed the era in our communities when purity is the norm and attending worship services provides enough training for our children to battle the evil forces in the culture, for today we live in a society that has evolved from a state of containing dangerous elements to being a culture of spiritual and moral danger. When we bear children today, we bring them into a place where the pull on their hearts–the pull to worldliness, covetousness and sexual immorality–is strong and unrelenting. The devil is everywhere. So we must be, too–constantly protecting, teaching, enabling, providing. Just as diligent as he is in his lure, we must be in our love. Just as creative as he is in his temptations, so we must be in our teachings. Just as passionate as he is in his propaganda, so we must be in our profession. Just as bold as he is his lies, so we must be in our lives for Him. We have to win. The stakes are too high for any cowardice on the part of moms in the kingdom today.
I began the talks on Saturday by reading the following lengthy excerpt from a blog by Casey Herringshaw at enjoyingthewritingcraft.blogspot.com. Although I cannot endorse everything on the blog, I found this “letter to my future husband” to be a great way to introduce a study of doing the teen years God’s way. Several have asked for copies, so I include the letter here, with my thanks to Casey.
To my future husband,
I’ve been waiting my entire life to meet you. To fall in love with you. And someday, I know, God will give me exactly that chance. Until that day, I wait patiently (and sometimes not-so-patiently) to discover the man you are.
So I ask you to please promise me…
To always hold my hand in private…and in public. To kiss me even when I least deserve it. Remind me everyday that you love me, even if that simply means the brush of your hand across my shoulders or a wink across the breakfast bar.
Talk to me and talk often. Promise to always tell me about your day and let me share mine.
Always laugh with me…and tell me when my jokes don’t make sense. I want to spend the rest of my life with you laughing.
Lead me closer to God. Remind me why I love Jesus by the simple act of your faith. Be a man of prayer. Pray with me every day and share what God is teaching you, with me. Don’t place bars across your heart. Be honest…even when it’s not popular.
Care about my interests and ask about my writing, support me in my dreams. But tell me when I’m stumbling down the wrong path. Dance with me in our living room, even though I can’t dance. At all.
Hold me when I cry. Take me in your arms even when I can’t speak the pain. I want to spend the rest of my life in your arms, being reminded that I’ve been waiting for just this moment…with you. Cuddle with me at night. Touch me and touch me often. Hug me for no reason. Kiss my temple. Always kiss me goodnight.
Be my toughest critique and my biggest fan. Surround our home in God’s love, the sound of joy and the ready promise of laughter. Share in the joy of friendship. Take me to church. Love children, especially our children and remind them every night that you do.
When the storms of life inevitably tremble the timbers of our home and threaten to rattle the foundation of our love, promise to never leave. To never allow the word “divorce” to enter our words, even in jest.
Be the spiritual leader of our home. Believe the Bible. Beginning to end. Be a man that the rest of the world looks at and sees Jesus. Raise our children to love God. Speak with love, but always readily share your frustrations with me.
Find your dream and chase hard in the direction God places you. Take my hand and I’ll run with you.
Be my best friend. My lover. My soul mate.
The man I’ve been waiting for my entire life.
With all the love I have yet to give,
Your Future Wife
