Today, I want to go through some of the rules and share how knowing these rules when I was in high school could have impacted my life and what my teens years were really like.
1. Surround yourself with people who build you up, not people who tear you down.
You know the people we're talking about. The ones who say their your friend (maybe even your "best" friend) yet they continuously tell you your fat/ugly/stupid. They act embarrassed to be seen with you when you're at your worst.
Your friends should build you up - especially when you're down.
Looking back - I think I did have some good friends. I can think of one in particular who risked losing my friendship, but still chose to tell me that my boyfriend was cheating on me. That took a lot of love and courage. She took a chance by telling me something that would break my heart, but did it because she truly loved me.
2. Treat your kisses like you have a limited supply.
I've kissed a lot of frogs in my lifetime. I probably would have saved myself from a lot of pain if I was choosy with my kisses. Not every boy in your life is going to be special enough for your kisses. Always keep that in the back of your mind. You aren't going to want kissing to be just another 'thing' - like breathing.
Kisses are the start of intimacy. Intimacy is beautiful in the right relationship. Instead of worrying about kissing, focus on the person. Get to know them.
3. Guard your heart. Seriously... your heart is precious.
This rule screams at me. Your heart is a precious gemstone, not something you can get back once you give it away. Had I guarded my heart, I would have been spared so much hurt.
Because I didn't have a positive relationship with my father, I wanted desperately to be loved by any guy in my life. That means that any guy that remotely showed me attention, I 'fell in love'.
My childhood diary and poetry journal is riddled with my confessions of love. Love that wasn't real. I gave my heart away only to have it broken time & time again.
That broken heart shaped the early years of my marriage. It wasn't until after being married for several years that I truly gave my heart to my husband - the man who God made my heart for.
God healed my heart after years of my abuse of it so that I could gift it to my husband. And THAT has strengthened my married.
We don't realize that the decisions we make in our middle & high school years can/will have a profound impact on our adult lives.
I'm not sharing these to tell you what to do. I am simply sharing my life in hopes that you can learn from my mistakes.
And if you've already made similar mistakes, know that it isn't too late. God loves us no matter what! It doesn't matter what our past looks like, God sees us as His beautiful creation that He longs to have a relationship with.
To be continued........
Many blessings,
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