Think on These Things: Dannah Gresh's TED Talk

Philippians 4:8     Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (NIV).  

I'm sure that many of you know Dannah Gresh.  She is a leading author and speaker about abstinence, modesty, and purity.  We've actually recommend several of her books on our resources page here at A&V.  

On March 16, Dannah was invited by the TED Talk series to give a speech in defense of virginity to an audience of 900 Penn. State students.  We're sharing the video of her nine minute speech with you today:





TED is a globally recognized, by-invitation-only think tank of speeches used by educators and students, billed as "ideas worth spreading."  It is very exciting that the issue of abstinence has reached this platform!

We're sharing this video with you today, not only for the great argument she puts forward regarding tolerance of virginity, but also in the hope that you will spread it as well.  If this video gets enough traffic, then it will be placed on the main TED website, and the message of abstinence will receive global attention!  So, post this to your facebook page, share it on your blog, and help out a great cause.  

Enjoy, and have a blessed weekend!

Change Your Focus

2 Corinthians 4:18     while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen [are] temporary, but the things which are not seen [are] eternal (NKJV).

This is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, and it's been speaking volumes to me lately!  This verse is the last of a chapter devoted to enduring hardships as a believer, but this last phrase is so hopeful, that it challenged me to change my focus.

How many times do you look around and feel that, for some reason or another, you don't measure up?  Almost constantly, right?  We live in a world that is trying to sell us something, and their favorite marketing strategy is to create discontent.  "If you only had this hairstyling product, your bad hair days would be over!"  "Try this new skin product and never have another blemish!" 

We spend so much time thinking about the things that are seen.  They seem so certain, so dependable, so important, but in reality, they're temporary.  In the next few days, weeks, months, or years they'll be gone and another "thing" will take its place to make you feel inadequate.

So what does matter?  Our walk with Christ, and how we use the blessings He's given us to bless others.  Instead of stressing out over our reflection in the mirror, we should focus on improving our spiritual reflection.  Instead of trying to imitate the latest iconic supermodel, we should be trying to imitate and reflect Christ.

 Molding a Godly character is an unseen attribute which is eternal.  However, just because it's unseen  doesn't mean it goes unnoticed.  If you begin turning your focus inward, people will detect the change, remark on the change, and you will begin making an impact on the world, rather than being impacted by the world, how awesome is that?

When Christ was on earth, what was the image He portrayed?  He was a servant.  This is what Jesus said about Himself, in His own words:  ". . . the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)"

This week, I'm offering a friendly reminder to change your focus, (and I'm "preaching" to myself as well).  Rather than looking around at the things that don't seem to be going your way, look to Jesus, your Lord, Savior, Master and Creator.  Allow Him to show you how loved and cherished you are in His sight, and change your ideas of what really matters.  God Bless!

Do you struggle with image issues?   We all do as women!  Drop us a line at requests@armedandvirtuous.org or leave us a comment and we'll be happy to encourage you.

Think on These Things: A Ministry Update

Philippians 4:8     Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (NIV).

The Lord has been opening doors and providing several opportunities for us to share the Armed and Virtuous/Armed and Valiant message lately!  I just wanted to give you a brief update of what's been going on:

First of all, we were invited to LakeRidge Baptist Church in Lubbock, TX!  We had a tremendous time sharing the plan of purity over the first weekend in April.  For the first time, we took an Armed and Virtuous "field trip!"  During one of the afternoon sessions on Saturday, the girls and I discussed some tips on dressing modestly, then we went to the mall and put together modest outfits!  It was lots of fun, and very useful.  (I enjoyed seeing how quickly they put their new information to good use, both in finding modest outfits, and in refusing the immodest ones!)  Way to go, ladies!

The guys, being video game connoisseurs, had a special session about video games.  They talked about ratings, not simply what they stood for, but why a game was given a specific rating.  They determined which games were acceptable for Christian young men to play, and which weren't.  Afterwards, they put their new found information to good use by playing the games that were deemed appropriate.

Then, at the end of April, Armed and Virtuous ministries was given the opportunity to share with preteens for the first time!  We went to First Baptist Church, Silsbee, TX and led their "B.U.M.P." conference.  It was a parent and preteen together event, and went off tremendously!  On Saturday afternoon, Jason took the preteens away and taught them how to "juggle," while the parents and I spoke frankly about the issue of sexual pressure with young people today and strategies for overcoming temptation.  It was a joyful experience!

As of Wednesday, we are now sharing the Armed and Virtuous message with the preteens at Central Baptist Church, Kirbyville, TX!  Session one, in which we discussed purity of heart, went really well!  We had both an attentive, and an interactive audience, because the preteens had several great questions to ask.  We look forward to sharing for the next several Wednesdays with this great group of preteens, and we'll wind things up in June with Jason's juggling act.

Throughout all these events commitments have been made to purity, young people have begun to put serious thought into their dreams and aspirations for the future, and steps have been put in place to guard their commitments.

At the end of June, we've been invited to be on television, again!  Friday, June 28th, we will be on Nite Line, a program on the Dove Broadcasting Network, which is based out of Greenville, South Carolina.  The program is live, and will air at 8:30 EST.  We will be sharing with some preteens and early teens on the program, and I'll be doing a little show and tell of a few of my "spiritual treasures."  We're really looking forward to this opportunity, and as we get more information about the details, we'll pass them along to you.

So, there's the latest with A&V!  We feel so blessed to have been given these opportunities to share, and we're trusting God to provide more in the future.  If you would like Armed and Virtuous Ministries to speak to any age group at your church, feel free to contact us at:  events@armedandvirtuous.org.
Have a blessed weekend!

Boundaries: Inhibitors or Inheritance?

Psalm 16:5-6     O LORD, [You are] the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant [places]; Yes, I have a good inheritance (NKJV).


Because of the upcoming purity conference, I've been doing a lot of thinking about boundaries.  Our world scoffs at the idea of living within God's prescribed limits.  They shout from the billboards, television, movie screens, and radio "You are the master of your own destiny.  Don't let anyone else hold you back.  If it feels good, do it!"  As Christians, this obviously runs contrary to God's will and plan for our lives, but how can we remain content within the confines God has given us, when just on the other side, the world is partying heartily and calling us to join in?

The secret lies within the limitation, itself.  It all comes down to how you perceive that boundary line.  Is it a limitation, or is it a blessing?  Does it point out all the things you can't do, or does it map out what is rightfully yours, your God-given inheritance?  When the children of Israel finally took possession of the Promised Land, God Himself divided it between the tribes, and then within each tribe to the individual families.  Each family's allotment was marked off, usually by a stone.  Considering that Israel had been wandering for forty years in the wilderness, this boundary line represented a tremendous gift, a place that was finally their own!

Ironically, if you look a little more closely at the world, they actually set boundaries, themselves.  Although they accept all forms of sinful lifestyles, they cannot tolerate the lifestyle of a genuine believer.  For some reason, if it feels good to be a Christian, it's not acceptable in their worldview.  Why?  Because our very existence exposes their lifestyle for the fraud that it is.  We are the light of the world, and the light of Christ which shines from us, highlights the ugly truth about a life "without boundaries".

Here's another truth about living life on one's own terms:  At some point along the way, such people become addicted to something and it completely enslaves them.  In their pursuit of pleasure, they make gods out of fame, fortune, drugs, power, sex, or numerous other things.  These gods steal their very lives, and leave behind a shell.  Think about how many celebrities go from supposedly having it all to multiple divorces, drug rehab, eating disorders and even committing suicide?  They achieve what should have fulfilled their wildest dreams and yet, they are left empty, much more so than when they took that first step across the boundary line.

According to Psalm 16, Who is our portion and our cup?  The Lord!  These boundaries are the measure of the tremendous blessings God has in store for us.  Our portion is what God has given us, our cup is what we make our own.  Ironically, as these people proudly step outside of the boundaries, they are forfeiting their portion and drinking the dregs of life from their cup, instead.  God's desire for our lives is that we accept the entire portion of His blessing!  He wants us to live life abundantly, and that involves accepting the boundaries that He has set for our own good. 

Most often, it takes a while to experience the fulfillment of our inheritence in Christ.  The pleasures of the world are immediate.  In fact, we won't experience everything God has in store for us until we're with Him in heaven.  But as we continue to be faithful, as we continue to abide by the boundaries God has set, He will bless our obedience.  We will begin to see pieces of the puzzle come together, and reap the long-lasting and completely satisfying rewards of submission to God.  Each time we say "no" to the world, we take a step closer to the plans He has for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future! 

So, embrace your boundary lines this week, and stay the course.  The payoff is worth it, and it's coming soon!

Stand Before Kings!

Proverbs 22:29     Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men (NKJV).

Happy Monday, everyone!

This is just a short little thought, but it's been with me for a while, so I thought I'd share.  

Everyone wants to know what makes them special; what sets them apart, what gives them identity.  There are many places to go looking for identity, and most of those places lead to regret.  The only true place to find one's identity is in Christ, as His disciple and servant.

Everyone also wants to know what they're good at; what their particular talents are, and how to be recognized for their talents.  But, here's where the Bible gives us a little twist:  this verse doesn't say "Do you see a man who is really talented," it says "Do you see a man who excels in his work."  In other words, do you see a man who is a hard worker, a man who sticks with the job, and doesn't give up until the task is completed?  He is likely working in an area where he has talent, but it's his commitment to the job that causes him to "excel in his work."

Do you want to stand before kings or unknown men?  It's a matter of how hard you're willing to work.  If you can't do more than the average person around you, then you're working toward leading an average life.  If you want to do exceptional things, then you must put in exceptionally hard work.

God has given us all talents and abilities, and they help point us toward the areas where we naturally shine, but talent alone will not bring success.  Talent, when paired with hard work, can lead to great things, and a hopeful future.

So, lets really dig into our work this week.  Who knows where our efforts may lead us?

Have a blessed week of work, my friends!

In the World, Not of the World!

Leviticus 18:1-5     Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'I am the LORD your God.  'According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the LORD your God.  'You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD (NKJV).  

We had a really great lesson in Sunday school yesterday, and I'm finding myself wanting to talk about it a little more.  

Do you know what it means to be sanctified?  It means to be made holy, to be set apart.  Not necessarily secluded from other things, but set apart to be used for a special purpose.  That is the point I believe we must focus upon, and remind ourselves that we might be living in this world, but that shouldn't change our attitude about sin, nor our stand regarding what is right and wrong.  

When the Lord spoke to Moses in this passage, the children of Israel had been freed from slavery in Egypt and were on their way to obtaining the land that God promised to provide.  God was reminding the children of Israel that He had set them apart for a special purpose.  They were His chosen people; the people through whom He would reveal his plan of salvation for the entire world.  Therefore, they were to live differently than the people around them.

When they were slaves in Egypt, they witnessed the Egyptians commit all sorts of sexually and spiritually immoral behavior.  When they came to Canaan, they would again see many people groups behaving in ways that were sinful, but no matter how often they witnessed these activities, no matter how often it was spoken about, they were not to engage in the same behavior.  Just because it seemed like "everyone was doing it," that didn't make it acceptable for the people of God.

In fact, as this chapter continues, verses 24-25 say:  'Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you.  'For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants.'

The Lord would be uprooting these sinful peoples from the land to make room for His righteous people.  

So, what were these people doing that was so vile?  Here are just a few examples:

They were having sex with family members; committing incest (Lev. 18:1-17)
They were committing adultery; having sex with another person's spouse (Lev. 18:20)
They were offering child sacrifices (Lev. 18:21)
They were practicing homosexuality (Lev. 18:22)
They were committing beastiality (Lev. 18:23)

Do some of these things sound familiar?  Unfortunately, many of these same sinful activities have become front line news lately.  Even in our modern, "humane" society, we see child sacrifice taking place under the name of abortion.  Homosexuals are pushing our lawmakers to legalize same-sex marriage.  People use sex as a means to hurt one another.  These things might be talked about often, they might be praised in movies, on TV, and made out to be trendy and fun, but it doesn't make them right.  We, as Christians, are called to live differently.

In addition, we are called to stand up for what is right.  We must uphold the boundaries God set out as proper human relationships, and at times, that involves speaking up.  Now, let me make a distinction here:  We are not called to be cruel, unkind, or condemning to people who do these things.  God loves all of us, and died for everyone.  However, showing love to someone doesn't include accepting immoral behavior.  Jesus, Himself, when he saved a woman caught in adultery from stoning, said to her to "go and sin no more" (John 8:11).

So, what is the point?  It's this:  sin is sin, and sin has consequences.  No matter how you disguise it, no matter what name you give it, no matter how trendy it becomes, no matter how many people tell you it's okay.  Secondly, God has called you to something much higher.  His plans for your future relationships are meant to be holy, blessed, and life-long.  Don't allow the world to push you into sinful behavior.  The world doesn't understand sex at all. They define people's "sexuality" based on a narrow stereotype, and try to impose a lifestyle upon people who don't fit their mold.  

The only standard you are accountable to is God's, and His standards lead you to a blessing.  Walk with Him, follow His commands, listen for His voice, and watch as He makes a way for you, even if, like the Children of Israel, it's in the middle of the wilderness!  

Have a great week, and God Bless! 

Think on These Things: An Armed and Virtuous Preteen Weekend!

Philippians 4:8    Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things (NIV). 

Welcome back, everyone!  We very excited to share our latest event with you. So excited, in fact, that we're making it this week's "thing."  

It's called B.U.M.P. (Beware, U Must Persist), it's a parent/preteen conference, and it's being hosted by First Baptist Church, Silsbee, TX.  Jason and I are the thrilled to be leading this event! This will be our first opportunity to share the A&V message to a preteen audience.  

Here's the schedule:

Friday, April 26th:
7:00-7:45pm - Session 1 - Purity of Heart
7:45-8:00pm - Break
8:00-9:00pm - Session 2 - Purity of Mind
9:00-9:30pm - Fellowship Time (Ice cream Sundae Party!)
9:30pm - Parents leave and 4th-6th graders stay for our sleepover

Saturday, April 27th:
9:00-9:45am - Session 3 - Wise Innocence
9:45-10:00am - Break
10:00-11:00am - Session 4 - Armed and Vigilant Parents - with April Anderson
10:00-11:00am - Session 4 - Kids - Juggling and Games - with Jason Anderson
11:00-11:30am - Parent/Child:  Individual Discussion Time
11:30am-Noon - Session 5 - Dating and Romance - Two Different Views

As this is a preteen event, we will not be delving deeply into uncomfortable topics.  The emphasis will be on the positive:  What to be doing in order to remain pure.  We will discuss how to develop an intimate relationship with Jesus, how to guard our hearts and minds, and how to avoid compromising situations.

Then the real fun begins!  Jason will whisk the preteens away, juggle for them (and with them!), and lead them in some awesome games, while the grown ups and I delve much deeper into the topic of purity.  We will be discussing what young people face today and some strategies for preparing them to stand firm.

After that session, the parents will have a 30 minute opportunity to get alone with their child and talk.  Hopefully this will be the beginning of many meaningful and relationship-building conversations to come.

Our last session puts dating in its place.  With all the pressure the world places on young people to pair up, we're encouraging these preteens to embrace this special time of their lives, and enjoy pursuing their dreams as individuals, trusting God to bring His perfect plans to pass when the time is right.

So, come join us!  The cost is only $20 per family.  What particularly excites me about this event is the opportunity to get a good word into these youth before they enter the crazy world of junior high.  I was 12 years old when God first spoke to my heart, and led me to begin praying for my future husband.  What a difference early goal setting can make in the life of a young man or woman of God!

Hope to see you there, and God Bless!