rebelling against low expectations
As a Christian author, I frequently hear two arguments regarding sexual content in young adult fiction. First, “YA books should have explicit spice so that teens learn about sex.” Second, “Young adults should never be exposed to explicit content in books.” As a Jesus-proclaiming believer, I stand firmly with the latter, but it is not only my faith that gives me this perspective. I have a personal...
Author’s note: I originally wrote this article as a 21-year-old single girl. I deeply desired a biblical marriage but was disheartened by what culture presented as the norm in relationships. Nearly three years later, I’m happily married to a wonderful, godly man, who, by God’s grace, has sought after purity of heart and mind. I’m deeply thankful for God’s work in my husband and the convictions He...
“It is not that big of a deal, it’s just one crude joke…” “It only has one sex scene, pretty good all things considered. I mean, you can’t even watch a good movie and avoid sex scenes. It is what it is…” “Not all music has to be perfectly clean, it’s impossible to listen to good music if you want it to be clean. I’ve just learned to not even hear the bad parts anymore…” Sadly, the...
As a preteen girl, I wrote letters to my future husband. In those letters, I often wrote the words, “I am staying pure for you,” or, “I am keeping my purity to be a gift to you on our wedding day.” During my teenage years, I read a plethora of books on Christian dating that taught me to think through my purity this way. They motivated me to remain pure by promising that it would keep my wedding...
We live in a culture that is constantly talking about love, lust, sex, and romance. It’s hard to get away from, honestly. You can barely turn on the TV, walk around the mall, or glance at a billboard without being assaulted by it. Of course, the mere fact that culture is vocal about it is not the problem. It’s an important conversation to have, for sure. The Bible itself frequently talks about...
Do you have a list? You know, a list of the qualities you want in a future spouse. Some people have general lists that may or may not be written down. Others get a little more specific and put down preferred hair and eye color or even what musical instruments or sports they want their significant other to play. I once heard of a girl who had a list nine pages long, detailing everything from birth...
One of the most motivating verses within the Rebelution community is 1 Timothy 4:12, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” The part most focused on is the first part where we are encouraged not to let people’s low expectations surrounding our age hinder us from setting an example, but to instead, do hard...
I am nineteen years old. I have never dated anyone or been in a serious relationship. Do I want to get married someday? Absolutely! Since I was a little girl, my dream has been to be a godly wife and a mommy to a house of little ones. However, during this time of my life, God has me absolutely single. Even though it is hard sometimes, God has been teaching me a lot about how He views...
“Just save sex for marriage” is often the sole encouragement offered in conversations about sex and purity, but there are many other more specific struggles in this area. Countless teens battle pornography addictions, wrestle with masturbation or erotica, or deal with lustful thoughts. Introduce these topics and the conversation about purity gets more complicated. How do we biblically handle...
A couple years back, I was really into Stranger Things. It was the hottest Netflix show with a gripping plotline, loveable characters, and an awesome 80’s aesthetic. I went back and forth before starting the series, but after encouragement from friends and my own curiosity piquing–despite some warning flags in my heart–I decided to give it a go. Before long, I sat on my bed...
rebelling against low expectations
