Guard Your Touch

1 Corinthians 6:18-20-"Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body."


"I went a little too far with one of my girlfriends, and we ended up in bed. We really destroyed our relationship. We both regret what we did that one night. It has ruined both of our purity, and I'm sure we'll both regret it for many years to come." -A guy named Paul in Pure Excitement

Your purity is so important! It's not something to be messed around with. If you date someone and let them break down your walls (let them kiss you, let them become more important than God, let them cause you to lie to your parents about things) than sooner or later you will end up doing something you didn't plan on. One piece of dirt can ruin a pure glass of water. One dirty memory can ruin your pureness. Know your boundaries, and stick to them!

2 Timothy 2:22-"RUN from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts."

Is there anything around you or in your daily life that compromises your purity? RUN from it. Be on guard! You can do anything through the love of Christ. I promise you this: Righteous living, faithfulness, love, peace, and companionship with pure friends who know the Lord is 100 times better than a one night stand or a High School romance! Yes, it is hard to wait for marriage, and there is a lot of pressure in schools today. That's why I set a high boundary for myself. I'm not going to date anyone until college, because I don't believe I will be mature enough to handle the pressure until then. What will you do to make sure you stay on guard?

Song of Songs 8:4-"Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, not to awaken love until the time is right."

Keep measuring up! You are beautiful.

-Jenna Hampton

With verses, Pure Excitement, and prayer

Guard What You Speak

Colossians 4:6-"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person."

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. How untrue that is! Your words are probably one of the most powerful things you own, and God wants you to choose them wisely. The words of your mouth can either bring comfort and grace, or destruction.

James 3:6-10-"And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!"

Proverbs 16:24-"Kind words are like honey-sweet to the soul and healthy for the body."

Proverbs 16:28-"A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends."

Proverbs 8:13-"All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech."

Proverbs 26:18-19-"Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, 'I was only joking.'"

As you can see, guarding your speech is very wise! Think about this: do the things you say to and about others reflect what you believe? Kind words are like honey, sweet and good for the soul! Give some to people who need it today. Don't gossip, don't curse, and don't lie or use bad sarcasm! Well, that's the goal anyway. Aim for that, and remember how much speech can say about you as a person. Let your speech reflect your belief in God! You are loved.

Ecclesiastes 7:20-21-"Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins. Don't eavesdrop on others-you may hear your servant curse you. For you know how often you yourself have cursed others."

-Jenna Hampton (with thanksgiving to the Giver of life, God)

Guard What You Drink

Proverbs 20:1-"Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise."

"For years, high-school and college students have told me that drinking and sexual morals go together like Siamese twins. When you start drinking, your morals slide. Far too often, the two walk hand in hand all the way to the abortion clinic or the tear-stained pillow...Alcohol abuse is rampant in our country! In a recent survey of 68,000 fourth-through-sixth-graders, perceived alcohol abuse has risen to 45 percent! High-school kids around the country tell me that about three-fourths of the students they know drink. In college, it's more like four-fifths. The true stories pour into my mailbox. The alcohol and drug stories all say the same thing: 'Drinking and drugs corrupt your morals.'"-Joe White in Pure Excitement

Too many kids today think drinking can't harm them-but it can! There are millions of adults who will tell you NOT to drink, because it has hard consequences, and it is hard to quit. Even I, a middle schooler, know kids who have already started messing up their lives by abusing alcohol. I don't care if you think it's "cool" or not, stay away from alcohol!!!! God doesn't like it, and neither will you when the consequences come.

Proverbs 29-35-"Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks. Don't gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down. For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake; it stings like a viper. You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things. You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast. And you will say, 'They hit me, but I didn't feel it. I didn't even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can look for another drink?'"

Please think about your life, and if there is anything you need to change in your relationship with alcohol. Maybe, you are not even thirsty for the "pleasure" it gives. Maybe you are just thirsty for life! There is only One who gives free, satisfying water to anyone who believes!

John 4:13-14-"Jesus replied, 'Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life."

You can do all things through Christ, who can satisfy your thirst! Keep measuring up :) You are loved.

-Jenna Hampton
With Pure Excitement and many prayers

Guard What You Hear

2 Timothy 1:13-"Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus."

Guarding what you hear is pretty much the same concept as guarding what you see. Here is some advice- If you don't want to hear foul language all the time, don't hang around with people who cuss. If you don't want to be thinking terrible thoughts all the time, don't listen to bad radio stations. If you don't want to have break-up, make-up, and crazy party lyrics stuck in your head, then choose your music wisely.

Maybe you are thinking, what I listen to doesn't really matter. I can still uphold my values if I listen to some bad music every once in a while. Get a load of these facts:

"1. All your actions, decisions, and attitudes begin in your mind.

2. Your mind is susceptible to manipulation by almost any attractive outside source.

3. The 10 billion cells of your brain are like tiny rooms that capture (whether you want them to or not) every sight and sound (especially when connected with music) you'll ever see and hear.

4. Your subconscious mind absorbs thoughts even when your conscious mind doesn't ask it to.

5. And finally, you become what you think about. Or as Proverbs says, 'For as he thinks within himself, so he is.' (Proverbs 23:7)" -From Pure Excitement by Joe White

Things you hear turn into thoughts, and thoughts turn into actions. So be careful! Examine the things you listen to today, and think about whether you should be more careful about what you hear. If God wouldn't approve, just click it off! A good radio station in OKC and Edmond is Air One on 90.9 F.M. You can also listen to it in other states online at Air1.com.

I know that sometimes it's hard to stop old habits (such as the movies you watch or the artists you listen to) but pray about it! Through Christ, you can do all things. Take it one step at a time, and eventually you will be closer to measuring up to God's standards.

-Jenna Hampton
with Love, and Joe White

Guard What You See

Psalm 101:3-"I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not fasten its grip on me."

There are so many things out there waiting to grab a hold of you and bring you down. Pornography, bad movies, bad television shows, magazine pictures, inappropriate drawings, you name it! There is a fine line between right and wrong, and most all of us know it.

How much do you guard what you see? Think about this- if Christ was sitting next to you at the movie theatre, would you rather be watching Finding Nemo or The Hangover? It's a pretty obvious choice. At the store, would you want Jesus to see you looking at magazines with semi-naked pictures of airbrushed celebrities all over the cover? Since God is with us all the time, we should want to honor Him by guarding what we see.

"I know teen girls always are looking at celebrities and other teens and trying to be perfect but being themselves is the right thing." -Chloe Freeman

"Guard your heart,' the Bible says. Get out your rifle and your two 'biggest and baddest' friends! It's the only mind you'll ever have! It will belong to God, or it will belong to Satan. It's your choice, and the prize will go to the one to whom you chose to give your eyes, ears, and thoughts." -Joe White in Pure Excitement

What will you do to literally guard your eyes? I decided not to look at "those magazines", I only watch G and PG movies, and I watch Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network on T.V. Yeah, it's hard to stand up for what I believe in, and yeah, I get made fun of sometimes, but it is worth it! I'm so glad that when I close my eyes, there are no bad images stuck in my head. Plus, I know it's exactly what God wants me to do! :)

Romans 12:1-2-"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

Don't be afraid to be different. Keep measuring up to God, not the world! God loves you!

-Jenna Hampton
with Joe White, Chloe Freeman, and help from Christ

If The World Hates You

1 John 3:13- "So don't be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, IF THE WORLD HATES YOU."

John 3:19-20-"And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."

"Faith is daring to put your dream to the test. It is better to try to do something and fail than to try to do nothing and succeed." -Robert Schuller

John 16:33- "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart! For I have overcome the world."

"We take on the strength of that which we overcome." -unknown

Guess what? If you stand up for what you believe in, the world may hate you. Why? Satan has control over the world, for the world is evil. Those who live in the light of God are not of this world. So, the world will hate them for many reasons, just as God's Word has said.

Galatians 1:10-"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

We all want the approval of people, we are only human after all! But as Christians, we are called to serve God first, even if that means doing something that may lose us a few friends or some approval. Writing this blog was a pretty hard decision for me to make. I post it on facebook, and all my friends can see it on my wall. Yeah, some kids probably make fun of me for it, or think that I'm weird, but I serve God first! It doesn't matter to me if the world hates me-it will soon pass away. God will last forever.

I am trying to spark some thought today with this blog because I haven't found a GREAT verse to do yet. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE either comment, send me an e-mail, or message me on facebook. God is good! He is the source of all strength and courage. Remember that, and measure up!

"The difference between having something happen and nothing happen, is courage."
-Jenna Hampton
With help from God. Thank You God.

The Lord Your God Is With You

Joshua 1:9-"This is my command--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU wherever you go."

Job 37:1-5-"My heart pounds as I think of this. It trembles within me. Listen carefully to the thunder of God's voice as it rolls from His mouth. It rolls across the heavens, and His lightning flashes in every direction. Then comes the roaring of the thunder- the tremendous voice of His majesty. He does not restrain it when He speaks. God's voice is glorious in the thunder. We can't even imagine the greatness of His power."

Once upon a time, there was a man with a fairly happy life. Things were going well with his family, his job was enjoyable and payed well enough, and he had plenty of time to do things relaxing and fun. He was involved in his local church, and knew God well enough to suit him. Some time later, though, he started to have troubles. His father was diagnosed with cancer, he was fighting with his mother and wife constantly, he was struggling at his job, and he started to have horrible nightmares. He questioned God about why he had left him on his own, and stopped going to church. One night he dreamt that he was walking beside God on the seashore. He looked behind him and saw a long line of footprints. At first, there were two sets of footprints alongside each other. The set on the right was slightly bigger than those on the left. After awhile, one set of footprints disappeared. The man was furious in his dream. "Why have you left me, God? Why did you leave me to deal with these hard times on my own? You walked with me before when things were going well, but now you have left me and everything has gone bad!" God turned to the man with love in His eyes. "Look again, my child. The footprints that stopped were your own. The smaller footprints have disappeared. I've been here the whole time silently blessing you and continuing to love you through your hard times. Trust me to help you, and together we can make things right." Suddenly the man woke from his dream. He realized that God had been with him the whole time, and that all he had to do was to trust Him. In a few weeks, the man's life had been turned around, for he now knew that God would never leave him or forsake him.

Romans 8:38-39-"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

God knows the deepest parts of your heart, and is always with you. Throughout your life, He will always be waiting for you to open the door to His love. If and when you do, you will never lose Him-ever! If your heart is sincere, He will never give up on you.

Revelation 3:20-"Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends."

1 Corinthians 2:12- "And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us."

-Jenna Hampton
with a story that I have heard many times, rewritten with help from the Alpha and Omega

Do Not Be Afraid

Joshua 1:9- "This is my command--be strong and courageous! DO NOT BE AFRAID or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much." -Mother Teresa

Are you afraid?... Afraid of what?... well, let's look at Joshua. Moses, who was probably one of God's best servants ever, just died. God decides to put Joshua, son of Nun, in charge of leading the Israelites across the Jordan River into the land He has promised them. Even though that may sound easy, I'm sure it was far from a nice walk in the park! Why else would God tell Joshua to be strong and courageous THREE TIMES in the same conversation?

Joshua 1:5- "No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you."

God is always with you, always watching, always thinking about you. Even if you don't know Him, He is always waiting for you with loving arms. If you feel afraid, take heart! There is hope in God like nothing else. He NEVER leaves you, or fails you. Even death loses it's sting when you've got God. You will have no fear!

1 Corinthians 15:55- "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"

1 Peter 13-15- "Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it."

Don't be afraid to stand up for God! What is more important, speaking the truth, or keeping the approval of people who won't matter in a few years? Don't back down :) It'll be worth it if you keep standing and don't fear.

God is good! Keep measuring up. <3

-Jenna Hampton
with Mother Teresa and some good words for the Bible!

1 Timothy 4:12 Summary

1 Timothy 4:12- "Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity."


Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young-

"Today we live in a culture that promotes comfort, not challenges. Everything is about finding ways to escape hardship, avoid pain, and dodge duty. In the past, young people were expected to make significant contributions to society. Today, our culture expects very little from teens- not much more than staying in school and doing a few chores. A sad consequence of such low expectations is that life-changing lessons go unlearned." -Chuck Norris

Proverbs 31:8-9 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."


Be an example to all believers-

If there is anyone in your life that needs strengthening spiritually, be an example for them! Continue to follow God's guidance, and put their needs above your own. Then you will be an example for that believer. As iron sharpens iron, one man can sharpen another.

Isaiah 58:11- "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."


In what you say-

"1. Listen more; speak less

2. Choose your words carefully

3. Break the habit of blurting out anything and everything that comes to your mind.

4. Watch the volume of the tone of voice you use.

5. USE YOUR TONGUE TO BUILD UP, NOT TEAR DOWN."

-Dare 2 B Wise

2 Timothy 1:13- "Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus."


In the way you live-

What can people tell about you from the way you live your life? They can tell you like music if you are constantly seen with your i Pod playing. If you are always reading, they can tell that it's pretty much your thing. Think about this: Can people tell that you are a Christian simply by the way you live your life?

Philippians 2:14-16- "Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.


In your love-

Can people see a difference in your love than in the way others love? Maybe you talk to someone who is lonely, maybe you hold your tongue when you are tempted to gossip, maybe you stop yourself from flirting constantly with boys. Whatever you do, keep doing it! Keep living up to God's high standards, and finding more ways to stand out for the truth. :)

"One way to live out love is to be kind to everyone that comes across your path, because everyone carries a burden." -Stefanie Hampton

1 John 3:18-19 "Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God."


In your faith-

Please have faith! It is a wonderful thing. By faith, you can be saved. By faith, your heart can be changed. Faith can give you the motivation to repent of your sins. In simplest terms, faith is (according to the dictionary) confidence or trust in a person or thing. So, faith is trusting God to know what's right. It's taking your sins to the cross, laying your crown at His feet, and trusting Him to make things right.

Romans 5:1-2 "Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory."


In your purity-

There is one thing that God has to say about sexual impurity- RUN FROM IT. Media and the world around you tell you anything but to stay pure. Set high standards for yourself, stay away from things that will break those standards down, and live them out.

Psalm 119:9-11 "How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. I have tried hard to find you- don't let me wander from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."

Philippians 4:8- "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."


-Jenna Hampton
with many others, and blessing from Jesus :)