A Virtuous Young Woman

I've lived in a rather secluded and protected world being home schooled and my best friends were always from church or our home school group. Now that I'm grown and working "in the world" things I've only known about are happening to girls my age who I know and see on a daily basis. Why only this past week one girl learned she's pregnant out of wedlock, another girl caught her boyfriend cheating on her, and another has serious drinking problems. I confess that I do not know what to say to them because they don't know my Lord or have my standards. I am in plain fact a virgin who is guarding her heart and mind, I've never dated and I've never touched addictive substances in my life. The truth is I am proud and grateful for these virtues and the life I've lived but in some ways I don't know how to relate to the rest of the world, I can't just preach at them about what they should and shouldn't do in their hour of need. Compassion, understanding and patience is rather to be desired.

The scribblings below are some things I was thinking about and hope I'm not being too indelicate by mentioning them here.

"I'm not sure if I've told anyone how highly I value purity. I see purity as definitely being separate from virginity though the two should go hand in hand. Virginity is the fragile and simple up keeping of abstinence from the physical act of intimacy. Purity is much more delicate and easily broken and is really a standard of living.
I believe that a pure young woman does not loose her purity when she marries - instead her purity is guarded and protected by her husband. Neither does a young woman loose her virginity when she marries - instead she gives it to her husband just as she has given her heart.
Purity works far deeper than the physical though it does encompass that too, it mostly refers to the heart and mind. In Christ our hearts are bathed in His righteousness and purity and we seek His pure and perfect will for us. Philippians 4:18 tells us to think on 'whatsoever things are pure'.... The mind is the most amazing part of the body and the biggest battlefield for the Christian. This is the area I struggle in the most - the place I most often fail.
But there is hope. According to Hebrews 4:15 Jesus struggled with this same thing and area of purity. But I take comfort in the statement "yet without sin" - Jesus overcame so why can't I? The excuse that he was fully God as well as being fully man doesn't hold that much weight because with my new nature of the Holy Spirit living inside us we have the power to move mountains if it is the Lord's will - and it is always His will that we overcome sin. In Christ I have the largest possible hope of succeeding if I will but try. I praise the Lord for His love and power. Purity is a high standard but the Lord is on our side - our help and our guide!"

Sweet stream that winds through yonder glade,
Apt emblem of a virtuous maid -
Silent and chaste she steals along,
Far from the world's gay busy throng;
With gentle, yet prevailing force
Intent upon her destined course;
Graceful and useful all she does,
Blessing and bless'd where'ere she goes,
Pure-bosom'd as that wat'ry glass,
And Heav'n reflected in her face.
~William Cowper

A beautiful young woman is not always pretty on the outside. True beauty shines from the inside out in the sweetness of her spirit. Her kindness, humbleness, and caring touch the lives around her and you can find evidence of her modesty and purity in every aspect of her life.

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. - I Peter 3:3-4

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