For The Strength of You-2013

This month in Young Women (Sunday School for 12-18 year-old girls) we are studying family and how we can strengthen ours.  The family is so important in our lives and our society.  As we have discussed how we can make our family stronger a major part of our contribution is making ourselves strong as we can only strengthen others when we ourselves are strong.  We have been given a standard in a booklet entitled "For the Strength of Youth".  It gives guidelines for righteous living.  Access a digital copy by clicking here. 

As I youth I received great strength in my life by living by this standard.  One of the girls in my Sunday School class mentioned an article where they taught that it should be titled "For the Strength of You."  You can read the article here. This article explains that this standard applies to everyone, not just our youth.  By continuing to follow that standard we come closer to Christ and become more able to do good in our lives.  Some may say this standard is outdated or old fashioned but in my personal experience it has made my life better.

My decision to have a high moral standard especially to refrain from sexual activity before marriage has been a great blessing in my life.  My husband also lived this standard.  As the years pass I come to understand even more how special the marriage relationship is and how intimacy strengthens that relationship and was God given for that purpose along with the purpose of perpetuating the human race.

I am so grateful that I was taught a high moral standard in my life.  It has helped my avoid much heartache and has brought me much happiness.  It is truly "For the Strength of You."

Update (Jan 2018):

My husband passed three months before our 10th wedding anniversary and I am SO grateful for the special bond we shared and that we chose to live a standard that helped our home be more Christ centered and feel a safe place.  I learn more everyday how much we build strength in our lives through the little things like choosing media and music that lifts us and how important that becomes when we have to rely on the strength we have stored up to get us through the little things in our daily lives.