It's Public....

because I don't have anything to hide.

Since there is further interest in my previous blog, please allow me to further explain.

ACCOUNTABILITY
Stephen and I have a rule that I am not allowed in his room after 10 PM, no matter what. The door is never closed if I’m in there, no matter the day or the time or the subject matter. He has never entered my bedroom. Ever.

Our roommates (his 2 and my 3) are our active accountability partners who ask us the ‘Hard Questions’ pertaining to the purity of our relationship. We both have 2 close friends out of state who aid in keeping us accountable to our commitment to purity and give us advice. They are kept up to date but since they are not here locally, it is necessary to implement other forms of accountability to safeguard our relationship from a sin that so quickly entangles. All have been very active and do a wonderful job to keep us straight on a weekly basis.

Prior to our engagement, Stephen and I drafted a covenant between us and our Father to clarify lines of purity in our relationship. We signed it, made copies, and gave one to each accountability partner we had so they knew what questions to ask and by what guidelines we are following.

We both needed clear guidelines drawn so a healthy level of respect would be maintained throughout not only our dating relationship and our engagement, but into our marriage as well. The fight gets harder after marriage. Especially one centered on God. Satan hates that the most.

MORE DETAILS
Valentine’s Day was very special me and for Stephen. We looked at the scrap book I made for him in his room until 10:18 pm, and then his roommate came up and reminded us of the time! We were past due to move our get-together down stairs. Since Stephen hadn’t given me the rest of Valentines yet, he asked for permission from his roommates for an extension so we could have a little more time together, and told them what we were going to do. We had a time limit and guidelines to follow and we did just that.

Nothing happened during that time that we needed to ask for forgiveness for from God or from each other, and our accountability partners understand that the covenant we wrote and made with each other was kept. No disrespect was imparted. Nothing was touched that shouldn’t have been. Our relationship is healthy. One act of tender kindness from one adult to another which doesn’t break the laws God has set for our protection is permissible. This isn’t the case for anyone’s relationship at any time.

WHO IS IT FOR?
There are some people who couldn’t handle that level of temptation and Satan would have a green light to come in and do his work. There are some people who are too young to handle that kind of responsibility. Some relationships aren’t to that point yet either, when an intimate moment such as a massage in a romantic setting is appropriate. When there isn’t a definite plan to be married, such as between high schoolers and even some college students, it is not a good idea to share yourself this intimately with someone whom you are not planning to spend the rest of your life with.

As for writing about the happenings in my life: there is an appropriate level of sharing that can take place in a pubic setting that doesn’t embarrass anyone. You don’t know what that level is until someone lets you know that they were bothered with your details.

When I wrote my details about Valentines Day I had in mind grown female readers, my close friends, who know the standard to which Stephen and I keep our relationship. I’ll keep young readers in mind for future postings.