The 'Twilight' Series: Chivalry, and Chastity #Catholic

I admit I've read the entire "Twilight" series, written by Stephenie Meyers. I've been interested in vampire stories ever since the wacky soap opera, "Dark Shadows," drew me in with its Gothic moodiness and creepy characters. My interest eventually led me to Anne Rice's vampire novels, which I later stopped reading as I realized they were just too doggone seductive.

Vampires have never been "good guys" in my eyes. There may have been unfortunate reasons for their "birth" as an immortal bloodsucker, but overall, I'd say they were nasty characters - until I read Meyer's portrayal of them and specifically, her main hero, Edward Cullen. I never expected to appreciate a fictional vampire but I found myself glad for the author's background (She's a Mormon.), which I believe found it's way upon the book's pages. It's not so much that her Mormon doctrines were included in the storyline, but rather her portrayal of relationships (they are respected) and topics like the state of one's soul, which is honestly discussed. I can only think such considerations would come from a woman of faith.

It's been awhile since I did anything with "Castitas," my videos focused on promoting chastity, especially for younger people. But reading the Twilight series has reminded me of how badly our culture needs chaste characters, and how much so many of our young people hunger for them. Obviously, they are no longer common. Turn on any sitcom and it will feature premarital sex as though it's the norm. Even Christian characters who seem to promote chastity, as the outwardly-beautiful-but-inwardly-ugly Quinn on the hit series "Glee," end up pregnant. The clear message is that no matter how hard someone promotes chastity - in the end, it's a farce, a fool's errand - because everyone knows that all teens have sex.

Those who desire chastity have an uphill battle. There are few celebrities who promote it, few educators who believe in it, and few government officials who want to include it in sex education. Those who want to preserve their virginity until they are married are typically mocked for being hopelessly out-of-touch with reality.

But now the chaste have a new, unlikely hero - a fictional vampire. Edward Cullen meets the heroine, Bella Swan and informs her that although he looks seventeen, he is actually more like 109-years-old. His polite and respectful manners are from another era, and goodness, how this makes him even more attractive. Unlike the twenty-first century teenage boy who expects to bed immediately any girl he meets - Edward uses incredible restraint to resist Bella. There are two reasons for this: First, Bella has the type of blood that seems to be the perfect match for Edward's vampiric thirst. Second, because Edward loves Bella, and because his incredible strength would kill her if he released his passion for her, he chooses to avoid any situation that would lead to intimacy.

Both choices show something that as Christians we know but rarely see reflected in entertainment - self-sacrifice. In this series, we have a man who truly loves a young woman enough to say no to his own desires. In fact, all throughout the story, we see Edward's character time and time again either save Bella from harm or save her from his own kind's killing instinct. Above all, he wants to keep her safe. Of course Bella, in her typical teen-angst way, doesn't see this. She only knows she loves Edward and doesn't want to be separated from him, not focusing on the truth that they already are separated by mortality.

But back to the chastity bit. I know for a fact that women yearn for chivalrous men who will put a woman's well-being above his own. Our culture has almost destroyed such men. After years of feminism and the degradation of masculinity, it is no surprise that most young men have been stripped of treating a woman with respect. And I know women have played their part in this unfortunate development. With female celebrities who dress like hookers and talk like salty sailors, it's no wonder they're mistreated, either by the press or their boyfriends.

I like how this article in The Catholic Herald, "Why Girls Love Chaste Edward Cullen," pinpoints one of the most persistent memes in teen-hood and eventually adulthood: the attraction women have for the "bad boy." I am thrilled to see this assumption finally get challenged. Years ago, when I taught workshops for single women over 40 who wanted to find love, I remembered a middle-aged woman saying, "I'm attracted to the "bad boys." I can't help it, though, they are just so sexy!" I responded by saying that getting a broken heart or feeling used isn't really sexy. I said it then and will emphasize it now - women get what they allow. No one deserves to be mistreated, but if a woman allows anyone to mistreat her, that's what she'll get.

If my male readers will forgive me, I pose the following theory: when women start to respect themselves, men will respond accordingly. When women carry themselves with the dignity and wisdom that God intended for them to have, they may be surprised to find that it awakens within a man an innate desire to win her affections. Long ago, chivalry included a man fighting for the affections of his beloved. Thankfully, it isn't extinct and in fact, may be experiencing a resurgence. Many women are realizing that treating men as contemptible objects and then expecting them to cater to their every whim isn't exactly going swimmingly well. Radical feminism's extreme hatred and revulsion of men has left many women lonely and excluded. "It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a contentious woman." (Prov. 21:9) How true.

Edward Cullen has brought the ideals of chivalry and chastity to a new generation and it couldn't have come at a better time. As older women teach the younger, they can include a modern version (if slightly unusual) of a man who loved a woman enough to say no - to both himself and her, so that she would be saved. And it wouldn't be a bad idea for young men to study some of the attributes of Edward. Selfless devotion hasn't had such an advocate for quite some time.

New "Castitas" Video - Focus

A very dear lady wrote to me to ask how I handled temptation when I was single. In this video, I explain how I was convicted over my entertainment choices. Very often, placing God first means looking like "the church lady" to others. If we're serious about following Christ, we have to die to the opinion of others and fully embrace Him.

When you think of it, what will last - Entertainment Tonight or God? :-)

Hope you enjoy it. Hint: YouTube changed their screen size. Choose "Watch in high quality" at the right-hand bottom of the video to get a clearer view. Isn't it funny that my topic is focus but my video ended up fuzzy? Ha!

New "Castitas" Video: Words

Short and sweet! Yes, I will be able to do a video within 5 minutes!

"Castitas" Video - College and the Alpha Male: Part One and Part Two

Okay. I'm coming off as a complete goob during Part One when I refer to the online radio show, Catholic 2.0 with its host, Commander Craig. For some reason, I called him "The Captain" instead of "The Commander." Sheesh!

I "met" Brian P. Craig through Facebook and thought his concept intriguing. Since I worked at a radio station eons ago, I can vouch for the fact that producing radio isn't easy, especially when you're trying to do everything yourself. So I definitely am giving him a big "nod of the mantilla" for boldly going where few people would ever go.

In these videos, I talk about the book, Sex & the Soul: Juggling Sexuality, Spirituality, Romance, and Religion on America's College Campuses by Donna Freitas. I never heard of Donna Freitas until I heard her interviewed on Catholic 2.0. (Show Date: 8/2/08) I was fascinated because it focused on an area and demographic I wanted to reach. Her book is surprising, bittersweet, and wistful in its description of the "hooking up" culture that exists on college campuses.

Although I wasn't able to go into as much detail as I would have liked, I want to reiterate here that women have the power to change that culture. However, in order for it to change, there must be a large population of women who say, "No more." Those who keep saying "yes" even when they'd rather not, make it difficult for everyone else to say "no." I'm not a feminist per se, but I'm all for sisterhood solidarity when it comes to protecting women's chastity and virtue. Men have had it too easy for far too long and women are now bearing the brunt of the sexual "freedom" from the sixties. In fact, I'd say that women are more oppressed by societal expectations that she is "liberated" than they were in the 1950's.

I don't believe women can date like men or sleep around like men. The sexual experience for women is near to her heart because God has created it so. After watching girlfriend after girlfriend try to play it loose and fancy-free, every one of them ended up broken and empty.

Perhaps this is why I feel so strongly about doing what I am doing. I don't want to see young women get caught in the same trap. Cherish yourself because God cherishes you. He has created you for beauty and love - not to be treated like a cheap pair of shoes worn by every selfish guy on campus. God will give you the strength to say no as long as you are open and willing to hear His voice. When you are at your weakest, He will quickly rush toward you, scooping you up and bringing you close to His breast. You can rejoice in knowing you are not alone and not without resources. God will meet your every need.

So, here is Part One:



And...Part Two: (After much editing, I barely got it in under the 10 minute mark!)

"Spiritual But Not Religious"

I look within myself for my spirituality and to answer the meaning of life. - Amy, college student interviewed for the book, Sex & the Soul by Donna Freitas

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! - David, Psalm 139:23, 24

I am reading the book, Sex & the Soul by Donna Freitas, who is the Assistant Professor of Religion at Boston University. Her book begins with the provocative "hooking up" culture that exists on most college campuses and the surprising development when her students decided to make a difference by taking a stand.

They admitted they didn't really enjoy the non-committal sex they had, but it was part of college life and they weren't sure how to change it. Freitas worked with them as they developed the idea for a one-issue, onetime student newspaper called Dateline SMC, focusing on sexuality on the campus. They began a conversation and finally discovered there were many others who were unhappy with the "hooking up" culture on campus.

What I find fascinating is a belief I've come across before from young people and some adults. Amy's quote is a good example of the type of mindset that often accompanies the description, "spiritual but not religious."

What does this mean? In Amy's world, it means she uses her own perception as a moral compass. There is no adherence to the Bible; instead, the Bible is used to confirm or validate her own feelings. It reminds me of how some people will decide on certain opinions and then scour the Bible for verses to justify them. Forget the fact that as Christians, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, not by our own assessment of our situation but by a humble surrender to God and a conscientious decision to seek His will and not our own.

In fact, I think I'd like to make these verses the "mascot" verses for "Castitas."

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. - Romans 12:1,2

What does it mean to present our bodies as a living sacrifice? If you're a Christian, I think I'm safe in saying it doesn't mean deciding to have pre-marital sex because you think it's "your decision" and totally separate from your belief in God. I also think we are challenged to carefully look at the world and its patterns of behavior and compare it to how God wants us to live. And renewing our minds means there must be an opposing spirit that is trying to get us to not renew them - to accept status quos, lazy thought, and "going with the flow" because its easier. Remember - a river takes the path of least resistance and will often twist and turn. It is not the most efficient way for the water to reach its destination.

So it is with faith. Continue to take the path of least resistance and you will have stunted growth. Set your sights upon that which is more challenging or difficult and you will grow in your faith by leaps and bounds.

What was interesting about Amy's story is she admitted she kept a Bible in her room and would turn to it often for inspiration. She admitted to praying to God quite frequently, trusting He was ordering her life. But when it came to sex, suddenly God wasn't in the picture. When it came to allowing God into her house, everything was accessible to Him but the "sexuality room." That room belonged only to Amy and she obviously didn't want God to crash her party.

College students who want to pursue spirituality but not be seen as "religious" are all avoiding the same issue - an honest discussion about sex and how their religious beliefs affect it. Whenever I've come across someone who wanted a spiritual life but didn't want the "religious" label - it is 99.9% certain they want to be able to sleep with whomever they want with no guilt. They balk at the idea of absolute truth for in their mind - there are no absolutes. It is a life filled with the options of a cafeteria-style offering of religions. Like Marianne Williamson, creator of the New Age "A Course In Miracles," they cobble together the most palatable collections of belief and expect it to support them.

It's like taking some old pieces of wood, a little metal, some plastic, and trying to build a piece of scaffolding. It's not going to be strong enough to endure years of outdoor weather and use. Plus, many of the pieces won't even fit well together and end up coming apart after stress is applied. Such is the life of one who insists upon "being spiritual but not religious."

When you follow Jesus Christ, you are called to die to your own will. This means not only embracing beliefs that offend what is called "the flesh," but trusting that God knows what He's doing when He insists upon such obedience. Is it hard? Absolutely. But it is not impossible with the grace of God. I lived 17 years as a celibate before meeting my husband. Did I mope around, depressed that I was missing out on all the "fun" of non-committed sex? No, not by a long shot. I was involved with church activities that included great fellowship, friendship with lively brothers and sisters in Christ, and excellent mental stimulation through personal study.

Some college students make the mistake of enlarging their sexuality so that it orders their entire world. As Christians, we are challenged to live counter to the world, seeking the Kingdom of God and its righteousness first, not our own satisfaction. When we get our priorities straight as believers, it makes all the difference in our lives. Suddenly, we're on the other side of self-serving behaviors. We can see that focusing on self only made us feel emptier and more unsatisfied. When we focus on God, we are given so many blessings that we wonder what took us so long to relinquish control.

The world will always tell us we need to do things ourselves. Trusting in God for His wisdom is never easy, but we can take great comfort in knowing that Jesus Christ went before us, surrendering all to His heavenly Father and asking God to protect us from evil. Jesus prayed one of the most beautiful prayers for us in John 17 and one of the things He stated was we are not of this world.

If we are not of this world, then where should our allegiance be? To God alone. When it comes to following Jesus Christ, there is no way around it. God is to be obeyed even as His Son lived a perfect life in obedience to Him, even to the point of death.

And I think that is at the heart of what is scariest to those who are "spiritual but not religious." If they truly placed their entire trust in God, what would He ask of them? What would He command as "off-limits" in their life? Obedience to God will make the strongest self-willed man either quake in his boots or stand defiantly with an upraised fist, saying "No!"

But with submission comes an amazing peace that passes understanding. This is, sadly, what the "spiritual" are missing out on - and it is the prized quarry they chase. To their own detriment, their attempts to capture this elusive treasure falls short and causes great frustration.

In acceptance, lieth peace. (Amy Carmichael, Scottish Missionary to India)

Reclaiming the Sacred Body

As I continue to research topics regarding chastity and sexuality, I realize that our culture has truly profaned the sacred.

We have a weekly newspaper in town that features a social calendar. I used to suggest to the women attending my dating workshops to pick up a copy and scan the various groups and activities available. Joining new groups or trying a new activity can help a single person enlarge their social circle. While looking through one of these weekly publications, I noticed a sex column. I won't give the writer any added exposure by mentioning his name, but suffice it to say this column left nothing to the imagination. It was vulgar and raw, treating sex as nothing more important than choosing the menu for dinner.

The topics discussed were so explicit in nature that I was surprised to see it available in a free newspaper, which are quite plentiful in the bars and restaurants around town. I was disgusted by the content, and angry.

I was angry because I knew the type of belief system this column encouraged. Men and women both were treated as sex objects and sex was only seen as a means to an end, a brief satisfaction of bodily lusts while rating the sex partner in terms of how well they performed.

It is easy for me to focus on such craziness, but since returning to the Catholic church, I realize my response needs to change. Instead of changing other people, I need to change myself first. Sinners who have no understanding of their need for a Savior are going to behave like sinners. Sinners who understand that need are going to consistently progress toward holiness.

Our bodies are sacred. As St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh."

But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Cor. 6:15-20

For women, dressing modestly is a wonderful way to reclaim their bodies as being sacred. For singles, it is important to establish boundaries regarding the type of physical affection you will give. A single friend had a wonderful solution to her need for touch. She treated herself to professional massages at least once a month. I thought that was fantastic. We all need the human touch but if you're single, you many not get it as often as you'd like. Professional massages are a great way to not only improve your overall health, but it's a safe way to receive this human touch.

What did Israel and the church do with the sacred? It was covered, hidden, or elevated. It was given special honor. Reclaiming the sacred will not happen overnight, but there are steps we can take each day to reach our goal. it may include:

• Curtailing entertainment that profanes the sacred, such as R-rated movies, TV shows, books, magazines, and newspapers
  

• Carefully selecting friends who share your values
  

• Deleting off-color email jokes and asking the person sending them to not send those types of jokes anymore
  

• Walking away from a group who are sharing sexually-explicit jokes
  

• Meditating on the Bible
  

• Attending Mass faithfully
  

• Reciting the rosary

When we fill our minds with the things of God, we become more sensitive to sin and its consequences. I know that since I started to pray the rosary more often, I am much more conscientious of my actions throughout the day. Praying the rosary in the morning orients me in the right direction.

I also cannot speak highly enough of renting film classics if you want quality entertainment. I'm a big Frank Capra fan ("It's a Wonderful Life" is my ultimate favorite.) and any film that has Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in it is sure to bring a laugh. There were so many great actors during "The Golden Age" of movies that you will have a difficult time choosing which one to watch first. It is immensely refreshing to watch a movie that doesn't automatically focus on the sexual antics of the characters.

Our bodies were created first for God. I pray that I would remember this and encourage others to do the same. When it is dark, focusing on the darkness won't bring about the light. May we all be lights to this darkened world.

Clarification on the Video: Relationships and Tolerating Bad Behavior

After watching my latest video, it occurred to me that I should clarify a statement I made regarding bad behavior in a relationship. I mentioned that too often, women tolerate shabby treatment by men, such as Jennifer Aniston tolerating the ending of the relationship via text messaging.

When a relationship is at the end - and receiving a rather abrupt end, at that, there isn't any "tolerating" because the relationship has ceased. The best one can do at that point is not respond to such caddish behavior and move on.

To elaborate on the issue of tolerating bad behavior, here is one trustworthy rule: Establish relationship boundaries in the beginning. You will be able to maintain the health of a relationship if it is evident early on that you will not tolerate mistreatment.

For instance, imagine you meet a seemingly wonderful young man who makes you laugh and looks like David Beckham. He's all smooth moves and cool friends. He makes a date with you on Friday to meet at a club on Saturday night. He's a no-show. Afterward, he's full of excuses and charms his way back into your life.

I usually give someone a second chance. Life is filled with inconveniences and the trick is separating the honest good excuses from outright lies. But if a person starts to show a track record for inconsiderate or rude behavior, it's best to end the relationship rather than wait for the cell phone drama.

I suspect that Jennifer's relationship with this guy showed early signs of bad behavior, but she tolerated it. It's little wonder that it ended the way it did but few women are blindsided by such behavior. It begins as a leak before the dam bursts and regret floods into a single woman's life. I know. I've been there.

So keep your eyes open at the beginning of a relationship. Notice if a man keeps his word or making excuses all the time. There are times for forgiveness, but also times for a "straighten up and fly right, pal" discussion. Ask God for wisdom because if there is any area we need guidance with, it's our relationships. He will provide.

New "Castitas" Video: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

I'm slowly getting my life back in order after The Big Move. I will say St. Anthony is getting a good workout as I beseech him to help me find stuff. I tried to be careful with my packing but needless to say, it will take a few more days to unearth everything. (Especially the library book that was due yesterday...)

This video was prompted by the news story of Jennifer Aniston's boyfriend breaking up with her via text message. I was slightly surprised. I'm aware of the whole "friends with benefits" phenomenon where people text an acquaintance to see if they'd be up for an amorous rendezvous. Ending a relationship by sending text over a cell phone is perhaps the flip side of the 21st century's idea of intimacy.

The video is a little over 15 minutes long. I decided to go with Google this time and forgot about their quality. My apologies for that, the extreme lighting, the wailing cicadas in the background...I'm still in a learning curve regarding creating videos. Maybe if you have it on while not watching it will be more enjoyable!

I met a lovely young woman after church this past Sunday and hope to get to know her better. I'm going to be organizing a "real life" meeting for college-aged Catholic women in my area very soon. The purpose would mainly be to provide a stable support group for women who wanted to live chastely, with dignity and self-respect while trusting in God for their future.

Here's the video, cicadas and all!

New Video: You Are a Garden

I created two more videos, which is actually one teaching. (I was better in keeping each segment closer to the allotted 10 minutes...)

In these videos, I discuss how a single woman is to guard her heart and look at herself as something precious. God is cultivating us in many ways and for a woman desiring marriage, He doesn't want just anyone tramping about the garden. :-)

I shot the videos in a different location, which may work better watching me sit behind a computer!

I hope you enjoy them.

Video One


Video Two

Self-Esteem and the Battle of the Mind

I taped another entry for my Castitas group. Bear with me as I figure out a few things. I pieced together two separate tapings. I have no idea why the lighting was different because nothing seemed to change. I simply stopped after my 10+ minutes and then started for the next segment.

I tried my best to edit the video so it would be exactly ten minutes for each segment. Alas, I was unable to do it! So I posted the entire thing on Google Videos. (The video runs 20:47) I also would like to improve the sound quality.

Meanwhile - the content: I am speaking about the relationship between having self-esteem and the battle in our minds. There is a direct connection to how we see ourselves as Christians and our ability to ward off the attacks of the enemy. When we know who we are in Christ and able to meditate constantly on the Word of God, we are better equipped to resist temptation and keep focused on what God wants of us. As a Catholic, I am understanding the role of the Sacraments more and realize they also play a very important part in strengthening our faith.

I'm not sure if I communicated my message as clearly as I had hoped. I will be revisiting this topic again. It is one I feel very strongly about and is currently relevant to younger people who are more susceptible to societal pressures than ever before.

Thanks for watching and if you have any helpful tips, please pass them on!

Oh, and I'm not thrilled with the still shot Google used on my video. It looks like I'm half-snookered. Yeesh...

Sooo....Guess What I've Been Up To?

Vidblogging.

Or in other words, "video blogging." I decided to try my hand at videotaping a message and found it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be! First, my hands were doing things I never thought they'd be doing (as in wildly waving all over the place as I was talking...). Secondly, there was this weird whooshing sound the perceptive microphone captured and I realized it was the ceiling fan.

Then the light coming in from the window gave my face a weird cast. Oy...there are many considerations to videotaping that I am just beginning to learn.

I spent yesterday doing several "test" runs and then finally recording a full 19 minutes of a teaching. However, I decided to re-record everything today because 1) 19 minutes is too long and 2) practice at least starts the journey toward perfection. It's going to definitely be an area of growth. Bear with my spurts and stumbles. I hope what I said will encourage some young women.

I also discovered that my smaller Casio camera did a much better job with the video quality and sound. Unfortunately, after 7 minutes this morning of taping, the battery died. So I had to start from scratch using my Kodak Easy Share camera, which presented the issue of having a .MOV file instead of an .AVI. (.AVI files are easily edited within the Microsoft Movie Maker program.) I'm not impressed with the compression of the files, so my apologies. It came from converting the .MOV files to the .AVI files with the only program that worked for me today. (I tried four others to no avail.)

So, without further ado and in my "not-so-good-hair-day" and "froggy voice" moments, here they are. ("Honor" had to be divided into two sections since YouTube has a limit on the length of videos.) Also, I'm going to be on vacation the next few days and won't be near a computer until Saturday night. Have a great rest of the week!

My Introduction:





"Honor" - Part I



"Honor" - Part II

My New Facebook Group: Castitas

The idea for this group has been developing within me for the past seven years. To be honest, I don't know if this is God's timing for it or if I'm still in a hurry to get something done. I'm pretty impatient, which is why I believe God taught me patience by waiting until I was 39 before allowing me to meet my husband. (!)

Today, I kicked off this new group on Facebook.

At any rate, I do think returning to the Catholic church was a key factor in order for things to fall into place. I do believe this ministry is to primarily be for Catholic single women between the ages of 18-35, although other Christian women within that age range may be interested.

I have been deeply touched by the amount of Catholic materials and resources for living a life of chastity. I believe we are witnesses to a wonderful turn of events in our society; which is - women who are beginning to recognize their calling in the world. As women, we are called to many things. For the married woman, she is called to a life of loving submission to her God and her husband. For the single woman, she is called to a life of loving submission to God alone.

There are many factors which contribute to such a submission. Submission can be seen in either two ways: as something to curse or something to praise. Our God has so much to give us as we embrace His commandments and seek to obey. Of course it isn't easy, but as I've often said - since when is finding treasure ever easy? If something was easy, we would not cherish it as much.

Which brings me to the topic of single women. I believe many single women have given themselves away too easily. Self-respect has plummeted, most recently seen in an awful "pact" that a group of high-school girls made with one another to get pregnant. Is their life so empty that they deliberately chose to have a baby outside of marriage in order to find fulfillment? There are many questions surrounding such an event. Needless to say, it broke my heart.

Women have such great influence in the world. This is not the raw political power that feminists pursue, but the kind of power that shapes and influences others. The kind of "power" that gives, not takes. It is this type of influence I would like to emphasize and examine with single Catholic women. Once a single woman understands her gifts and what is required of her by God, she is then in a most advantageous position to fully influence others as God has intended.

I have already met such beautiful women both within my parish and over the years in other churches. These women "get it" when it comes to understanding who they are in Christ. We have indeed been "fearfully and wonderfully made." I am hoping that as I facilitate the group, young single women will realize how precious they are in the sight of God and how He loves them so very much.

Understand God's love for you and you will change the world for Him. Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.