“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” - Psalm 73:25-26

Spending time with high school girls has opened my eyes to the battle here on earth.  When I was a teenager, I mostly struggled with lying and talking back to my parents.  Today, the stakes have been raised, and teenagers are dabbling in sex and doing everything they can to improve self image. The battles they face each day are far beyond their maturity level.  They giggle and blush about kissing, yet they have no qualms about meeting a boy behind the bleachers and giving everything to him.  They try so hard to fit into this world.

Their struggles have made me look inward to see my own.  I too try to fight battles that are beyond my maturity level.  Rather than always looking toward God, I find myself falling flat on my face after trying to solve my life on my own.  Yesterday on my way into work, I prayed that God would give me the strength to keep my eyes on Him and not surrender to the temptations all around me.  Gossip, dirty jokes and conversations, pride, competition, and so many other temptations come ramming at me the moment coworkers filter through the doors.  Have you ever felt like this world is one great big battle, and you find yourself surrounded by a band of warriors with their weapons raised?  That's where I find myself now.  How can I honestly and honorably teach young teenage girls how to live a life worshipping God when I don't do that myself? 

Jesse and I are reading A Purpose Driven Life right now, trying to refocus on why we are really here.  One of the truths that has stuck with me is that EVERYTHING we do can be worship to God.  Meditating on that simple fact has convicted me.  I'm sure God did not feel worshipped when I laughed at an inappropriate joke.  And I'm sure God did not feel like I had a spirit of praise when I envied someone else's life situation.

So I'm putting on the armor of God.  "Earth has nothing I desire besides you."
When the weapons are raised, remembering "God is my fortress and my strength."