:::Fifty Shades of Crap:::

Warning: What I am about to say will probably offend a lot of people... But I am not here to please the world, but to please Christ. 


There is a huge phenomenon sweeping our nation right now. It is filling countless people's minds with images that cannot be erased. The phenomenon is called Fifty Shades of Grey. As a person that works with youth, I decided to check out the book after hearing many of my students and fellow friends talk about the book. As a youth worker, it is my responsibility to know what this generation of students are putting into their minds. So, I picked up the book and started reading. I was absolutely appalled. What I found were pages filled with inappropriate images of lust, bondage, and manipulation. Needless to say, I never finished reading the book.

I respect my future husband too much to continue reading this book.
I respect myself too much to continue reading this book.
I respect Christ too much to continue reading this book.

Here's the deal: God is preparing a future husband for me. God is preparing me to be a wife. I want to honor my future husband by not indulging in books, movies, or anything that will hurt our future marriage. I want to honor him by not putting images in my mind that will hurt our future marriage bed. I want to honor him now because I love him now, even though I do not know who he is....Proverbs 31:12 "She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." A Proverbs 31 woman brings her husband good all the days of her life. This includes honoring him before I am married. This includes honoring him by not reading this book. 

Here's the deal: I respect myself as a woman. God has made me a woman. He says "I am worth more than rubies." Grey does not respect women. Grey does not honor women. This book does not honor women. ...If a man does not recognize that women are valuable, than he is not a man worth your heart. He is not a man worth your time. He is not a man worth your energy. 

Here's the deal: Christ bought you with His blood---His precious blood. This book is not honoring to Him. This book is not honoring to His plan for love and marriage. This book is not honoring to His plan for sex. This book is simply not worth your heart. It's not worth losing yourself in pages and pages of lust and lies----Christ is worth so much more than a temporary fill of a book. 

A real man does not lie.
A real man does not intimidate.
A real man does not manipulate.
A real man does not hurt.
A real man does not seek to please himself only.
A real man does not use women.
A real man does not mistreat his woman.
A real man knows how sacred his woman's heart is.
A real man honors his woman's purity.
A real man heroically protects his woman.
A real man will sacrifice for his woman.
A real man puts his woman before himself.
A real man seeks to serve his woman.
A real man will stand by his woman through the good and the bad.
A real man treats his woman like a treasure.
A real man seeks to draw his woman closer to the Lord.
A real man waits for his future wife.
A real man rescues his damsel in distress.
A real man holds his woman when she's hurting.
A real man puts Christ first, his woman second, and himself last.
A real man is patient with his woman.
A real man is not easily angered.
A real man is not prideful and he does not boast.
A real man stands by his woman and holds her up.
A real man is committed to his woman.
A real man guards his woman's heart.
A real man guards his eyes and mind.
A real man lifts his woman up in prayer.
A real man is courageous.
A real man loves with a Christ-like love.
Christian Grey---the main male character in this book---is not a real man.

I may not have finished the book, but I know some things that are absolutely true about this book...
This book shows a counterfeit relationship of the love and sacrifice that God designed for a man and woman to experience---within a marriage relationship. This book gives a false portrayal of the beauty of sex. Satan is all up in this book. I would say to you all--run far, far, far away from this book. Run to Christ instead. Let Him show you what love looks like. Let Him show you what sacrifice looks like. Let Him show you what sex was intended for.

If you are really into "love" novels----try reading "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers. This book talks about love. This book talks about commitment. This book shows a man that selflessly loves. This book shows a man who relentlessly pursues his woman. This book shows a man that doesn't lie, cheat and manipulate in order to get his way. This books shows a real man. This book shows real love. This book shows real commitment. Check it out.

If something isn't drawing you closer to the Lord---then it is taking you away from the Lord.

Die to yourself. Die to your sin. Die to your flesh. Put down the book. Pick up "Redeeming Love." Pick up the Bible. Fill your minds with things that will honor Christ. Fill your minds with things that will honor your future husband. Fill your minds with things that remind you of your worth in Christ. You are valuable.
You are worth a real man.
You are worth true love.
You are worth true sacrifice.
You are worth true commitment.
You are worth being pursued.
How do I know that? ...Because Jesus Christ was a real man. He made a real sacrifice. He is committed to you. He never stops pursuing you. He bought you with His blood and He thinks you are worth more than rubies.
Don't settle for our society's counterfeit idea of love, sex, and relationships.


Fifty Shades of Grey? Ha. More like Fifty Shades of Crap. Not worth your time or your heart.

In His grip,
HG