It's all a lie

I want to talk about something I feel very passionately about. I want to talk about how the media is affecting the way we think, act, and feel. This has affected my self confidence and I don't want it to affect anyone else's.
A couple of weeks ago, I came across this girl's blog who wrote about modesty and how sorry she is to the guys who have to see immodesty wherever they go. Reading this blog, it changed my view on modesty and that it isn't only affecting me and how I act, but it is making it even harder for the boys around me, when they are already being pressed with immodest images everywhere they go. (Here is the link to this article if anyone wants to read it, and I highly suggest it: http://bemalleable.wordpress.com/2013/12/31/sincerely-one-of-many-girls-who-care/)
But every girl is faced with the dilemma of dressing modestly and showing her self respect or trying to get a guy's attention. I know how frustrating it is to see the guy you like drooling over the 'hottest' girl in school who hardly wears any clothes, who has perfect hair and perfect skin, and has the best body. It's so tempting to want to wear that shorter of shorts or a skimpy swimsuit just to see if he will notice you instead. But let me tell you, it is not worth it to slip. Guys who notice you because of how little you are wearing, are not noticing you for you. They are noticing you because they want to see what you are giving them. Respect yourselves and respect the young men who are fighting so hard.
To all young men, don't let the media win this battle. Us girls need strong young men who can care for us and respect us so we can respect ourselves. We need to be commended for not slipping and staying true to who we are. I know that it is hard to be a teenage boy in these times. In the blog I mentioned earlier she says to the boys, "Don't you think you'd want to wait for a girl who will encourage you on your walk with God? Who will work in protecting your purity? Who will respect you and encourage you to follow your dreams? Who will see you as redeemed? Who will be by your side during the good AND bad? Too often, it is girls who are told not to settle for a guy. But guys, the same goes for you. Don't waste your time and emotions on a girl who really could care less about you and just wants you for what you will do for her. You too deserve someone who will see you as amazing and treat you accordingly."
The media tell us all lies. Everything is a lie. Yet, it is controlling our thoughts, and even worse, it controls how we feel about ourselves. When I was younger, I started feeling self conscience because every single girl on TV, movies, magazines, etc. had stick thin legs. I do not have stick thin legs. I was blessed with strong, curvy legs and I have had to accept that. But it is so hard to love what I look like when every girl getting praise from boys has itty bitty legs. This is my weakness and where Satan gets his grasp on me because sometimes I fall into his traps and believe that the only pretty girls are the ones that wear a size 0. But I am here to tell you all that EVERYTHING THE MEDIA SAYS IS GARBAGE. I'm not saying that if you do have itty bitty legs, that you are ugly, because that isn't true either. But the media pushes so hard on the fact that girls have to look a certain way, that if we don't look that certain way, it's hard for us to feel beautiful.
In a world where the media is everywhere, it is hard to escape from it all. But I can promise that as long as you try to distance yourselves and ask yourself who you really are, it will make all the difference. The media can't determine who is beautiful and who can get a boyfriend. That is up to us to change the way the world thinks. This right here is Satan's biggest tactic to get control over us. And it is successful for him. He knows how we think and he knows our weaknesses. We have to be stronger than him and show him that we know who we are and we are going to treat and love ourselves that way.
I have very strong feeling about this and I'm sorry this post was all over the place, I have so many thoughts. I hate what the media portrays. I wish it would disappear and not pressure us all into thinking that there is only one 'cookie cutter' form of beauty. It's all a lie. Remember that. Please remember. Satan never wants you to feel good enough. If we try to live by what the media says, we will never amount to anything, because there will always be something wrong or something we are lacking. But in God's eyes, we all are good enough because we are fighting. You must show that effort and He will notice and He will bless you and protect you from the onslaughts of Satan. He knows what we are all going through and He wants to help so badly. We must make that effort to overcome, though. We have to try. I beg with the girl who wrote the blog article as well as many others that both men and women: fight and love yourself for who you are and what you look like. Self confidence is key and it goes a long way, and the media can't determine how you feel about yourself, it has to come from you.

O Remember, Remember

Today I just feel like sharing some of my favorite quotes. In one way or another each one of these have affected my life and I hope at least one will touch you.

"The trick is to enjoy life. Don't wish away your days waiting for better ones ahead." -Marjorie Hinckley

"Lighthouses don't go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining."

"Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus." -Neal A. Maxwell

"God's love is there for you whether you deserve it or not." -Jeffery Holland

"We're all just walking each other home." -Ram Dass

"Lord, you placed the stars in the sky, yet you call me beautiful."

"God is for us, so it doesn't matter who is against us." -Al Foxx

"Hard times will constantly be there. But so will Christ." -Al Foxx

"Because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we don't have to." -Jeffery Holland

"I just want people to see Christ in me. I don't even care if they know my name, as long as they get to know my God."

"If you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday, what would you have?"

"I believe in Christ, so come what may."

"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So, love the people who treat you right and forget the ones who don't. And believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance- take it; if it changes your life- let it. Nobody said it would be easy... They only promised it would be worth it."

"Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." -2 Timothy 2:3

"God made you.. And God doesn't make mistakes."

"If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything."

"We become what we want to be by constantly being what we want to become."

"You can't live your life worrying that the world is staring at you. When you let people's opinions make you self conscious you give away your power... The key to feeling confident is to always listen to your inner self-the real you. And in the kingdom of God, the real you is more precious than rubies." -Jeffery Holland

"Every time we reach out, however feebly, for Him, we discover He has been anxiously trying to reach us." -Jeffery Holland

"You are not defined by your circumstances." -Robert Hales

"Preach the gospel always, and if necessary, use words."

"This is an important thing. When you encounter another person, when you have dealings with anyone at all, it is as if a question is being put to you. So you must think, What is the Lord asking of me in this moment, in this situation?" -Gilead

Again, these are just a few of the many quotes that have touched me and I hope that you remember who you are and what you can become. Remember that no matter what you are loved and there are good times ahead.

The Saratov Approach

Last night my parents and I went to the movie last night to see The Saratov Approach. For those of you who don't know what this movie is about, it is based on the true story that happened in 1998 when two Mormon missionaries were kidnapped in Russia.
The story is incredible. These missionaries showed such amazing faith and dedication to the Lord. The captors captured them for ransom money, but the church could not pay the money because then the church would be a target to receive money. The missionaries knew that the money wouldn't come but prayed they would be protected, and they always prayed for their captors. They prayed they would feel the love of Christ and have their hearts softened towards them. I know we are told to pray for our enemies, but to pray for someone who kidnapped you would be so incredibly hard.
My favorite thing that was said was "light will always overcome darkness". I know that the light of Christ will always conquer the darkness Satan brings to life. Things will happen, nobody or nothing is perfect, but if you have faith in the only perfect being, then you will win.
My favorite part of the movie was so intense and brought me to tears. One of the missionaries managed to get the keys to the handcuffs and unlock them. They were free to escape. They made a plan to trap the captors and knock them out and get away. When they were all set up, the missionary who took the key stopped because he didn't feel right. They were all set up for their plan and to escape and he felt that this wasn't the way they were going to survive. He knew that God had a plan for everyone, including them. He knew that God would bring them to of this situation and to safety. So, he went back and they locked themselves back up. If that doesn't show faith, I don't know what faith is. That was probably the biggest example of faith I have ever seen. My testimony increased dramatically.
Though we all may not be kidnapped and handcuffed in a dirty apartment by two satanic men, but we will have trials of our own. We will be tried and tested of our faith, just like these missionaries. It would have been so easy for these men to be mad at God for their situation and blame Him, but they didn't. They prayed and knew that He would perform miracles. We can receive the same blessings in our life if we show Him we trust Him and we truly do have faith in Him.
If you have not seen this movie, I strongly encourage you to! You will be touched and inspired!