Part 2 Dave and Bethlie discuss the book And The Bride Wore White.

Chapter 2-4 about Satan's lies.

His lies haven't really changed (Gen. 3:1-13)

"Did God really say that?"

"God is keeping something good from you."

"A little won't hurt you."

"Now that you've fallen, God has no use for you."

There is no debating with the devil.

We must learn truth and shut him down with truth.

Chapter 6 about Purity being a process.

Realizing:

*I was not born pure. (We are born innocent, but we are also born sinners.)

*I will face the beast of lust, perhaps over and over again, but that in itself is not

a sin. Rather it is a chance to develop my purity by talking to God, talking to a

friend, and making a fast, strategic exit.

*I can become pure. (Pg 57)

Chapter 7 about envisioning a Godly Husband.

One of Charity's favorite chapters, simply because the author encourages girls to dream about and pray for the man that God has for them. (Incidentally, when I was praying for David Young, I was dreaming of a handsome man with dark, curly hair, blue eyes, and dimples. The Lord loves me! Ironically, David wasn't even saved when I started praying for him!)

Chapter 8-12 give practical and Biblical tools to maintain purity including awesome dating advice.

*Woven throughout the book is Bob and Dannah's love story, how they met, how they dated, broke up, got back together, became engaged, and eventually married.

Self-control and self-denial

Modesty in dress and conduct

Having the right kind of conversations. ("Foul lines"—things you won't discuss until you

are ready to be married.) (pg 98-99)

Be sure you (and the one you're interested in) love God MOST.

Being open to wise counsel, particularly from parents.

Conclusion

The book finishes with God's beautiful, sacred plan for sexuality.

There are "letters" in the appendix which deal with things like

sexual abuse

pornography

fatherlessness

abortion

singleness

Dave and Bethlie discuss the book And The Bride Wore White.

And The Bride Wore White takes the "purity talk" to a whole new level. Dannah Gresh is conversational, humorous, vulnerable, and frank, all while supporting every point with Scripture. Reading the book is like hearing from a loving big sister. It's written for high school through college aged girls, and we recommend that moms and their girls (or youth pastor's wives and teen girls) read it together. Charity and I read it together, and we had some great conversations. Be advised that Dannah is careful but frank about cultural struggles and purity issues. If we're being honest, our children, even if we feel they are totally protected from outside influences, are hearing what our world has to say about sexuality. It is worth it to prepare them with truth for the lies that our culture presents.

Dannah is also open and honest (again, carefully) about her own purity failure as a teen. My fear when I first picked up the book, was that it would present her "fall" or "struggle" in such a way that it would give license to sexual sin because, after all, that's what grace is for, right? But that is not at all Dannah's heart. Her desire is to keep girls from the shattering heartache and years of guilt and shame that Satan and our world never promises, but always delivers. The book also addresses how to allow the Lord to free you from sexual sin and to live in victory and healing grace.

*Charity told me that she felt the frankness of the book is needed to make sure every area of purity is well-covered and there is no room for "loop-hole" mentality. She said, "Mrs. Gresh makes sure she tells you every area that is wrong."

Chapter Titles Include:

And the Bride Wore White:

Deciding to Live a Lifestyle of Purity

Satan's Big Fat Sex Lies:

Learning to Recognize the Truth

Satan's Biggest, Fattest Sex Lie:

Resisting the Lure to Sin

Breakin' Up is Hard to Do:

Breaking off Sinful Relationships in Three Steps

Purity is a Process:

Defining Innocence and Purity

Purity Dreams of Its Future:

Envisioning a Godly Husband

Purity is Governed by Its Value:

Discovering Your Value in God's Eyes

Discovering Your Value in the Eyes of Others

Purity Speaks Boldly:

Preparing Your Tongue for Dates

Purity Loves Its Creator at any Cost:

Pursuing a Love Relationship with Jesus

Purity Embraces Wise Guidance

Inviting your Parents into Your love Life

Purity Watches Burning Flames:

Finding M.O.R.E. to Help You

Each chapter begins with a testimony from a teen or college student who is walking or learning to walk in purity. One of the teen girls to whom I gave this book said that those testimonials really spoke to her.

Every Chapter also begins with Scripture, the very first passage being Titus 2:11-13, "For the Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" And so chapter one starts with saying NO to ungodliness and worldly lust, but emphasizing that we cannot maintain that purity on our own.

Every chapter ends with a reflection prompt allowing the reader to journal some ways that the Lord is convicting or encouraging them.

Join Dave and Bethlie as they look at Psalm 107. Get in the spirit of thanksgiving together.

Happy Thanksgiving and thank you SO much for listening to the Keeping It Young Podcast!

In this episode, Dave and Bethlie discuss "Good Pictures Bad Pictures," a critical resource for porn-proofing today's young kids in an age where internet pornography is accessible, affordable, anonymous, and aggressively seeking out our children. This book provides parents with practical tools and age-appropriate language to help children develop their own internal filter against harmful content before they're exposed to it. We'll explore why protecting our kids from pornography is essential and how this book equips families with a proactive plan to address one of the most dangerous threats facing children today.

1. Young children are being exposed to Internet Pornography
   1. They tell several devastating stories of real kids damaged by it
   2. These kids prompted the book
2. Porn is accessible to children and is anonymous and affordable (free)
3. When it comes to kids and pornography, ignorance is risk.
   1. A child's brain is wired to imitate what it sees
   2. A child is therefore more vulnerable to porn
   3. Viewing porn alters a child's brain in such a way that it easily leads to an addiction that is harder to overcome than drugs or alcohol
4. 100% of kids who choose to continue to view porn after an initial exposure are negatively influenced
   1. Today's porn has metastasized into degrading violence, rape, sex with children, group sex, and horrors that cannot be spoken outlaid.
   2. Addiction is very real
   3. Porn is a sinister counterfeit because it teaches that sex is a form of self-gratifying and often violent diversion instead of a way to build a loving committed relationship with someone they trust.
5. Kids must develop their own internet filters.
   1. Its called porn-proofing
   2. It teaches kids what porn is
   3. It teaches them why it is harmful to their brains
   4. It teaches them how to minimize impact once they have been exposed

About the chapters

Chapter 1 defines pornography

Chapter 2 defines addiction

Chapter 3 discusses the "feeling brain" (as opposed to the "thinking brain")

Chapter 4 discusses the "thinking brain"

Chapter 5 discusses how to put the two together

Chapter 6 My brains attraction center

Chapter 7 How Porn tries the brain into an addiction

Chapter 8 A CAN DO plan

Chapter 9 Escaping the poison of pornography

About the CAN DO plan

1. Close my eyes immediately
2. Always tell a trusted adult
3. Name it when I see it
4. Distract myself
5. Order my thinking brain to be the boss

Part 4 in the series on the book The DNA of Parent-Teen Relationships.

Chapter 5. How to Argue with Teenagers and Come Out as Closer Friends

1. 5,000 adults asked what they wished their parents had done differently during times of conflict
   1. They wished their parents had listened more
   2. They wished they could have talked about feelings more.
   3. They wished they had talked to their parents more
2. Begin by listening - James 1:19
   1. Sometimes we men don't know what to say to connect to our children's emotions - listening is a huge part of the battle
3. Allow their emotion to touch you
   1. Take time to feel their pain
   2. Take time to feel their sadness
4. Four destructive ways to argue
   1. Continually withdrawing from an argument
   2. Letting them escalate into hurtful name calling fights
   3. Belittling or invalidating each other during an argument
   4. Believing that a family member is tryin to hurt, frustrate, or cause fear on purpose.
5. Drive-thru talking!

Chapter 7 Democracy can bring responsibility to your home

1. This is the chapter where they talk about making a contract
   1. See p. 118 for the why have one
   2. And p. 118 on how to develop one
2. p. 125 They give advice on Dating

Part 3 in the series on the book The DNA of Parent-Teen Relationships.

Chapter 6 Finding the Best solution to any conflict

1. Making Wise decisions is having the ability through discretion and extensive knowledge to sensibly discern and judge something before receiving and acting upon it.
2. Power struggles cause the most issues with teens
3. The key is to find a solution that both can feel good about
4. Keys:
   1. Establish rules about discussing conflicts
      1. 10 rules for fair fighting
      2. The calmer the argument, the better the chance of an honoring outcome.
5. With teens agree ahead of time on what the consequences of poor choices will be.

Chapter 7 Democracy can bring responsibility to your home

1. Real freedom is having the inner power to do what is best for all concerned.
2. Immaturity is lacking the power to do what we know is right and not being able to delay gratification
3. This is the chapter where they talk about making a contract
   1. See p. 118 for the why have one
      1. A written and signed document has tremendous power to keep peoplein harmony with agreed-upon, loving rules
   2. And p. 119 on how to develop one
      1. You have to read the book for all the details, but here are a few thoughts:

1. 1. 1. 1. Younger kids need less contract
         2. Teens need more
         3. Use precise wording that makes expectations clear
            1. We have recommended this in blended families especially
            2. The more involved in the agreement the greater the outcome
      2. There is a section here with some very practical advice:
         1. On asking questions - important to teach our teens
            1. We taught ours the Daniel method based on Daniel 1
         2. On Cleanliness is good too
            1. Their rooms had to be clean before leaving for school or no TV for 24 hours

Dave and Bethlie continue their series on the book The DNA of Parent-Teen Relationships.

Chapter 5. How to Argue with Teenagers and Come Out as Closer Friends

1. 5,000 adults asked what they wished their parents had done differently during times of conflict
   1. They wished their parents had listened more
   2. They wished they could have talked about feelings more.
   3. They wished they had talked to their parents more
2. Begin by listening - James 1:19
   1. Sometimes we men don't know what to say to connect to our children's emotions - listening is a huge part of the battle
3. Allow their emotion to touch you
   1. Take time to feel their pain
   2. Take time to feel their sadness
4. Four destructive ways to argue
   1. Continually withdrawing from an argument
   2. Letting them escalate into hurtful name calling fights
   3. Belittling or invalidating each other during an argument
   4. Believing that a family member is tryin to hurt, frustrate, or cause fear on purpose.
5. Drive-thru talking!

We're taking a break from our book study this week and focusing on a very important topic in our society. During this season of high emotions in our country, join Dave and Bethlie as they look at emotions and personality from a Biblical standpoint.

This episode originally aired on episode 142.