Dear Ladies:
Are you one of those BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL people who continually
spends all your time on a SUNSET BEACH thinking about ANOTHER WORLD? Well,
I used to be one of those people until I finally saw the GUIDING LIGHT
and came to realize that I only have ONE LIFE TO LIVE, so I'd better live
it for the Lord. I have learned very recently that as a born-again believer,
the DAYS OF OUR LIVES must not be spent in front of the television every
afternoon watching 3 or 4 hours of soap operas.
Instead, I had to learn to devote my time to reading
my Bible and praying first, and spend the rest of my days working with
ALL MY CHILDREN (my little day care kids that I keep every day). So, when
THE SECRET STORM of your soul begins, no matter if you work in a GENERAL
HOSPITAL or somewhere in PORT CHARLES - - - always remember that in your
personal SEARCH FOR TOMORROW AS THE WORLD TURNS from day to day, let Jesus
be your GUIDING LIGHT and I guarantee that you will never be YOUNG AND
RESTLESS.
Okay ladies - I hope I've made my point here. On a more
personal note, I want to tell anyone reading this that I was a soap opera
addict. I simply could NOT get through my day without watching CBS soaps
Monday through Friday from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Furthermore, I've been doing
this since I was about 15 years old. Whenever I wasn't in school or at
work - I'd be planted in front of the TV watching those soaps. For years
I even taped them so I wouldn't miss them. They were #1 on my list of top
10 most important things to do --- at least until November, 1997.
Suddenly, one evening after hearing Doreen Crandell
( from WTLR Radio) speak to our local organization of Fellowship of Christian
Peace Officers, the light came on for me. Doreen mentioned Philippians
4:8 which reads: "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of
good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise,
let your mind dwell on these things." Then she casually mentioned something
about women watching the soaps - but I can hardly remember what she said
because that verse was like a slap in the face for me. I knew at that very
moment that I would not be watching soaps anymore. I was extremely convicted
of watching them. Look at the verse in Philippians 4:8 and ask yourself
if any of those traits which we, as Christians, are to focus on can be
found in soap operas. Well, if you're honest with yourself as I had to
be, you'll soon come to realize that soaps should NOT be watch by any woman
who is a professing Christian and who claims to love the Lord.
Ask yourself another question. Think about sitting there
in your living room watching that hot, steamy sex scene (which we all know
is what soaps are made up of). Suddenly, the doorbell rings. You get up
and go to the door and guess who's standing there. . . none other than
the Lord Jesus Christ. What's your first instinct??? Now be honest with
yourself. Are you going to invite the Lord in and ask HIM to sit down with
you and finish watching the soaps??? I'll bet that not a single professing
Christian would be comfortable watching those smutty programs with Jesus
sitting right there in the same room.
You're probably thinking, "So what"!!! I'm in the privacy
of my own home - I'm not bothering anyone else - and Jesus didn't come
knocking at my door, and He isn't going to, either. Well, you're right
about a couple things, but you're wrong about the most important thing.
Jesus IS right there with you. Don't you realize that once you are saved
and have believed in Him as your personal Savior that His spirit indwells
you and He is with you every moment of every day??? It doesn't matter where
you are - He is with you. He sees every single thing you see --- He's with
you every single place you go --- He hears every single word you say ---
He knows every single thought before you think it. Literally, you have
taken the pureness of Jesus Christ into your home and forced Him to behold
the smut you watch every day. Furthermore, this doesn't just apply to the
ladies, for I know many men who watch the soaps, and I know many people
who watch other things in the privacy of their homes that they wouldn't
want just anybody to know about. Just remember, no matter what it is and
no matter where you are --- HE IS THERE WITH YOU!!! For me, this was a
very sobering thought, and one which changed my life for the better.
Was it easy for me to quit the soaps?? Absolutely not!!!
The day I stopped watching those shows was one of the hardest things I
ever had to do. It was hard because I was an "addict". For many weeks I
was tempted to turn them back on, but with God's help - I'm thrilled to
say that since I turned them off in November, 1997 I haven't watched them
again. For a long time I didn't even want to hear others talk about what
was going on in the soaps because I was afraid of being sucked back into
the sin of watching them. Five months later, I can honestly say I have
NO desire to watch them, nor do I miss them anymore. I take no credit for
these feelings, however. I committed this matter to the Lord and asked
Him to purge the sin of soaps from my life and He did just that. If anyone
reading this needs help or advice regarding an addiction like mine, please
feel free to e-mail me. I'll tell you everything that helped me through
my most difficult days, but mostly - I'll pray with you and for you about
the problem.
You are guest number
since March 5, 1998!
