(The following is written with my daughter’s permission.)

I am so very proud of the young lady she has grown to be. She has set many personal goals, and has been committed to seeing those goals come to fruition. Her desire has been to work in law enforcement, and this goal is about to become reality. She set out to receive a degree in criminal justice, and, with the exception of one class she has to complete, this goal is now fulfilled.

Several years ago, she decided she wanted to play the drums, so her mother and I purchased her a set and she taught herself how to play. Using this talent she was part of a praise band in high school. They played at events such as See You at the Pole, as well as on campus Christian gatherings. She then decided she wanted to play the guitar, and again, she did this on her own. She has been serving as worship leader at our church for some time now, and it is all because of her tenacity in keeping her commitments.

She is now engaged to be married. As a matter of fact, her wedding date is only two weeks away (May 8, 2017). She and her fiancée originally planned the wedding for December, but because of her beginning her career with the police department, and because she would have no vacation time accrued for a honeymoon, I encouraged them to move the date up.

Now, to the point of this blog. Since they have announced their wedding date, and since the date was moved up significantly from the original date, my wife and I have had several individuals make the statement, “Well, she must be pregnant,” or “I guess you will be having another grandchild in about nine months,” or something to that effect.

Is it just an assumption in our society now that young adults who are in a serious relationship are sexually active? My daughter, at the age of 15, made a commitment to be sexually pure on her wedding day. She has remained true to that commitment. Those who are close to her know that she is a young lady with high standards of morality. She is not perfect, but she does strive for moral excellence.

I guess the thing that really saddens me most about this is that we have brought our standards of morality to such a low level. Those who strive to live by a higher standard are viewed as being abnormal. I am reminded of a statement made by the well-known preacher, Vance Havner: “The church is so subnormal that if it ever got back to the New Testament normal it would seem to people to be abnormal.” Why is it that young adults who commit to a life of sexual purity until their wedding night are thought to be abnormal? Because we have gotten so accustomed to the sub-normal!

Charity, I am so proud of you for so many things. Your mother and I want nothing but the best for you and Patrick. And the best, as we have always tried to teach you, is to follow the guidelines God has established for us in His Word. So, continue to strive for excellence according to His instructions, and you will always experience His rich blessings in your life, and in your marriage.