Becoming More that a Good Bible Study Girl in my Relationships.

When I read the title of the third unit, I thought to myself, “Oh good, I won’t need this chapter so much.” Wow, was I wrong. I may not have owned a copy of “The Official Preppy Handbook,” but I did eat and sleep everything the popular crowd did from elementary to high school. I desperately wanted to be one of those girls. I really didn’t understand why until recently. As God has begun to heal so many areas of my life, I have discovered the “whys” to many of the pains of childhood.


In this instance, acceptance by my peers drove me. The hunt to be accepted by the popular kids began at the tender age of eleven. I’ll never forget my first attempt and the humiliating failure that went with it. This popular boy in my class had discovered that my dad had bought me a set of NFL pencils. They were cool and very special to me. He devised a plan to swindle me out of them one by one. Does check “yes or no” ring any bells? Oh yes, that cute little note with the treasured words, “Will you be my girlfriend?” was passed to me in the hall by none other than one of the most popular and cutest boys of Tripp Middle School. But there was a catch, “don’t tell anyone.” I should have know right then! As each day passed he would ask for a pencil and I would willingly turn over my treasures to him. He was getting what he wanted, but I was not. No recognition, no affection, no nothing! I was frustrated and wanted to tell the whole school. He wanted nothing of the sort. So one day in class, someone asked him where he got the cool pencil. My best friend piped up and said, “From his girlfriend, Kimberly.” I puffed up, sat up straight and smiled so broad I thought my face would spilt! This would be the day he told all his popular friends about me! But instead he said, “Yea right, I only asked her to get the pencils. I would never date someone like her for real.” My world crashed around my feet. I can still feel the pain and humiliation to this day. I had been used.

Looking back on that horrible event in my life is not as painful as it once was. God has healed my broken heart. He also has taught me several things from it. First, I need only seek the approval of God to be truly happy. Second, when a relationship seems too good to be true, it probably is. When someone only wants something from you and gives nothing in return it’s time to “cut bait” and move on. Third, slipping into sin happens little by little. Each day I would let go of something I treasured. Not realizing that by the end of the whole mess he had most of my pencils. Satan uses this clever tactic with us. It’s just one drink, just one kiss, just one lie, just one....whatever. Soon you’ll discovery “your treasure” has been stolen from you too. And the kicker, you gave it away willingly.