Sexual Purity

Back in high school I attended a “True Love Waits” conference. It was fun, Iota and Kingpin Wrecking Crew (two local Maine bands) were there and a few known leaders from the community. I remember how on fire I was for God back then. When I was under persecution, when it wasn't okay to be different. On my sixteenth birthday my parents got me a “True Love Waits” ring, it was my promise ring. To save sex for marriage, not that popular these days. I'm proud that my wife and I waited for marriage. On several occasions I've been in a conversation where people are talking about when they lost their virginity. Most people I've talked to lost it when they were between the ages of twelve to fifteen. When it comes to my turn, I have no shame in saying that I gave it away to my wife after we got married. There was a point in time, where I would be having these same conversations and my response would be, “I'm still a virgin.” Yes, I would get made fun of, but I wasn't having the same issues others were. Becoming a parent when I wasn't ready and getting nasty diseases. And some would look at me with amazement, and say they were proud of me, these people were non-believers.
Again, I'm proud of my wife and I, but the reason I am writing this isn't to talk about saving sex for marriage. This is actually talked about throughout the church and even outside the church. Instead, I'm here to talk about a bigger problem for staying sexually pure. A topic that most avoid because it is uncomfortable to talk about. This topic is pornography.
Yes I saved sex for marriage, but my eyes were not pure. My eyes were first exposed to pornography in third grade. From there it was planted in my mind. And I would end up being addicted to pornography down the road. It hurt my marriage, it hurt my friends and family. It hurt God.
I want to let the world know that pornography is not okay. It's not okay to look at another woman with lust, it's not okay to look at another man with lust. Yet, it can be found anywhere. It can be found online, it can be found at your local corner store. It can be found at grocery stores and gas stations. It is everywhere! I'm tired of it, I'm trying to be faithful to my wife and God. But everywhere I go it's there! I know I'm not the only man trying to flee temptation. And in the past I have not been successful in fleeing. Which means I'm not the only man not successful.
Currently I'm deployed. Pornography although illegal is like kids trading baseball cards. I won't mention people on here, because I'm not for getting people in trouble. But know, that in our first general order for being deployed it is illegal to posses pornography, but it's everywhere.
I'm so thankful for forgiveness, for God's forgiveness and especially my wife's forgiveness. I'm thankful for the prayers of my brothers at church and all my other brothers praying for me. I'm thankful for my wife's prayers. I'm thankful for your prayers.
Now to wrap this up. I've talked to my wife about this before but don't know how to go about it. I want to fight back against the pornography industry. I want to get it off the shelves of our stores, I want to get it offline. But living in this world, this world of sin. I know this will be hard, nearly impossible. I don't know where to start, and this is where you come in. I want to know how to stop this. Starting at the small level, starting on our store shelves. If you now how to start this process, please let me know. Or just go ahead and start it.
One last thing, if you are struggling with sexual purity. Talk to a friend, talk to a brother or sister. But there is also a group from one of my old churches in Colorado Springs called, “Pure Rebellion.” Check out there site.
Again, thanks to all for the prayers. God bless, and continue strong in the faith.