Repose

What is your opinion? Should one avoid music altogether? Only listen to Christian music? Listen to whatever kind of music, so long as there's no swearing or anything inappropriate? Or just listen to whatever? It's something I wonder about often. I'm curious as to how others feel.

I would say that it is. It is a lustful act. As per whether or not there's pain or an unbearable urge... There isn't pain caused by it. God doesn't lay more on us than we can handle, but the urges can prove... Difficult at times. It's like it can consume your thoughts and distract you, but that is why I advise prayer. In all things, restraint is wonderful. It may not be impossible to avoid such a thing completely, true, but that is by no means permission to emission.

Those are optional. They are meant to help with search options.

Never walk around alone; travel in a group for the sake of safety. Keep a can of pepper spray. Find time to rest. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Even God rested on the seventh day. Plan things out beforehand. Like me, I arrange my outfit for tomorrow before I go to bed and set it beside the bed. That way, I get up, and it's much less fuss. Working hard now means working far less later. Stand your ground. College professors are some of the worst of the bunch. Sleeping with students to improve their grade, using persuasion in the classroom to try and make students think a certain way... I even heard of one taking a student to a concert and offering them shrooms. Respect them as a teacher, but hold firm if they come after you. No price can be placed on one's integrity.

So, it's been two years... And she never tried to contact you or wondered why you had not spoken to her? Sounds to me more like she did it herself, or if her brother did do it, she had no objections. Either way, i'd say the relationship is over. Maybe in the future, just specify that you got blocked and haven't spoken, so you guess it's been over for a while. I'd back up Gandalf's advice about not thinking about girls at your age. It may not seem that way what with puberty and many of the other kids around you seemingly being "active," but there's better things in life. Women are confusing and honestly overrated (we still love 'em though). I wish I had focused more in school, rather than focusing on girls so much; Never had any luck anyway, so it was a waste of time. You have to lay a foundation before you can build a house, you know? Enjoy your youth while you have it.

So he is DOING rather than believing? Recall how many of the Pharisees are described, and how much Jesus emphasizes the heart rather than one's works, such as the sermon on the mount. Many people out there feed the poor and bow down to pray... But they take a picture of themselves working at the shelter, in order to show off and recieve praise from others. Many bow down and pray in public, but yet again, they do this out of pride rather than faith in God. That, or as good boy points, in belief that good works equal salvation. Luke 17:7-10 "Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Won't he rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that, you may eat and drink'? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" I would say it sounds like your friend has faith IN MIND rather than in his heart. If he wishes to grow closer to God, he must grow in the faith. Pray for him.

Wait, probably. A baby needs care and attention, and if nobody else is around to babysit, then it falls to you. Wait until the baby is either old enough or you've got someone who could babysit while you work. If you're worried about ppd, find something to do while the baby naps that still keeps you close by and alert. Reading the Bible, crossword puzzles, surfing the web (not games though, nothing too distracting that you can't easily step away from), anything close by. Working out can also have benefits on one's mental well-being, though with being a mother, I wouldn't be surprised if that just sounded exhausting and tiresome.

"I am worried about how other people see me." "So do not worry about how other people see you." That is what I like to call unhelpful and empty advice. It's like telling a smoker to stop smoking, like it's some kind of magic spell where POOF, due to that advice (more of a statement, really), they suddenly don't smoke anymore. It sounds like a lack of confidence to me. I know it might sound strange, but working out might help. When you feel good, you feel more confident. If it's a matter of attractiveness, different strokes for different folks; people are more than their appearance anyway. Then, while this may seem like the empty advice above, consider for a second what people looking at you and judging you would even mean. One person cares enough about how you're talking and mocks you in their mind... Woopdeedoo. It's silly enough that they even bother to care that much. Shrug them off. Take it as a compliment, even.

It always amazes me the small things people become violent or homicidal over. A guy gets killed because he had $3 on him, or gunned down for wearing the wrong color shirt in the wrong place. I even watched a Dateline where this man got sniped because he reasonably dismissed the killer from his frathouse two years previously for making a joke about sleeping with his girlfriend. The killer seriously waited for two years to get revenge for something stupid that he himself caused. I wouldn't fret about this guy's slap on the wrist. He'll get his.

You pray alone. If you want others to join in, however, I did see a Prayer Request forum. It's not a direct grouping, but many prayers still.

Yes. Jesus is called the lamb, and took the place of the sacrificial lamb (without blemish) for the Passover.

Does a person receive the Holy Ghost only if they ask for it? Or is it something earned? Is it possible to have the Holy Ghost, and yet not know it? Or is it possible for one to believe that they have the Holy Ghost, yet lack it in actuality?