Exemplify Online- August 2009 Issue

In a 2008 article published by Focus on the Family (focusonthefamily.com) they reported, “by the age of 24, 89 percent of males and 92 percent of females have had intercourse.” The article goes on to say that “in the U.S. alone, there are 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) reported each year, with half of these cases occurring among 15-24-year-olds.”

I can’t say that I am totally surprised by these numbers. What does take me aback though is the high percentage of young women who are sexually active by the time they turn 24. An alarming majority of brides lay beside their husbands on their wedding night having not saved the gift of sexual purity for this special time.

Why? Why is there such a high percentage of young women giving themselves over to men who are not their spouses? What can we as mothers, leaders, and mentors do to encourage the young women around us to keep themselves pure until their wedding days?

To read the rest of this article on Holiness Before Marriage, check out this month's issue of Exemplify Online. (article can be found on page 22)