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to compromise and the good character of my youth suffered.

I grew up in a good and loving Christian home. My parents, my church, and my community shaped my character. I was taught that "good girls" were required to live a noble life with good values. Quite simply, "good girls" behaved differently than "bad girls." Good girls did not go to places that were "off limits;" good girls wore certain types of clothes; good girls had good manners, were polite, and were respectful; good girls did not make out with boys; good girls did not smoke, drink, or even chew gum in public.

There were so many rules that "good girls" had to follow. So, after I graduated from high school, I decided that I was tired of being the "perfect" model of a "good girl" because the bad girls seemed to have more fun. When I went to college, I met girls who did not have the same values that I had and they were having a ball. I soon began to ignore my upbringing and started hanging out with some of the "bad girls" on campus.
It was true that being bad felt good. Before long, my character was growing increasingly bad. Over time, I did not recognize my former self. The lines between good and evil began to blur. After several months of confusion, I realized that I was no longer demonstrating the traits that were pleasing to the Lord. Having struggled between good and evil, I decided that it was easier to be myself, even at the risk of being called a hypocrite. When I was fed up, God transformed me to the point that I did not have evil desires any longer. God changed my thinking, my attitude, my behavior, and I began to walk in love again. I became more content with my life because God showed me that being good was okay.

Our character is the outward manifestation of who we really are on the inside. What you are on the inside will eventually show up on the outside. There is a direct correlation between your character and your ability to live a fulfilling life. In order to tap into the spirit from within, you must first examine who you are. If you have a habit of doing bad things, you cannot beat the odds until you change. You must realize that your character requires an overhaul and you must be willing to go through the process to change your life.
Unfortunately, there are so many people who have lived with character flaws for so long that they do not even know that there is anything wrong. Likewise, a person with a questionable character may seem to have beaten the odds and reached the pinnacle of success.

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