Christian Girls Just Want To Have Fun By Jen Briggs
Cliché title? Definitely, but it is true. There is a certain stigma about the ability of Christians to have fun, whether male or female. I am not sure how it started, but it might date back to when Charlton Heston threw a couple tablets at a crowd of people on set when they were not listening to his monologue. All joking aside, I think it has more to do with the fact that Christians have to follow a bunch of rules that seemingly prevents them from having any fun. There’s no lying, cheating, coveting, adultery and so on allowed. Although that is true, and I try to live up to that standard to the best of my ability (like 5% of the time) I miss the mark even on a good day. Are there such things as good days anyway? I would rather focus on things I like to do. Like many others, I like to have fun. Fun can be a relative term since we all have different hobbies and interests. Mine include reading, writing, watching movies, cooking, baking and hanging out with friends. Even in hanging out with friends, there’s a wide variety of activities I like to do. That time is usually filled with laughter, crying (which is not always fun and sorry for bringing up this downer) and sometimes laughing so hard we cry (see, it is not
“The ability to have fun without guilt or burdens allows me to experience freedom and take another step toward being the woman God created me to be.” always a downer to cry.) With the summertime here, pedicures are on the agenda, trips to the beach, possibly waking up early to go hiking (heavy emphasis on possibly as I like to sleep in), BBQs, time spent at the pool and camping. My list of things I can do, and enjoy doing, is actually much easier to think about than the things I cannot do. I do not mean to say that I do not ever do the things I should not do… I definitely do, hence the questioning of the 5% earlier but, to be honest, even on those downer days when I know I have messed up beyond the last biggest mess up from the hour before, I am still able to have fun. Whether a conversation with a friend turns serious or it is an afternoon full of laughs, fun can happen anywhere. Do you ever notice that when you focus on the things you cannot do, like eating that third or fourth brownie, you really want to do it that much more? Or when you focus on the negative, it is all you want to think about? Maybe it is just me. Flipping the switch is not always easy. Sometimes it takes a few minutes while other times it takes days or even weeks, but as soon as I let go of the things (a little bit more significant than the brownie craving), I am able to see the list of don’ts as protection. The world can be tempting at times. And sometimes it may seem like there are things I am missing out on, but the ability to have fun without guilt or burdens allows me to experience freedom and take another step toward being the woman God created me to be. Moral of this story? Christian girls just want to have fun. And we can and do! Yes, there are things we cannot and should not do, but there’s a beautiful summer ready to be enjoyed! Jen Briggs has been going to First Cov since high school. She enjoys reading, writing and baking. Jennifer is involved in the As You Are (AYA) ministry and Young Professionals.