Many times we want to put God in one box and our entertainment in another and then wonder why our Christian walk isn’t exactly what we want it to be.

The truth is, until we accept that Christ isn’t a PART of our life but our WHOLE life, we will NEVER reach the place where we truly walk hand-in-hand with Him.

That doesn’t mean we have to give up everything fun!!

But we do have to choose wisely.

We can’t sing along to songs about murder, adultery, and other sins that God abhors on Saturday night and expect to engage in real worship on Sunday morning.

We can’t watch movies filled with violent rage or horror and then expect God to give us  sweet slumber.

Those images and sounds become a part of our minds. Imagine having a shelf filled with Bible verses and experiences with the Lord when a new shipment comes in. You’ve allowed vulgarity and violence a place in your mind and you have to find space for it right there next to the things of the Lord. It doesn’t seem quite so harmless anymore, does it?

There’s a reason we learned this song as kids: Oh be careful, little ears, what you hear…Oh be careful, little eyes, what you see…for your Father up Above is looking down in love…

He looks down with love because He doesn’t want us to be hindered in our walk with Him. He wants us to be truly free.

A few years ago I’d started having recurring nightmares of being sexually assaulted. Some of the dreams were new, but some were reliving tragic events of my past. I didn’t understand. I’d prayed through this and I know I’d forgiven my attackers and been set free. Yet here it was back again. Was the Lord showing me something? Did I not truly forgive?

As my husband and I began praying about why these dreams had started, we came to a startling realization: Shortly before they started, we’d begun watching a popular television show that deals with sex crimes right before bed. I was putting images of sex and violence in my head and then saying my prayers and expecting a peaceful night’s sleep.

Once I realized this connection, I became a lot more selective about what I watched, what I listened to, and what I read.

There are some very good Christian movies, songs, and books out there. I find inspiration in old classics as well as modern offerings. Each month I’ll feature a film, song, and book that made an impact on my life and helped to keep my faith unfaded…