Make your mind up before it matters, not in the heat of the moment.

Sex and Sexuality: it’s surprisingly often the case that we don’t really take the time to think through the really important things in life. And there’s not many things more important that sex and your sexuality! On top of that, there’s nothing in life where you’ll feel more peer pressure than over sexual matters. After all, when it can sometimes seem like everyone’s doing it, why shouldn’t you? Well, apart from the often-overlooked fact that sex under 16 is against the law, it’s about your dignity, your principles, your protection, being your own person — and, ultimately, feeling good about yourself.

So, this action is about not giving in to peer pressure. It’s about defining your own boundaries when it comes to sex. It’s not really measurable and it’s not for anyone else to know about. Instead it’s between you, yourself and God. It’s about promising yourself that you will take the time to work out what your attitudes are and will be on sexual matters, about what your boundaries are and will be when it comes to sexual engagement, and so on — no matter what everyone else is saying and doing.

Now, of course, there are all sorts of factors and guidelines and teaching and patterns that are influences on you in this. Not least your friends and also the media you’re constantly exposed to. But in the end, it really is still down to you what you do when it comes to sex. And that’s important to remember.

You’ll often find that your actions in the heat of the moment are much more principled if you’ve taken the time to think things through before you get to the crunch. (And this applies to a whole lot more than sex, too!) So take the time to think things through.