The day the Rolling Stone Magazine that has the Jonas Brothers on the cover, hit the stands; I posted an article on WhyPurity.org. The article spoke of how the picture conveyed a message opposite from the message of purity which they have proclaimed for years through their rings. Some understood, few agreed and most slammed me, not always in the nicest ways. My points were only proven, but not accepted, so I felt like giving up. But God always seems to have a way to pull you back to where He wants you.

August 12th, 2008, as I lay asleep in my bed in the early hours of the morning, I had one of those very real dreams, so real, I was sure it was happening before me.

I was sitting in a crowd at a theater, there was a play happening before me. Out of respect, I won’t say which, but one of the Jonas Brothers was on stage with another girl. It was a romantic scene where they were flirting. Then Jonas started taking his coat off, which of course excited the girls in the crowed as they screamed in high pitched joy! But inside me, I was getting nervous. I literally saw another one of me next to me; you know how you will argue with yourself sometimes? That’s what I was doing, Me 1, shall we say, said to Me 2, “Are you worried?”

Me 2 replied to Me 1, “Come on, he’s a Jonas; I’m sure he won’t do anything too obnoxious.”

Right as Me 2 was saying that, Jonas’s entire shirt came off. I wanted to stand up and speak for this to stop. Someone who I didn’t see was saying to me, “Say something! Stop this before it is too late!”

But Me 2 kept saying, “I’m sure it’ll be OK; he’d never do anything that bad.”

Torn between two, I continued to watch. It was taking everything I had to not jump up and say something, but I was afraid if I did that I would only be embarrassed and pushed down for thinking Jonas would do such an outrageous thing as go farther than he had already gone.

But the concerns were correct, and very soon Jonas was completely naked on the stage and I knew that that other voice speaking to me had been the Lord telling me to say something. Because I hadn’t listened and obeyed, it was now too late.

Here is the honest truth, I was seriously considering giving up on trying to stand up for the Jonas Brothers, and get to the Jonas Brothers, but I feel the Lord telling me, “ErikaLeigh, why are you stopping? Remember, it’s not you standing, it’s not you speaking. It is I who speak through you. Don’t shut down; let Me use you.”

I am not perfect; I am a wretched sinner, so why the Lord has chosen to use me is a mystery because there is no good inside of me! But that doesn’t change the fact that He obviously did choose me because He has used me. He has spoken His words through me and changed lives, so why on earth have I been considering shutting up? Forgive me, Lord, for doubting Your wisdom and power.

The Jonas Brother’s jacket has come off, slowly but surely the shirt is coming, too. Stop it now! We are called to prayers and words, trusting that the Lord can turn things around. He says, “You do not have, because you do not ask,” (James 4:2) so ask. Ask not only for strength for Kevin, Joe and Nick, but also strength for yourself. And I covet your prayers as well, for I am a sinful teenage girl and could just as easily fall.

Lord, put the jackets back on all of our shoulders, and bring us back into Your safe embrace as You remind us of the hope we have in You.