Spring Cleaning Your Facebook Account

During the year of 2010, 250 million NEW people joined Facebook bringing the total users on Facebook at the end of 2010 to 600 million! Facebook is growing and the pressure to be there is not going away.  It's the new front porch. 


Last summer I went on evening runs through my new neighborhood and it was the dogs, crickets and me outside.  Everyone else seemed to be inside enjoying their family, air conditioning, computers, and televisions.  I thought - I know my friends on Facebook, blogland and twitterville better than my next door neighbors! 

So let me preface all that I am about to say about Facebook with this statement: Technology is neutral.  It can be used for good or bad.  We, the sinners, determine whether we are going to use it for good or evil.  

I personally enjoy Facebook but for those who regularly participate we can find secret sins creeping in - or worse - our sinful heart is revealed for all to see. And I wonder if we should PAUSE and do some spring cleaning in this area of our lives.

I Timothy 5:13 warns young women about becoming  "idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not." ESV   Facebook is an easy place for women to become idle and busy bodies.  So Let's Ask Ourselves:

Am I using Facebook to complain about my husband, children, the weather etc?

Am I measuring my worth based on how many friends I have?

Am I portraying a fake reality?

Am I addicted to checking my page every 30 minutes?

Have I used a sharp tongue toward someone and need to apologize?

Do I have some bikini shots up from 5 years ago that need deleted? (read my modesty post here)

Am I married and flirting with a guy (other than my husband) on Facebook?

Am I married and developing a deep emotional connection with a man other than my husband on Facebook (read my post about this here)?

Am I ignoring my children or husband to hang out on the front porch?

Do I feel excluded from some of my friends when they post pictures together and get jealous?

Am I feeling envious of someone's house, car, clothes, friendships, status, looks etc? 

Am I distracted in my daily life by a Facebook debate?

Am I malicious when I respond to someone with thoughts that oppose mine?

Am I using my status updates to brag?

Am I using the information I've read on Facebook to gossip with friends in real life about a friend on Facebook?

Look at this extensive list of dangers that exist each time we log onto Facebook!  Did you realize all the temptations that Facebook opens up for you?  I honestly did not the first time I created my account.  Yet - as I sat down to write this post these thoughts came pouring out of my mind in rapid fire.  Why?  Because I've either participated in the above sins or have been troubled as I have watched Christian sisters pulled into these danger zones.

Dear Christian sisters - we are followers of Christ - our Facebook accounts must reflect this!  We are the salt and light of the world - our Facebook updates must look different from the rest of the worlds.

I'm not saying that every status update must be a Bible verse or hymn.  BUT I am saying that our lives are not our own.  We belong to Jesus and so our finger tapping must reflect his heart - not ours.  Let's let Jesus permeate everything we do - from loving our husbands and children to hanging out on the front porch.  Pray for your friends, encourage them, be bold and share what you read in your quiet time, respond to friends in crisis, connect with missionaries and encourage them, pass on a blog link to a blog post you read today (hint hint lol!!!), or a youtube that speaks truth into your friend's lives.

And a good rule of thumb to follow is - no Facebook until you've read THE BOOK and have had some face to face time with your Heavenly Father.  You will need to be saturated in his truth to handle the onslaught of temptation and ministry that is presented to you everyday on Facebook.  I'm praying for you sisters!  Let's make a difference for the glory of God on Facebook!

Walk with the King!

This is linked to Titus 2sdays, We Are That Family, Raising Homemakers and A Holy Experience.

Today's post is a part of the "Put Your House In Order" Series. Please visit the ladies below!

• Organizing With a Label Maker - Smockity Frocks
• Spring Inspired Blocks Tutorial- The Casabella Project
• Trail Mix With Fruit Seeds and Chocolate - Good Cheap Eats
• Spring Cleaning Your Finances - Kingdom First Mom

Facebook and Inappropriate Relationships

I have been a Facebook user for over 2 years. I thoroughly enjoy connecting with everyone and daily I visit Facebook to catch up on what is happening in the life of family, friends, followers and other partners in ministry.


Facebook in and of itself is amoral. But because we live in a fallen world, every single user of Facebook is a sinner and therefore Facebook is sin filled. There are pitfalls at every turn that we must guard ourselves against.


We must guard against gossip, slander, and complaining spirits. We must guard against judgemental attitudes and being a busy body.


But today's post is about the biggest pitfall of all - inappropriate relationships. Within 5 days of being a Facebook user, old high school and college friends had found me and were befriending me. Old names from the past and memories that I had not pondered in 15 years flooded my mind. Some of the people from the past, I had close friendships with and others I barely even knew. But when the "friendship request" came into my email inbox I felt bad to "decline" anyone a friendship with me.


So I accepted everyone who requested a friendship for fear that they would know I declined them and have hurt feelings. I also accepted some friends because I was very curious to see what had happened in their lives in the last 15 years. So I had friendships with both men and women on Facebook...and there were some very awkward moments.


There were moments when men I never talk to at church would start commenting on my status - it felt weird but it's Facebook and this is what people do so I accepted it and moved on. It wasn't until I began to hear of marriages being broken and destroyed by these "innocent" Facebook friendships that I began to question "why in the world am I friends with guys on Facebook?"


After a good discussion with my husband about this (who is not a user of Facebook and was not thrilled that I was "friends" with guys - but was too kind to "forbid" it) we decided it was best that I delete every single guy from my friendship list (who were not relatives).


It was brutal...it was hard to delete a few of my pastors and friends who might wonder why suddenly they were "unfriended". After they were unfriended requests came in for me to "refriend" some of the guys and I ignored them. It was hard.


Why did I unfriend my guy friends? Was I doing something inappropriate? NO, I did not have any inappropriate friendships with men on Facebook BUT I know that "Satan is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour" (I Peter 5:8) and I am fresh meat he'd just love to get his hands on! And I want to be "alert" and "on guard". I am aware that I am a sinful human who is capable of being tempted and falling. I do not want to leave any known cracks in my life where he can sneak in.


Do I think you should delete your Facebook guy friends? I am not the Holy Spirit. I can not say what is God's will for your life. But I will say, we must be wise and on guard because I know that Satan would love to get a foothold in your life too.


My daily followers know that I adore the "Love and Respect" book by Dr.Emerson Eggerich. His daughter, Joy Eggerich made this video below addressing Facebook and emotional affairs. It speaks my heart so I want to share it with you.





Let's use Facebook to glorify God! My heart has been filled with joy as I have watched my Christian sisters in Christ love on one another, share verses, encouragement, prayer requests and life. God is using Facebook to spread his truth and gospel and I want us all to be a part of God's work.


If you are questioning any of your friendships or anything you have said on Facebook as to whether it is right or wrong...let me help you sort it out right now.


Ask yourself:

If the pastor of my church put up on a large screen for the whole church to see - my friends, status updates, comments, and photos - is there anything I would be embarrassed of?


There's your answer - now go and delete whatever came to mind!
Walk with the King!

Ps. If you are a facebook user and would like to receive daily updates from Women Living Well - go here and click "like".

Today's post is a part of the "Put Your House In Order" Series. Please visit the ladies below!

Making Family Rules Fun from My Blessed Life

Loving Your Family Through Meal Planning from Good Cheap Eats

Fruit of the Spirit Charts for Kids from Smockity Frocks

Family Finances from Kingdom First Mom

This post is linked to Raising Homemakers and We Are That Family.