Just A Woman Living For God: Perfectly Imperfect: Turn Down for What? Why I Chose Not To Club Anymore

NOW this post is not intended to judge or bash anyone who goes to the club. This is just my personal conviction as a Christian for why I stopped going. Yesterday, I attended the Magic City Classic in Birmingham, AL. (Alabama State alum..whoop whoop!) I mean this is the annual "turn up" weekend and it's a weekend that all students and alumni look forward to every year.

Now back when I was college student, I looked forward to going to the classic, not for the game, but for the club. I loved a good party. That is one thing I can say I enjoyed doing during college (but I did have my work done). During the week of the classic, we would hit the mall and pick out the perfect dress. Then we would make sure that the hair and nails was done. All to impress other people of course. I would pick out the one party I wanted to attend and make sure the cover charge was cool or that tickets were purchased beforehand. Boom! We were set.

This year was different for me. I was going to the classic solely for the purpose of tailgating and watching the game. I guess you can say some good ol' family fun. But what was it that got me to this point? Let's rewind to a few months back, around April-May. I was in a club called Harlem Nights celebrating an old friend's birthday. I wore a dress classier than what I usually wear to a club. I wasn't really feeling it that night though. I knew I was growing out of the club scene but it wasn't confirmed until later that night. When I tell you everything that could have went wrong did. First, the person I was with left which meant I had to drive home by myself at 2am. Then, I make it to the parking lot where I find my car with a boot on it. I call the number to the truck and it sends me to voicemail. Feeling abandoned, I start to feel panic in my heart. After 15 minutes, the tow truck is reached and I'm given the amount to pay but where's my debit card? Are you kidding me? It was a blessing to have my other friend there to pay. Thinking that this horrible night has ended, nope, it had just begun. My car starts to overheat and breakdown on the way home. Mind you, it's almost 4am. I stopped my car on the side of the road every 10 seconds to let it rest. The situation was starting to become dangerous because here I am, a female out at 4am by herself in a dress. Anything could have happened. I prayed for God to please let me get to the exit closest to my home and He did. The most difficult thing I had to do was call my parents to pick me up because I knew they would be disappointed in me and indeed I was right.

The next morning, I did a lot of thinking. I wondered if going out that night was EVEN WORTH IT? Absolutely not! A lot of people were saying, "Girl, you just had a bad night" or "don't think too deep into it". No, that was more than a bad night. That was my conviction. See, God was trying to pull me away from the club scene for the longest but I knew I wasn't ready to do that. I was enjoying myself. So, He had to let me hit rock bottom. God had bigger plans for my life and I had to let some things go in order to fully step into my purpose. When God is ready to take you somewhere, you have to step out of some things. I remember standing in the middle of the dance floor at Harlem Nights and for the first time, just feeling like I didn't belong there. I couldn't for the life of me understand what was the point anymore. What am I really getting out of going to the club besides guys touching on you or trying to get your number for a one-night stand, second hand weed smoke infecting my lungs and becoming the new scent of my hair, loud music that keeps my ears ringing through the night, grinding and dancing promiscuously with different guys, getting so drunk where you can't remember the night, dodging a fight or possibly a bullet, or better yet hearing the DJ ask if your private parts are clean.

As a Christian, I just feel there are some places where you shouldn't be and a nightclub is definitely one of those places. The club wasn't bringing me closer to God. It was planting seeds in my heart that it was ok to dress promiscuously, have a couple of drinks, grind on different guys, listen to certain types of music with lyrics that wasn't glorifying God, or better yet, conform to the world standards (I was convicted on music back in July). I got tired off being the "turn up on Saturday, then worship on Sunday" type do girl. It didn't feel right. We are suppose to be ambassadors for Christ. So with that being said, are we representing God by going to these types of places? We as Christians have to be mindful of what we do. People are looking at us ESPECIALLY the unbelievers. The world doesn't need to read the bible when they can read Christians. They are trying to figure out what's so special about this thing called "Christianity." What's the difference? If you're not showing them a difference then you're killing your testimony. They're just going to be like "oh..well...if they do the same things that we do, then what's the point of getting saved or going to church?" We have to be very careful in our walk and lifestyle because someone somewhere is looking at you. We don't want to lose a soul that could have came to Christ but, all of a sudden, decided not to because we are killing our testimony.

I John 1:6 (KJV) says, "If we say that we have fellowship with him (GOD), and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth."

When I read that, it made me understand why I didn't have a desire to go to the club anymore. I didn't want to walk in darkness. God is light and there is no darkness in him. I didn't want to be associated with the sins that go on in the clubs. I knew that going to the club wasn't growing my relationship with Christ. In order for me to gain a closer relationship and step into my purpose, I had to leave it alone.

I John 2:15 (KJV) says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Now this is not saying that we shouldn't love ALL of God's people. We are suppose to love everyone and bring them to Christ. This is simply saying that we should not love the sins that the world has to offer.

So people now wonder, how do I "turn up"? What do Christians do to have fun? Since I've stopped going to the club, I've learned that there are so many more activities that can be done and still I can enjoy myself:
1.) Visit a museum
2.) Go see a play production
3.) Grab a Redbox and have a night in with your friends
4.) Dinner parties
5.) Church events that are usually held on Friday and Saturday nights
6.) Try a Christian club (There's one in Jonesboro, GA called C-Note if you're in the ATL area)
7.) Movies
8.) Bowling
9.) Sporting event
10.) Poetry Slam

This is my testimony of why I gave up the club. Something I loved doing so much, but found that there's a better way. Am I saying I'm better than anyone else? Absolutely not! I've been there but when you get sick and tired of the same thing and don't see any fruit producing, you start to change your ways. One thing I knew for sure....I was NOT going to find my future husband in the club. I'm praying that my testimony helps someone.

I WON'T GO BACK
2009