Standing Alone

Many of us growing up have been told not to fall to peer pressure. But it is often easier said then done. It is so much easier to follow the crowd then to stand by yourself. But when you do conform you lose a little piece of yourself. I was recently at a competition and Friday morning, we didn't have anything going on, so as a group we went to the Incline. For those who don't know, the Incline is a mile of steps straight up the mountain. Now I didn't want to do this for many reasons, so I packed my camera bag so I could stay towards the bottom and take pictures. The hardest part was actually leaving the group. There was a part of me that wanted to conform, but I truly didn't want to hike a mile up the side of a mountain. When it came down to it, I separated myself from the group and stayed towards the bottom. I had a lot of fun at the bottom and I was glad that I stayed towards the bottom.
 But it is not always that easy to stand out from a group whether it is friends or just people you know in class. Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." The first part of the verse says it all. When we renew our mind to what God approves of , then it becomes easier to stand alone. You will be able to choose what God will is for you. God's will is good, acceptable, and perfect for you. When you think of it that way, then it is easier to stand alone because you are doing what God wants which is only the best for you. 
Here are some photos I took from the bottom of the mountain.