Hey Raisingurls!! I take it that you all are reading my blog entries. I’ve been posting them on your walls and it seems that you and your friends have been reading. We are up to 114 hits!!! I’m very happy about that.
Here is an article I found on GOSSIP.(It’s my life) Do you really understand how GOSSIP affects the person you are gossiping about? Why do people GOSSIP? The bible says:
Proverbs 11:13 – “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.” (NIV)
To feel superior
When people are feeling bad about themselves, they sometimes think they’ll feel better if there were someone worse off than they are. It’s like, it’s okay being near the bottom, as long as they’re not actually on the bottom. The easiest way for them to make sure someone else is on the bottom is to make up a rumor that puts him or her there.
To feel like part of the group
If everybody else is gossiping or spreading rumors, you might feel you have to do the same thing in order to fit in. When you’re “in on the secret,” you’re in the group. Unfortunately, the person who the gossip or rumor is about is usually left out of the group for the same reason that you’re let into it.
For attention
When you know a secret that nobody knows, or are the first person in your group to hear a rumor, it can make you the center of attention. A rumor or piece of gossip is sometimes like money; telling it to people is like buying their attention, if only for a few minutes. You might even save up a really scandalous rumor, waiting for the right moment to blab so you get the maximum amount of attention
for it.
For control or power
Certain people always want to be in control and at the top of the ladder. You probably know at least one person who needs to be the leader, say what goes, and make all the decisions. When people are at the top of the popularity scale, or are determined to climb higher, one way they do this is by reducing the “status” of another person. Spreading rumors and gossip is one of the main ways people reduce another person’s status, especially among girls. It’s like one caveman beating up another caveman for control of the tribe…only it’s done with cruel whispers and petty remarks instead of fists.
Out of jealousy or a need for revenge
If you’re jealous of someone’s looks, popularity, or money, you might gossip about that person in order to hurt him or her. If you feel that someone’s done something bad to you, or deserves to be hurt, making up a rumor might satisfy your sense of justice.
How to stop GOSSIP!!!!!
Make the rumor stop with you
If you decide that the rumor is hurtful in some way, make a stand. Decide that you don’t want to take part in spreading it. Others may continue to circulate the gossip, but you’ve made a personal choice to stay out of it. Chances are that the rumor will die out much more quickly than if you had joined the buzz.
Don’t be an audience
When someone comes to you with a rumor, try not to be an audience. This person may want to hurt somebody, or may be after attention or power. It can be hard to resist hearing some juicy dish, especially if you’re bored, but make an effort to say, “I’m not interested in hearing mean gossip, thanks.”
Just like with physical bullying, there are no “innocent bystanders” with hurtful rumors. Hearing and reacting to the rumor, and letting it continue, makes you almost as responsible for its damage as the person who started it. Instead, don’t provide another pair of ears for the rumor-starter. If he isn’t getting the reaction or attention he’s seeking, he’ll be less likely to do it in the future.
Be a peacemaker
If one of your friends wants to hurt someone else by spreading lies or rumors, speak up. Let your friend know that this isn’t the right thing to do. If you need to, find another friend who feels the same way and talk to the others together. If rumors are getting out of control and someone is being made a real victim, get a counselor or teacher involved.
Respect others’ privacy
If you don’t want other people talking about the personal things in your life, don’t do it to others. When you hear personal information about a classmate or friend, try to keep it to yourself, and don’t worry about whether it’s true or not. If you respect people’s privacy, they’ll be more likely to do the same for you.
Get the facts
Most of the time, you should try to ignore gossip and rumors. But if you hear a rumor about something important, and it doesn’t sound too crazy or far-fetched, ask a teacher, guardian, or parent what they think. If it’s a modern legend that you find interesting, you can try searching on the Web to see if it’s been proven fake or not. But remember not to believe everything you read, even on the Web!
Take this test to see if you’re a gossiper? http://christianteens.about.com/od/christianliving/a/gossipquiz.htm
Sierra.. my gurl!!! I really love her. She also graduated High School. I think I did more talking to her than any other gurl in the group. She had some anger issues that we would always talk about. I would call her at home, way after the group was over for the season to see how she was doing. I go up to Walmart to see how she’s doing. She’s the type that I had to look in the eye to ask questions, over the phone she could tell me anything. I love her and I pray that God continue to work on her in many areas of her life. She’s still holding down her job she started August 29, 2014 Praise God
Raisingurls To Women 
