There are many valid reasons why you should wait to have sex until you are married. Only you will be able to decide for yourself the best reasons to wait. It is important when you do decide on your reasons to wait that you defend your reasons.

Here are some reasons to wait that you may want to consider:

· You may want to focus on your school or establishing your career at this point in your life. Sex can be very distracting and can often get in the way of your goals either by causing an unplanned pregnancy or disease.

· Abstinence is the only sure-fire way to prevent pregnancy.

· Abstinence is also the only way to keep you free from STDs including gonorrhea and HIV. STDs can haunt you for the rest of your life and being abstinent is the only way to remain disease-free.

· You may believe that sex belongs only in a marriage. It is okay to believe in this idea and it is important for you stand by what you believe to be true.

· You may value your family's respect for you and don't want to let them down. Your family may be more important to you than a boyfriend or girlfriend.

· You may want to show your future spouse how much you love them by being a virgin on your wedding night. Waiting until you marry to have sex is a very special act of love.

· You may respect yourself more knowing you have the self-control to abstain. Self-esteem is very important and comes from trusting yourself to make the right decisions.

· You may not be completely sure you love the person you are with. Your partner may be pressuring you to do something that you may not want to do with them. It is important to say no if you are not sure of your feelings toward that person and wait until you are in a committed relationship with someone you know you love and who loves you.

· Finally, you may just know you are not ready to have sex at this point in your life. Sex is not something that you should just rush into because others want you to or think you should be doing it. Not being ready is a good reason not to do it.