what convicts you?

this is a topic that I really don't know all that much about, but I feel it needs to be brought up. Conviction. Its a word that is heard a lot in the church as a body. My best friend uses it a lot. she'll say, whatever you feel convicts you. I think this word means whatever you feel strongly about. not being brought up in the church, their is a lot of things I don't understand. A perfect example: I know its considered sin for a man and woman to live together without being married, but I don't understand why. This makes it really hard for me to feel convicted when I see my family members doing this, because in my eyes, they're not doing anything wrong. In gods eyes, they are. Something I feel really strongly about is this:we go to church to praise his name, and to be with fellow believers. I have a real problem with people who will either come to church because they feel they're checking it off the daily list, or because they want to make someone else happy. I want to make my family and friends happy, but I will not give up my time on sunday mornings just to do that. Thankfully, noone has asked me to do so. On the other side of the coin, some think if you don't go to church you can't except christ. They say you have to be baptized and be washed clean. I agree with this to some extent, but I also believe that you can except Jesus in your heart and feel at peace with him and yourself. now let me be clear, you have to want him in your life, you can't do it to make anyone happy. And after you've excepted him, you need to strive every single hour of every day to be like him. And, I promise you, you'll know when your ready to take that step. it took me 10 months of going to church. One sunday out of the blue, we were standing at the end of the sermen singing a song, and I felt it. I don't know how to describe it, but I knew right then and their that I wanted to be baptized. But I still wasn't clear on exactly what I was doing, so I waited, and praid, and met with people who could tell me more and explain things. And in march of 09, I gave my heart, body, and sowl to him. We as christians have a long way to go in order to be like jesus,and if we don't have road blocks along the way, then we're not working hard enough. Wow, I didn't intend for this to be soo long! I hope this, andall my writing hits a nerve and makes you think. If it brings someone closer to jesus, then that's all the payment I'll ever need.