Hey, Singles ...

Hey, readers! So, back in September of 2016 I started another blog, called Lady Grace, in hopes of motivating myself to post more faith/inspirational posts. It worked to a certain extent. *laughs*

It's been lovely having my Lady Grace blog and trying out Wordpress, but I'm thinking about going back to just one blog again. Running two blogs can be a bit stressful for me, especially when I'm hoping to have a full-time (or at least part-time) job soon.

So I might go back to just blogging here. I'd probably do my Booktube Mondays, random post on Wednesdays, and then Faithful Fridays (inspirational/faith posts). We'll see.

Quick Question: For those of you who signed up to receive email notifications from Between the Pages of This Bookish Life - are you still receiving those emails? I know my sister and some other people said they weren't. 

But I'm just going to share this week's post from Lady Grace on here! (It's going up on Lady Grace tomorrow - Saturday.)

***

Ah, that dreaded word.

Singles.

Actually, it's not all that bad. *winks* When I stop thinking about "single" as a label that defines me completely, I began to stop worrying, fussing about, and dreading hearing it.

Now, I still do sometimes have a problem with how some people treat unmarried people ... "When are you going to get a boyfriend?" "Why aren't you married yet?" "You're being too fussy." "Aw, you poor, lonely thing!" "You're not making yourself available enough!" Like, how about encouraging us to thrive where God has us instead of making us feel incomplete, behind, or lacking (as we already tend to struggle with feeling like!)?

But that's a whole different post.

I'm glad to say that I've been doing much better with accepting my place in life right now and learning to blossom. Last year around this time I was feeling really down and just wishing I could be married and having children like (almost) all of my friends and cousins were.

I feel like God has done a lot of work on my heart since then.

I still have a deep heart's desire to be married one day.

But, I'm finding joy in other things that God has given me and actively pursuing life right now as an unmarried woman.

Today, I want to present a few points - things that are helping me get to this place of excitement and passion and contentment. I'm still a work-in-progress! But God is ever teaching me. Oh, how faithful He is. We just have to stay humble and pressing into Him and His goodness.

1) Don't be Single, be in a Relationship with Jesus Christ

Friends, I know the loneliness can feel excruciating. Numbing. Depressing. Especially in some seasons of life where other negative things are going on as well. I can't give a perfect solution to take the loneliness away. So here's my advice:

Let your lonely heart drive you to Jesus.

Your loneliness, your broken heart, your confusion, your hopelessness, your unmet desires, your fear, your shattered dreams ... instead of letting them crush you, let them push you toward God.

I know it's hard. But open your hands. And surrender. Again, and again, and again.

As you grow closer to Christ, you'll begin to realize that this is what you need. Him. A closeness with God. A dependency on Him. Hope and joy and peace in Him. Because this is the lasting stuff! These are the things that will never let you down or let you go. Because our God is faithful.

And He is love.

On those days when being single feels very hard and very solitary, guess what? God can meet you there. And He will, if you allow Him.

If you're too busy surfing the web, checking Facebook for the hundredth time and stalking cute boys, watching movie after movie ... anything to fill your loneliness ... (anything but God, that is), then you're going to miss His gentle, awesome Presence.

But if you aren't desperately scrambling to fill the void of a boyfriend/husband, you'll start to realize that God is always there beside you. Waiting to hear your voice. Your whisper. Your cry.

He walks with you. And in the moments when you feel rejected or lonely or sad or just down, you can talk to Him and share your whole heart.

I love the idea that I can go to God with my feelings at any moment. Anywhere. I love that I am His and He is mine. I love that my life is one exciting, beautiful love story with Him.

Yes, sometimes the ache for a human companion and best friend is nearly tangible.

But God keeps reminding me that He is here and He's taking care of me and providing me with all I need.

And in that is incomprehensible peace, joy, love, and passion for life!

If you don't have a close relationship with Jesus Christ, your life is going to be fraught with loneliness, unmet expectations, and discontentment - whether your married or single!

You have to come to this place of emptiness where you feel like all you can do is cry out to the Lord. And then, wow, let Him fill you up.

Psalm 23:5

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.

2) Realize there are a lot of Mr. Wrongs out there

Okay, so I know there's a lot of controversy surrounding "Mr. Right". But that's not what we're talking about today. We're talking about all the "Mr. Wrongs"; and they are out there, let me assure you!

So let me explain. There have been times in my life where I've been like, "I just want to get married! Why does this have to be so complicated? I'll just find a nice, Christian guy and we'll fall in love and live happily ever after."

But listen, ladies. There are a lot of nice, Christian guys out there that aren't right for you.

They aren't pursuing a close relationship with God like you are. They don't have the same passion for glorifying God in everything and living out His plans for their life like you do. Maybe they don't have a love for Jesus like the one you feel in your heart. Maybe they aren't actively working through struggles and hurts in their life because they don't trust God enough yet. Perhaps he's a great guy, but he has such different convictions, passions, and ideas about life. Maybe he doesn't have hardly any convictions or passions at all.

Just because he goes to church and believes in God doesn't make him the right partner for you, dear Christian woman.

I'm not saying you'll find a perfect man. Because you most certainly won't. (And if you think you will, you're going to fall a mighty long way from cloud nine.)

But if you're desiring to live your life for God's glory (and this is His will for you!) then don't you think God wills for you to have a man who's deeply desiring the same thing?

If you're going to be partners, don't you think you need to be moving in the same direction?

I don't know about you, but I want my husband to be my soul mate. By that I mean, I want him to understand and share the deepest parts of me - heart and soul. My relationship with a very real Creator God. My love for Jesus Christ, God's Son. My firm belief that I'm God's daughter by Jesus' blood and my faith in Him. My belief that the Bible is absolute truth. My hunger for Him, His Word, and prayer time. My desire to live my life for Him, use my gifts (which He gave me for a purpose) for His glory and people's good, raise children to know and love Him ... !

I'm not perfect. But as I desire and seek ... and over and over again find God and His will as my central desire ... why would I bind myself to a man who can't understand & share in that

It makes no sense.

So, as I grow in the Lord and realize that I do have very specific desires when it comes to a husband, and not all the guys out there are going to meet those standards, it helps me in some way.

To be patient.

I so deeply desire a godly husband that I know I'm one-hundred percent willing to wait as long as it takes!

It perhaps helps calm my anxious heart that worries as all these guys pass me by. I say to myself, "I'm seeking God's will for my life and I'm not willing to settle for a man who's not desiring the Lord like I am. I can't just dash out there and find a suitable guy in mere seconds because my standards are high. Therefore I must surrender and trust God to work out my earthly love story if He has marriage in store for me.

I let go ... and I find peace and joy.

3) Find a Community. Build Relationships. Look for ways to Bless and Serve People!

Love people and live life! <3 Don't let singleness stop you, folks. There was never any reason that it should!

So come out of that dark hole. Press into the Lord and realize your standards - what you want in a husband ... what God would want you to choose/seek!

Next, find a community. I believe when God speaks of alone-ness in Genesis, He's not just saying marriage is good. He's saying people being with people is good - family is good and friends are good and community is good.

Genesis 2:18

¹⁸ And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

We should be doing life with other people whether we're single or married. We should have close friendships and wise mentors in our lives. We should be looking for other people to bless and mentor!

Now, there are some seasons where we're just alone. And God uses this. Most times to draw us to Him! (That's what I've found in my life. In that way, being alone can actually turn out to be a beautiful thing ... when it draws us to the Lover of our souls.)

But we're not meant to be without human companionship forever. So find a church community and make friends! *smiles*

For myself, I've been visiting different churches! I like the church that my family goes to - the teaching is solid and encouraging. However, I'm having a hard time getting involved. So I've been visiting different churches, looking for one that has great fellowship and I can really be in community with. It's been fun, trying out new churches! I get a little nervous at times, but I love meeting new people! (If they're the ones to introduce themselves and strike up a conversation, haha!)

I've involved myself in Bible studies. Even started one for my younger sister and her friends. Now, we haven't been able to do any study nights recently, but I'm hopefully we'll be able to again soon! I'm plotting and planning and toying with ideas of going through this book or that book. ;) And I might try out the Wednesday night Bible study at the new church I'm going to currently.

I'm grateful for the chance to grow closer to siblings, family & relatives, and long-distance friends. Yes, sometimes it's hard because my life can be so monotonous. And then I start feeling down and don't feel like putting any effort into building old relationships.

But, that's why I'm trying to get into a community and try new things. Keeping a spark of excitement in life helps me to remember the people already around me and how I shouldn't let this stage slip by without growing close to them!

One thing that continues to be really hard is not having any friends my age. I have a few long-distance friends, but we don't get the chance to talk very often.

Do you all have any advice for me? :) Besides looking for a church family to get involved with, what can I do to meet new people and make friends?? Haha. It's been difficult, but I'm thankful for my siblings and their friends, aunts, my mom, cousins, etc.

Last night I went to a disc-golf course with my thirteen-year-old brother and seventeen-year-old sister. We enjoy disc-golf! Well ... my brother loves it. I enjoy it. *winks*

So there's another tip ... look for ways to hang out with your younger siblings (or cousins or something.) Look for ways to invest in their lives. Mentor them, maybe.

That's been helpful for me. It pulls my focus off of just me and my life and my struggles and my hurts, and starts investing my heart and emotions in other people. So I can find hope through their lives. I can feel joy for them when good things come their way. I can pray for them. I can help them through the hard times. I can rejoice when they succeed. Grow. Receive their dreams.

So whoever God has in your life right now, find ways to serve and bless them! Get involved in their lives and journey together! Share emotions, hopes, hardships, and dinners. *winks*

4) Pursue your Dreams. Invest in your Talents. Don't wait to do what you feel like God is calling you to.

Y'all, what is God calling you to? Don't be deceived ... if your heart is beating, you have a purpose! Don't miss out on this wonderful thing because you're too busy waiting to get married.

If you can break away from the depression that comes from a broken heart and the listlessness that comes from shattered dreams and the hopelessness that comes from lack of trust ...

You will realize that there are beautiful things out there within your reach, but you've been so consumed with one beautiful thing (aka: marriage) that you've been blinded to all the rest.

What was it you always wanted to be when you were younger (for me, it was an author!)? Or what opportunities do you see around you that tug at your heart? A younger person who needs a mentor? A group of young people who would be blessed by a Bible study (ladies, you could start a girl's Bible study using Love Defined!)? A Crisis Pregnancy Center that could use some volunteers? Maybe your church is going on a mission trip and you have a heart for overseas missions.

Ponder it. Dig deep. What do you have a passion for? What do you feel God might be calling you to? Maybe He is calling you to marriage ... someday. But right now there are other opportunities available while your future spouse is out of sight!

As for my personal life, there's a chance I'm going to have a full-time job very soon. (I'd appreciate your prayers!) Meanwhile, I've been novel-writing quite a bit and absolutely adoring it. I'm remembering that God gave me a passion and a gift for writing and I should definitely be pursuing that and using it for His glory! <3

1 Corinthians 10:31

³¹ Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

So yes, I've gotten excited about that once again. I have a desire to publish more books - stories that I hope will touch reader's heart for God. I know that I have a few loyal fans out there and they remind why I love writing. I'm not exactly sure what God has in store for me, but I'm trying to use my time wisely and write whenever I can. If He wills it, I want to publish again soon!

I tried my hand at making soap and it was a good experience! Not as hard as I thought. Though I was a little scared about mixing the lye. Good news, it all went well and I didn't splat any on myself or my sister! :p So we have a beautiful batch of charcoal soap that smells of lavender and tea tree oil stacked on the top of my sister's bookshelf. We're hoping to make some more this coming week.

And yeah. Blogging, booktubing, Bible studies, and more! I'm trying different things and just seeing where God takes me.

I hope you all will too! Pursue God. Trust Him with your life. Take steps of faith. Enjoy life! Try some new things. Do what you love, all for His glory. <3

Matthew 6:31-33

³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

***

Here are some books that I've found super helpful during this season of my life.

Love Defined: Embracing God's Vision for Lasting Love and Satisfying Relationships by Kristen Clark & Bethany Baird

Savoring Single by Shelley Black

Answering the Guy Questions: The Set-Apart Girl's Guide to Relating to the Opposite Sex by Leslie Ludy

Passion & Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ's Control by Elisabeth Elliot

Sex and the Single Girl by Dr. Juli Slattery

And here's a book that Jinger Duggar Vuolo recommends that sounds really good! I'm looking forward to giving it a try someday.

She's Got the Wrong Guy: Why Smart Women Settle by Deepak Reju

Well, that's about it. Live loved, dear fellow singles, and live to the fullest. <3