The Cross = The Answer to Singleness

What do you say to an almost 30yr. old single? What do you tell her when all of her (or him) childhood friends (all but two or three) are married and have children? How do you encourage someone who has never been in a relationship? How do you encourage her (or him) when no one is on “the radar screen”? What can you say? You know the typical answers won’t serve her (or him). They’ve probably heard, “Don’t worry, God will provide…I was 35 when I got married…just trust God and serve…enjoy this time of extended singleness”, about 5 million times. How do you care for someone like this?

Easy! The same way you would care for someone grieving the loss of a loved or or someone struggling with sin. The ultimate answer to any problem is always the same…you point them to the cross! You point them to Scripture. You point them to the undeniable truth of God’s faithfulness.

The cross truly is the answer to every struggle. Even extended singleness? Absolutely! It is the ultimate proof of God’s faithfulness and abounding love. If God loved us enough to kill His own Son, don’t you think He’ll take care of us afterwards? If He paid that great of a cost to make us His children, it stands to reason He will continue to provide and care for us now. We are saved, redeemed, and ransomed. What else really matters? We’re not going to Hell! Instead we are on a race to Heaven. We have a relationship with God that the Old Testament writers could only have imagined. Things of this world pale in comparison to eternity with our Redeemer.

Dare I say this? Could it possibly…gulp…be true? Marriage is not the answer to life’s problems. Gasp…really? It’s not the ultimate cure to our longings and desires. Only One Person can satisfy. He is a jealous God. He wants our full gaze and affections. A spouse is a precious (and amazing!!!) gift from God. (A gift I pray daily I will get to experience.) But a spouse cannot compare to God. Nothing is as soul satisfying and glorious as a relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Your friend probably knows all this. But, what you know in your head and what your heart believes when it’s aching can be two different things. Trust me! The truths of the gospel (as the ultimate display of God’s love and faithfulness), His wooing as the Lover of our soul, and the satisfying God who is our all-in-all. These are truths to gently preach to a discouraged single (actually to any discouraged Christian!).

That’s all well and good. But, sometimes truth just doesn’t sink in. You need truth slapped across your face. It needs to grip your soul and force your mind and emotions to SHUT UP! What do you do then? Here are a list of Scriptures that I cling to and preach to myself when my weary soul needs to gaze heavenward…yes, it’s a long list…

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

2 Corinthians 12:7b-10 …a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Isaiah 41:9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”;
10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 13 For I, the Lord your God,
hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” 17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. Psalm 26:3

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness… Exodus 34:6

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. Hebrews 10:36

…He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Proverbs 2:7-8

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. Psalm 86:5-7

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Psalm 34:7-8

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 42:11

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

And that’s just a small portion…here’s the references to many more:

Ps. 30:11, Ro. 8:28, Isa. 54:10, Isa. 46:9b-11, Ps. 27:13-14, Ro. 10:17, Phil. 1:6b, Ps. 34:15, Isa. 65:24, Ps. 84:11, Ps. 46:1, Isa. 64:4, Ps. 86:15, Ps. 103:8-10, Ps. 103:13-14, 2 Cor. 12:9a, Isa. 40:28-29, Isa. 41:10, Ps. 73:25-26, Ps. 37:23-24, Ps. 55:22, Jer. 29:11, Lam. 2:22-23, Isa. 30:18, Ps. 46:1-3, Eph. 2:8-9, Isa. 43:25, Ps. 103:12, Josh. 1:9, Ro. 8:38-39, Ps. 145:9, Jer. 1:12, Ps. 36:5 (You can find them all typed out HERE.)

When I’m tempted to doubt, I remind myself that either the Bible is true (the very words of God) or it’s not. It’s ALL true or none of it’s true. God is either telling the truth or a very big liar. And since lying would cause Him to not be God, He IS TELLING THE TRUTH. That means that everything IS for my good. Even in the darkest night, He WILL NEVER LEAVE ME. He will provide, He will sustain, He will bless, He will (and does) care for me. He is faithful, even when I’m faithless.

And that’s what I’d tell an “old” single. You may read this and wonder if I really know what I’m talking about? Is this another married person talking about being single…nope! :) I’m an “older” single. I’m the girl who wanted to be married right out of high school. I was hoping to have lots of kids by now. My plans and God’s did not coincide. And even though it’s not my preference, I can say that God’s plans are best! I can’t imagine being anywhere else! He is faithful beyond my imaginings! He sustains and cares for my soul. He is…words fail!!!! Do I want to get married? HECK YEAH!!! Do I wonder why God has decided to make me wait so long? Absolutely! But, I cling to the truths and Scripture I listed above. There is a glorious reason for the wait. I haven’t the foggiest idea what that reason is…but, I don’t need to know. He knows. He is working. He is orchestrating. He can see the big picture, I can only see 2 feet ahead of me. Being in His plan is far more satisfying than my own. It’s a little difficult at times, but He provides the grace, power, and strength (because of the cross!) for everything He requires me to walk through. What amazing grace! What an amazing God!

More Blessings Than Grains Of Sand

Stephen over at The Blazing Center, gave out a great challenge today.

When was the last time you pressed the “pause” button of life and took stock of God’s mercies toward you? It’s so easy for us to become fixated on the one thing that’s “wrong” in our lives that we miss the staggering heaps of divine blessing strewn about us.

Here are just a few of the ways that God has abundantly blessed me:

• Salvation. I could never move on from this. This one thing makes my life full of joy. It colors everything in my life. Without it, I would be running full tilt towards Hell. Happily enjoying a life from the God I hate. But, God being rich in mercy, snatched me from my sprint and redeemed me. He changed my heart. I do not hate God, I love Him! I do not run away from God, I run to Him. I don’t walk away ignoring Him, I sit at His feet and listen. Wow!!! His mercy leaves me speechless.
• My Parents. People have thanked me from time to time for one thing or another. People have encouraged me on aspects of my life or character. I smile and thank them. What they’re not thinking about, is that there’s only two reasons I am the way that I am. First (and foremost), God. Second, the best parenting a girl could ask for! If there’s anything good in my life, you can take to the bank it is because I was taught it, watched it modeled, or heard it prayed. My parents are my best friends and my heros!!!
• My Siblings. I do not think it is possible to have a better brother and sister than I have! Jimmy and Katie are such a huge blessing. They make me laugh when I need to lighten up. They kindly “yell” at me when I’m being stupid. They push me to try things and do things I never would have tried (or don’t want to do). They love me and care for my soul. They’re also a ton of fun!
• My Church. Sovereign Grace Church is the dearest place on earth. It is such a joy and privilege to be apart of this church. And I think it’s the best thing ever, I get paid to serve them! Ha! What a great job!!!
• My Friends. I could write an epistle about my many friends through the years. God has always blessed me with friendships. No matter where we have lived, I’ve always made at least one new friend. Now, I have so many. God has blessed me and put me into an amazing singles group. I have a couple of accountability partners. They laugh at me, laugh with me, cry with me, encourage me, spur me on, slap me upside the head when I need it, push me to do things I don’t want to do, and even embarrass me from time to time. I’m so grateful for them all!
• My Car. I vowed that I would never own a station wagon. (Yet another example of why you don’t tell God you won’t do something!) It’s turquoise inside and out and it’s had it’s share of car repairs. But, it has been a huge blessing!!! It has great “get up and go”. It can hold as much church stuff as a truck (well, almost). It has a great AC system. And the speaker system is fantastic (for an “old persons” car)!!!! It has a sun roof and a 6cd changer. God has been so kind.
• My House. I LOVE our house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a beautiful, one story, ranch-style home.
• My Acres. I can’t believe that I live on 15 acres! I am constantly awed by the landscape and animals we get to see.
• My Music. What’s my favorite thing? Hmmm…don’t know if I could come up with just one favorite. But, music is really close. I love music, absolutely love it! God has blessed me with a computer to listen to it on. An iPod to play it on. And a car to blast it out. It’s not uncommon to see me driving down the highway singing along. Probably a funny sight.
• My Books. I also love to read. God has given the ability to see and to learn to read. He has given me the finances to purchase and enjoy tons of books. I really need to find some way to store all my books.
• My Puppy. Chica is a daily source of laughter for me. It amazes me how God looks for ways to bless us and bring joy to our hearts. I’m convinced He gave us Chica for that reason. She’s the silliest dog, but makes me smile constantly.
• My Health. I can walk. I can breathe. I can raise my hands. I’ve never broken any bones. I never had to use my medical insurance until last year. I take minimal medication. Boy, I have it good.

Thank you heavenly Father for blessing me so abundantly. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places. You are so good and faithful. There is none like You!!!

Wow...

It was an incredible day.

I'm exhausted.

We wrapped probably over 1,000 presents.

It rained, but we were still able to wrap.

It was so much fun. I was able to invite a couple people to church!

Did I mention I'm exhausted.

I dropped and broke my new camera... :( So glad God is sovereign even over my stupidness.

Hung out with some friends.

We had a fantastic singles party tonight...so much fun.

Did I mention I'm tired and sore?

Pictures to come...

It was an incredible day, God was so good!!!

Grateful for Grace

I've been freshly grateful for God's amazing grace in my life. His sanctifying grace that keeps me and gives me power to say no to sin. The grace that sustains me in trials. The grace that reminds me that I'm forgiven. My sin has been paid for. All my sins are atoned for. I have been snatched from the pit of Hell. I have been ransomed and redeemed. And I was forgiven before I had committed one sin. There is no sin that surprises my Savior. He was aware of them all when He died for them all. He propitiated God's wrath. He was my substitute. He sits at the right hand of the Father at this moment, interceding for me. Wow!!! How incredible! What grace that I do not deserve!

Today was a lot of fun. We hung out, reminisced (a lot!), and ate a lot...Here's some pics from the day...

Fire trucks at 7am. We had a house burn down, down the street. The Lord was very kind and the couple that own the house are in Pennsylvania for the holidays. You can pray for them, everything they owned went up in flames last night.

 

We had a lot of frost on the ground this morning. It was beautiful.

My grandpa.

Mom, Katie, and Gran cooking lunch.

 

Jimmy and Papa playing cards.

Chica. Boy, she's getting spoiled this week. My grandma keeps feeding her scraps (which we don't do ;)...it's pretty funny)...

Week of Gratitude

It's Thanksgiving week and my grandparents are up from Florida!!! Posts may be a little sporadic this week, but I thought I'd like to focus my thoughts on gratitude and things that I am grateful for. Amazing gifts that God has so graciously given me. I also hope to post some fun pics from family times this week!

Gratitude - The Little Things

Most people would say I'm easily amused...and I must admit it's true, I am. But, I've also found much pleasure in the small ways that God shows His love and kindness towards me. It could be something as small as finding a cd for $5. But, that's a blessing from my Savior, 'cause He knows I love music. It's so much fun to look for the little ways (seemingly unimportant) that God blesses me. Small things that make me smile. Small things that bring joy to my heart. So, here's a list of some of the random things that make me smile. I'm so grateful to God for blessing me with the little things...

• Post-it Notes & Permanent Markers 
• Playing with our puppy. She makes me laugh and smile on a daily basis.
• Gerber daisies
• The many little kids at church that come up and give me hugs every Sunday!
• Finding things on sale
• Figuring out HTML code that has me stumped
• Living in the South and living on property in the boonies

If I thought about it, I'd come up with more. I love noticing the kindness of my Savior in the little things! Fills me with faith for His provision in bigger things. Isn't He good!

Gratitude - Singles Care Group

I have the privilege to be apart of the best church in the planet! I love Sovereign Grace Church! There's no place I'd rather be than with my dear church family. When SGC started 5 years ago, we had a singles ministry of 3. :-) I'll never forget our first Christmas party. Randal (singles pastor), Erin (his wife), Christa, and I watched White Christmas and ate lots of food ('cause no one else came). Almost 5 years later we have around 35 singles. Twice a month we crowd into Matt & Julie's house for care group. It isn't uncommon for the meeting to go past 9pm (we're supposed to end at 8:30). The excitement and love for God can be felt as soon as you walk in the room. They're such an incredible group of folks.

Specific things I'm grateful for:

• Care. My dear friends excel at caring for ones soul. Asking the hard questions, sending an e-mail, giving ya a hug.
• Laughter. Boy, do we laugh. My friends are humble and love to laugh at themselves. A very uncommon practice for 20 somethings.
• Joy. They're some of the happiest and most excited people I know. And it's not because they're on drugs! They love their Savior and that resonates from their countenance.
• Leadership. Our guys are incredible!!! They serve heroically and tirelessly lead. The gals can't lift a thing, we never have to pic a lunch location on Sundays, when we go out we never have to get up and re-fil our drinks. The guys are among the first to share at care group. And that's just a small part of all they do.
• Servants. Our singles serve their hearts out. As a church secretary I see this more than some folks. I especially notice this the Sunday of New Attitude. It's amazing how many spots have to be filled, how many people we/they have to find to cover for different jobs. Our singles are everywhere, serving in any way they can.

Thanks for displaying the glory and love of our Savior! I love Jesus more from your example. I love you guys!

(This isn't everyone...)

Gratitude - Brother

One of the areas that God has been continually prodding my heart to think on is gratitude. A grateful soul is a contented soul. A grateful soul is a joyful soul. A grateful soul is a soul at peace. So, for the next couple of days, I am going to post specific things that I am grateful for...

And I'm gonna start with my brother, Jimmy. I was 11 when Jimmy was born. I've always called him my little brother (among other names that I won't mention...). He's not so little anymore. He's taller than me and stronger than me. He's the biggest nut I know. And the godliest teenager I know (yeah, I'm bias). He's always there when ya need him. He is always sticking up for his sisters and constantly annoying us too!

Specific things that I'm grateful for:

• You tease me and make me laugh at myself!
• You kindly care for my soul. You ask me hard questions when you feel I need it.
• You do dumb things just to make me laugh (like hanging your head out the car window and offering your hamburger to passing cars)...
• You are very humble and are easily corrected.
• You really care for your friends and their souls. I remember countless talks as you have asked about the best way to serve your friends.
• You are a servant!!!
• You have more ideas of things you want to do, than I can fathom at times...goats???
• You try not to startle me. ;)
• You want to be like your dad!
• You love your Savior so much. I love watching you worship as you play the guitar on the worship team.

I love ya, 'lil bro! You're the best brother ever...I'm SO grateful that God gave me you!!!

Some fun pics...

10 Things I'm Grateful For...

1. God's incredible mercy and kindness towards me. He saved me, redeemed my soul, turned away God's wrath by taking it on Himself. Mercy and forgiveness I don't deserve, but receive regardless.
2. The most incredible parents a girl could ask for. Their unending patience, love, care, counsel, generosity, and affection are more than I could ever ask for.
3. The best brother and sister ever. They constantly love and put up with me. And believe me, that's no small feat! I can be a pain in the neck!
4. The dearest place on earth. Where would I be if it wasn't for my local church? I can't even begin to express the gratitude I have for some of the people I love most (aside from my family). They are a constant source of encouragement and "spur me on" to be more like our Savior.
5. Friends. Who tell me to chill out, to tell me to shut up, who tell me to trust when life isn't making sense.  Friends who make me laugh so hard I cry. Friends who point me to my Savior.
6. Music. Aside from the things above, the best thing in life!!! God's gift to mankind (and I'm serious!). A way to worship Him and to enjoy all that He has given us.
7. iTunes...iPod...30g of space to load music and videos.
8. Books. A great way to relax. A great way to learn more about the God I love.
9. My dog...well, technically it's Jimmy's dog...but I'm grateful she's around anyways...
10. My car (even if it's a station wagon that my sister has affectionately named My Grandma Car).