Once a month, one of OurSinglePurpose contributors will be asking a single woman of their choice 5 Questions. These questions will cover a wide variety of topics. We hope to learn from the lives of these godly women. Kimberly Campbell starts us off by asking 5 questions with Rachael, her best friend since 2005.
1. What has been your biggest joy in your single life?
Christ as my sufficiency- my Protector, my Provider, my Leader. I pray He will always be my biggest joy no matter what my marital status is. Psalm 16
2. What has been your biggest area of growth in your single life?
Trusting God is good and that He is sovereign over my life. He knows my heart and is greater than my heart. So desires that are good and yet unmet I can submit to the Lord and believe that His plan is better than my own.
3. What are your top three books (outside of the Bible) that have encouraged you in your walk with Christ? and why?
A Gospel Primer for Christians by Milton Vincent (the Lord has used this book to focus my heart on living out the gospel)
Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (the Lord used this book to radically grow my heart in understanding the beauty of community, especially regarding the fight against sin)
Rediscovering Holiness by JI Packer (the Lord is using this book to help shape my love for Him and how my life should look in surrender to who He is
4. You love to serve the local church – what are some ways that single women can be plugged into and serve the local church?
We need to use our gifts for the edification of the Body. We must love lavishly, seeking to work out our salvation and be zealous for good deeds. However, we must act in wisdom as we steward our time. We are not super-women. We don’t need to be involved in everything just because we are single. We do not have any more time than married people. So seek the Lord and serve the church wholeheartedly for the glory of God, not man.
5. You love to cook and eat whole foods. What are some easy ways to get into this “way” of eating and what is your favorite recipe?
The first step is in Recognizing that we must seek to bring glory to God with our bodies. God has Designed our bodies to operate in a certain way. We must give our bodies what they need to be sustained and to function how they were designed. Nutrition-minded people are seeking to nourish their bodies- giving the body what is needed for healthy cellular function and not putting in foods/drinks that hinder or deteriorate the body. If people will keep that in mind instead of low-calorie or low-fat, then they are moving in the right direction. It really is a change of life. Living healthy lives affects our time (it takes more time to shop for and prepare healthy meals), money (it definitely costs more to eat natural and organic but the results are priceless), and perspective in life (you are a lot more attentive to what is going on around you, learning what has value and what is futile).
There is no easy way of getting into a healthy lifestyle because sacrifice is required. But some steps in the right direction would be to not be ignorant of what is in foods. Be a label reader. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, your body probably shouldn’t try to digest them. Educate yourself on good fats and good carbs. Fats and carbohydrates are good and necessary for life- you just have to learn to take in the right ones. Water is what keeps everything flowing in the body so drink plenty of it (flavored water doesn’t count!). Divide your body weight by 2 and that gives you a good idea of how many Ounces you should drink daily (ie. If you weigh 140 lbs you should drink at least 70oz water daily). Seek accountability from your church/friends/family. Ultimately seek to please the Lord. This is a discipline matter that can easily move into an idol. Worship the Lord alone, not calories or working out or a “way” of life.
Rachael’s Granola Bars
Dry:
1 c whole wheat flour
2 c oats
½ c ground golden flax seed
2 TBS flax seeds
¾ c finely shredded unsweetened coconut
½ c muscovado sugar
¾ tsp cinnamon
¼ c sliced almonds
¾ tsp salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
