Tag Archives: married

To all the Ma’s and Pa’s

Posted on June 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Parents

I am a single girl who needs her momma and daddy! I am so blessed with an incredible relationship with both my parents. It has been about 4 ½ years since I lived with them, but that hasn’t prevented our relationships from growing stronger. As a single female who lives on my own, in an entire different state than any other family, I strongly depend on my parents.

I want to give all of the ma’s and pa’s out there some tips, on how you can better encourage, love, and support your single adult daughters.

# 1. Listen.

You daughter needs you to listen to her. Take the time and call her. Often. She needs to know that you are a listening ear whenever she needs to talk. Sometimes as singles, we don’t always have the privilege of talking to someone about the intimate details of our lives. Many times, we don’t think people care. Show her you care by listening.

#2. Give financial advice.

I am so thankful for the wisdom my daddy gives me when it comes to my finances. I always feel like I can talk to him about my budget, or a big purchase, and I will get non-judgmental advice. Also, having parents involved in financial decisions gives your daughter a certain sense of accountability that we as singles need.

#3. Show affection.

Daddy’s- Love on your daughters. It doesn’t matter how old they are…they need a hug and kiss from you. There is nothing like it. Single girls need physical touch. (appropriately, of course!) There have been times where I have gone several days without a single physical touch, and I thought I would lose my mind! Daddy’s, your girls need appropriate affection from you, so they don’t seek out inappropriate affection elsewhere. Love on your daughters.

Momma’s- Love on your daughters. Tell them they are beautiful. Many times, girls struggle with their self esteem because they have felt judged or rejected by their mother. Your daughters need to be told often that they are beautiful and special. Yeah, we know it’s your job to say it, but it still means the world to hear it.

#4. Model a godly marriage.

Your single daughters need to learn what a godly marriage looks like. Who better for us to learn from than our parents?! Know that your daughters are watching your relationships. They are observing your words, actions, and body language. The way you handle conflict, struggles, and even victories are being observed. Mothers, we are watching you to learn how to be a godly wife. Fathers, we are watching you to learn what to look for in a husband.

Not every relationship, every day, is going to be perfect. I’m just asking that parents become aware of their daughter’s singleness. This season of life can be difficult, and your daughters need you.

Even though she is an adult, she is not married yet, so she is still your responsibility. Love on her, pray for her, and protect her with your support and advice. She will forever be grateful.

And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:4

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Archive April: Worth the Wait.

Posted on April 25, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Originally posted on: November 19, 2012

“From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.” Isaiah 64:4

It’s my birthday month! I turn 35 this year…gulp…and next month, I get to marry the most amazing man I’ve ever met! Believe me, waiting until you’re 35 to marry is a looooooong time to wait. But I wouldn’t change a thing. God’s plans are so much better than mine.

Let’s rewind the clock about ten years.  I would have been 25 years old, and to my mind at the time, the perfect age to marry (actually earlier but I would have settled to be married at 25). I was heading off to seminary ready to meet the love of my life, conquer my master’s degree, and face the world serving the Lord by my husband’s side. I was full of excitement, naivety and self-righteousness, and had lots of growing to do in all areas of life. My now fiancé, however, was living the life of an unbeliever. God wasn’t even on his radar at that time. If we would have met then, I would have either been witnessing to him or completely ignoring him!

Fast forward to about 5 years ago. I would have been turning 30, and to my mind way behind schedule to get married and start a family. I had graduated from seminary and was working full time (at a job where neither of my degrees were necessary), and trying to figure out what to do with my life. I was learning much about life and going through a lot of heart-ache. My future husband was in another state and had only been a Christian for about 3 years. He was learning much of Christ and planning to start college soon. He was focused on growing as a new creation and not even thinking about girls. If we had met then, he wouldn’t have even noticed me.

Now let’s skip ahead to last year at this time. I was about to turn 34, and had (mostly) made peace with my singleness and God’s good plan for my life. I didn’t know if I would ever marry and I was generally ok with that. It was no longer essential for a good life for me. I was happy in my little home with the ministries that the Lord had given me and was going about life just fine. There were times when being on my own was difficult and was the last thing I wanted, but there were also days when I couldn’t imagine being “tethered” to someone else and enjoyed my life as a single.

Then in March of this year, a friend of mine told me about a man from my home church who was coming to the school where I work and asked me to help him find his way around. Little did I know when I contacted him with purely helpful intentions that we’d be getting married by the end of the year (If you want to read more of our story, you can read these two posts on my blog: Surprised by Love Once Again and Life on the Fast Track).

God’s timing is perfect and it’s definitely worth the wait. All those years of longing, unanswered prayers, and missing a man that I had never met have all been forgotten. The waiting was difficult but I learned so much from it. And waiting doesn’t stop when you get what you’ve been waiting for. No, you just have to wait for something else. So learning to wait well is good and is a fruit of the Spirit (patience) that needs to be cultivated (which means effort and practice as we learn to deny ourselves and live by the Spirit).

So press on, dear ones! Keep seeking the Lord and following hard after Him. He is for you and is not withholding anything from those who walk uprightly (Ps. 84:11). He is not spiteful or teasing you by dangling the gift of marriage in front of you but only giving it to others. He is generous and a good gift giver–giving to each person what is perfectly suited for them in every season of life. Therefore, if marriage is good for you then God will bring that to you at His perfect time and in His perfect way. He will guide your path, and the path of your spouse just as He has done for centuries to bring about His good plans, so there’s no need to worry (visit my post Worrisome Birds …which I wrote when I was very single…for more on the theme of God’s perfect timing and providence). Put your trust in His faithfulness and love for you.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” - Lamentations 3:22-25

Carrie Pickelsimer

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Top Ten Break-up Lines and Their Translations

Posted on March 5, 2013 by | 2 Comments

top10

1. I think we should see other people.

Translation: I’ve been dating someone else for a while, and you’ll see my new relationship status on Facebook tomorrow.

2. I’m moving overseas.

Translation:  We stand a better chance of finding Bigfoot than going on another date.

3. I just need to be single right now.

Translation: I’ll call you after football season.

4. I don’t think we’re soulmates.

Translation: I’ve seen Napoleon Dynamite way too many times, and it has warped my view of romance.

5. It’s not you; it’s me.

Translation: I can’t come up with anything better than this cliché.

6. I’m not interested in a serious relationship.

Translation 1: I’m married.

Translation 2: I don’t want the responsibility of marriage.

7. I don’t think we should be together, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see each other.

Translation: I’m more interested in your roommate.

8. I think we need some time apart.

Translation: You’re clingy and that freaks me out.

9. I want to explore other options.

Translation:  I joined e-Harmony.

10. I think we’re in a rut and it’s time to go our separate ways.

Translation: I miss my Wii.

Bethany Wester

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Patience with Perspective.

Posted on March 4, 2013 by | 1 Comment

by: Stefanie James; Guest Writer

Patience.  That two-syllable word that strikes fear into our hearts, yet we know how valuable patience truly is.  However, actually practicing patience is hard.  And practicing patience while struggling with singleness can be incredibly frustrating.

Oh, I know you’ve heard the time-honored, clichéd advice.  “Be patient because the right guy could be the next guy you meet!”  Or, “Oh, girl!  Use this time to be free and live the single life before settling down!”  Or even, “Honey, God WILL grant you the desires of your heart… but in His time.”  (This one always makes me want to say, “but WHEN will it be His time for ME?!”  Do you see the patience in me?!)

And then we are reminded with this biblical advice: “How long did Hannah have to wait to have children?  How long did Jacob wait to marry Rachel?  How long did Abraham wait for his descendent, Isaac?”  (Answer for each: a good number of years!)

I had a conversation with my mother a few weeks ago that really touched my heart and got me thinking about patience in relation to waiting for marriage.  My mom is an amazing, godly woman and I go to her with all my tough questions and rants.  This one particular conversation I was ranting about my frustrations regarding really wanting to be married (AGAIN) and my mom kindly reminded me of the above biblical truths (AGAIN).  To be honest, each time she told me, my reaction was similar to “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard this before.”  But this time she snapped my perspective back to where it needed to be.

She asked me how long our family had been praying for my grandfather to see his need for a Savior and to place his faith in Christ.  I meekly answered 14 years.  FOURTEEN years of praying and crying out to God to save my grandfather from eternal separation from Him in hell.  And God answered prayer!  My grandfather finally placed his faith in Christ just a mere seven months before passing away, and it still brings me great joy to say that he is Home with Christ.

Ladies, this was a punch in the gut for me.  How selfish of me to whine and complain to God that I want it to be MY time to get married NOW.  I had completely forgotten that I am to be focused on a purpose much greater as a daughter of the King: to bring glory to God and to proclaim Christ to all peoples.  Yes, marriage is a beautiful reflection of the Gospel and it’s a wonderful thing to desire.  But when that desire turns into a warped perspective that makes us self-focused instead of Kingdom-focused – that’s when we know we have a problem.

The correct, godly perspective of being Kingdom-focused can change our outlook on our lives and our struggles.  We may still struggle with singleness, but we must always remind ourselves of the Gospel and where our true joy and hope lies.  If you desire marriage, continue to pray for guidance and guard your heart with Scripture.  But never stop proclaiming Christ to those around you.  Always be a light for the Gospel.  Allow those around you to see you have joy in the midst of your struggles, since your source of strength is Christ alone.

God has called you each by name.  He knows the plans He has for you.  Rest in Him and let your life be an adventure that reflects the Gospel – and wait patiently!

Stefanie James

stephStefanie is a native New Yorker who is always working on her southern twang in her current home state of North Carolina.  A recent graduate of Southeastern Baptist Seminary, she takes great joy in ministering to women, children, and her crazy awesome middle school girls.  She loves adventure, taking pictures, and creating lasting memories!

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Community.

Posted on February 25, 2013 by | Leave a comment

by: Liz Fowler, Guest Writer

I have two different definitions of community: One is pre-August 2011 and one is post-August 2011. August of 2011 is when I met my family, my North Carolina Family. You see, I packed up in July of 2011 and moved my “I’ve only lived in Oklahoma my WHOLE life” life 1000 miles away to this city called Wake Forest, located in North Carolina. Standing in the parking lot of a local breakfast diner watching my parents drive away, the reality set in: I knew not one person in Wake Forest. There are many reasons why I moved here, but 1.5 years later, I can quickly (and probably loudly) tell you that God brought me here to experience community first hand.

com·mu·ni·ty

 noun, plural com·mu·ni·ties.

1. a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality,
share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.

2. a locality inhabited by such a group.

3. a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within it exists (usually preceded by the):
the business community; the community of scholars.

4. a group of associated nations sharing common interests or a common heritage:
the community of Western Europe.


5. Ecclesiastical. a group of men or women leading a common life according to a rule.

Community, for me, is found in the local church .We meet each week on Sunday mornings to worship, but then throughout the week we meet for a more personal and intentional time of accountability and encouragement. I will preach until the day I die (and hopefully my life will show that) the value of being in community.I think this is something as singles that is necessary for the health of our lives, spiritually, physically, socially, and psychologically.

Spiritually - I meet each week in a home with 20ish of my brothers and sisters, my best friends, and we open the scriptures, discuss, and challenge each other. We beg Jesus to work in each others’ lives, we celebrate, we cry, and we cling to the hope we have – Jesus. One specific couple pops into mind:  in November 2011 we sat in the living room and cried with them as they experienced the loss of a child through miscarriage. Yet in January of 2012, we stood in the kitchen of the same house and prayed prayers of celebration for the new life of their son, born days earlier. And I thought to myself, “This is community, Liz”.

Physically - I always knew I needed to be healthy. However, surrounding myself with people who live it out for me is one of those hard but good things for me. I love to eat delicious sweets, snacks and diet cokes. But, that’s not what I’m talking about. Yes diet and exercise are important  but I believe that surrounding myself with people who love me and deepen my walk with Christ is one of the healthiest things I can do. When I am pursuing Christ, my health is improved. (and let’s face it, when a people pleaser like me gets around healthy eating people, that’s a benefit too!)

Socially - Since I work with people who have not had the best experience with believers, my goal has been  to point them to Christ, even if they didn’t realize that. My community plays a vital role in this, not because they know my co-workers, but because of the relationships I have, I am able to live out Christ for them (some days are better than others). I get comments from co-workers like “your small group mom and dad really love you”, when I tell them about my weekend. Just last week, my sweet friend called to apologize and make things right while I was at work. My co-worker said “I don’t think I’ve had a friend do that, that’s really cool”. That is community. We genuinely love each other, and choose to hang out on a Friday night together. I know that Thursday nights are the highlight of my week because I know I will be with my people.

Psychologically - my overall mental health has improved so much since joining my community. I know the value of surrounding myself with people who love me and will speak truth, encouragement, and correction (all in love) to me. I only took Intro to Psychology in undergrad, but I have to believe that community is vital for my health.

No matter what season of life you are in, we must be in community. Singles need this. When you get married, you’ll need this. We are created for doing life together. I am thankful for those that have helped me see this need, and I am prayerful that while I may not always be in this community, that I will know the value and always have community in my life.

 I found this quote on Pinterest and made me a little reminder of the value of community, knowing people and relationships will come and go in life.

corrie ten boom

Liz Fowler

LizLiz is a transplanted Oklahoma girl who calls North Carolina home! She loves coffee, sports, shopping, and pinterest-ing (yes that’s a verb!). She is also a fan of jewelry and nail polish. Most of all she loves spending time with her friends and family and just living life. Her relationship with Jesus is number one. Oh, and one more thing, laughter is the key to making the most of every day!

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Purity. In the Eyes of the Lord.

Posted on February 5, 2013 by | 1 Comment

OurSinglePurpose is focusing on PURITY in February.

fghjklWhat is purity?

Purity can be defined as, “Freedom from sin or guilt”. At times we use others words to describe purity–blameless, chastity, decency, innocence, virtue, sincerity, and integrity. Sometimes to get the best understanding of a word or meaning, we need to look at what the word is not. The opposite of purity is uncleanness, dirty, evil, wicked, or soiled. Isn’t it interesting how much impurity sounds like sin? Purity is the exact opposite. Purity is always clean and pure.

I believe purity can be defined in every area of our lives, and that is exactly what we want to focus on this month. We will be zoning in on these particular areas: purity of our minds, purity of our relationships, sexual purity, purity of our hearts, purity in our actions, purity in our culture and purity in our media. Ladies, Get ready to be pure!

Before we dive into each area of purity in our lives, we must focus on the most important–Spiritual Purity.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Matthew 5:8

Every other area of our lives will not be pure, if we are not pursuing a pure relationship with God. I love this passage above in Matthew 5:8. The pure in heart will see God. How amazing.

How do we gain spiritual purity?

Let’s look at Psalms 119:9, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.” It’s that simple. We can guard our purity by pressing our lives up against the Word. I am so thankful we have an amazing resource in the Scriptures that connects us directly to the actual words and heart of God.

So before we even try to be pure sexually, in our relationships, in our culture, and so forth, we must root ourselves in our relationship with God. We must have a strong relationship with Him in and through His Word. If we don’t, how can we even fight to stay pure? How can we keep from being unclean, dirty and wicked? We can’t. We can’t keep from sinning on our own. That is why we have to have a solid relationship with our Lord…to stay pure!

I keep asking myself-am I living a pure life before the Lord? Is my relationship with the Him pure? Do I have anything dirty, wicked, unclean or soiled in my heart? What do I need to confess to the Lord today?

Before we look at purity any further this month, please take some time to evaluate your relationship with the Lord. I firmly believe that once our relationship with Him is pure, the other areas of our lives will just be an outpour of purity!

Marlana Kaye

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O Husband, Where Art Thou?

Posted on January 28, 2013 by | 4 Comments

by: Erin Elizabeth Austin; Guest Writer

We’ve all done it – dreamed the dream. You know the one I’m talking about; the dream all little girls have to be married, live in a beautiful house, have two kids, and a dog. And the dream only intensifies as we grow older. We wonder what our husband will look like, where he is at this exact moment, and how he’ll love every little thing about us, including our little imperfections, quirks, and sickness. Sickness??? Wait, that wasn’t part of the dream! Who wants to be sick, and what man would choose to marry someone who is chronically sick? Yet for me, this became my reality my senior year in high school.

When most people learn they have a chronic illness, their first thoughts are to wonder what their quality of life will become, what treatments they’ll undergo, and how to pay the huge medical bills, but not me. One of the first thoughts I had after being diagnosed with lupus was, “What man in his right mind will ever want to marry me?”

I managed to convince myself I would meet the right guy, fall madly in love, and live out “The Dream,” but in the back of my mind that nagging question plagued my thoughts. I continued on with my life as best as one can when living with a chronic illness. I went to college, made new friends, and even met a guy. Although we were only in the beginning stages of moving our relationship from friendship to something more permanent, we were in agreement that we could easily see ourselves getting married. And then it happened. My lupus reared its ugly head, and my health took a nose dive hard and fast. Suddenly, my Prince Charming wasn’t so gallant, and he ran from our relationship as fast as he could. Not only was I left with a broken heart, but I felt unwanted, ugly, and unloved.

Although I can now look back at that time and be thankful for that lupus flare, it took me several years to deal with those feelings of self-loathing. Since then, I’ve realized that many single women, both healthy and sick, deal with feelings of being unwanted and unloved. When the dream we’ve had planned for our entire lives falls flat, it’s easy to feel like we’ve failed and our lives have little worth, but God doesn’t judge us by the same standard we judge ourselves. In 1 Samuel 16, when the prophet Samuel goes to Bethlehem to anoint Israel’s new king, Samuel wanted to anoint David’s older brother because of how he looked and his position in his family. But in verse seven God tells Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

We single women are often guilty of judging ourselves harshly because our lives don’t look a certain way. Yet God doesn’t judge us for being single. He doesn’t love us less because we’re not married. He doesn’t decide He would rather not have a relationship with us because our lives don’t meet the status quo. When God sees each of us, He sees someone who is loved, valued, beautiful, and special. God cherishes us. He’ll never walk away from His relationship with us or hold us at arms’ length. To God, we are deemed worthy, not because we’ve earned it, but simply because He says so. And knowing that is worth far more than being married to a Prince Charming.

Erin Elizabeth Austin

Erin (4)Erin Elizabeth Austin is the founder of Broken but Priceless Ministries, a non-profit organization which helps people suffering with a chronic illness, as well as their caregivers. Erin is also a writer and speaker, and she is close to completing her first book. Her message to people who are suffering is that God can bring beauty out of pain and brokenness. No matter what the situation is or how bad things may appear, God is greater. Because of His great love, there is always hope.

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Spiritual Disciplines: Silence and Solitude

Posted on January 23, 2013 by | 4 Comments

But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. (Psalm 131:2)

SD_silenceThings to do, bills to pay, work to be done, bathrooms to clean, meals to cook, dishes to wash, shows to watch, books to read, papers to write, places to be, friends to see…and on and on the cycle goes. Whether you’re single or not, life can get extremely busy and that hectic pace can leave you frazzled and full of anxiety. That’s why the Spiritual Disciplines of Silence and Solitude are so important. The act of coming away from everything to set yourself before God and quiet your heart can bring everything back into perspective and help you realign your priorities.

“The Discipline of silence is the voluntary and temporary abstention from speaking so that certain spiritual goals might be sought. Sometimes silence is observed in order to read, write, pray, and so on. Though there is no outward speaking, there are internal dialogues with self and with God. This can be called “outward silence.” Other times silence is maintained not only outwardly but also inwardly so that God’s voice might be heard more clearly

Solitude is the Spiritual Discipline of voluntarily and temporarily withdrawing to privacy for spiritual purposes. The period of solitude may last only a few minutes or for days. As with silence, solitude may be sought in order to participate without interruption in other Spiritual Disciplines, or just to be alone with God.” (Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, pg 182.)

When I was single (not too long ago…) I developed the habit of often spending an entire Saturday morning with my Bible, journal, commentaries, prayer cards, etc. It was a time when the Lord would show me where I had sin hidden in my heart or when I would unload my struggles and anxieties. I would often spend time just sitting there in silence, quieting my racing mind and setting the adoration of my heart on Christ. There were times of prayer for myself, intercession for those I love, journaling, singing, reading. It was beautiful. It was a time I counted on to tend to my soul and grow in Christlikeness. (Not that I neglected the Lord at other times during the week, but just that I didn’t have as long or as uninterrupted times. For instance, my morning devotions were good but I was often distracted by the things that needed to be done for the rest of the day or whether I was going to be late to work or how much time I had left or if I had food for lunch or whether I defrosted the chicken for dinner that night or…) My Saturday mornings, though, were undistracted—nowhere to go, nothing that couldn’t wait. They were a very blessed time that I looked forward to all week long. They became a very sacred time that only the most important things could interrupt.

In the month and a half I’ve been married…boy, have things changed. Finding time to be by myself has become a task in itself. My life does not belong just to me any longer. I have a husband to tend to. My agenda has been melded in with his so I can’t be selfish with my time or schedule (still learning this lesson…). I have responsibilities to be a blessing to my husband. It’s a new season of life. So I need to learn what the disciplines of silence and solitude look like for me now. I know my husband needs and wants this time with the Lord also, so it’s just another area that we’ll have to work out.

Silence and solitude don’t have to include extended times of camping out in the woods with no one around for miles (though that would work). It can be a few moments in the car to slow down and breathe, turn off the radio and redirect your thoughts to more eternal things, or maybe in the elevator while you wait for your floor, or while you’re waiting in the cashiers line. It doesn’t take long to seek Him. He’s always near to you. Or if you do have more time go for a long walk, or go away for a weekend to a secluded spot (but be safe!), or find a quiet spot to park your car and watch the sunset (again, please be wise and safe).

This is the time to build these disciplines (whether married or single). But for singles, I speak as one who’s gone before you, don’t wait. Do it now. You won’t regret the time that you spend seeking the Lord in undistracted solitude and silence. Still your heart and mind as often as you can and let the Lord mold you into the gentle and quiet spirit that he finds so precious (1 Pet. 3:4) “The time for silence and solitude will rarely be easy to chisel out of your schedule. The world, the flesh, and the Enemy of your soul will see to that. But if you discipline yourself to do it, your only regret will be that you didn’t start sooner.” (Whitney, p 199)

“But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)

Carrie Kelly

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O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

Posted on October 29, 2012 by | 2 Comments
O Love That Will Not Let Me Go
This is a title to a hymn written by George Matheson in 1882. I recently heard the story behind this old beautiful hymn and it touched me so deeply. I love hearing the meaning behind songs because it makes them even that much more meaningful. George Matheson wrote this as a single man on the day of his sisters wedding. Yep, you guessed it. He was lonely. Here is what he wrote in his journal about that day.
“My hymn was composed in the manse of Inellan on the evening of June 6, 1882.  I was at that time alone.  It was the day of my sister’s marriage, and the rest of my family were staying overnight in Glasgow.  Something had happened to me which was known only to myself, and which caused me the most severe mental suffering.  The hymn was the fruit of that suffering.  It was the quickest bit of work I ever did in my life.  I had the impression of having it dictated to me by some inward voice than of working it out myself.  I am quite sure that the whole work was completed in five minutes, and equally sure that it never received at my hands any retouching or correction.”

He didn’t mention in his journal what had caused him this “most sever mental suffering”, but most have suspected it had to do with the heartbreak he experienced from a woman he loved. Matheson struggled with poor eyesight his entire life and it increasingly became worse the older he became. His fiancee had broken her engagement to him, telling him that she couldn’t see herself going through life married to a blind man.  Matheson never married, and it seems likely that his sister’s wedding brought to memory the woman that he had loved and the wedding that he had never enjoyed. Take a minute and read this beautiful hymn.

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O light that foll’west all my way,
I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

How many of us would write such beautiful truths on the loneliest night of our lives? I think we would more likely write something to the effect of, “Poor me. I am always going to be alone. God why are you looking down upon me and not blessing me with a mate? I will never be happy. Woe is me.”

Matheson could have done this. Easily. Instead, he chose to celebrate the consistency of God’s love – “love that wilt not let me go” – “light that follow’st all my way” – “joy that seekest me through pain.”

As this hymn reveals, it was his faith in God that kept him going through the heartbreak that he suffered.  He believed that God’s love would not let him go, and that God’s light would follow him all his way, and that God’s joy would seek him through his pain, and that faith made all the difference.
I don’t know about you…but that sure is convicting to me.

Marlana Kaye

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True Beauty

Posted on August 22, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Most single women out there have some sort of impression that maybe they would be married if they were only as pretty as the next girl.  I know I struggled with this.  (And you know, the complexities with beauty don’t end when you get married).

Recently I found a blog that I love because it gives me ideas that will look great on the inside, but knowing where the author’s focus is and where her true beauty comes from, allows me to really enjoy the articles she writes and the tips she give.

This is an excerpt from her About Me tab on her site:

While I spend a lot of time talking about hair, beauty products, fashion, shoes, makeup, crafts, food, artsy things. . .(are you catching my drift?), I know that my worth is in Christ. God has given me a passion for all of these things, and I intend to use it, and share it with you all! So what I’m trying to say here is this: don’t look for your value or identity in how good you look, or how talented you are at something. Nothing will fill you like the love of Christ.

Kimberly Campbell

Photo taken for Moon&Lola jewelry

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