These are some thoughts I've had floating around in my head lately that I've somewhat placed together here to hopefully encourage others.
I recently finished reading a book by a pastor, Andrew Farmer called "The Rich Single Life." It's not a book on HOW TO get married, but how to best glorify God during your time of singleness. It was encouraging to me as I am in this moment of waiting on the Lord for a husband (should it be His will for me to be married in this life). Sometimes it can get very discouraging being 28 and still single watching all of my friends getting married and now having their second or third child. Not only that, but now "kids" younger than me are getting married!
This pastor says, "You'll always have the gift of singleness as long as you're single. When you get married, you wont need it anymore." I like that. :-) He also says, "Singleness & marriage can be viewed as parallel states- each having their own particular joys and sorrows."
I have many reasons to be thankful that I am still single, one being that I am not married to the wrong man as I very well could have been had I gotten married when I wanted to be married. By the grace of God, He did not allow that to happen. So for that I am thankful. Also, I have had opportunity to become close to several older married couples and observe their relationships with one another as well how they raise their children and their interaction with them. A few of my closest friends are married, and I've been able to see firsthand that it doesn't get better or easier in life just because you're married. As I quoted from this book, marriage and singleness DO both have their joys and sorrows. They both have their good and bad times. It's just as easy to be discontent being married as it is being single. Another blessing for me today is being able to spend time with my parents and sister. We have been able to become closer and grow together and get to know each other in ways not everyone gets to experience if they're married and have moved away from home.
Also from the book: "The gift of singleness can make certain things possible that being married could not do." I was very encouraged by this book! It helped me to think through the stage that I am in where the Lord has placed me for this particular time. I've examined my own life and considered the different things that I am using my "free" time for. Am I using it purely for myself? Am I using it wasting away in sad thoughts of how I wish I were married? Am I forgetting all the blessings that the Lord has placed in my life? Something else that stands out in my mind that I remember reading in this book is how flexible singles can be. This is the time of my life that I can be most flexible to do whatever in the world I want to do. How can I best glorify God today?
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6:34
One more very important thing that was noted in this book that I had never considered in this way before...
"Singleness is not just a gift to the individual believer, it's a gift to the body of Christ, and always has been." Farmer goes on to name several individuals who lived most of their life(or at least a good portion of it)as a single. Many of these people were missionaries who were able to do particular things that someone who was married wouldn't quite have the time for.
I've seen in my own life how the Lord has placed opportunities in front of me of things I can do because of my flexibility that I wouldn't be able to do otherwise. One of these things is babysitting. I don't do it often enough, but when I do it's just as much a blessing to me as it may be to that family. It has provided opportunities to get to know families and children in ways I wouldn't otherwise. This reminds me of the section of Paul's passage in 1 Corinthians about singleness.
1 Cor. 7:32-35 "I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord."
closing thoughts...
So not only do I have all of the blessings I've already named, but MOST IMPORTANTLY I have more time to spend with the Lord. As I meditate on that for a moment...am I really using my time for Him? Have I secured my undivided devotion to the Lord? Who or what am I devoting my time to? Will I one day look back and think of all the time I've wasted that could've been spent with the Lord in His Word or on my knees in prayer? Did I pass the time doing meaningless things that I could have been spending drawing nearer to my precious Savior?
Yes, I still struggle with being content with where the Lord has placed me; but it's a comfort knowing that God is in control and He won't keep me single a day longer than He has planned. He knows me better than I do and what is best for me. I have to trust Him. I must ask Him moment by moment to remind me of this and to help me rest in Him and live for His glory and not for my own pleasures and desires.
After all...it's not about me. It's about Him!!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
The Jesus Storybook Bible
I thought this was really beautiful. It's an excerpt from Joshua Harris's book, "Dug Down Deep" as he is quoting from one of his children's books.
The Jesus Storybook Bible
by Sally Lloyd-Jones
Now, some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should do and shouldn't do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn't mainly about you and what you should be doing. It's about God and what He has done.
Other people think the Bible is a book of heroes, showing you people you should copy. The Bible does have some heroes in it, but (as you'll soon find out) most of the people in the Bible aren't heroes at all. They make some big mistakes (sometimes on purpose). They get afraid and run away. At times they are downright mean.
No, the Bible isn't a book of rules or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It’s an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne, everything to rescue the one he loves. It’s like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!
You see, the best thing about this story is—it’s true.
It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle—the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.
The Jesus Storybook Bible
by Sally Lloyd-Jones
Now, some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should do and shouldn't do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn't mainly about you and what you should be doing. It's about God and what He has done.
Other people think the Bible is a book of heroes, showing you people you should copy. The Bible does have some heroes in it, but (as you'll soon find out) most of the people in the Bible aren't heroes at all. They make some big mistakes (sometimes on purpose). They get afraid and run away. At times they are downright mean.
No, the Bible isn't a book of rules or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It’s an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne, everything to rescue the one he loves. It’s like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!
You see, the best thing about this story is—it’s true.
It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle—the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Every Race is Runnable
By Ray Ordlund:
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2011/05/29/every-race-is-runnable/
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2
The amazing believers of the past — their lives make this undeniable statement: Every race is runnable.
We think, “My life is more than I can bear. God is asking too much of me. I’ve grown and changed and repented all I can. So, I’ll settle down. I’ll manage a church-going status quo. I’ll even call it ‘faithfulness.’” But that isn’t faithfulness. Not as Hebrews 11 defines living by faith. Not by a mile.
If we are feeling weighed down and exhausted, the problem isn’t Jesus. He is unfailingly an energizing presence. Nor is the problem the race he has called us to run. The problem is something else, even something non-sinful and allowable, but it prevents us from running an unleashed, all-out race. Getting clean rid of it, because our hearts are reaching for the promises of God — that is living by faith.
Living that way, we’ll be surprised at how near the Lord is and how much we can keep growing. Life will become an adventure again.
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2011/05/29/every-race-is-runnable/
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2
The amazing believers of the past — their lives make this undeniable statement: Every race is runnable.
We think, “My life is more than I can bear. God is asking too much of me. I’ve grown and changed and repented all I can. So, I’ll settle down. I’ll manage a church-going status quo. I’ll even call it ‘faithfulness.’” But that isn’t faithfulness. Not as Hebrews 11 defines living by faith. Not by a mile.
If we are feeling weighed down and exhausted, the problem isn’t Jesus. He is unfailingly an energizing presence. Nor is the problem the race he has called us to run. The problem is something else, even something non-sinful and allowable, but it prevents us from running an unleashed, all-out race. Getting clean rid of it, because our hearts are reaching for the promises of God — that is living by faith.
Living that way, we’ll be surprised at how near the Lord is and how much we can keep growing. Life will become an adventure again.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Purification
The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions
Purification
Lord Jesus,
I sin-
Grant that I may never cease grieving because of it,
never be content with myself,
never think I can reach a point of perfection.
Kill my envy, command my tongue, trample down self.
Give me grace to be holy, kind, gentle, pure, peaceable,
to live for Thee and not for self,
to copy Thy words, acts, spirit,
to be transformed into Thy likeness,
to be consecrated wholly to Thee,
to live entirely to Thy glory.
Deliver me from attachment to things unclean,
from wrong associations,
from the predominance of evil passions,
from the sugar of sin as well as its gall;
that with self-loathing, deep contrition, earnest heart searching
I may come to Thee,
cast myself on Thee,
trust in Thee,
cry to Thee,
be delivered by Thee.
O God, the Eternal All, help me to know that
all things are shadows, but Thou art substance,
all things are quicksands, but Thou art mountain,
all things are shifting, but Thou art anchor,
all things are ignorance, but Thou art wisdom.
If my life is to be a crucible amid burning heat, so be it,
but do Thou sit at the furnace mouth
to watch the ore that nothing be lost.
If I sin wilfully, grievously, tormentedly, in grace
take away my mourning and give me music;
remove my sackcloth and clothe me with beauty;
still my sighs and fill my mouth with song,
then give me summer weather as a Christian.
Purification
Lord Jesus,
I sin-
Grant that I may never cease grieving because of it,
never be content with myself,
never think I can reach a point of perfection.
Kill my envy, command my tongue, trample down self.
Give me grace to be holy, kind, gentle, pure, peaceable,
to live for Thee and not for self,
to copy Thy words, acts, spirit,
to be transformed into Thy likeness,
to be consecrated wholly to Thee,
to live entirely to Thy glory.
Deliver me from attachment to things unclean,
from wrong associations,
from the predominance of evil passions,
from the sugar of sin as well as its gall;
that with self-loathing, deep contrition, earnest heart searching
I may come to Thee,
cast myself on Thee,
trust in Thee,
cry to Thee,
be delivered by Thee.
O God, the Eternal All, help me to know that
all things are shadows, but Thou art substance,
all things are quicksands, but Thou art mountain,
all things are shifting, but Thou art anchor,
all things are ignorance, but Thou art wisdom.
If my life is to be a crucible amid burning heat, so be it,
but do Thou sit at the furnace mouth
to watch the ore that nothing be lost.
If I sin wilfully, grievously, tormentedly, in grace
take away my mourning and give me music;
remove my sackcloth and clothe me with beauty;
still my sighs and fill my mouth with song,
then give me summer weather as a Christian.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Hungry for God's Word? Why or why not?...
Reckless Abandon: Hunger For God’s Word
Taken from “A Man Worth Waiting For” by Jackie Kendall
Reckless abandon impacts every aspect of a person’s life, including his or her relationship with those things that entertain and distract from eternal focus.
It astonishes me how many Christians watch the same banal, empty, silly, trivial, titillating, suggestive, immodest TV shows that most unbelievers watch- and then wonder why their spiritual lives are weak and their worship experience is shallow with no intensity. If you really want to hear the Word of God the way He means to be heard in truth and joy and power, turn off the television on Saturday night and read something true and great and beautiful and pure and honorable and excellent and worthy of praise. Then watch your heart un-shrivel and begin to hunger for the Word of God
I think we followers of Jesus need to be as concerned about the famine reflected in the souls of too many of God’s children.
Philippians 4:8 ”Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Taken from “A Man Worth Waiting For” by Jackie Kendall
Reckless abandon impacts every aspect of a person’s life, including his or her relationship with those things that entertain and distract from eternal focus.
It astonishes me how many Christians watch the same banal, empty, silly, trivial, titillating, suggestive, immodest TV shows that most unbelievers watch- and then wonder why their spiritual lives are weak and their worship experience is shallow with no intensity. If you really want to hear the Word of God the way He means to be heard in truth and joy and power, turn off the television on Saturday night and read something true and great and beautiful and pure and honorable and excellent and worthy of praise. Then watch your heart un-shrivel and begin to hunger for the Word of God
I think we followers of Jesus need to be as concerned about the famine reflected in the souls of too many of God’s children.
Philippians 4:8 ”Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
KNOW what you NEED to do to LIVE for Him and DO IT!
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7
"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." Ephesians 6:11
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1,2
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7
"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." Ephesians 6:11
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1,2
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8
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