Congratulations!...Who's Next?

So, I got on facebook today (like I do every day) and I noticed that one of my friends just got engaged. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm super excited for them and couldn't be happier! It's a beautiful thing when a girl finds the guy she's been waiting for her whole life - the guy that God promised to her. I guess it's just a little...overwhelming for me. I feel like I'm getting to that age where everybody seems to be finding their "one" and my friends are getting married faster lightening strikes. I'm truely am happy for everyone who has marriage in the picture and congratulate them on embarking on this new journey. As for me? Now I'm just numb to it all. I'm just left asking, "Who's next"?

I'm so used to seeing pictures of engagement rings and status updates that say "I'm the luckiest girl in the world!<3" and "I love my husband.. how did I manage to snag him ;]". You all know what I'm talking about. That's all cute and nice, but, being a fellow single, it's enough to make you want to puke at times. Like I said, I'm happy for them, but really, do you gotta rub it in our single faces? Psh. 

It takes everything within me not to be jealous at times, wishing it was me who got to say that. Somtimes I wonder why that girl landed the amazing, gorgeous, Christian guy I dream of and not me. Sounds pretty selfish, right? Believe me, I'm working on it. But the thing is, I get to the point where I get rather upset with God, saying "really, God? SERIOUSLY? What's wrong with me? Why am I still single while everyone else is getting married? Am I not "content" enough with You? Am I not secure enough in my singleness and totally love-blind with You to be totally caught off guard by 'the one'? Am I not outgoing or appealing enough to the type of guy I want to attract? Do I not measure up to the other amazing christian girls who seem to attract these guys? What's wrong with me?"

Truth is, these questions are gonna ruin me and lead me down a desctructive, spiral path to nowhere - fast. I've slowly realized that these doubts about myself, along with if God has a guy for me, are not thoughts from God. They're simply from Satan. He wants us to get impatient and frustrated to the point where we give up and sell ourselves short; lowering our standards, giving away our purity, or becoming self-conscious, unconfident beings. He wants us to forget the fact that we are made in the beautiful image of God and search for love from a mere mortal man. He's the one who's putting these questions into our head, and yet we direct our frustration and blame toward God.

Two truths I've learned in my time of singleness that should help other singles who feel the way I do:

1) You don't have to "be content" before you're man will come. "May he grant you the desires of your heart, and may all your plans succeed" (Psalms 20:4). A friend of mine once showed me a youtube video of a preacher speaking about singleness. He pointed out that we've filled our heads with the idea that you have to be "content" with God before He'll bring 'the one' into your life. Since when do we need to be content with being single? God created us to be united with man. He put that desire in our hearts. Why would we tell us to push that desire away and pretend it doesn't exist just to please Him? The part I liked in the video was when he said "you can be content with where you are right now, but that doesn't mean you want to be content with that down the road".

2) Be Patient. "But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." (Romans 8:25). I know, you've probably heard this a thousand times just like I have. In my oppinion, it's the most annoying thing a person could tell a single women. "God has a great guy in store for you. You just have to be patient. It'll happen eventually". Yeah, that's coming from a married or dating woman! Thanks, alot. In all serious, though, patience is key. It shows that you're trusting God that He's going to fulfill his promise - to grant you the desires of your heart. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1). When we have faith in God, we are CERTAIN, even though circumstances in life might tell us otherwise. We can be sure of this: God is faithful and he "works all things for the good of those who love him" (Romans 8:28). Since this is truth, why is it so hard for us just be patient, enjoy life, and rest in the fact that God has it all worked out?

Believe me, this is one of my biggest struggles. But I find comfort and peace knowing that God has it all together and he truly is going to bring me the "man of my dreams" who will be my perfect "other half" and together, we will do some major, awesome, amazing things for the glory of God. It's all apart of his plan.

So congratulations, couples!....I'm next.

Holding On

Holding On By Jamie Grace

Holding On.
Have you ever actually listened to the words of this song? It's more than just a nice, sweet "catchy" tune. It has a message bigger and more powerful than Jamie Grace probably anticipated.

All the signs of life...They’re all around me with every heartbeat...I feel so alive...I am joy and sadness, Peace and madness...

Ahh, the joy and peace that God brings to our lives. A pastor once told me 2 simple truths that, if we keep them straight, we'll have a better understanding of God and his will for our lives. The truth is, hate comes from fear, which leads to death. Love comes from faith, which leads to life. Satan is hate. God is love. Think about that for a moment. Satan tries to put anger, fear, resentment, jealousy, grief, pain, lust, pride, greed, and vanity into our lives. Continuing down a road filled with these idols will lead to death. God wants to "give us life to the fullest" (John 10:10). We love the one who has promised us eternal life. We hate the one who has come to "steal, kill, and destroy" (also, John 10:10). No matter what life throws at us, we put our faith in the one who brings life. It's so great knowing we have joy in sadness and peace in madness.

If only I can fight just a little longer
I know It’s gonna make me stronger

This part reminds me of James 1:2 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of any kind. Because you know the testing of your faith develops perserverence. Perserverence must finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything". Perserverence. Just keep going. Continuing to press on even in hard times is never easy. There's going to be many times where you'll be tempted to give up and walk away from it all. But these times are beautiful! You don't move by standing still. You can't grow into the person God intends for you to be if you continue to stay where it's comfortable. God wants to mold you into his likeness. And literally transform you.

I just keep holding on to what I believe..Oh, I believe in you..Give me the strength to fight..And the heart to believe..When it’s hard to believe in you.

Oh man, this part really hits home for me. For a girl who struggles with wavering- believing in God but letting doubts and skepticism consume my mind- I can relate all to well. Sometimes, it's hard to believe in God. Either circumstances seem bigger than our reality, or doubt about who God is starts to get in the way. Sometimes, I get to the point where I question my faith to the core. "Is the Bible REALLY the word of God? Does he REALLY love me that much?" I know it in my heart, but I can't get my head to believe it as well. Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks like this at times.

Oh and these are the times when doubt’s tryin’ to creep in...And I need a reason that’s larger than life when hope seems hard to find
Jamie Grace understands. I cannot tell you how many times in life you're going to doubt and be tempted to throw it all away. Obviously, I hope you don't but it seems inevitable, doesn't it? What I learned I needed was patience. "Faith grows exceedingly" (2 Thessalonians 1:3). We are always going to grow in our faith, and that doesn't stop in the hard times. In fact, sometimes you grow the MOST during those times. Hard times and times that we aren't on our "God High" is when we really got to dig deep, press on, and have patience. We know that God has great things in store for us and "through faith and patience (we) inherit what has been promised". (Hebrews 6:12). With patience, faith will come.
Trust me, this is hard for me to grasp too. I've always wondered how do you actually SHOW God you trust and believe in him. It's one thing to say you do, but actually doing it is another this. Truth is, you show you have faith by your words and your actions. So when you continue to press on and say "God I trust you" while reading aloud Bible verses, you are showing you have faith.

Thank you, Jamie Grace, for creating a song so relavent to life. It's always comforting to know you're not alone in your thinking. If I can encourage you all with anything, it's to have patience, press on, and keep holding on.

Simply in Awe

so i definitely have been thinking and i finally understand one of the greatest things God could do for me!

Imagine this:
There is a guy out there...a guy that you don't even know...waiting for you. He wants to be with you and make you happy and be there for you for the rest of your life. There's a guy out there who is going to take care of you when you are sick, love the way you look in sweatpants and no make up on, and laugh with you until you feel like your gut is about to burst. He is going to be the sweetest guy you've ever met. His charm will be inevitable, his smile will be heart-melting, and his hugs will warm you on the coldest days.

now imagine this:

he has no idea you even exist.

the craziest thing of all...is that he already loves you. He just doesn't know it yet.

Now fact is, you're ready for that guy to come into your life. For some reason, you won't settle for less. You have been hurt one too many times by the guys in your life that you just can't bare to handle another heartache. You've tried to control the outcomes, but truth be told, nothing comes out right. It's impossible for you to control what happens in your love life.

but you rest easy now. Because you have a new-found truth.

The truth is this: God knows you. God knows him. God knows where life is going to take you. He just KNOWS. He knows exactly where you are going to be 2 minutes from now, 2 hours from now, 2 days from now, 2 YEARS from now. He knows the people you are going to meet and the places you are going to see. He is using every single event that happens in your life to frame who you are. The same can be said for your love life. He knows the guys that are going to come into your life. He knows about your first kiss with that boy in 7th grade, and that boy you dated for 3 years just so he could break your heart, and that boy who claimed to love you, had his way with you, and left you with emotional scars that can't seem to heal. God knew all those guys were going to be there. And he knew they were going to leave....

Finally, imagine THIS:
No matter how much you want it or how hard you try, that right guy may not be coming into your life right now. It could be tomorrow or years down the road... but God has a reason for his timing. He is still working in the life of that guy. you may be ready, but he is not. That guy is going to love you for the rest of his life! God is working in his life so that he will be perfect for you! God is rearranging events in both of your lives so that you will meet someday. He has both of your paths mapped out. You two are destined to meet, fall in love, and live happily ever after. isn't that worth waiting for?

wow. simply in awe. God is amazing. :):)

Rock Climbing

I have a little story for you:

Here at UNI, they have this thing called the Rock Wall. UNI students and the public are all allowed access to rock climb. Well, on this particular day, me and a friend of mine were feelin pretty adventerous so we got pumped, prepared, and ready to go. I was feelin pretty good and pretty safe. The guy helping did a test repel to make sure it was secure and that he could get me if I fell. I felt pretty secure with my life in his hands. I started climbing up the wall at a decent pace. I felt good about my climb and was pretty sure I was going to make it to the top. It wasn't until I was half way up that I started to get a little scared and uneasy. I wasn't sure where to put my foot next. I was a little hesitant to make any move because I didn't know which way to go.

 The guy down at the bottom yelled up "put your foot on the white rock to your left!!". I wanted to do what he told me, but I was still hesitant because I didn't think I could do it. He gave me encouragement again saying "just do it quickly! I promise I got you. You won't fall!" So I took the risk and did what he said. And, of course, he was right. Putting my foot in that spot helped me to get closer to my goal which was reaching the top. So I kept on climbing. Slowly, but steadily.

 Then I got toward the very top and suddenly got really scared. I was freaking out in a way. It was probably a funny sight to see. I kept telling the guy that I couldn't do it! I didn't want to give up but i literally couldn't do it. My arms were weak, my legs were sore; this was going to be impossible. I thought I should just give up and go back down. I didn't want to do that..but I had to. I literallly could NOT do it.

 But the guy down below kept yelling up at me "you can do it! you got this!" and no matter how many times I said I can't, he said YOU CAN! I forced myself to climb a little bit higher but it was just too much. I couldn't do it without his help! He kept telling me "You're not gonna fall! Just keep climbing! I got you. Don't worry. You're NOT going to fall." Everytime I would take a step, I could feel my harness lift me up a bit and that really helped. That guy was helping me along.

 There was only a couple feet in my way before I could touch the rock. Basically, I could jump and I would touch it. I thought, there's no way! i'm not going to reach it! I was weak, tired; barely able to keep my grip. It took all that was in me to hold on. But the guy, in his usual calm, clear voice, would yell up to me "now just jump! That's it! Just jump! You're almost there. I got you. Don't worry." I was so overwhelmed with part of me saying I can't while the guy who was holding me up saying i can.

 Once I finally convinced myself, i jumped. I took the chance. The first time I didn't make it all the way, but the guy was there to catch me and told me to keep going. So I jumped again and I FINALLY touched the top. I accomplished my goal and it was the greatest feeling in the world!! The pain it took to get up there meant nothing because I made it and it was all worth it.

 When I thought about this later, I came to a realization: this is alot like how our relationship with God is.

 There are times were you're on the climb with God and everything seems to be going just fine. No major problems yet. But then you hit a stopping point where you just aren't sure which way to go. "God where do you want me to go? What should I do?" and,while you pause and rest in the arms of God, not worrying aboout it, he comes through for you and guides your foot, sending you back on your way. So you keep on climbing toward the top, even though the times keep getting harder and harder to the point where you just can't do it anymore! You're scared, nervous, unsure if God is there to help you through it. But as soon as you take that step, he helps you along and was there with you the whole time. You keep on climbing even though the world is starting to get you down and you are nothing but scared and anxious. Wondering, "what do you want from me god? show yourself now when I need you the most! I need your help because I REALLY cant do this alone!". Truth is, all God wants from you is to trust him by taking that leap of faith to the top. He's there to catch you if you fall and he knows that all this pain will be worth it if you just KEEP GOING to the promised completion. And when you finally take that leap of faith and realize that you made it, you know that it was all worth it. God knew your every step, your every mess up, your every hesitance, your every doubt, and every fall. He knew all of this was going to happen but in order to get to the end, you just gotta trust in HIm. Trust his guidence. Trust that he knows where your going.

 And even at the top when the devil says "you can't do it. stop trying. you're not going to make it"....remember that God is saying "I'm with you, you CAN do this. I won't let you fall! I'm here every step of the way. Just keep going"

 Knowing that there's a promised completion... whose voice are YOU going to listen to? :)

Life is Like Riding A Bike

Truth is, our relationship with God can be compared to a child learning how to ride a bike.
Interesting analogy, I know, but stick with me here.

Think back to the days when you first learned how to ride a bike- you were probably nervous, a little unsure, but for the most part, you were probably extremely excited. It may have been out of your comfort zone, but this was huge for you! You were pumped about the adventure ahead! I finally get to ride a bike! Learning to ride a bike was a big step for you. All the big kids got to ride bikes. Now you got to be one of them! You were growing up. And who could be more excited for you than your parents. For this analogy, let's say it was your dad. He wanted you to learn and to master the art of bike riding just as bad, if not more, than you did! He was your biggest supporter in your endevour. He was your number one fan.

Getting on the bike was just the beginning. It takes courage to actually get up on the stool and put your feet on the pedals. Doing it alone would have been terrifying, but knowing that your dad was there to protect you and help you along the way gave you the strength to try it. He knew you were scared and unsure about what might happen. He knew you doubted you could even do it. But he also knew the outcome. He knew you were going to be successful. There was no doubt in his mind that you could do it! The only thing that would keep you from riding your bike was your own fear.

That in mind, he did all he could to encourage you. I know you can do it. I'm right here to help you along. With his encouragement and faith in you, you decided to give it a try. So you put on your helmet, got on that bike and, with your dad's hand on the seat and steering wheel, he helped you get your start. This was motivating for you! You were actually riding a bike! This built you up with so much confidence and made you believe that you could do it!

After a while, you got comfortable with your bike. You were used to the way it rode, you knew how turn, how to stop, and how to signal. Knowing what to expect and with the security of your father, you were now in your 'comfort zone' again. Your dad knew, though, that he couldn't physically hold on forever. He had to let you go and try to do it on your own. He never left you. He was still on the sidelines cheering you on and give you encouragement. Letting you ride on your own gave you a choice: whether or not you wanted to stay on the bike ride, or stop all together. He couldn't make you ride the bike. He wanted you to trust him. Even though it pained him to do so, knowing that you would stumble and fall, he had to let go.

The first time you fell was the worst. Daddy, why did you let go!? You're supposed to help me, not let me fall! This would kill your dad when he heard you say this. The last thing he wanted was for his child to fall. But he knew it was going to happen. He knew you would ride your bike over on the gravel when he told you to stay on the pavement. He knew there would be a rock in the road that would trip you up eventually. The greatest thing though, was that he never left your side. When you fell, he sprinted over to you and picked you up. He wiped your tears, put a bandage on your knee, and hugged you.

Even though you fell, he encouraged you to just keep going, The pain now was nothing compared to the joy you would have from riding the bike. He knew how happy it would make you in the end and he just wanted what was best for you. He gave you this bike and wanted you to enjoy it to the fullest! The bumps in the road are necessary to help you learn and to become a better bike rider. Falling was the best thing for you. It taught you to stay on the path your dad told you about, to watch out for rocks, and stay focused on the end outcome. Good will come out of this. Best of all, it gave your dad such pleasure knowing that you trusted him when he said to keep going. Getting back up and trying again is the best thing you could do.

After a couple more falls, laughter, tears, and hard work, you FINALLY learned how to ride that bike! You did it! You were riding all by yourself and your dad was there through it all! You finally learned to ride a bike, just like your dad promised and you were filled with more joy than you could ever imagine! You never knew it could be this wonderful! It was the best day of your life!

And the best thing that you ever could have done, was trust your dad. :)