Simply Random:

Yes, just random....b/c I realized that I have not shared my thoughts on this blog in a while. Although, I think I might just be the only person who actually reads my blog :) hehe
So, I'm sharing my thoughts with myself....what a thought?! Okay, now i'm just rambling...

I do have purpose to this post:
At Mack Avenue Community Church, we are going through a series on "Healthy Covenant Community" & last week we were discussing "singleness". This was the first talk that I have heard on singleness since I became a married woman!
Eric Nielson taught on how there is a perception in the world and in the church that singleness is some "condition" that you might just need some "help" for. There is not much of a celebration of singleness, especially in the church!
It's so apparent...especially because as soon as you graduate from college you are asked at every social gathering (i.e. weddings or reunions) "Are you seeing anyone"??? I had a friend recently tell me about a wedding she attended for an old friend, and how it seemed that all anyone wanted to talk about was why she didn't have a man?!?!? I laughed as she told me, "I have plenty of exciting things happening in my life that don't include a romantic relaltionship!"

Ahhh, I'm so guilty of this too!!! Since being married, I have realized just how much I equated finding a man with some sense of satisfaction to my identity (if that even makes sense...) However, now that I am married, I see more clearly than ever, just how much my identity cannot be found in this relationship!

Anyways, back to the sermon, Eric really unfolded the gift that marriage is in a sense that you have the opportunity to wholly give yourself to God. It gives you to opportunity to use your freetime to fully commit to building God's kingdom and developing your intimacy with the Lord.
As I was listening to the sermon, I started to think how I would have disagreed with him 7 months ago (when I was still single). I feel that I would have thought as a married or single your devotion should be to God and you should make time for his Kingdom work, which is still TRUE.

However, now that I am married, I realize how it's true we must cultivate our own relationship with God and have "alone" time. Although, much of the understanding of God and who he is (his love & character) has been revealed to me THROUGH my relationship with my husband. On top of that, marriage is simply hard work and you must make time to spend together, talk through issues, to be intimate, etc and I believe that is fully honoring to God.

It's cool that whatever place we are in life (single or married), God has a perfect design to make himself known in and through us.

Anyone who actually reads this... Thoughts?