To All Singles Everywhere...

Not too long ago, I was listening to the local Christian music station during their morning prayer time. As the DJ was praying, she mentioned a young woman that desperately wanted to be married. At the time I wanted to jump through the radio and scream, "NOOOOO!!!" If you are so desperate to be married you have to call your local radio station for prayer, we need to talk! I was honestly about to call the prayer line get the poor woman's number and have a little "bless your heart" heart to heart conversation. And while I still desire to speak to that young woman, I have calmed down and my heart simply hurts for her. It hurts because I see her pain, I see her desires, and I can echo them in my own heart. It hurts because I see her, along with so many young women (and men) who live their lives in desperation of desires that they forget the life that is happening right now, at this moment, in this day, in this season of their lives. They have become so focused on finding Mr Right that they have forgotten The Right One is pursuing their body soul and spirit daily. They have become so filled with self that they have forgotten to pour out self and give and serve. They have been lost in a crowd of ministries that they have forgotten how to minister. They have been so burned by the church by women by life that they have hidden beneath a surface of superficial smiles and conversational one-liners because why go deeper to only be hurt, why go deeper to only be over looked.
A few years ago, I was sitting in a hot pink living room on a pristine white sofa holding a cup of coffee and talking to an amazing woman, who happened to be single (and still is single!). As we sat talking, a stirring came up in my soul, a stirring that only the Spirit can give. I looked across the room and saw a woman who loved the Lord who desired to be married but who lived life to the fullest, never looking to the things she did not have but always taking account for the things she did have. As I sat there feeling the Spirit rise within me, I began to think of all the other women I had been watching for years, a leader who lived her life over seas serving in Asia; a young woman who moved to South Carolina, works in a food and wine industry that desperately needs Jesus, and daily makes the lives of those around her happier simply because she loves Jesus; a young woman who is ministering in the darkest places of Los Angeles, able to get behind curtains and doors into dressing rooms and clubs simply because she cares for the broken. The list of single women living life to the fullest and loving Jesus started mounting in my mind and it began to pour into my Spirit. And in that moment I realized, I too had been given a gift. I had been given the gift of singleness. I had been able to live over seas, move to different cities, attend graduate school, work in various schools, minister in various churches and I had been living life to the fullest, without even realizing the value of the gift I had been given.
As I sit here the enemy likes to lie. He likes to cover our thoughts with ugly reminders of the things we do not have, he likes to take our thoughts and turn them back into the times of hurt and pain, he likes to remind us of our often over looked passed by selves. He likes to take the things we are the strongest at especially as strong independent opinionated women and make us feel weak and unloved and unapproachable.
So to all singles everywhere, it is time to rise up. It is time to stop feeling sorry for yourself and get back in the ball game of life. You have been given a gift that not many have been given, the gift of singleness. While you have careers and jobs, bills and homes, flat tires and dirty dishes, and you are often misunderstood to have an abundance of free time, a late to bed time and an even later waking up time, you can be understood. You have desires and dreams and passions and goals and just because you are single does not mean they are not legitimate.  You have gifting and talent that need to be used. You were not given singleness as a gift for yourself, you were not given passions desires gifts and talents to be used for your glory and to serve you. You were given singleness to give, you were given passions and desires to be fulfilled and bring glory to the One who gave them. You were given gifts and talents to serve and minister. The only way to change the hearts and minds of others is to change your heart and mind first and then to love on them, serve them, and minister to them. If you are dwelling in your singleness, then all around you will dwell with you. If you are living in the fullness of your gift then all around you will live in the fullness of theirs. Nothing negates the hurt the pain the sorrow and suffering you feel and go through, the loneliness the questions the doubts the fears. They are legitimate and they are real. But nothing negates the truth, and the truth is you were created for this season for this moment for this time. Everything under the sun has a season, there is a time for everything, there is a time to mourn but do not stay there. There is a time to question but do not live there. The Father wrote your script long before you came into being, He knew exactly the moment and the days before you were a thought. He has written your story and there is no Greater Author than He.
To all singles everywhere, please negate calling your local radio station, for your sake and for mine. And remember this is a season that many do not get to experience, live it in abundance live it in excitement live it in joy, because it is a season that is here today and gone tomorrow. For He knows the plans He has for you, plans of a hope and a future.

Dear Jynne...Yes, You're 35 Now...

Thirty-five...thirty-five...It does not matter how many times you say it or how many different ways you say it. You are still thirty-five. And be grateful you are, the other option, while it means seeing Me, your Saviour face to face, well, it's not the option I believe you desire in the immediate future. So here you sit, in your comfy over sized chair, writing a letter to yourself, and realizing you have reached a milestone the pinnacle of your thirties. There are two questions that should go through your mind. In fact I know you well, so I am positive they have been constantly running through your mind. First, what have you done with the first thirty-five years of my life and second, what are you going to do with the next? Those are loaded questions, let's be honest. In thirty-five years, you have learned to crawl, learned to walk, learned to run, learned to read write add subtract, graduated high school college and graduate school; you have played basketball high school basketball college basketball; you have played piano and attempted to minor in music; you have sung church choir high school choir Erskine Choraleers; you have started a career, worked at 8 different schools (some at the same time!);  you have lived in 2 countries 3 states and 5 cities and this is not including the friends you have met the family you have loved on. My head is already spinning, and I wrote out this journey for you. I have a feeling the next thirty-five years may be a little more settled...well, in some ways. Yet knowing you so well, I am positive to say that your earthly accomplishments are not what you have been pondering over, thinking through. So when I asked the question "What have you done with the first thirty-five years of life?" You started thinking deeper. So while you are lost in thought, this is what I have seen. I have seen a young girl being called to Christ at 4 years old after a conversation with her mom. I have seen a young child sitting at the feet of missionaries desiring to serve the Lord with the humility and power and strength they did. I have seen a teenager desiring to fit in, have a boyfriend, have people like her, but wanting to live a life the Father desired and fighting the feelings of no one will ever like me, I'm just every guys' friend. I have seen a young woman off to college, feeling the tugging and calling of the Father to put her career on hold and go to a different county to serve His people in Asia. Knowing it wasn't going to be received well, walking with boldness into her professor's office to tell him she was giving up Graduate Assistant positions. I have seen a young woman come alive in the classroom dancing and singing with her students overseas, showing them the love of the Father through actions and deeds because words were unable to be used. I have seen a woman battle in a male dominated career yet do so with strength and dignity. Using love and passion for Christ as her sword and winning hearts of kids from Charlotte to Richmond to Anderson to Durham and back. I have seen young men and women walk into your room in despair and leave with joy and hope. I have seen an army of young people falling in line behind you because you love them, not because they are perfect but because they are people. Every race, every color, every demographic, every orientation, every one...you have never discriminated. You have always loved. You have never condoned but you have never condemned. You have spoken My truth over them and while they may not always seemed listen they have heard it. The seeds have been planted. I have seen you morn loss, I have seen you fight demons, I have seen you question me, I have seen you hit the bottom and have no where but up to go. I have given life and I have taken life from you. I have given finances and I have taken them away. I have given health and I have taken health. My son Job has been your battle cry. I have seen you put your heart on your sleeve and love others with unconditional love. I have seen you become more like your Granddaddy more like your Uncle Dave more like your mom your dad your  sister, the faith of those who have gone before you. So, what have you done in your first thirty-five years? Exactly what I have planned for you to do. Exactly what was planned before you were even a thought on this earth. And now I ask you, "what will you do with the next thirty-five years?" I have had Romans 4 written for you, to you, for hundreds of years. Thankfully you have found it. But I want you to remember Abraham. I gave Him a promise and while he could have laughed and thought I crazy, (which I promise you, he did at times, I just did not have enough pages to write his entire story, but remember he was human and he had his moments)  he never weakened in his faith. Even when he looked at his body and his wife's body, even when he realized her clock had quit ticking and his body was as good as dead. He did not weaken; nothing, nothing caused him to waver concerning My promises to him. He continued growing in his faith, he continued giving Me the glory, and he was fully convinced I was able to do what I had said I would do. And I did not write these words just for Abraham but for you. Never weaken in your faith, though you do not see answers now. Though I have delayed giving you desires, though your checkbook is at zero and your biological clock is slowing down. Never weaken. But continue as you have, continue growing, continue giving me the glory. While I know right now, your next thirty-five years, while I have written the story before you took your first breath, and I have carved it out in due time, if I were to tell you it all right now, you wouldn't be able to handle it. That is why I have given you today. That is why My grace is sufficient for today. That is why My mercies are new every morning. That is why I do not want you to worry about tomorrow. I know your heart, I know your desires, I have seen as you have been faithful in the small things in life. I have seen your failures I have seen your times of questions and doubts. Trust Me. The best is yet to come. There is more to this life here on earth for you. So in times of doubt, remember Abraham. In times of worry remember Abraham. In times of looking at your body and seeing it age, remember Abraham. It was credited to him as righteousness and it will be credited to you the same. So yes Jynne, you are thirty-five now. Press on...press on towards the goal for which I have called you. You're best is yet to come.