Let me set the scene for you.
Here I am, bored out of my mind.
So I decide to go through some of my emails that you read, but never really "read".
You know what I saying?
Anyway, I came across this email from Christian Single Women that they sent me a few months back. I marked it so I could find it later on. Weeks went by; I never read it; until today.
The article was sent during the Thanksgiving season, thus it was all about thankfulness. The author of this particular little email shared some little things that she has personally learned about God's character this year. Me, being a person who has devoted 2012 to learning more about my Heavenly Father especially loved hearing what she had to say. If you're interested be sure to check it out.
Her list made me think "what would my list look like?"
Maybe something like this...
1. God is supreme. He holds all things together. (All things Hold Together)
2. God is the epitome of love. He is far more than our human comprehension
of what love is. (Love Revolution)
3. God cares for our hearts and yearns to protect us from harm. Thank
goodness. (Follow Your Heart?)
4. God's answers to my prayers are perfect. It may not be what I wanted, but
it's what I need. (Prayers)
5. God's timing is perfect. Never late, never early.
On a side note, I read a lovely little post from a fellow blogging friend, Hilary. It's entitled Lord Let Me Never Marry. It's beautifully written. Check it out and show her some blog-love.
What would you add to this list?
What has God taught you about His Character?
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Saturday, December 08, 2012
lonliness.
Tis' the season of lonliness.
Not only is there countless Christmas parties that you have to attend alone, but every one you go to there's someone there asking why you're still single. Yeah, we've all been there. It's a bummer.
But today I found a wonderful little verse that made me re-think the validity of this "lonliness".
Not only is there countless Christmas parties that you have to attend alone, but every one you go to there's someone there asking why you're still single. Yeah, we've all been there. It's a bummer.
But today I found a wonderful little verse that made me re-think the validity of this "lonliness".
"So
now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are
citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s
family. Together,
we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the
prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit."
Ephesians 2:19-22
Whenever you feel lonley or unloved, remember to whom you belong.
We are members of God's family. That's all the love we need.
That's all I wanted to say today; short and sweet; a reminder to us all.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Happy Blogversary To Me!
Today is my 1 year blogversary. Wow. 1 year.
I can't believe it.
Quite honestly I never thought I would have enough commitment to carry this for 1 whole year. But here we are...November 30.
So, in honour of this milestone in my blogging career I decided to write out a couple things that blogging has taught me and things to keep in mind if you're a blogger/want to be a blogger yourself.
Here it goes.
1. To have an opinion. So many times I would sit back in class, not participating in anything. Why? Because I didn't think I had anything important to say. But, this last year has taught me that I have a unique and important perspective that I need to share.
2. Blogging is not a popularity contest. Well, maybe it is. But it shouldn't be. I try to be intentional enough with my posts not to "post for the sake of posting something" - trust me, that wouldn't be a good thing! Then you would get a whole bunch of useless, meaningless posts about nothing. I like you guys too much to make you read random stuff that comes out of my head!
3. Comparison is the thief of joy. Too many times I have looked at other people's blogs and wished mine were like that. They have more followers than me; their layout is much nicer; they get more views in a week than I get in a month and so on and so forth. This needs to stop. When I look at my blog I am proud of it. It's only when I start comparing it to others that it seems that it is not good enough. Isn't that how it is in life?!
4. I am my own worst critic. Seriously. I find myself reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading some more before, after and months after I post things. Grammar and spelling errors are a pet peeve of mine especially in cases were they can be avoided (thank the Lord for spellcheck!) so I am constantly looking over my future, present and past posts to make sure they make sense.
5. Always blog with an "encouraging" mindset. This has been a rule that I've recently established for myself. There are enough negative, complaining people on the Internet, and I don't want to be one of them. I want to be set apart. I wanted a place where I could be encouraged, where I could connect with my single sisters in Christ. I wanted a place that didn't seem like a "self-help" book, or that was filled with unrealistic expectations. I wanted somewhere real; somewhere I could talk about my struggles. Encouragement will always be one of my main purposes for writing Living as a Single Gal, and I hope that's why you read it and are able to relate to many of the things I talk about.
5. I am not alone. One of the most terrifying nights over the last year was the night I posted my first blog post. I was scared, worried, uneasy. What would people think of it? What would people think of me? Well, I can honestly say that all that worrying was for nothing. The day after I posted my first blog post I got an overwhelming response by friends and family. So much love was given to me. And over the last year I have gotten to know you guys as readers. This has helped me know that I AM NOT ALONE (and neither are you).
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading.
Thank you for walking alongside me this past year; you've been a blessing to me.
I can't believe it.
Quite honestly I never thought I would have enough commitment to carry this for 1 whole year. But here we are...November 30.
So, in honour of this milestone in my blogging career I decided to write out a couple things that blogging has taught me and things to keep in mind if you're a blogger/want to be a blogger yourself.
Here it goes.
1. To have an opinion. So many times I would sit back in class, not participating in anything. Why? Because I didn't think I had anything important to say. But, this last year has taught me that I have a unique and important perspective that I need to share.
2. Blogging is not a popularity contest. Well, maybe it is. But it shouldn't be. I try to be intentional enough with my posts not to "post for the sake of posting something" - trust me, that wouldn't be a good thing! Then you would get a whole bunch of useless, meaningless posts about nothing. I like you guys too much to make you read random stuff that comes out of my head!
3. Comparison is the thief of joy. Too many times I have looked at other people's blogs and wished mine were like that. They have more followers than me; their layout is much nicer; they get more views in a week than I get in a month and so on and so forth. This needs to stop. When I look at my blog I am proud of it. It's only when I start comparing it to others that it seems that it is not good enough. Isn't that how it is in life?!
4. I am my own worst critic. Seriously. I find myself reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading some more before, after and months after I post things. Grammar and spelling errors are a pet peeve of mine especially in cases were they can be avoided (thank the Lord for spellcheck!) so I am constantly looking over my future, present and past posts to make sure they make sense.
5. Always blog with an "encouraging" mindset. This has been a rule that I've recently established for myself. There are enough negative, complaining people on the Internet, and I don't want to be one of them. I want to be set apart. I wanted a place where I could be encouraged, where I could connect with my single sisters in Christ. I wanted a place that didn't seem like a "self-help" book, or that was filled with unrealistic expectations. I wanted somewhere real; somewhere I could talk about my struggles. Encouragement will always be one of my main purposes for writing Living as a Single Gal, and I hope that's why you read it and are able to relate to many of the things I talk about.
5. I am not alone. One of the most terrifying nights over the last year was the night I posted my first blog post. I was scared, worried, uneasy. What would people think of it? What would people think of me? Well, I can honestly say that all that worrying was for nothing. The day after I posted my first blog post I got an overwhelming response by friends and family. So much love was given to me. And over the last year I have gotten to know you guys as readers. This has helped me know that I AM NOT ALONE (and neither are you).
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading.
Thank you for walking alongside me this past year; you've been a blessing to me.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Are You Thankful?
Hello Friends,
I just wanted to share a picture with you today. I found this little gem on Pinterest last week, posted it to my Facebook and got incredible feedback from friends, family and even people I haven't spoken to in ages. It's just a little reminder of how fortunate we are to live in this country with many of the rights and freedoms that we often take for granted.
Now, I've seen my blog stats, and I know that some of you don't come from North America. And I know that the rights and freedoms that we have here in Canada are not the same as yours. We are truly blessed, but it's so easy to disregard them, and even complain about them when we don't know what it's like to be without them. Make sense?
Let's look at a few examples:
1. Democracy - Ever complain about this? I'm sure when asked, most people would have something to say about our Canadian government, and it's probably not positive. But at least we live in a country were democracy is a reality. We don't know what it's like to live in a country with where we do not have a say in our governemnt.
2. Education - Are you in school? Ever complain about having to attend? Compalin about working late on assignments? Here in Canada we have to go to school from kindergarten until we're sixteen. And we think that's a punishment!? Education is a privilege, not a right. We don't know what it's like to live in a country where we are denied education.
We complain because we don't know what it's like to be on the other side.
I just wanted to share a picture with you today. I found this little gem on Pinterest last week, posted it to my Facebook and got incredible feedback from friends, family and even people I haven't spoken to in ages. It's just a little reminder of how fortunate we are to live in this country with many of the rights and freedoms that we often take for granted.
Now, I've seen my blog stats, and I know that some of you don't come from North America. And I know that the rights and freedoms that we have here in Canada are not the same as yours. We are truly blessed, but it's so easy to disregard them, and even complain about them when we don't know what it's like to be without them. Make sense?
Let's look at a few examples:
1. Democracy - Ever complain about this? I'm sure when asked, most people would have something to say about our Canadian government, and it's probably not positive. But at least we live in a country were democracy is a reality. We don't know what it's like to live in a country with where we do not have a say in our governemnt.
2. Education - Are you in school? Ever complain about having to attend? Compalin about working late on assignments? Here in Canada we have to go to school from kindergarten until we're sixteen. And we think that's a punishment!? Education is a privilege, not a right. We don't know what it's like to live in a country where we are denied education.
We complain because we don't know what it's like to be on the other side.
What are you thankful for?
Monday, November 26, 2012
Enjoy the Moment
Hey Friends!
I was having a lovely chat with a friend today. Amongst other things weddings and babies came up into the conversation. She has a friend who is getting hitched soon, and I have a friend who is counting down the weeks until her baby girl arrives. Exciting stuff! And then she said something that struck a chord with me.
When you're dating, aren't you dreaming of that o' so perfect wedding?
When you're married, aren't you dreaming of welcoming your first little bundle of joy?
When you're single, aren't you dreaming of that one person who God made especially for you?
As good as those things are (weddings and babies), don't we all have the tendency to look ahead and dream about what the next life stage will be like? WHY CAN'T WE JUST BE CONTENT WITH WHERE WE ARE? Why is that we are constantly looking forward instead of looking around at where God has placed us for the time being? Whatever life stage we may be in, it is because this is God's provision for us. Never forget that. We are in this spot for a purpose; God's orchestrating it all. Fear not. Enjoy the moment.
I was having a lovely chat with a friend today. Amongst other things weddings and babies came up into the conversation. She has a friend who is getting hitched soon, and I have a friend who is counting down the weeks until her baby girl arrives. Exciting stuff! And then she said something that struck a chord with me.
When you're dating, aren't you dreaming of that o' so perfect wedding?
When you're married, aren't you dreaming of welcoming your first little bundle of joy?
When you're single, aren't you dreaming of that one person who God made especially for you?
As good as those things are (weddings and babies), don't we all have the tendency to look ahead and dream about what the next life stage will be like? WHY CAN'T WE JUST BE CONTENT WITH WHERE WE ARE? Why is that we are constantly looking forward instead of looking around at where God has placed us for the time being? Whatever life stage we may be in, it is because this is God's provision for us. Never forget that. We are in this spot for a purpose; God's orchestrating it all. Fear not. Enjoy the moment.
Philippians 4:11 - "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have" (NLT).
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Stuff Christian Singles Hear
Bahaha! So I just listened to this, and I just HAD to share it with you guys!
This is "Stuff Christians Singles Hear".
Hope you have a few good laughs/eye rolls/"I hear that"s/"Preach it brotha!", etc.
Take 2 minutes, have a listen; have a good laugh; have a good day.
Many blessings on this beautiful Wednesday afternoon.
This is "Stuff Christians Singles Hear".
Hope you have a few good laughs/eye rolls/"I hear that"s/"Preach it brotha!", etc.
Take 2 minutes, have a listen; have a good laugh; have a good day.
Many blessings on this beautiful Wednesday afternoon.
Thursday, November 08, 2012
9 Things to Get to Know Me Better {Part 1}
I've seen a couple of my blogger friends share some things about themselves to their readers lately, and I thought to myself "Brooke, it's been almost a year, tell the people a little more about yourself." So here we are (whether you like it or not).
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2. I have some mad balloon-making skills. I know I have this little fact on my "About Me" page, but I think it's cool, so I brag about it when I can.
3. I'm totally in love with scarves. I wear them almost everyday. My favourite for the fall outfit is a bulky sweater, jeans and a scarf. Outfit made in scarf-heaven!
4. My favourite place on earth is Joy Bible Camp. With the exception of this past summer, I have gone up to camp every year for the past 14 years. Because of work and a previous vacation taken, I was unable to go this year. I miss it so much. It's a place where I've grown so much in my relationship with Christ and a place where I've met some wonderful lifelong friends. JBC is my home-away-from-home.
5. Lately, I've been a knit-o-holic. Just ask my mother. I think I'm obsessed. And this weekend I'm going to learn how to crochet. Obsession loves company!
6. I've had the same best friend for the last 21 years. How many people can say that? You can meet her over at Meet the Marshall's.
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| {weren't we cute?!} |
7. I'm obsessed with cleanliness and order, but not in my own room. Does that make sense? My room at home is an utter disaster, but when I lived on my own, there was never a time when I had clothes on the floor or my bed was not made. I don't think this makes sense to me either, it's just the way it is.
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| {this was not just me...but you get the picture} |
8. I HATE being late. Therefore, I am almost always early.
9. I'm a huge book geek. Seriously, if I were no longer in school, I think I'd be up to my ears in books. I just love em' so much. Need book recommendations? I'm your girl!
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That's all you get for now friends. 9 completely random tidbits of information about me! Hope you enjoyed getting to know me better!
So tell me, what's something I don't know about you?
Thursday, November 01, 2012
Single Girl Problems
Hey Friends!
I found the tumblr site Single Girl Problems and thought I would share some with you today.
That's life of a typical single gal! Don't worry ladies - We're in this together!
Happy Thursday!!
Friday, October 26, 2012
I Apologize.
I would just like to apologize to you all.
My posts these past few months have been sporadic at best, and for that I am sorry.
Lately I've been lacking motivation and material to write about. When I first started this blog I promised myself that I wouldn't post something for the sake of posting something. I never wanted to be that type of blogger that posts meaningless things to gain more views, and I think in this regard I may have fallen short at times. I want to be intentional in my writing. I want to share things that are on my heart; things that God is teaching me; things that we can all learn from.
PS - If you have something on your heart that you would like to share with Living as a Single Gal readers, please get in contact with me - I would gladly feature you on my blog or consider writing on your topic of interest! Leave a comment here if you would consider writing a post or two :)
Talk to you later (hopefully soon),
My posts these past few months have been sporadic at best, and for that I am sorry.
Lately I've been lacking motivation and material to write about. When I first started this blog I promised myself that I wouldn't post something for the sake of posting something. I never wanted to be that type of blogger that posts meaningless things to gain more views, and I think in this regard I may have fallen short at times. I want to be intentional in my writing. I want to share things that are on my heart; things that God is teaching me; things that we can all learn from.
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PS - If you have something on your heart that you would like to share with Living as a Single Gal readers, please get in contact with me - I would gladly feature you on my blog or consider writing on your topic of interest! Leave a comment here if you would consider writing a post or two :)
Talk to you later (hopefully soon),
Thursday, October 11, 2012
'MRS' degree
So, here I am in my fourth year at a Christian university. It should be a time of busyness, anticipating and planning on what the next year will bring and running around like a chicken with your head cut off, and for me it is.
But honestly, and maybe this comes with the territory of being at a Christian university, it seems like everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE is spending their fourth year getting engaged. Now don't get me wrong - I am genuinely happy for all of my friends who will be tying the knot this year and next!
In Christian university circuits the 'MRS' degree is an old wives tale of why young Christian women went to a Christian university. Why did they go to university? To find a husband. Now at my school it goes a little something like this:
First year: Meet your potential spouse and become good friends
Second year: Start dating your potential spouse
Third year: Potentially get engaged to your future spouse
Fourth year: If not engaged yet, get engaged and get married the summer after graduation
Sound familiar?
So tell me, is the 'MRS' degree alive and well?
But honestly, and maybe this comes with the territory of being at a Christian university, it seems like everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE is spending their fourth year getting engaged. Now don't get me wrong - I am genuinely happy for all of my friends who will be tying the knot this year and next!
In Christian university circuits the 'MRS' degree is an old wives tale of why young Christian women went to a Christian university. Why did they go to university? To find a husband. Now at my school it goes a little something like this:
First year: Meet your potential spouse and become good friends
Second year: Start dating your potential spouse
Third year: Potentially get engaged to your future spouse
Fourth year: If not engaged yet, get engaged and get married the summer after graduation
Sound familiar?
So tell me, is the 'MRS' degree alive and well?
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Guest Post: What I've Learned Through Friendships
Hey Everyone! Today ya'll get a special treat. My wonderful friend Amanda who blogs over at Canadian Christian Gal has decided to guest post for me today! Amanda and I lived together in our first year of university and she has remained a good friend since then. She is one of my biggest blog supporters (and I her) and for that I am so grateful.
Please join me in welcoming her to Living as a Single Gal! Hope you enjoy what she has to say.
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I can't tell
you how many times I have listened to the words “God bless the broken road that
lead me straight to you” from the Simon and Garfunkel song, and thought about
how true it is. Yet when I really stop
and think about it, I realise something much deeper. God really is taking all of the broken,
challenging, heartbreaking, messy, frustrating, tear filled, (you get the
picture), moments in my life and is using them to build me up for something
better.
I don't mean
any disrespect to those men and guys in my life that have been part of that
path, but it is so wonderful to think that God has something better than any of
those friendships. Along the way I have mad many times of struggling to move
past those moments of brokenness in order to keep walking where God leads me
next. I can't tell you how many times I have asked, (and still continue to ask)
God why exactly he did something in my life.
One of the
overall things that God has taught me through my friendships and relationships
with guys is that people are people: God
has taught me that yes, people will fail me... and that makes it even more
amazing when I reflect on how He is a loving father and friend that will never
leave me. How beautiful and comforting it
is to know that He will be there no matter what I go through, and that it is
not because of anything I can even do to deserve it... He loves me with an
unconditional love.
Through other friendships God has taught me patience. I was not allowed to date until I was 18, and
I am so thankful for that. This 'rule'
stopped me from a lot of potentially ridiculous relationships. Through the
friendships with these guys however, God worked a lot in my life. I;ve learned what it meant to truly thirst and
hunger for God's word (after what started out to be a routine simply done to
impress a guy... wrong motives that God actually used to get me into a routine
that actually led to me honestly desiring to read more of His word). I've also learned through another friendship
what it meant to have a servant heart, to serve others without restraint. There is also a lot about myself that God has
taught me through friendships with guys, and my one serious relationship.
I have
learned that my love language to give is encouraging words, and acts of
service. I was blessed with many
opportunities to display these both, and it was such a great experience to show
love to someone in that way. I've also
learned that I am someone who feels love best by physical touch, even the most
simple thing as sitting across from someone with our feet touching (silly
sounding, but it brought such a joy just to be close to someone in that
smallest way). God has also helped me
learn what qualities are non-negotiable for me in a guy. For example I have learned that I am not good
with others raising their voice. I do
not know where this came from, but through situations (including attending
sporting events with guys who are very into their sports) I understand that I
have a low tolerance for 'frustrated' or 'angry' voice-raising.
Another
thing that I have learned from the 'broken road' thus far is that God is able
to bring us through anything. In my last
relationship there were a lot of struggles that we went through as a
couple. God taught me a lot in those,
and helped use my boyfriend at the time to help me get through some rough times
as well. God knew that I needed to be
challenged and pulled, and He gave me a good friend to help point me towards
God as my source of strength. One of the
most amazing blessings that I had in that relationship was the opportunity to
pray with my boyfriend, and to be prayed over.
What a joy prayer is, especially being able to go to God in prayer with another
person.
God blesses
us with other people to interact with.
These people are used to help us grow, encourage us, and to challenge
us. I know that at the various parts of
the 'broken road' it seems as though
things are hindrances rather than parts of the road that will lead us forward;
however much later on we are able to look back and say “God bless the broken
road”. I want to challenge you to think
about whether the ‘you’ of the song may in fact not be that knight in shining
armour that we believe God is leading us to.... when it may in fact be God
Himself that the broken road is leading us to.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
All Things Hold Together
"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
Colossians 1:17
What does that mean to you?
It may seem pretty straight forward, but do we fully comprehend all that is being said in that tiny sentence?
I consider myself pretty privileged to live in a country where I have the opportunity to study at a Christian university. To have a place where you can openly talk about God, start every class with a word or prayer, have chapel once a week, have access to spiritual advisors/counsellors, etc. - I don't know about you, but that doesn't seem like a typical North American university to me! We are truly blessed.Anyway...I'm getting a little off course. This verse, Colossians 1:17 is our theme verse for this academic year. And what a fitting one at that!
I have heard this verse since I was a young little tot, and never before have I really comprehended it's meaning, especially those last seven words - "and in him all things hold together." Did you catch that? ALL THINGS! Really? This doesn't just include our families, our marriage, our relationships, our jobs, our finances, our ____________ (you fill in the blank)....it also includes the stress, the madness, the confusion and the chaos of everyday life. I don't know about you, but I would gladly give that to a God that promises me that he will hold it all together.
So why do we worry so much? Well partially I think it's just human nature to worry, and partially I just don't think we've grasped the Supremacy that God has. God has told us time and time again that he will hold onto us; he is the glue that keeps us in tact. His reign is so supreme, that we shouldn't have to worry about any of that stuff.
Are you thinking a little bit differently about this verse?
Yeah, me too.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Crazy Cat Lady Cliche
Hey Friends,
I'm sure we've all heard of single women and the crazy cat lady stereotype, right? Yeah, well this morning I was listening to the radio and they mentioned a story about a woman that possessed the largest cat memorabilia in the world. In most cases this wouldn't have fazed me....but they kept cracking jokes about her probably being single. Bullseye.
Does this bother you? Or am I just being overly sensitive? Normally I think the Crazy Cat Lady thing to be hilarious, but for some reason it just rubbed me the wrong way today.
Anyway...when I got home today I started looking up this idea on our good friend Google and these little gems showed up (strangely enough, even though I was slightly off putted by the story I heard this morning, these pictures still made me howl):
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| {Source} |
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| {Source} |
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| {Source} |
And last, but certainly not least....
I'm sure most of us have seen this unfortunate video. In a sad way I feel sorry for poor Debbie. Sadly, people will remember this about her. Poor Debbie. Best of luck to you in your attempt to find love.
Hope these gave you a chuckle.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
The "F" Word
Just in case you're wondering, the "F" word I am referring to is "Failure" (but I got your attention, didn't I?) - I thought I would clear that up before going any further.
As most of you know (and if you didn't, I'm telling you now), I am in school going through to get my bachelor's degree in education. And today, marks 1 week until I am in an ACTUAL classroom, with ACTUAL students, with them ACTUALLY expecting me to teach them something. Yikes - talk about pressure! This makes me incredibly nervous (scared, emotional, frightened, etc. etc.). And it's not like I should be nervous at all. I mean, I have tons of experience working with kids (oodles and oodles!). But every time I think about it, this little poisonous idea of failure seeps into my mind. What if I don't know what to do? What if I can't speak in front of them? What if I can't handle a classroom? What if I'm not creative enough? What if, what if, what if....
This causes me much anxiety and a little bit of an identity crisis. You see, as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a teacher. Always! I worked hard in school, got good grades, volunteered in the field, made connections, and completed 3 years of university...all in hopes of coming out with this diploma.
The thought of failure is poisonous. It's a moment of doubt, which causes you to question everything. We all have these ideal "timelines" that we have for our lives. Graduated by 21. Dream job at 23. Married by 25. Kids by 27.
But what if our life doesn't go according to "plan"?
Did we fail?
If I don't get married by 27, did I fail? What if I don't get married at all? If you don't have kids by the time you thought you would have had some, who are you really letting down? We set these horrid, impossible standards for ourselves. We don't know what our future is going to bring, but we do know who controls our future. God. He's got everything in control. We just have to sit back, and let him lead us.
Did you get that? Lean not on your OWN understanding!!
Jesus says "I've got the plan. My timeline for your life is perfect. Trust me!"
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| [source] |
This causes me much anxiety and a little bit of an identity crisis. You see, as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a teacher. Always! I worked hard in school, got good grades, volunteered in the field, made connections, and completed 3 years of university...all in hopes of coming out with this diploma.
The thought of failure is poisonous. It's a moment of doubt, which causes you to question everything. We all have these ideal "timelines" that we have for our lives. Graduated by 21. Dream job at 23. Married by 25. Kids by 27.
But what if our life doesn't go according to "plan"?
Did we fail?
If I don't get married by 27, did I fail? What if I don't get married at all? If you don't have kids by the time you thought you would have had some, who are you really letting down? We set these horrid, impossible standards for ourselves. We don't know what our future is going to bring, but we do know who controls our future. God. He's got everything in control. We just have to sit back, and let him lead us.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lead not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall make direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
Did you get that? Lean not on your OWN understanding!!
Jesus says "I've got the plan. My timeline for your life is perfect. Trust me!"
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With that being said, I still have anxiety about next week, but I am trying my best to give it up to the Lord. "Cast all your cares upon him, for he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7)
Do you have a fear of failure? (Please tell me I'm not the only one!!!)
Friday, August 24, 2012
Becoming His Bride
The video I am sharing with you today is nothing short of amazing. Seriously, I watched it and my mind was blown! I bet many of you could recite the story of the "last supper" that Jesus took part in with his twelve. I bet many of you would also agree that the Church is the bride of Christ.
So what do these two things have in common?
Everything.
Communion actually has deep Jewish roots. When Jesus hands his disciples the wine and bread and says "This is my covenant to you", He's actually saying much, much more.
Take 5 minutes. Watch the video.
(You may be in the position where you can't watch the video right now. That's alright! I thought about you folks!
Click here for the blog entry written by the same fellow. Same story, no worries)
(You may be in the position where you can't watch the video right now. That's alright! I thought about you folks!
Click here for the blog entry written by the same fellow. Same story, no worries)
Here is the song "Beloved" by Tenth Avenue North. This song has become a favourite of mine over the last couple of years, and since seeing this video it has made it even that much more special to me. Knowing the history and customs of this covenant make the words of the song even more powerful.
Will you accept His proposal?
Beloved
This is a blog post written by one of the members from Tenth Avenue North for their song "Beloved." Its amusing and inspiring. I apologize, its kinda long, but well-worth reading. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. The blog can be found here.
The disciples must have thought Jesus was crazy. Seriously! I can only imagine their faces. So confused, so perplexed, uncomfortably glancing back and forth between each other, wondering if they had misheard, wondering if someone could help them understand. Meanwhile, you got Jesus, unnerved, unfazed, just sitting there cooly, looking them dead in the eyes, asking them to marry Him. Yes, you heard me right…marry Him. With nothing more than a cup of wine, no less, the Lamb of God was proposing. So you can imagine their confusion right? “Wait. What? Come again? Jesus, you feeling alright brotha? I mean, I don’t think that I’m exactly what you’re looking for! You want to think about what you’re saying for a minute?”
Of course, we don’t see it that way, because we’re not Jewish. But they were, and they did. See it that way, I mean. “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” We hear these words and we think Communion, Eucharist, Last Supper. The disciples heard this and they’re thinking wedding bells.
Apparently, “In those days,” when a Hebrew man decided to take for Himself a Hebrew woman, he’d go to his father and say, “Her, Dad. I want to make little rabbis with her.” So then the dad would go to her dad and they’d talk camels, or sheep, or whatever the payment was going to be, and after they’d settled on a figure, the groom would call in all his friends and family, set a table in the middle of a room, set the aforementioned girl down in front of said table, break out a cup, fill it with wine, and set it in front of her saying, “This is my covenant with you, take and drink it.” And if she did, that was her answer. With a simple gulp and swig, she was saying, “I do,” and that was it. No rings, no fancy songs or dinners, just a cup and an invitation. And oh yeah, all their relatives sitting in the room watching. I mean, talk about pressure. But yeah, that was it. Her lips to the glass was the same as saying, “I accept your life, and I give you mine in return.”
Now, If the girl said yes, “in those days,” she would then go immediately back to her home, where she would be known as, “one who was bought with a price.” It’s true. That was her name. Kind of long and tedious, and extremely hard to shout out in a game of soccer, but that was it. And with her new identity, she would go back to her town, and start preparing for the wedding. And really, she’d just start waiting for future husband to finish what he had to do and come and get her. What was he doing? Well, during the engagement, the groom’s primary responsibility was to build a mansion for him and his bride to be.
Now girls, before you get too excited, let me explain. “Mansion” in Hebrew means, “apartment.” And what’s even better is that this apartment was actually more like an addition, because the groom would build it onto his parents pre-existing house. Yes. You heard me correctly. Their first home would be with the in-laws. And right now, I can just imagine how many girls are thinking, “oh please don’t let me marry a Jewish boy.” It’s true though. He would build his “mansion” onto the family “insula,” which is what they would call the family dwelling. You see, the entire family would just keep building on and building on until you had what was basically a city block, all comprised of one big bustling Jewish family. (And you thought My Big Fat Greek Wedding was bad) Crazy, but also true.
Well, as you can imagine, this process could take quite a while. I mean, it’s a house for crying out loud. Some scholars say it was six months, or even a year before the poor guy was finished. And get this, the only one who could decide if it was finished was the father. So he’d be working and working and working, and every day looking to his dad, saying, “Are we done yet?” And I can just imagine the father messing with him. Taking his time, looking it over, and then just saying, “Almost.” Could you imagine? Oh, the agony! And to top it all off, the groom and the bride weren’t even allowed to talk to each other. Nothing. Nada. Zip. They couldn’t see or speak to one another during the entire engagement, except for one outlet. The best man. He’d be the instant messenger if you will. Taking notes back and forth between the doting couple. And those moments were probably pretty funny. “Here’s your note, ‘one who was bought with a price.’ Check yes, no, or maybe.” Unbelievable.
But you know, how much more beautiful would that day be when the father finally approved? That day when the groom was finally finished, and he could gather up his homeboys, or ‘groomsmen’ as we westerners would say, and imperiously march into his fiance’s town? Oh it was sweet. And that’s just what he’d do. He’d get his bridal party together and they’d come to her house, and without any prior announcement or advanced warning, they would blow a shofar, which was a ram’s horn that served as a trumpet, and upon hearing it, the pining bride would come bustling out her front door and practically straight down the aisle, and into her beloved’s arms. The period of waiting and wanting would be over, and the two would be united at last to consummate their long-awaited union. Joy. Happiness. Little Rabbis… You know, all the good stuff.
So then, back to the dinner table with the 12. Can you sense where this is going? Jesus breaks into this marriage proposal, cup out, wine-filled, offering his covenant with them. They accept. “I do” to Jesus. Gulp, gulp. “I accept your life, and I give you mine in return.” So then, what does Jesus do? He explains how they have to spend some time apart. Naturally. Only this is going to be longer than a year. However, the best man was coming. His name? The Holy Spirit. So when Jesus leaves, off to get busy preparing a “mansion” for them, (“in my Father’s house there are many rooms”) He doesn’t leave them alone, but instead sends His own mediator, the Holy Spirit, to keep the messages going between Himself and his Beloved. Meanwhile, the bride is left behind in her town, keeping watch, day and night, not knowing the day, time or hour that the bridegroom will appear. Until finally, after a long-awaited return, and we’re talking seriously, long awaited; centuries and milleniums waited people, after this much awaited consummation, the Father alone will announce that the time has come, and Jesus will be coming back for all His faithful, all who are His bride. With a posse of angels and loud trumpet call of their own, He will take us home, to the marriage supper of the Lamb! And we will share in ever-increasing joy and intimacy with Him forever and ever. As C.S. Lewis so brilliantly articulated, “Further up and furth in!"
And people still want to insist that Christianity is no more than a religion.
I don’t know about you but in light of this information, it puts Jesus in an entirely different light. He’s no longer an ideal, or a belief system. He’s a person. And to put it more precisely, He is a groom in love with his bride. And not just any bride, but a wayward, adulterous bride. A bride who is half-hearted at best, chasing other lovers and other interests more than Him. And still, He keeps on loving. He keeps on being faithful, He keeps his promises.
In the Old Testament, He tells his prophet Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman, to show everyone the way He loves his people. (see Hosea 3) In the New, He tells us that divorce will never be an option for Him. (Phil 1:6) Over and over and over again, From Isaiah, to Ezekiel, to Ephesians, He tells us that we are not just his children, but we are his bride. Faithless though we might be, we are His, and He is ours.
And like I said before, this changes everything. It changes the way I view prayer. It changes the way I view marriage. It even changes the reasons that I obey. As Donald Miller once said, “it’s a far different thing to break a rule, than it is to cheat on a lover.” I only pray that it changes things for you.
The disciples must have thought Jesus was crazy. Seriously! I can only imagine their faces. So confused, so perplexed, uncomfortably glancing back and forth between each other, wondering if they had misheard, wondering if someone could help them understand. Meanwhile, you got Jesus, unnerved, unfazed, just sitting there cooly, looking them dead in the eyes, asking them to marry Him. Yes, you heard me right…marry Him. With nothing more than a cup of wine, no less, the Lamb of God was proposing. So you can imagine their confusion right? “Wait. What? Come again? Jesus, you feeling alright brotha? I mean, I don’t think that I’m exactly what you’re looking for! You want to think about what you’re saying for a minute?”
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| {Source} |
Of course, we don’t see it that way, because we’re not Jewish. But they were, and they did. See it that way, I mean. “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” We hear these words and we think Communion, Eucharist, Last Supper. The disciples heard this and they’re thinking wedding bells.
Apparently, “In those days,” when a Hebrew man decided to take for Himself a Hebrew woman, he’d go to his father and say, “Her, Dad. I want to make little rabbis with her.” So then the dad would go to her dad and they’d talk camels, or sheep, or whatever the payment was going to be, and after they’d settled on a figure, the groom would call in all his friends and family, set a table in the middle of a room, set the aforementioned girl down in front of said table, break out a cup, fill it with wine, and set it in front of her saying, “This is my covenant with you, take and drink it.” And if she did, that was her answer. With a simple gulp and swig, she was saying, “I do,” and that was it. No rings, no fancy songs or dinners, just a cup and an invitation. And oh yeah, all their relatives sitting in the room watching. I mean, talk about pressure. But yeah, that was it. Her lips to the glass was the same as saying, “I accept your life, and I give you mine in return.”
Now, If the girl said yes, “in those days,” she would then go immediately back to her home, where she would be known as, “one who was bought with a price.” It’s true. That was her name. Kind of long and tedious, and extremely hard to shout out in a game of soccer, but that was it. And with her new identity, she would go back to her town, and start preparing for the wedding. And really, she’d just start waiting for future husband to finish what he had to do and come and get her. What was he doing? Well, during the engagement, the groom’s primary responsibility was to build a mansion for him and his bride to be.
Now girls, before you get too excited, let me explain. “Mansion” in Hebrew means, “apartment.” And what’s even better is that this apartment was actually more like an addition, because the groom would build it onto his parents pre-existing house. Yes. You heard me correctly. Their first home would be with the in-laws. And right now, I can just imagine how many girls are thinking, “oh please don’t let me marry a Jewish boy.” It’s true though. He would build his “mansion” onto the family “insula,” which is what they would call the family dwelling. You see, the entire family would just keep building on and building on until you had what was basically a city block, all comprised of one big bustling Jewish family. (And you thought My Big Fat Greek Wedding was bad) Crazy, but also true.
Well, as you can imagine, this process could take quite a while. I mean, it’s a house for crying out loud. Some scholars say it was six months, or even a year before the poor guy was finished. And get this, the only one who could decide if it was finished was the father. So he’d be working and working and working, and every day looking to his dad, saying, “Are we done yet?” And I can just imagine the father messing with him. Taking his time, looking it over, and then just saying, “Almost.” Could you imagine? Oh, the agony! And to top it all off, the groom and the bride weren’t even allowed to talk to each other. Nothing. Nada. Zip. They couldn’t see or speak to one another during the entire engagement, except for one outlet. The best man. He’d be the instant messenger if you will. Taking notes back and forth between the doting couple. And those moments were probably pretty funny. “Here’s your note, ‘one who was bought with a price.’ Check yes, no, or maybe.” Unbelievable.
But you know, how much more beautiful would that day be when the father finally approved? That day when the groom was finally finished, and he could gather up his homeboys, or ‘groomsmen’ as we westerners would say, and imperiously march into his fiance’s town? Oh it was sweet. And that’s just what he’d do. He’d get his bridal party together and they’d come to her house, and without any prior announcement or advanced warning, they would blow a shofar, which was a ram’s horn that served as a trumpet, and upon hearing it, the pining bride would come bustling out her front door and practically straight down the aisle, and into her beloved’s arms. The period of waiting and wanting would be over, and the two would be united at last to consummate their long-awaited union. Joy. Happiness. Little Rabbis… You know, all the good stuff.
So then, back to the dinner table with the 12. Can you sense where this is going? Jesus breaks into this marriage proposal, cup out, wine-filled, offering his covenant with them. They accept. “I do” to Jesus. Gulp, gulp. “I accept your life, and I give you mine in return.” So then, what does Jesus do? He explains how they have to spend some time apart. Naturally. Only this is going to be longer than a year. However, the best man was coming. His name? The Holy Spirit. So when Jesus leaves, off to get busy preparing a “mansion” for them, (“in my Father’s house there are many rooms”) He doesn’t leave them alone, but instead sends His own mediator, the Holy Spirit, to keep the messages going between Himself and his Beloved. Meanwhile, the bride is left behind in her town, keeping watch, day and night, not knowing the day, time or hour that the bridegroom will appear. Until finally, after a long-awaited return, and we’re talking seriously, long awaited; centuries and milleniums waited people, after this much awaited consummation, the Father alone will announce that the time has come, and Jesus will be coming back for all His faithful, all who are His bride. With a posse of angels and loud trumpet call of their own, He will take us home, to the marriage supper of the Lamb! And we will share in ever-increasing joy and intimacy with Him forever and ever. As C.S. Lewis so brilliantly articulated, “Further up and furth in!"
And people still want to insist that Christianity is no more than a religion.
I don’t know about you but in light of this information, it puts Jesus in an entirely different light. He’s no longer an ideal, or a belief system. He’s a person. And to put it more precisely, He is a groom in love with his bride. And not just any bride, but a wayward, adulterous bride. A bride who is half-hearted at best, chasing other lovers and other interests more than Him. And still, He keeps on loving. He keeps on being faithful, He keeps his promises.
In the Old Testament, He tells his prophet Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman, to show everyone the way He loves his people. (see Hosea 3) In the New, He tells us that divorce will never be an option for Him. (Phil 1:6) Over and over and over again, From Isaiah, to Ezekiel, to Ephesians, He tells us that we are not just his children, but we are his bride. Faithless though we might be, we are His, and He is ours.
And like I said before, this changes everything. It changes the way I view prayer. It changes the way I view marriage. It even changes the reasons that I obey. As Donald Miller once said, “it’s a far different thing to break a rule, than it is to cheat on a lover.” I only pray that it changes things for you.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
I'll Wait
Yet another little gem of wisdom from Spiritually Single (Unequally Yoked).
Can you say this?
Can you say this with confidence?
This most definitely does not just relate to singleness; it can connect with anything really. Is there something in your life where you feel as though others are on the "fast track" and you're simply on the sidelines watching? Maybe it's having a successful job, buying a home, having children, getting married, the list goes on and on....
Lord, I will be patient because I choose your timing.
Lord, I will trust you even if people say I'm running out of time.
Lord, I will listen to your voice over my loud thoughts.
Lord, I will believe even when I don't understand.
Lord, I will wait because I know you love me.
Lord, I will trust you even if people say I'm running out of time.
Lord, I will listen to your voice over my loud thoughts.
Lord, I will believe even when I don't understand.
Lord, I will wait because I know you love me.
Help me Lord for I can't do any of these without You.
Can you say this with confidence?
This most definitely does not just relate to singleness; it can connect with anything really. Is there something in your life where you feel as though others are on the "fast track" and you're simply on the sidelines watching? Maybe it's having a successful job, buying a home, having children, getting married, the list goes on and on....
Are you able to trust in God's timing?
"Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act." (Psalm 37:7)
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Testimony Tuesday
Hello Friends.
I was asked to write out a little something for my friend Bre who blogs over at Meet the Marshall's. I've known Bre for forever, so it was an honour to whip something up for her - that's what we "blog" friends have to do for each other! She writes about what God is teaching her, life, marriage and babies (aka Little Brooke Jr.). Definitely check it out and show her some blog love.
Anywho, today, I am featured on her "Testimony Tuesday" post. Very exciting!
I was asked to write out a little something for my friend Bre who blogs over at Meet the Marshall's. I've known Bre for forever, so it was an honour to whip something up for her - that's what we "blog" friends have to do for each other! She writes about what God is teaching her, life, marriage and babies (aka Little Brooke Jr.). Definitely check it out and show her some blog love.
Anywho, today, I am featured on her "Testimony Tuesday" post. Very exciting!
Check it out: Testimony Tuesday: Meet Brooke
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