Don't Let Life Pass You By!

So, tonight was the last official night of the Bible Study that I have been involved in over the past 8 weeks. I know that I have mentioned it in the blog, so I thought that I would share what God has taught me! For all those single ladies out there (which is 3/4 of my primary target audience) this is especially for you!

The Bible Study is titled "Identify" and it taught integrity in singleness and Biblical womanhood. You can imagine the issues I was challenged with in this class! So here goes bullet points of 8 weeks worth of information in one blog....

• The first week we talked of covenants, the old and the new, and their importance in relationships. This lesson blew my mind. It was immensely in depth, and I came away wanting to know more! Did you know that all covenants have two parts? Basically in the old covenant when people sacrificed animals, they cut the animal in two and walked between the animal, signifying that if they broke their covenant with God that what happened to that animal would happen to them...intense right? Well, when Jesus came as the ultimate sacrifice (the curtain tore in half into two pieces...interesting I know...) we no longer have to sacrifice animals, but we are still to have the same kind of mentality regarding covenants. I never fully understood the gravity and depth of a covenant such as in marriage and my covenant relationship with Jesus. I mean the idea that if I break a covenant relationship I am saying break me in two? Ok, so not literally, but you get the point! That is intense in depth commitment right there! The symbols of two parts of a covenant are written all over the marriage relationship. A bride walks down the aisle between two parts, a groom stands at the front initiating the relationship, just as Jesus initiates a covenant with us, there is the lighting of the unity candle signifying the two becoming one...I could go on, but I will stop. This lesson rocked my world and if you want to know more details about the covenant relationship we have with Jesus and how it relates to our worldly relationships, just ask! I would LOVE to talk more in detail about this!


• Aha #2: Adam just woke up one day and Eve was there! This is so cool and relevant to us as young single women. I think that so many times we feel as if we have to go looking for a boyfriend or mate, but this is so far from the truth. We just need to wait on the Lord and His timing! He will provide for you just as He did for Adam and Eve...maybe when you least expect it, such as while you have laid your head down for a little nap...


• Aha Momento Numero Tres: God does not withold anything good from us! Just because you don't have a boyfriend, husband, or fiance right now and you feel as if you are all by yourself...Christ has you right where He wants you! When God says no to one thing, He is saying YES to something else. Find out what the Yesses are and delight yourself in them!
  
• Lesson #4: God is a God of redemption and grace...that is all I have to say about that except that I encourage you to fully experience God's redemption in your life...it will be so liberating and change your viewpoint of how you extend grace to those around you!


• I got tired of numbering them: We talked about women's roles according to the Bible. Eve was created to be Adam's helper. This is not about inferiority, but role and function. As women, we are called to submit to our husbands, but we are also all called to submit to God and authorities in all areas of our lives. A lady came and led a panel discussion for our class. She did not get married until her 37th birthday (great birthday present, huh!). She said that during her time of singleness, she submitted her life to Christ and that it was GREAT practice for marriage and learning what it means to submit to her husband's leadership. God created man and woman equally, but He created each of them to perform a different function. This is so great, yet I feel as if that verse has gotten so mis-translated! The greek word hupotasso means "to subject oneself," and has a tone of willingness, not forced obedience. Submission is not subjection, but the heart of submission is rooted in deep love for one another. This does not mean that a woman cannot be a leader (after all, I am convinced that leaders surround themselves with leaders), but she is to ultimately submit to her husband's leadership and humbly lead where God calls her to in other realms. This does not call for wimpy women or doormats, nor does it call for tyrants or dominant women. God did not call women to either of these ways of life, but to be a helper, to have a heart of humble leadership, and joyful submission. Submission means to "affirm, receive, and nurture strength and leadership." What a wonderful assignment! And when looking for a husband, you are searching for the pastor of your home, so choose well my friends! A husband and wife should be a Godly team, displaying Christ to a lost world in their relationship and ministering together in their God appointed roles. Don't settle for less when looking for a partner in ministry for the rest of your life!
  
• Focus on kingdom things rather than getting a date! If His house grows more full while our homes grows more empty, then it is worth it!


• Walk in your singleness joyfully!

• God is 100% good to me RIGHT NOW!


• When considering a man to be your husband, do not have unrealistic expectations (i.e. dark, tall, handsome, plays every instrument, ALWAYS puts down the toilet seat, can sing me to sleep, has gorgeous hair, future president of the universe....you get the point...). God may want to surprise you with something different than you would have chosen yourself, so allow negotiables, but don't confuse character qualities with actions. Good can be the greatest enemy to best. We have to be willing to give up really good relationships in order to free ourselves to live in faith, waiting for the best relationship that God could design for us. Work on becoming a Godly woman, and when looking at a potential mate, there should be non-negotiables that stem from the expectations of Jesus Christ. Check out these verses to see what it looks like to be a Godly woman and to see what to look for in a Godly man:

*1 Timothy 3:2-11; Proverbs 31; 1 Corinthians 13:4-13; Ephesians 5:22-33; Titus 2:1-8; 1 Peter 3:1-18

• Desires are not bad (such as for a husband), but when it becomes an idol, it is not okay. It is okay to hope for, but not to put all your hope in things you may not have now.


• Marriage is about your holiness, not your happiness. You have to find your fulfillment in Christ and Christ alone, or you will never be truly happy! Marriage is good, but so is being single. Neither is better than the other. Being single is hard, but so is marriage, so in these times, if Christ is not your foundation, it will seem almost impossible to get through the rough patches! Marriage is meant to help us catch a better glimpse and understanding of our relationship and intimacy with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, not fulfill or complete us. Until then, learn to delight in Him with all that you have!

• This one is hard for me to grasp, but God does not promise us a husband, family, children, etc. I know, GASP!!! But, he does promise to take care of us! I have talked to some close friends and we all agree that as long as Jesus lets us get married BEFORE He returns to take us home, we will all be happy, satisfied, and lived a fulfilled life! First of all, it is hilarious that we are telling Jesus when to come back. Second of all, even if we are still "single and ready to mingle" by the time He does return, how beautiful is it that the first aisle you walk down is towards your Bridegroom, Jesus Christ?!?

• Lastly, as young single women, so many times we see marriage as the start of our life and happiness...we will get married and have our happily ever after ending and everything will be fine and dandy forever and ever...right? WRONG! Your life starts NOW, so get going! Don't waste your time! If you see marriage as your goal and end all in life, there will always be other things you want, such as desiring a child, wanting the "American Dream,"(house with white picket fence, SUV, soccer mom), or the desire to be PTA president, so end this line of thinking NOW! Don't see marriage as the start to your life...because let's be honest..if we did that, we may be waiting around for a very, very, very, very, very, long time (i.e. 37) to start our lives... Don't let life pass you by! (Luke 1:38) Live life NOW! And don't forget, to everything there is a season....

That is my two cents on my Bible Study. It may be more information than you ever wanted to know, but I know that it encouraged me and challenged my thinking in a way that I had never been challenged before, so I hope that this blesses you as well!

As for the good news....drum roll please...I got into law school at Liberty University! Not only did I get accepted, but I got a scholarship as well! This is just another testimony of God's goodness and grace in my life. He has had His hand on my life the whole time. Waiting on the Lord's timing and plan to come to fruition was immensely discouraging and challenging, but when I look back on it, I see God's faithfulness and it makes me appreciate the struggles I have been through all the more. It has also helped me to delight in His blessings! After a year of rejection, I started doubting my abililties, moved home and got a job, and had a HUGE pity party for about 3 months until I realized it was time to snap out of it! Now the Lord is showering down His blessings! I get to go to law school, and not only that, He is providing economic assistance. AND I get to go up north to the East coast, which has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl! AND I get to study law at a Christian institution! What could get better than that? The Lord really does know what He is doing and His plan really is better than anything I could come up with on my own....

Lastly, but definitely not least, I had a great weekend! My weekend with SAGE Girls Ministry surpassed any expectation that I had. The women that run that show are immensely well rounded and everything I hope to be one day! They are funny (hilarious actually), goal driven, intelligent, beautiful, and the ultimate example of Biblical womanhood that I spoke of above. They are a non-profit organization that puts on conferences around the U.S. and challenge teenage girls to live a life that is above reproach by going full out for Jesus. AND it is a weekend of all girl time! I was "SAGE tired," as they call it, when I got home, but it was completely worth it. I am sure you will hear more about this in the future....I think that I may be doing some more conferences through an internship program that they have! I will say I had my first experience with someone asking for my autograph, which I find hilarious...those girls will be a little disheartened when they find out that their autograph is worth no more than the corn biscuits they had for dinner (the conference was in Oklahoma and I feel as if they would eat corn biscuits for dinner...hence my random tangent)....

That is all....The theme of the SAGE conference this year is transparency...maybe that is why I have talked everyone's ear off way too much tonight...if you have stuck it out and read this through, thank you! I hope God blesses you extra...maybe He will send you a corn biscuit to enjoy for dinner...or prince charming...

Until next time be blessed!!!