The Art of Being Single

 

Yesterday, I read a devotion from my newest YouVersion plan on being Single.  

Read that again - being SINGLE.

I've switched up my last few reading plans to focusing on relationships and being single.  So many of us are focused on relationships and getting married or being married and keeping that relationship pure and healthy.

But since I am SINGLE, I decided to embrace it and see what God has to say about it.

Well, I haven't found any surprises and, in fact, I am finding that all my teachings from my days in the "Singles Group" at my home church in the 90s are flooding back into memory.  Instead of picking and choosing from the devotion I read, I am just going to share it in its entirety.  If you want the link to plan, message me and I will forward it over to you.  (It's a short plan and each day is full of wisdom like this.)

While I do struggle with relationships (I'm not the best at them) and being single, I do want to grasp what Scripture says about being single.  I want to embrace the principles God lays out for us because I know they are best.

Maybe I'll share other feelings another time, but for this morning, here is the devotion I read yesterday.  I hope it impacts my Single readers and friends as much as it did me!  Enjoy!

The Gift of Freedom

Being single means you have two important things: freedom and time. Believe me when I say that these are resources that will diminish over time! The single person has more freedom and more time right now than anyone else on the planet. Children don’t have this kind of freedom. Old people don’t share this level of freedom. Nor do married people. You have an unprecedented amount of discretionary time in this season you are in right now. The question for you to consider today is what you will do with this freedom and time.

In Colossians 1:9–12, Paul instructs his readers to live their lives in such as way they please the Lord, bear fruit, grow in their knowledge of him, learn to lean on his power, and joyfully give thanks to him. He instructs them to use their freedom and their time for a purpose—participating in the work of God to build his kingdom on the earth. He doesn’t want them to use their freedom and time in pursuit of worldly distractions but to stay focused on the greater story of making their lives count for God’s work.

Your season of singleness is an amazing opportunity to dig in and freely experience doing life with God. I know it’s difficult to be in a time of waiting and not have what you desire. It is okay to long to be in a relationship and long to be married. That longing is good. In fact, we see in the book of Genesis that this ache for companionship existed in Adam before the entrance of sin. But I want to challenge you to not let that desire steal all the joy from your present state. I want you to receive all the benefits available to you in this season of life right now.

Remember that God has ordained this season of singleness, and he wants you to live it to the hilt. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7:32, your singleness is a time to be “concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how [you] can please the Lord” (NIV). If this does not define your singleness, it means you are doing your singleness wrong! Your purpose is to pursue him. If you are not spending these unmarried moments of your life in passionate pursuit of your Maker, they will be marked by aimlessness and frustration. Conversely, the most content single people I have ever known are the ones who understood this season is for undistracted devotion to the Lord.

So today, right where you are, seek to maximize the freedom and the time that you have. You may not be in vocational ministry, but you know the pain and awkwardness of being young, so invest your time in the next generation. You may not be trained in evangelism, but you see people every day who are struggling and need to know your Jesus, so listen for who God puts on your heart. Is it that co-worker in the cube next to you? The elderly woman you see all the time at the store? Is it that homeless man who needs someone to take time to listen?

Dream big for God. Ask him to show you where to serve in this time of singleness. Then take advantage of those opportunities and see the results that God will bring."

Shifting Prayers

 

Taking a break today from the series of addiction posts.  My loved one has decided to rededicate their life to the Lord and family relationships.  I am praying and hopeful for the best.  

There will be compromises that will require transparencies and a level of trust.  Pray for me as I traverse new roads and pray for our family as we learn, grow, and walk an unfamiliar path together.

Now, let's shift focus and look at a post I ran across this week that I feel needs sharing.  I've shared it on all my social media because it's too important an issue to skim over.  As usual, it's from Proverbs 31 Ministries.

If your social media feeds have gone from preschool pictures and high school proms to college drop offs and grandbabies, this post is for you.  Mamas, our job has not ended.  It has only shifted.  Please enjoy this post about praying for your grown children.  Then bookmark and save it.

Our grown children still need us and our prayers and support.  They may not want it, realize it, or ask for it - but as their Parents, it's the job God bestowed upon us.  

I often wish my Parents had prayed for me.  (I'm fairly certain they weren't huge praying people.)  I'm sure they thought on and of me often, but I never heard them speak of the Lord and his love for me.  I don't want to repeat that generational tradition.  I want to pray for my boys, and I want them to know they are loved and prayed over.

I hope this post blesses you as much as it blessed me.  Happy Saturday my friends.

"Here are three scriptures to pray for your grown children ...

For their faith:

Lord, I pray You give my child wisdom and revelation so that they may know You better. I pray that the eyes of their heart will be opened so that they can know the hope You have called them to! (Ephesians 1:17-18)

For their choices:

Lord, I pray my child will keep their way pure by guarding it according to Your Word. Let them seek You with all their heart and not wander from Your commandments. (Psalm 119:9-10)

For their protection:

Lord, You are faithful. I pray You will establish and guard them against the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

No one loves like a mother, and your prayers may be unknown and unseen but they matter, and so do you!"

New Giveaway! Pureflix **FREE** Six-Month Subscription!

 

Here we grow again!

It's summer, and summer brings all kinds of fun things to mind.  One thing all of us think about during summer vacations are summer camps.  And, lucky for us, Pure Flix is holding a Family Camp this summer for all of us.

I don't know about you, but I am finding it increasingly difficult to find good family programming on tv anymore.  If someone isn't shedding their clothes or taking God's name in vain, then my favorite channels and TV shows are adding in story lines and characters I don't agree with morally.  I'm exhausted from having to be on guard against these things, and honestly, I hate having to give up "my" shows because they are adding in story lines I disagree with.

That's why I was so thrilled to find out that Pureflix (who offers the largest variety of God-honoring content anywhere) is going to be holding a Family Camp.  Here are some of the details in case you and/or your family would like to participate along with ours:

• It's going to be six weeks (including a bonus 7th week!) of family activities including games, movie nights, devotionals, and discussion questions!
  
  
• There is a **FREE** Family Camp Guide to help you and your family grow and meet other families in the #PureFlixFamilyCamp community!
  
  
• You can engage in the BEST curated family games, cooking activities, discussion questions, and movie night offerings this summer!
  
  
• There will be movie options available for everyone in your family, from Grandparents to younger siblings.
  
  
• Plenty of discussion questions to help you and your family grow in your faith and make impacts in your family, community, and world.
  
  
• Weekly activities that will help you spend quality time together while sharing experiences and growing in your Bible knowledge!

To kick off the Pure Flix Summer Camp, we are working with Pure Flix and Momentum Influencers to give away one **FREE** six-month membership!  Click here to enter our contest and take a chance at wining!  (You may also click on the image below to enter.)

Want to participate in the Pure Flix Summer Camp but don't know too much about this awesome TV channel?  Here are some fun facts:

• Pure Flix offers the largest variety of God-honoring content anywhere on the internet.  In a rapidly changing world, it's good to know there is a channel, TV shows, and movies that stick to morals and beliefs that align with Scripture.  No more being on guard against what a TV show or channel might try to sneak into our homes.
  
  
• Right now, Pure Flix is offering savings up to 30% off!
  
  
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• For a limited time, you can also save up to 23% on monthly memberships!
  
  
• Pure Flix will keep your family encouraged, engaged, and entertained all summer.

Want to check it out and sign up for a free trial?  Just follow this link and you'll be on your way!  I am super excited about Pure Flix's Family Camp this summer.  I hope you are too!

*Don't forget to click the link above to enter into our sweepstakes to win a six-month free membership trial!

Have questions?  Please e-mail us or leave us a comment below.  I'm looking to a great new way to view family-safe and God-honoring content!

Praise

 

What a powerful word from Pastor Groeschel this morning.

We shouldn't be praising God when he shows up.  We should be praising him 24/7, and that praise will reach God's ears and throne.  Praise isn't a magic conjuring or a vending machine, but it shows God our hearts and how much we truly love him.

Pastor Groeschel's quote reminds me of this Crowder song:

Happy Father's Day everyone.  Remember, "Praise Him in the morning.  Praise Him in the Noontime.  Praise Him when the sun goes down."

Word.

Best Worst Thing

 

As I was reading my Lysa T. devotional this morning, I was transported back in time to about eight years ago.

I was going through a divorce, and I was going to be left without my husband's large salary and with two teenage boys to care for.  I hadn't been in the corporate work world for quite a while, as we had made the decision for me to stay at home and raise our children.  I eventually took a job with our local church helping teach a preschool class.  I loved that job so much, I ended up staying there 11 years.

It was 2013, and I knew with a divorce pending I would not be able to survive on the small salary my preschool job provided - let alone get insurance from it or stay on my children's school schedules.

It was then that one of my closest friends got me a job with our county's school system...as a LUNCH LADY.  I remember her words so clearly, that summer afternoon, as I held the phone close to my ear while sitting on my little country farmhouse front porch wicker swing...

"Whatever lower level rung you were on at the preschool, where other teachers made snide remarks to you about not being a real teacher, you are about to go down one more rung.  Lunch ladies are lower on the ladder than preschool teachers."

My heart sank.  What was about to happen to my life?  How many wrong decisions had I made to get to this point?  How had my husband "failed me" and got me to this point?  I was full of questions and didn't quite understand what was about to happen to me and my boys.  It was about to be one of the worst things ever.

Fast forward my story two years later.  I was no longer a lunch lady.  I interviewed for (and got!) a front office job at one of the high schools.  Those cafeteria years, once in my rear view mirror, became one of, as Lysa T. says, "...the best worst things" that ever happened to me.

We all have those times in life.  Times were you feel, "This is the worst thing ever!"  We don't understand why we have to go through them or why we have to experience hardships, deaths, or even destructions of some type.  Yet, God remains by our side and gets us through them.

"We live in a broken world, full of broken people.  But isn't it comforting to know God isn't ever broken?"

My time as a lunch lady was hard.  It contained some people who were broken, but it also contained many strong women of different faiths, colors, and nationalities.  I learned so much during those two years.  Lessons I could not have learned elsewhere.

And I probably would not have gotten the job I have now or even heard about it.  That lunch lady job opened a door for me to earn more money and to help better support my household.  What started out as a bad situation, God later turned into one of my best worst things.

God is never caught off guard or taken by surprise or shocked by what happens in our lives.  As Lysa says, "He can take our worst and add His best."  I absolutely love that - He adds His best.  To our worst.  What a lovely combination.

I know He did this for me during my cafeteria and lunch lady years.  I'm so glad He did.  Life was tough then.  I had to make hard decisions.  Through it all, God kept my children safe, kept their Mom on their school schedules, and we were able to keep insurance for everyone.  What a blessing!

Whatever you are going through today, keep this thought in mind - when life gets hard and muddy, God may be creating your best worst thing!  He did it for me, and He will do it for you!

Happy Tuesday y'all!

Rejection Revisited

 

The other day, on my social media page, I visited the notion of rejection.

I briefly mentioned I had experienced a small amount of rejection from one of my children.  What I didn't grasp was the notion that I was not the only one this had happened to.

My Inbox filled up as friends told me their stories, and the comments below my post filled up as well.

It seems our world is filled with brokenness.  People all over have been hurt by rejection.  Whether it is by a child or by a spouse.  My heart hurt.

And as I opened up my devotional this morning, I saw that Lysa Terkeurst was not done with our visit to rejection land.  

I began reading and actually loved what she had to say and how she described rejection (...or being SET ASIDE as she put it).  She wrote, "...the enemy would have wanted me to feel...completely self-absorbed in my own insecurity and miss whatever reason God had for me to be [where I was]."

Wow.  Truth.  Why had I not seen this before or grasped it like she had?

And since I missed it, I knew I wanted to share what she wrote because maybe you missed it as well!

"To be SET APART is to be given AN ASSIGNMENT..."  

We need to (like I said in my social media post) breathe rejection IN, twist it around, and then exhale it back OUT...we need to look past being "set ASIDE" and see that maybe God is calling us to be set APART.

And then, when God does set us apart, we can keep these three questions in mind (thank you Lysa!):

• Are you receiving the gift of being humbled?  Remember:  With humility, comes wisdom!
• Are you receiving the gift of being lonely?  Being lonely develops your sense of compassion!
• Are you receiving the gift of silence? Silence allow you to hear the voice of God!

If we can keep these three things in both our hearts and our minds, I am pretty sure that, although we will still feel the sting of rejection, we will end up healing quicker and learning so much more!

This week, I'm going to try and remember to take my rejection and and turn it around.  Try to remember that I was not rejected, I was set apart by God.  And I love that.

Amen sisters.  Amen.

New Christian Film to be Released - Church People

Have you heard about the new Christian film being released called Church People?  It's a hilarious new comedy starring Stephen Baldwin, Christian comedian Thor Ramsey, Hallmark's Erin Cahill, and many more Hollywood stars.

Here's what Christian Post has to say about this new family-friendly film:

"The trailer for the new film “Church People” — a family-friendly comedy that offers the timely reminder that the Gospel is enough — has been released.

Starring Stephen Baldwin and Christian comedian Thor Ramsey, with special appearances by Donald Faison, Joey Fatone, Billy Baldwin, Chynna Phillips, “Church People” tells the story of real people with real struggles. The film follows their unique paths to discovering what faith in Jesus is all about.

According to the film's synopsis, "it all starts when ‘America's youth pastor,'" Guy Sides, realizes he’s stuck in the megachurch marketing machine and wants to find his passion again.

But when Guy attempts to get back to the heart of ministry, he is thrust into the throes of dissuading his zany church leadership from performing a strange and potentially blasphemous stunt for the upcoming Easter service while navigating his own personal problems.

"Church People" exposes the wacky heights some people will go in the evangelical subculture while revealing God’s out-of-this-world grace through a poignantly redemptive climax.”

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The movie will be released via a Fathom Event release on March 13, 14 and 15.

In the trailer, the church senior pastor, eager to boost his attendance record, decides to hold “an actual crucifixion” during the church’s Good Friday service.

“For Good Friday and Easter, I need something big,” he says.

Guy, disturbed that it appears the Gospel isn’t “enough,” replies incredulously, “Bigger than the resurrection?”

The lighthearted film touches on the pitfalls of the entertainment-driven church — a topic often addressed by pastors and church leaders.

Recently, Bible teacher Christine Caine condemned the modern Church for placing its focus on being “cool” instead of holiness. She warned that unless the Body of Christ returns to a focus on “righteousness, joy, and peace,” revival will never happen.

“I’m on a campaign to pull prayer out of the basement and put it on the pulpit and put it front and center,” she said."

Want to see the trailer?  Click below, and enjoy!

 

Levi Lusko Debuts New 40-Day Devotional

 

I love Levi Lusko.  I have enjoyed his speaking and preaching ever since he came to Passion City Church in Atlanta, my home church, a few years ago.  It was the first time I heard him speak.

Levi has a passion for life and, more importantly, the Gospel that few of us possess.  I mean that in the best way possible - he has boundless energy and a way of presenting the Gospel in a way that is exciting and yet obtainable all at the same time.

In case you haven't met Levi yet, let me tell you a little bit about him:  Levi Lusko is the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church, located in Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Utah. He is the bestselling author of Through the Eyes of a Lion, Swipe Right, and I Declare War.  Levi also travels the world speaking about Jesus.  He and his wife, Jennie, have one son, Lennox, and four daughters: Alivia, Daisy, Clover, and Lenya, who is in heaven.

Levi and his wife Jennie have been through a lot in life.  If you have not read, "Through the Eyes of a Lion," you really must.  It is not until you read this book that you can fully understand the place where Levi and his wife now stand and how God has crafted and carried them to this point.

That's why I was so excited to find out that Levi was (finally) releasing a devotional book.  Levi has never written a devotional book before, and I was ready to dive in when it arrived*.

Let's start with the actual book itself - the physical appearance.  I love the look of this book.  As you can see from the image above, the book has a solid black cover with skinny-type font letters that resemble someone writing on a blackboard.  Inside, the pages are a nonglossy, rougher paper, which I actually really like.  The chapter beginning and ending pages are adorned with hand drawn images which add to the fun and artsy feel I can imagine Levi scribbling down or drawing while writing this book.

And speaking of chapters, let's digest how this new and nontraditional devotional is laid out.  I say nontraditional because the book is laid out and flows much like Levi himself -- often untraditional yet inviting us in to sit - captivated at what he is saying, leaning in to learn more about ourselves, our walk, and our Savior.

Each chapter starts out with a traditional devotional.  Where this new book deviates from tradition is what comes next.  Most devotionals are short.  A page or two at the most.  Levi's tend to be a bit longer.  Each day's devotional ends with a prayer and a set of questions to help you understand the day's teachings and how you can apply them to your life.

The publisher describes Levi's book this way:

"In Take Back Your Life, a blend of bestselling books Through the Eyes of a Lion and I Declare War, join Levi Lusko on an interactive journey to take back your life. With biblical truth and perspective, this step-by-step journaling process will help you:

• get out of your own way by learning to think right so you can live right
  
  
• find purpose by discovering that God will do great things with your imperfect progress
  
  
• learn that your pain is not an obstacle to being used by God but an opportunity to be used like never before.

Take Back Your Life is such a refreshing book!  So many times, we just read our devotion and then check it off our list.  Some devotions do have prayers at the end of them, but the questions in this book make it great for self-study, group studies, or an accountability partner.

Thank you Levi for releasing a devotional.  I've added your book to my morning routine of  Bible reading, and I enjoy the new twist it gives that special time.  So happy to add this book to my growing Christian book library!

If you would like to learn more about Levi's book, visit the Take Back website or it may be purchased through Amazon.

*Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC and HCCP for providing this prize for the giveaway and review.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Paul, Apostle of Christ - New Movie on the Life of Paul Comes to the Nation's Theaters This Week!

Let me introduce you to two men - Paul and Luke.  You probably already know them.

Paul was an Apostle of Christ.  His letters were vital to the spreading of Christianity in the years following Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.  His writings now compose a majority of the New Testament.

Luke was a physician and disciple of Paul.  It is said he probably came to the saving knowledge of Christ through the teaching and friendship of Paul.

The new Andrew Hyatt movie, "Paul, Apostle of Christ," documents the close relationship between these two men.  The Director has based his film on Biblical accounts and Scripture.  Here is the official trailer:




Films like these are often hard watch because of the extreme suffering and abuse early Christians went through when the Church was born.  But, we must them watch in order to remember, learn, and love the world around us.
The Holy Spirit breathed great promise, wisdom, and knowledge through these two men.  Paul, Apostle of Christ focuses on Paul and Luke's sharing of Jesus' message of love, redemption, and forgiveness.  They shared it with a new church who, in turn, shared and spread it throughout the world.  We can thank these two men for the Church we so love and adore today.



Please watch the video below to see how Paul and Luke's story is still relevant to today's Church:

Paul, Apostle of Christ will open Nationwide the week before Easter on Friday, March 23.  It is rated PG-13 for violent content and disturbing images.  To purchase tickets, please visit the movie's website.

I hope you will join me this weekend to watch this very important film.  Christians are showing America that we can hold an important key to Hollywood box office sales.  No longer do we have to be recipients of violent films, horror films, or other dark, anti-Biblical material.

This past weekend's surprise box office draw of, "I Can Only Imagine" shows Hollywood that if they will produce Christian-based and family-friendly films, audiences will show up in droves.

Please help support more family-friendly and Bible-based films.  Come see a film about a man that went from becoming the most notorious persecutor of the church to its most powerful proponent!  Two men, bound together in their love for Christ.  Leaving their final message for the world - "Love is the only answer."

See you this weekend at the movies!

*Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC, Collide Media Group, and Columbia TriStar Marketing Group, Inc. for providing tickets to see the movie on its release in exchange for this promotional post.  Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

Louie Giglio's Goliath Must Fall - BOGO Sale!

We all have giants, we shouldn’t face them alone. For the next 24 hours, when you purchase a copy of Louie Giglio’s latest book, Goliath Must Fall, you can get a **free** copy to send to someone you choose. Once you check out, Passion Publishing will send you an email where you can submit the shipping address of the gift recipient! Great book.  Great author.  Good time to take advantage of this deal!

New Giveaway! Win a $15 Walmart Gift Card!

To receive these deals daily, sign up for our **FREE** e-mail newsletter or subscribe via RSS. If you'd like a printable copy of this post, please see the link below. Thanks for visiting!

We’re proud to announce The Bible Series premiering on the History Channel March 3, 2013, Sundays at 8PM!

From Executive Producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett comes The Bible — an epic 10-part miniseries retelling stories from the Scriptures for a whole new generation.  Breathtaking in scope and scale, The Bible features powerful performances, exotic locales, and dazzling visual effects that breathe spectacular life into the dramatic tales of faith and courage from Genesis through Revelation.  This historic television event is sure to entertain and inspire the whole family!  Where will YOU be 3.3.13?

To help "celebrate" this epic miniseries, we are giving away a $15 Walmart gift card to one lucky reader.  Will it be you?

To enter our contest, follow the directions in the Rafflecopter box below, and GOOD LUCK!




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