Dare to be.

I think there is something in the water....
Or maybe something that we are eating?
Ok, not the water or the food but perhaps our age and our spot along the journey.

I have had conversation after conversation with my family, with my friends but most importantly with God about marriage and relationships and love. I am growing and learning alot. I am being challenged and encouraged to think outside the "norm" established by this world and to look beyond what I "feel" to what I "know."

It's no secret that I want to find my life partner. That person who loves the Lord and is truly dedicated to sharing their faith and their relationship with Jesus with others. A person who I can believe in and support. One that will lead me and our children and be the head of our household. It's also no secret that for whatever reason, that hasn't happened in my life. Let me be INCREDIBLY honest with you right now and say that it has been a huge struggle for me. The lonliness that comes from being by yourself is VERY real and incredibly difficult to overcome at times. I think that it is safe to say that I have been frustrated by God's timing in this area of my life.

I do not think that we are asked or expected to be "content" in our singleness. I do not think that God wants us to be comfortable in our lonliness. I know that He understands the pain and the emptiness that we feel. The desires that I have to be a mom, to find a husband, to have a family, to support my husband ..... these are from God.

What I have been reminded of, is that my timing is not God's timing. As my good friend, has so candidly reminded me, "Its not about me.... Its about God!" What I need is the Love of My Savior. What I should be focusing on is His Love and His plan for my Life. If I am trusting him with the details of my life .... truly trusting Him, then I have to let go of my timing and my plans. If He is the pilot then He gets to make those decisions. I don't think that makes it easy and certainly its unenjoyable at times; but it is necessary!

Why is it necessary? Because when we try to do things our way; with our rules and our lists and our requirements, we lose out on what God can accomplish. We put parameters on what He can do and say "God, if what you want is someone who is this, likes this, looks like this and thinks this, then OK. But if.... (you fill in the blank) then I'm not interested!" Sound familar?

Don't misunderstand me. It is necessary to have standards. We deserve to be choosy in who our partner is. Dating everyone who comes into our paths who is attrative or likes the same things we like is not wise. It is more then that.... It is deeper then that!

Think back to the time in your life when you felt the closest and the most at peace with Him. Now think about why you felt that way..... Chances are its because you let go. You switched seats with Him and let Him have control of the plane. Then why do we struggle with the doing the same for our love life? Why can't we give up the controls?

He has great plans for us. If we want to be truly obedient to Him and desire to Love him above everything and everyone else in this world, then let go. What do we have to lose? Obviously, doing things our way, isn't working!

Who knows you the best in this world..... God! He knows you better then you know you and certainly better then any other person on this world. Why not let Him be in control?

Who loves you the most in this world....God! More then your mom and dad, more then your best friend and more then your husband/wife ever will. Why not let Him be in control?

If what I said is causing your heartbeat to elevate and your hands to get a bit clammy and your throat to get a little dry..... GOOD! I have your attention. Get ready for this next thing OK....
You were designed to be GREAT! You were not designed to settle or to be ordinary. You, my brother and sister in Christ, were created to knock their socks off! Don't settle for mediocre! Don't settle for ordinary! Dare to be GREAT in the name and for the glory of Christ! Take some risks and let go! If the idea of being single and alone terrifies you.... then dare to take the risk and let go! Let God work and be amazed!

I think a good friend of mine said it best: I NEED God. I WANT a family and a husband but I NEED God.

He is the only source of true happiness and ultimate joy.

L-O-V-E

L-O-V-E
The cause of so many tears...
The cause of so much happiness and joy....
The reason for so many questions.
The result of so many goals and prayers.

L-O-V-E
makes people do some pretty crazy things
the subject of so many movies
the reason for many song lyrics
the main idea of thousands of books and poems

L-O-V-E
the object of so many obsessions
the subject of many dreams
the reason for so many celebrations and parties.....

Why is L-O-V-E so important to so many people?

For girls, LOVE is imporant because we want a place and a person to love us. We like feeling like we are needed. A place where we are accepted....good and bad. We feel safe in the arms of someone who says they love us. We like to feel special and different....

For guys, LOVE is important because they want to be respected and valued as a leader. There is pride in knowing that someone loves them despite their flaws. They like to fufill the role of leader and are looking to be respected....

What is L-O-V-E ?
Love is committment between two people to choose to love each other....thru good and bad.
Love is seeing the dreams of someone else come true... to make their dreams your dreams.
Love is a friendship that goes beyond casual conversations over coffee....and to the heart and root of who we are as people.
Love is a genuine interest in understanding what the other person needs and WANTING to do that for them
Love is acceptance of a person for nothing more then who they are.
Love is helping someone become a better and stronger person then they were before you.
Love is a sacrifice of personal time and personal pleasures to help and be there for someone you care about.
Love is hugging someone and not letting go quickly.
Love is sharing an inside joke and a smile that lights up a room
Love is having the best conversation unexpectedly.
Love is having someone to share this expected journey of life with...

Why do we want LOVE?
Love is at the core of being like Jesus.
To Love people the way he demonstrated .... and to make that a PRIORITY in life requires so much effort and sacrifice.
It means getting hurt and used...
It means disappointment and tears...

We want LOVE because it is in LOVE that we find peace.
We want LOVE because we see and believe in its goodness!
We want to belong to something that is so much bigger and stronger then we can be on our own.

As a child of God.... you have and belong to that kind of LOVE.
Its at your fingertips and is yours to experience.
Jesus loves like that....
to everyone
all the time