Where God's Word Meets My Mess
While I do believe that women are called to modesty (both in heart and in clothing choices), I also believe there should be a shift away from the idea that lust is a guys-only sin. Because if we treat lust like a guys-only sin, then girls will either not feel convicted of their lust or they will feel alone in their struggle. Neither of those things is okay.
The following is written from God's perspective, not my own. Of course, I'm not trying to put words in His mouth or add to the Bible. These words are just my ideas of what He might tell you if you are...
In approximately eight months, I’ll likely join the billions of people working 9-5 (ish) jobs. I’ll collapse on the couch when I get home from the office. I’ll solely look forward to Fridays. I’ll talk too much with my coworkers about the “amazing” lunch I packed. And I’ll completely forget about my dreams because I’ll be spending my days in a lonely cubicle and spending my nights recovering from the workday. That's why I'm so scared about graduating from college.
I know so many people who have rushed into marriage with the wrong person because they wanted to be married or thought that they should be married at a certain age or stage of life. You aren’t just with the person you marry for now but for a lifetime.
Don’t be in a rush to get married. This sounds so simple, but there’s a reason that Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 7 to not seek after marriage. In singleness, you have so much freedom to serve others and spread the gospel that can never be achieved again. So don’t waste your singleness pining after marriage. Make the most of this time.
Eventually, the muffin was gone, and I realized that I had eaten it…well, at least half of it. It wasn’t a giant muffin, but that didn’t make a difference in my post-anorexia mind. It might as well have been a basketball-sized muffin with triple the chocolate chips. The rest of the day, I allowed my thoughts to descend into Ed’s Black Hole.
As my friends sort through their romantic relationships—whether married, engaged, dating, or almost-dating—I sort through my feelings of emptiness, loneliness, and despair. I cling to my unwantedness like a beloved toy. It feels wrong to cling so tightly to such an ugly feeling, but I can’t seem to let go. All I want to know is this: Am I wanted?
Before you assume that I’m saying it is sinful to write letters to your future husband, I promise that’s not what this post means. For me, it could lead to sin. For you, it may lead to positive things, like gratitude or submission to God’s will. And that’s amazing! Just don’t forget to be on guard against sexual, unrealistic, or discontented longings.
Do you ever get tired of hearing that you have to be a smaller size? In order to be considered “okay” in today’s culture, you have to firm up your abs, get rid of your fat, tighten your butt, sculpt your arms, fit into those skinny jeans, and do it all with a smile on your face! If you’re tired of hearing it—and hearing it—maybe you need to stand your ground, rebel, and go against the tide. There is so much more to you than just a size or a number.
I'm afraid that if I loosen my grip on Maddy, she'll become less close with me and become closer to her other friends. Ultimately, if I don't grasp the reigns of our relationship, I'm scared it will become shallow...and perhaps even nonexistent. I'm not saying that I'm going to let go of my relationship with Maddy. But grasping this relationship so tightly is making me exhausted. So who should I grasp instead?
Many young Christian women are on one end of the spectrum or the other when it comes to seeking guys’ attention. They often either quietly attempt to repress their desire for it or boldly communicate it through their words and actions. Neither extreme is good. We can't overcome our craving for a husband—and that’s largely because of the Fall.
I just wanted to announce a few things that you should be aware of and let you know about a giveaway I'm doing...
We hold onto stress because we are natural worriers, and we believe the lie that a good dose of stress is healthy because it keeps us on track to succeed and accomplish. But, honestly, we often stress about things that don't end up happening. And, on top of that, life is ultimately out of our control because our God is sovereign. So what would happen if we just let go of our stress?
I want you to know that you’re normal. You’re not the only one who’s never had a “real” relationship. There are other girls out there just like you—and I’m one of them.
I fully believe that true Christians will bear fruit. And that fruit will be obvious to other people, like faithfulness and joy and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). But I don’t believe we are on the deadline that we give ourselves.
