"To God be the glory, great things He hath done..." (from "To God Be the Glory"; words by Fanny Crosby, music by William Doane).
A great thing He has done. He has kept me single all these years. He has protected me from abusive dating relationships and from disastrous marriages. He has graciously led me to this season of my life (not the single season, but this time, regardless of its label) and is showing Himself to me. He gives me second, third, fiftieth, hundredth chances to love, honor, and obey Him. He shows me the beauty in His creation, especially the sometimes unexpected beauty to be found in the crowning aspect of that creation---humans. He has uniquely gifted me to be able to do interesting, creative things for Him and to serve other people. He gives opportunities to use those gifts in different ways. I can focus my life on pleasing Him, if I choose, and that is the choice He desires I make but still leaves the choice to me. Amazing love. To love so completely, so unconditionally...that He gave Himself for me but did not force me to love Him back. He woos me and you and you and you to Himself. And He teaches our hearts to look for Him with longing eyes and straining ears.
I see Him dancing at the wedding at Cana, when I see the trees dance. I see the twinkling of His eyes when the disciples finally GOT IT, when I see the stars gleam. I see His determination to love when it doesn't make sense, when I see the mountains resolutely standing through rain, snow, and wind. I see Christ's trust in the Father, when I see a child look lovingly up at an adult and waiting for the adult to lead the child to a snack, to bed, or to a book corner for a snuggly read. I see His creativity in the writings I read in various media. I see Him everywhere.
Illuminate is the word I have chosen to name my life. I wan to illuminate Christ so that the world sees Him. By definition, the word illuminate means "to enlighten spiritually or intellectually; to supply or brighten with light; to make luminous or shining; to set alight; to subject to radiation; to make clear [AHA!!!]; to make illustrious or resplendent [OOH, I like that word!]; to decorate with gold or silver or brilliant colors or often with elaborate designs or miniature pictures [like the Bibles that the Celtic monks made, copying the Scriptures over and over and illustrating them...or illuminating them, actually!]." (I think that was a Merriam-Webster definition, by the way.) Of course, some may refuse to see, but I pray that all eyes will be opened to Him, including mine.
He is my sunlight, so it doesn't matter that Music City is covered in grey today. (Can you guess where I live?) It just so happens that He's allowed me borrowage of sunlight from neighbor co-workers across the hall. {Can you tell that I invent words? I love it!}
Challenge for today: If you could choose one verb to state your mission in life, what would it be? Make it an active verb, not passive. And don't worry if you can't think of one right away. Chew on that thought for a while. And when you choose a verb, make it into a poster and stick it on your fridge or mirror, somewhere you look every day. Remember that God put you here on earth to be for Him and to do things for Him and for others. He will show you your unique shape.
Recommended reading: your Bible!; Purposeful Singleness (Web site full of articles) at www.singleness.org; The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren; The Path by Laurie Beth Jones; My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers; Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis; The Chronicles of Narnia (an eight-book series...find it in the children's section of your bookstore) by C. S. Lewis; The Sacred Romance by Eldredge and Curtis and The Journey of Desire by Eldredge
God loves you, so love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength!
ejs
A great thing He has done. He has kept me single all these years. He has protected me from abusive dating relationships and from disastrous marriages. He has graciously led me to this season of my life (not the single season, but this time, regardless of its label) and is showing Himself to me. He gives me second, third, fiftieth, hundredth chances to love, honor, and obey Him. He shows me the beauty in His creation, especially the sometimes unexpected beauty to be found in the crowning aspect of that creation---humans. He has uniquely gifted me to be able to do interesting, creative things for Him and to serve other people. He gives opportunities to use those gifts in different ways. I can focus my life on pleasing Him, if I choose, and that is the choice He desires I make but still leaves the choice to me. Amazing love. To love so completely, so unconditionally...that He gave Himself for me but did not force me to love Him back. He woos me and you and you and you to Himself. And He teaches our hearts to look for Him with longing eyes and straining ears.
I see Him dancing at the wedding at Cana, when I see the trees dance. I see the twinkling of His eyes when the disciples finally GOT IT, when I see the stars gleam. I see His determination to love when it doesn't make sense, when I see the mountains resolutely standing through rain, snow, and wind. I see Christ's trust in the Father, when I see a child look lovingly up at an adult and waiting for the adult to lead the child to a snack, to bed, or to a book corner for a snuggly read. I see His creativity in the writings I read in various media. I see Him everywhere.
Illuminate is the word I have chosen to name my life. I wan to illuminate Christ so that the world sees Him. By definition, the word illuminate means "to enlighten spiritually or intellectually; to supply or brighten with light; to make luminous or shining; to set alight; to subject to radiation; to make clear [AHA!!!]; to make illustrious or resplendent [OOH, I like that word!]; to decorate with gold or silver or brilliant colors or often with elaborate designs or miniature pictures [like the Bibles that the Celtic monks made, copying the Scriptures over and over and illustrating them...or illuminating them, actually!]." (I think that was a Merriam-Webster definition, by the way.) Of course, some may refuse to see, but I pray that all eyes will be opened to Him, including mine.
He is my sunlight, so it doesn't matter that Music City is covered in grey today. (Can you guess where I live?) It just so happens that He's allowed me borrowage of sunlight from neighbor co-workers across the hall. {Can you tell that I invent words? I love it!}
Challenge for today: If you could choose one verb to state your mission in life, what would it be? Make it an active verb, not passive. And don't worry if you can't think of one right away. Chew on that thought for a while. And when you choose a verb, make it into a poster and stick it on your fridge or mirror, somewhere you look every day. Remember that God put you here on earth to be for Him and to do things for Him and for others. He will show you your unique shape.
Recommended reading: your Bible!; Purposeful Singleness (Web site full of articles) at www.singleness.org; The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren; The Path by Laurie Beth Jones; My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers; Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis; The Chronicles of Narnia (an eight-book series...find it in the children's section of your bookstore) by C. S. Lewis; The Sacred Romance by Eldredge and Curtis and The Journey of Desire by Eldredge
God loves you, so love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength!
ejs
