New Years Bring New Couples

          New Years bring new couples. Everyone knows this. Today is officially January 1. I know someone who got engaged yesterday. Some one's Facebook status said that three of her friends got engaged on December 31. You see proposal scenes on TV at the ball/peach/possum drop. Awfully cute and romantic, isn't it? I wholeheartedly agree. But where does this leave the single people? Are they left behind, as yet another year rolls by without a ring on their most useless finger?
          The world seems to be accepting New Years as yet another holiday for singles to miserable on, like Valentine's Day. But I want to ask - WHY? Why is it necessary for singles to be miserable?
I typed into Google the phrase: "Bible verses about the good of being single". The results came up with things such as, "how to fight singleness with Bible verses" and "how to abstain from being bitter when single". In both Christian and worldly circles, singleness is portrayed as something that is only inflicted upon poor and unfortunate souls. I have been looked upon with disdain and horror when I have casually mentioned that I would not mind if I never got married.
          And I will not deny that there are more verses in the Bible on marriage than there are on being single. But there are some prime examples of faithful Christians who lived a life of celibacy, Paul being a major one (and Jesus Christ being the foremost). In 1 Corinthians 7:34, Paul says, "And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and in spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband." Those who are not married are able to completely commit their life to Christ. Why else do you think the monks had such unbecoming hairstyles - if not to make sure the women never came near them? :)
          Now I am not making an argument against marriage, I am simply promoting singleness (because that happens to be my current relationship status). I am wholly for marriage and wholly for singleness. They both are equal gifts from the Lord. Katie McCoy says in her article, "Waiting for Life to Start", that we first must recognize the gift, then accept it and then live it.
          She also says that we shouldn't look at our unmarried life and say, "How long?", but rather, "For what purpose?". I really really REALLY like this. :D
          I am (contrary to popular opinion), NOT going to college to find a husband. I am going to college to get education, friends, experience, and training that will last a lifetime. Because I believe that God has given me a calling, I will pursue it with all my heart and not stop to look back unless He intervenes and gives me a new calling. Right now it is not marriage. And if it still is not marriage when I have finished college, I will be honest in saying that I will be perfectly happy.
          MY intention for this new year is not to get married, but to rather - as Elisabeth Elliot says - "I have one desire now - to live a life of reckless abandon for the Lord, putting all my energy and strength into it."  

Go ahead and punch me!

Since this is my first blog I thought I'd go ahead and make it have an interesting title. :) This morning as I was eating my chicken and rice soup and reading "Morning and Evening" devotional, there was a wave of contentment that washed over me. Like the Holy Spirit had just come and bathed me in peace. I felt like there was to be no struggle against anything, not Satan, not the world, not with myself - because Christ had conquered  all! I felt as though I could never be angry with anyone today, because I was swimming in peace! Then I thought that if someone just came up and punched me in the gut then I would just smile at them and say, "Thank you!". I probably would proceed to hug them as well. Too bad my younger brother wasn't around at this time. :) 

Later on I thought about my future - as I do most often - and how at peace I was about that as well! I remembered what many people told me before I went off to college - "Enjoy your college years, because after that it only goes downhill." Now I beg to differ. It seems to me that as a Christian your life can only become increasingly better through your relationship with your Heavenly Father that continues to grow and strengthen. Yes, you take on new challenges in your life, but more and more you should see the Father's hand guiding you all the way! Having just finished my first semester in college, I look back and see that I had to accept a lot of new responsibilities and relationships, but as the semester progressed, I felt my LORD's presence keener every day! It was a wonderful feeling! So as I look towards the future, I have no fear for Thou art with me. I was reminded of a few lines from my favorite song, "How Can I Keep From Singing?" by Robert Lowry: "What though my joys and comforts die - the Lord my Savior liveth!" Nothing else matters as long as Christ is alive and seated on His throne, acting as your Savior, Friend, and King! Praise be His holy name!