Great Post

I just finished reading a post called, The Blessings of Single Servents. This was one artical I didn't get board with! It is great for all adults to read, young and old. Mrs. Julie spoke about the blessings of singleness and encouraged those who do not have the responsibility of a spouse or family to spend their time serving God. But this artical has a twist that I thought was very interesting . . . it needs to be talked about more often.  She went on to say that married couples need to include the singles in things that are going on around the church and home. (I wont say too much because you really need to read the whole artical yourself.) When I read this I started thinking about the people who I would like to spend time with, the young married ladies I would be more then willing to help, and the little children I would LOVE to be an "adopted" aunt to. I realize that I don't have a helping spirit like my mom and sister, and sometimes I am selfish and stay to myself, but when asked to do something I never hesitate to help when I can. So I guess I'm preaching to myself as well!

Overall it was a very good artical. Well worth the time!

My Man

My man. When you hear those words I'm sure lots of things come to your mind, namely, what you want in your man. Doesn't every girl have a list of desires they want in their future husband? Things like Christian, handsome, kind, tall, gentleman, romantic . . . we could go on and on! Whether you want to admit it or not, all of those things are probably what you really do want! Who doesn't want a handsome husband?

As for me, I made my "list" when I was 12 years old! Underneath the title "What I want in my Prince Charming" I wrote 23 requirements or dreams that I hoped my man would have. Some of them are very reasonable such as

• loves God
• not lazy
• faithful to church
• wants lots of children

But then there are some that aren't quite as reasonable, like "never forgets our anniversary"! I'm starting to think that finding a man who will remember our anniversary isn't quite that important. : )
Lately I've come to realize just how important it is to have those "wish lists". It was fun to think about what we wanted in a husband when we were younger because they seemed reachable. Finding a godly husband didn't seem impossible back then because we had so much time. But when we turn 18, 20, or even 23, we start to get a little desperate. We start thinking that maybe our standards are too strict or our wish list is too conservative. It is especially hard when we are around attractive men who don't meet our requirements. Flattery can be very tempting to accept from the opposite gender when you've never been given that kind of attention, even if that man isn't a Christian.
So today I thought I would write about what should be on those wish lists. (That was just the introduction!) These inspirations were given by God during a sermon my pastor preached a few months ago.
Prayer Warrior
Our first example is Daniel. One of the things he is known for is his prayer life. In the Bible we can read about the time prayer was banned from the city except for prayer directed to king Nebucanezar. (Banning prayer from the schools is nothing new! They were banning prayer way back then as well.) Daniel could have been fearful for his life and prayed in secret, but he wasn't afraid . . . or at least he didn't show his fear. He continued to pray three times a day in front of everyone unashamed! A husband like him will always go to God when our family has needs or hard times come. We should desire a husband who is a mighty prayer warrior like Daniel.
Protective Father and Husband
I think we can all agree that Noah was very protective. When God told him to build an ark, Noah obeyed and took his family with him. He separated himself and his family from the wicked world and spared not just their life, but also their spiritual life. Of course, it was God who actually spared them, but Noah played a big part in the picture by being obedient. Make sure you marry a man who will protect your family from the harm of this world!
Obedient to God
Abraham was tested by obedience like no other man I've read about in the Bible. When God told him to move away from his family - he did it. When God told him to sacrifice his son- he was going to do it until God spared him from such pain. This is a hard thing to ask for in a husband! Sometimes I'm not so sure if I want a husband who is that obedient! I don't expect God to tell me or my future husband to kill one of our children, but God could really test our obedience and we really should obey. All joking aside, I want a husband who is very obedient to God's word.
Strong
Okay, I'm not talking about muscles or the ability to carry heavy sacks of feed on his shoulder (although it would be nice to have such a strong husband!) I was thinking more along the lines of strength of spirit. The man who comes to mind is Job. He was strong! After loosing everything - children, cattle, servants, his income, health - he worshipped God! He didn't give up, he didn't stop serving God, he kept on fighting the good fight! Everyone goes through trials in life, having a husband who knows how to make it through them will be a blessing you could never thank God enough for! We need a husband like Job.
These are just a few of the many characteristics we find in the Bible. We could name many more, but for now I think these will do. If you really desire to marry a man who is pleasing unto God you can dig in to the Word of God and find out what God wants for you and your husband.
And finally I'll leave you with a verse that has encouraged me for a long time.“Trust in the LORD and do good. . . Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalms 37:3-4 For after all, our desire should not be to marry the perfect man, but to marry the man who God has ordained perfect for us. Now that's my kind of man!

Peer Pressure

On a summer day in 2001 my first issue of Hope Chest Magazine came to my house. I didn’t subscribe right away which means that I’ve only had the pleasure of reading 7 issues, but those many articles helped shaped me into who I am today: a Christian writer and home maker in training. A few years later I became a fan of the Young Ladies Christian Fellowship and soaked up everything that came across my computer screen. I must say, there is no doubt in my mind that mama influenced my life (and still is) more than any magazine or blog I ever read, but there were times in my life, just like every other young person, when I would have much rather listened to someone my age then my mother. After all, they knew what I was going through better then my mom, right?

Although I never wrote any articles for either one of these popular Christian sources, I’ve always considered myself “one of them.” I am a firm believer in courtship, I believe women should look and act feminine, I strive to keep myself pure physically and emotionally, and I believe that to do these things well God must be at the forefront of my thoughts every day.

In a sense, this tight knit group of girls I looked up to had formed a peer pressure. When I stopped and considered what peer pressure is I realized there are many types of this social persuasion. Peer pressure is when some one or some group has a strong influence on those around them. There are good peer pressures, but the one more commonly talked about is bad peer pressures. But what about theses "good" influences? And are they good after all?

Preachers are #1

If you've been in church a long time you've probably seen it too. The preachers and deacons form a tight group of friendship not just with preachers from other churches, but sometimes within their own church if there are several. They always go out to eat together after church and sometimes hang out on the weekends. I've seen men be as close as brothers all because of their common love for Christ.

Strong friendships can be very good and pure. In fact the Bible teaches us how to be a friend and says to "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another." (Romans 12:10) But just like in almost every aspect of our life, we tend to take things to far or in different way then God intended. Sometimes these groups start out as good Godly fellowship but can easily become the popular "click" in the church and perhaps set on a high pedestal. Sadly, I've found myself wondering if certain preachers were called by God . . . or their peers.

Courtship Committed, Feminine Fassionist, Bible Believing Girl

Now lets go back to our first topic: us. Is it wrong to talk about and encourage other girls to believe in courtship and wear only dresses? Is it wrong to be friends with those who have the same convictions?

I hope and pray that God will allow me to court in a Godly setting under the protection of my parents because I believe that is the best thing for me. I realize that I will be tempted to sin but hopefully will be able to be spared from making that mistake because of my parents guidance. Yet at the same time I kind of understand what Miss Deb is talking about in her article, "Committed to . . . Whom?" Am I committed to courtship, or am I committed to letting God have his way in my life? Yes, it's good to court instead of date if you are able, but are you doing it because God wants you to, your parents are making you . . . or because it's the popular Christian thing to do? The same questions can be applied to how you dress and why you have a hope chest in your room.

Then I think of the other side of the matter. What if my family was lost and on their way to hell? Would they feel concerned enough about me to be compelled to make me court under their supervision? Most likely not! Girls, there are young women out their like this. These women may have a desire to meet a Christian man and start a relation ship God's way, but find it difficult because their parents wont support them. How do these girls feel when they are around us? Do they feel like they aren't good enough for us? Do they feel condemned for something they have no control over?

I'm afraid we put to much emphasis on courtship and wearing dresses. When you dig real deep into the matter you will find that the desire to pursue a relationship God's way and to dress to please God all stems from the heart. If our heart is right with God and we are continually seeking His will, He will show us what he wants us to do! My mother never read a single article or book on how to dress when God convicted her of wearing pants. He simply told her to dress for Him . . . and she did because she wanted to please God. We need to put more emphasis on keeping our hearts right with our Savior.

My point is this: Don't follow the Christian trends. Don't follow your church's ideas. Don't follow what you read on this blog. Follow CHRIST, and know why you are following Him and his commands!