all about being single...

All your life, you had specific dreams about what your family life
would be like when you finally married.

You were so intent on what you wanted, you even made a list of
qualities and characteristics you were looking for in a spouse, in a
home, in your job, in your children.

But time passed, and that person you were so intent on didn't come
along.

All of your friends married, had children, had beautiful homes. And
still you were single. You prayed and prayed and prayed for that
person to come along, but nothing happened.

You had a good job. You served in your church. You spent daily time
with the Lord in prayer and studying the Word. You dedicated your
life to serving God in every way possible, but still nothing.

So you decided to take matters into your own hands, and you began an
active search for a mate. And within a short period, you met someone
who almost fit the bill. Almost. Sure, there were a few things
Missing, a few rusty spots in that person's character. But, after
all, no one is perfect.

Of course, your friends and your pastor tried to council you that you
were making a poor choice and that you should wait for the Lord to
send the right person. But that couldn't be right. You had waited for
a long time. Maybe your goals were too high. Maybe you'd been asking
for the impossible. Maybe this was the person God wanted for you so
your character could grow through dealing with his or her failings.

So you married. And your life went down hill from there. Even though
it often seems that God is slow to answer prayers, no matter whether
it's about a mate, or a job, or our children, or our finances, or
anything else, we have to remember that God doesn't wear a watch. Nor
does He look at our human calendars. He sees with eternal eyes. He
operates on an eternal timetable, according to His plan and His
schedule. If God seems to be running late, don't get impatient and
run ahead of him. Wait for the Lord's timing in everything.

To the single folks out there, this is for you.

Single means you have the time to grow and be the person you want to
be.

Single gives you space to grow. Sometimes, it is harder to grow when
you are too close to someone.

Trees are planted far apart so they can spread their branches and
become strong as they mature.

Single means learning to live by yourself. However, that is no more
difficult than learning to live with somebody else.

Single means freedom. You are free to spend a week's vacation on the
beach, to take computer courses, to work late on an interesting
project, to spend the day in bed with a good book or simply with a
person who has read one.

Single means learning not to need a man/woman to make your life
meaningful but learning to live with a man/woman because you want to
be with him/her.

Single means that sometimes you will wonder why you will bite your
lip and feel wistful and wonder if marriage is better.

Ironically, yet quite happily, single is feeling good about being in
control of your life. It is liking and respecting who you are and why
you are.

Single is realizing that being married is not necessarily better, it
is merely different.

Single means that there could be something wonderful around the
corner and you can take advantage of it.

Single means you are free to love again.

There are times when we are afraid of telling the person, whom we
love or like, what we feel deep inside because we might just lose
them.

That's a big risk...I know. But hey, everything is. The way I see it
is why keep something inside and then end up regretting it in the
near future?

But as I've said everything is a big risk. S0 whatever you decide to
do with your feelings, whether you tell it to that person or not you
have to be ready with the consequences that come after it and accept
it.

Whatever decisions that you have made in your life is part of your
growing experience...part of life. Whatever decisions that you have
to make will influence or affect your future. So think hard before
deciding on certain things...and PRAY TO GOD and HE will show you the
way.