Content

Let me first define this word "content": adj.- in a state of peaceful happiness. verb- to satisfy; accept as adequate despite wanting more or better. noun- a state of satisfaction.

I don't know that I've EVER lacked transparency in regards to my hopes and dreams; my aspirations and desires. I've mentioned before that I developed a desire for a wife and family at a VERY early age. I used to draw pictures of myself at that age with my wife and kids. At the age of 3...yes, new readers, 3 years old, I began to look forward to and desire a family. I know. That's kinda weird and almost not even believable due to the age BUT my mom can vouch for me here. The point is...I've been looking for that "other person" pretty much my entire life in some form or fashion. That's really kinda scary, ya know. But the scariest part about it is that I NEVER even realized the error and imbalance in this until just last week!

I began reading a book one day that I REALLLLLLY didn't wanna read but had been feeling in my heart for the last 4 months that I really should. Like...REALLY should. Anyway, I kept ignoring it and kept on reading all my other books that I'm reading until one day I just decided to surrender to that little unction to read. See, I realize something now about being led by the Spirit of God that I was never really sensitive to before. Often times when the Holy Spirit is leading you, He kinda just keeps "bringing it up" inside you, so to speak, like a constant urge or unction to do something, repeating over and over and over again like a broken record. Now, He also leads by peace and not by pressure, so it'll never be an instance where He is PUSHING you to come to a conclusion, make a decision or act...there'll just be a sort of "peaceful urgency", if that even makes any sense to you. So anyway...I was led to buy this book in the first place. I had picked it up and put it down many, many times before and FINALLY just decided "What the heck? Maybe I should read this so that I can more effectively minister to other single peeps." And once I got home and realized that I'm NOT gonna be getting to minister to singles as I thought I would, I just kinda pushed it aside and continued trying to ignore that leading. Until last week.

I read this book in one sitting. I don't blow through books in a hurry, mind you. I prefer to study books as I read them, underlining, highlighting, circling, re-reading certain portions...I really prefer to process books rather than just read them. I couldn't put this book down, to be honest with you. You know why? Because it seemed that the book was written JUST FOR ME!

*I'm not really here to push a book to you but if you ARE interested in it, it's called "Single and Loving It!" by Kate McVeigh and if you wanted to find it, you could probably find it on Amazon or something. I actually bought it at Rhema's bookstore before coming home.*

During my reading of this book I both laughed (cuz she is one funny lady, I tell you) and cried. I wasn't crying because I was sad or because I had something in my eye or even because I was thinking about that ending to "Old Yeller". No, I was crying because my heart had become broken over the one relationship I had taken my main focus off of. I had placed my heart's desire on a pedestal just above my Father. I had, without even REALIZING it, placed MORE importance on whoever He had for me rather than enjoying what I already had with Him. See, He had romanced me better than any one ever has or could or will. At one point in my life, I realized that and spent hours a day with Him. As time went on and as life happened, as relationships came and heartbreak happened, I neglected the ONE relationship that promises to NEVER end and never cause a negative sense of heartbreak. He SO LOVED me that He gave everything, JUST to capture my attention. No romantic comedy, no graphic love story and no individual relationship can even COMPARE to that! Period.

So I began to weep, openly...I cried like I've not cried in years. You know that cry. The one where your back heaves and ho's and your cries are more closely related to that of a newborn baby rather than a grown man (or woman). I cried and I repented because I had ceased to be content in every tense of the word with my relationship with my Heavenly Father; my Precious Jesus. Sure, it's an emotional song...but romance, whether Divine or earthly is an emotional thing...but I can hear, even now, the worship song "Arms of Love" in my head and it just makes me tear up as I type this blog.

Big deal. I'm a single guy in ministry. Doesn't mean I'm not WHOLE! Big deal. I'm not at the place in life that I always thought I would be by this age. You know what though? I'm so happy! I've not taken such delight in JUST seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and taken such joy in my relationship with an Eternal Romancer in years! It feels so good to be back on track, you know. I'm TOTALLY happy being a single guy right now. Do I STILL want a wife and family? You bet I do! But, my goodness, what is that in comparison to the most important relationship anyone can have anyway? The promise of God's Word is so very simple and SO very true: HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART! Psalm 37:4 But the first part of that verse is the key..."delight yourself in the Lord".

Kate McVeigh says this in the book, "The bigger your dream is, the greater the foundation that has to be laid." It's not such an issue of time, really though. It's an issue of just making the most out of this season in life! Preparation time is NEVER EVER EVER wasted time! And if you're single, this is the BEST time of your life! Why can't we adopt the mindset that we are going to take advantage of this season by preparing ourselves for our future and our mate? This isn't a dull, boring, sad time! This is a time of opportunity and promise!

So how do we prepare? GET BUSY! Get busy becoming who you want to be in life. Get busy becoming the quality of person you hope to end up with in ever capacity: physically, mentally, spiritually, financially, etc. Get busy focusing on other people instead of just yourself! "What you make happen for others, God can make happen for you." Look at Ruth for an example of that! And finally..."Seek first the kingdom of GOd and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 The great part about that verse is all the stuff Jesus covers at the beginning of that chapter and how He deals with worry.

When we focus on our relationship with our Creator first, we become satisfied in the revelation that we already have everything we could possibly need in Him. Don't give me that line that you need a wife. You DESIRE a wife. You DESIRE a husband...but you do NOT need her/him! You've already GOT all you need in Him! And He is oh so aware of your wants for physical contact with another person. Just look at Adam. He was a busy joker tending to the garden and walking with God in the cool of the day. He had a relationship with God that only Jesus can parallel. And yet as Adam was faithful tending to all those things and finding himself content in all that he had and, no doubt, realizing just how complete he was with his Creator, God took notice and said, "You know...it's not good for man to be alone." So He caused Adam to rest it up a bit and then created for him his lady.

Don't tell me that God is unaware of that desire! He just desires and DESERVES to be the FIRST relationship that we long for! Period! And when we focus on that, we realize that we don't HAVE to be desperate about finding someone else. Is God not capable of bringing people into our lives? He doesn't need our help. Dating sites serve a purpose...but likely not a Godly one! Sweatin' every chick you see for her number or for a date might seem alright at first...till you realize that you just overlooked that woman as a sister in Christ and neglected to FIRST nourish and cherish a friendship with her. No, I'm not saying you shouldn't date. In fact, that's something fun that I think singles SHOULD do because you can AT LEAST develop a really fun friendship with someone, even if the romance never develops. Hey ladies...Ruth didn't find Boaz....Boaz found Ruth! I'll end with this quote from the book. "God knows where you are, and He can cause your path to cross with the one He's chosen for you. The best place for you to be is serving God faithfully in your local church, being about your Father's business."

I get it now. And I'm so stinkin' happy with my Father and His business! That other stuff will be great too...but it will never fulfill me like what He's called me to do will...and a woman will NEVER satisfy me like He does. "Keep your focus on Him and everything else will fall into line. You don't have to go looking."

I love you guys and trust that this ministers to you just as much as it did to me.