Wait....

This amazing poem was posted on FB last night and I thought it may be of encouragement for times when we wonder when God will answer our prayers, our cries, our heart's desires. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

WAIT by Russell Kelfer

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried; Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied. I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate . . . And the Master so gently said, "Wait." "Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply. "Lord, I need answers, I need to know why! Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard? By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word. "My future and all to which I relate Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to wait? I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign, Or even a 'no' to which I can resign. "You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe, We need but to ask, and we shall receive. And Lord I've been asking, and this is my cry: I'm weary of asking! I need a reply." Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate, As my Master replied again, "Wait." So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut, And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting for what?" He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine . . . and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign. I could shake the heavens and darken the sun. I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run. "I could give all you seek and pleased you would be. You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me. You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint. You'd not know the power that I give to the faint. "You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair; You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there. You'd not know the joy of resting in Me When darkness and silence are all you can see. "You'd never experience the fullness of love When the peace of My spirit descends like a dove. You would know that I give, and I save, for a start, But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart. "The glow of my comfort late into the night, The faith that I give when you walk without sight. The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask From an infinite God who makes what you have last. "You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee, What it means that My grace is sufficient for thee. Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true, But, oh, the loss, if you missed what I'm doing in you. "So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see That the greatest of gifts is to truly know me. And though oft My answers seem terribly late, My most precious answer of all is still . . . Wait." ©Russell Kelfer. All rights reserved.

Tick Tock

Tick tock, tick tock, your life clock is ticking down....so depressing, right? Well it's all in how you look at it. I got the following devotional today and had to share some parts of it with all you singles out there. Why? Because often, as singles, time is seen as the enemy. You place time limitations on your dating lives and freak out when you haven't found the One, or the person hasn't made your relationship 'official', or you haven't gotten the ring. But time is not the enemy. It takes time to build a relationship (and sometimes we rush it and have disastrous results), it takes time to mature and grow and know yourself well enough to know what kind of guy or girl you should (or shouldn't be) dating, it takes time to heal from past hurts and wounds, it takes time to move past a broken heart, it takes time to get rid of bad habits that may be keeping you from being successful in any relationship. And as you read this devo, I think you'll agree, that we want it our way, right away, forgetting that God isn't Burger King and we can't just send up a drive-through prayer and expect immediate results. There's much to be learned in whatever time God is giving you during this time of singleness...take the time to find out what it is! It will yield Long Term Rewards!

Hope Now with Long-Term Rewards
by Rick Warren

“Since we are his children, we will possess the blessings he keeps for his people, and also we will possess with Christ what God has kept for him! For if we share Christ’s suffering, we will also share his glory! I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:17-18

A Harvard study found that the more long-term your thinking is, the more successful you will be in life. And the more short-term your thinking is, the less successful you will be.
Unsuccessful people only think about the here and now – what feels good now, what is nice now, and what gives results now. But if you think in the long-term, you will have greater success, because you are willing to put up with short-term pain to gain long-term benefits.
The reason America is in the financial mess it’s in right now is because of our inability to delay gratification. We don’t know how to say no. We say, “I want it and I want it now, even if I have to charge it and can’t pay for it,” and the debt has caught up with us. That’s what little kids do. They don’t know the difference between “no” and “not yet.” They have to have it now.
If you want God’s blessing on your life, you must focus on the long-term, not the short-term. You can’t allow hopelessness that comes from short-term thinking to take hold in your heart or you will get discouraged and give up too soon.
If you are feeling hopeless because of current struggles you are experiencing, keep in mind the words of the Apostle Paul: “[W]hat we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:17).
My hope for each single reading this is that they will focus more on the long-term than the short-term; that they will choose not to settle for what is wrong while hoping it will become right (that RARELY if ever happens), that their focus would be upwards (God) and inwards (self-reflection) rather than outwards (distractions, wrong relationships, time wasters). My hope is that your hopes of love will be realized....in God's perfect time, because that will make that love simply PERFECT.

The more I speak with singles entering dating relationships, the more I see a trend. Folks...we're dating as if we were still in high school! We're choosing partners based on superficial things: looks, car they drive, how they dress, money, how well they spit game on us - rather than choosing them for reasons that will ensure our relationships go the distance.

So, if you find yourself single and lonely and wanting companionship and longing for love don't just let any guy or girl into your life just because they're the one expressing interest and your ego and self-esteem are in need of a love boost. We all know how it will end. I'm still amazed at how surprised singles are when it does end...as if they didn't/couldn't/wouldn't see it coming. If you're choosing whom you date based on surface level things, how can you expect to get the relationship you desire in the end? If you compromise in those areas you consider non-negotiables (faith, values, lifestyle) then don't be surprised when all you end up with is Unhappily Ever After.

In my opinion, these decisions can't wisely happen without us placing complete trust of our hearts and minds in God's hands. Many of us claim to do it, many of us though fail to live it out be showing patience and wisdom in our dating choices.

Psalm 32:8 - The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathways for your life. I will advise and watch over you.
I don't know about you, but that sounded pretty good (too good to be true?) to me when I first read it. If doing so meant gaining the best love I could ever imagine having then it was a risk worth taking. A risk I was finally willing to take (trusting fully in God rather than doing things MY way) and one that in the end paid off BIG TIME! Not just because I ended up in love and married, but because in doing so, I gave God control over ALL areas of my life and that meant I allowed Him to make me into the woman He had created me to be, to continue molding and shaping me, to live out my faith by relying solely on him, rather than a man. To rid me of attitudes and habits that would make me unlovable and selfish and prideful (an ongoing process) and in turn more humble, and willing, and selfless.

In the end, the person I became in God, is the woman my husband found himself attracted to. Not the focused on myself, my looks, my needs, my happiness woman I was before. He knew both women, didn't like the former me (and mind you, loves to tell folks about her) and as he also trusted in God, that patience paid off.

So the next time you're faced with the question, "Will you date me?" stop and think on those things you desire in the long run, rather than our culture's somewhat skewed view of living in the moment and going after what makes us feel good right now. It will ensure you don't end up heartbroken again. Better to figure it out now, then after you go and say "I do", to Mr. or Miss Oh So Wrong.

How Long is Too Long?

Warning...this post may be tough love, but know I speak from a place of love for I too was a temper tantrum, pity party-thrower in my single days.

For a single person the waiting game is torturous and one can spend vasts amounts of energy wondering when the pain and/or loneliness will end. It's amazing the amount of time, thought, and sleepless nights we spend wondering when God will bless us with our One. I'm here to challenge you to put those thoughts in God's hands already! Give up your dream of a happily ever after, because let's be honest, you're not as in control as you think. And if you choose to try to be, rather than giving it over God, your 'happy ending' may really be your 'unhappy-what the heck did I get myself into?!' (and are you really willing to suffer the even more exhausting and painful process of a divorce?).

Many singles I speak with claim faith in God. And in the good times in their lives, God is exalted as being a pretty cool guy. But, singleness upon them, the story changes...bring on the temper tantrums and pity parties (I was quite the hostess of such parties as previously mentioned). We bemoan God's seeming inaction in our life and there goes our opinion of that cool Guy cause He apparently forgot about us.

The Bible tells us Noah took 120 years to build that monstrosity of an ark. 120 YEARS! That's more than a lifetime to us in this day and age! Yet, 120 years he spent being obedient, building an ark while people called him a fool, and waiting for that supposed rain that would flood the earth. 120 years he waited and trusted on what God promised, and as singles we struggle with a few months or years?! We become arrogant thinking we know what's best for us, when God is probably giving you some time to sort out the garbage in your lives in order to make you spouses who are not only worthy of that forever love you long for, but are strong enough and wise enough to endure the pains and hard times that kind of love will bring. Is marriage amazing? ABSOLUTELY! Is it perfect? NO! It's hard and you gotta work at it every day and that requires a lot of spiritual wisdom and a life completely surrendered to God because hubbies and wifeys are not perfect and they will let you down and sometimes they are unlovable and sometimes you will be unlovable and then what?

So my question stands...how long is too long? I say...as long as it takes! And when the One comes along you will know them without a shadow of a doubt because you will see him/her through the spiritual eyes (wisdom) God has gifted you with and you-WILL-know.

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay.’” Hebrews 10:36-37 (NIV)

PS - Here's a story of waiting that made me smile...she was 33 when she got married...I believe her wait was quite worth it!

Waiting on the One or Choosing the Wrong One?!

Came across this and all I can is...TRUTH! Waiting on the One...what she says is LEGIT!

No Regrets!

Soooo....I abandoned blogging last semester as life got crazy hectic with school, mommyhood and work. I have at least 4 posts I have started to write and promise...ok, no promises...'hope' to complete before 2012.

Singles often think that once one gets married, there is no longer a need to think about singlehood. That we are able to shove that stage of our lives into the past...never to be considered again because let's be honest, we all have some craziness from our single days we would rather NEVER EVER revisit!



But I continue to think about singleness/hood. Not because I miss it but rather because as I look back on all the decisions I had to make as a single navigating the dating waters I realize that each one was monumental, integral, super important, even if at that time I didn't realize it. Questions had to be answered: Is this the guy for me? Should I wait and see if things in this relationship will get better or is it time to throw in the towel? Will he change? Should I change? Will my parents/sisters/ friends approve? And so on and so forth, the questions were endless as were the decisions. And the answers to each one MATTERED!

And as I do life with my husband I continue to see confirmation that making all those tough dating choices: choosing to be alone over being with the wrong guy, choosing to stay in on the weekend rather than go on a date to waste/pass the time, choosing to work on myself and my faith rather than on wasting energy trying to change the wrong guy into the right one, all those decisions led me to him - To the man that makes me laugh, is my biggest cheerleader, my supporter and encourager as I pursue my career and further my education, as I set goals and dream dreams. He is the father I hoped for the children I dreamed of having (watching him play with and love on our boy is that dream come to reality). And so the answers to all the tough questions DO matter...why?

Because those answers lead to decisions, decisions that in turn dictate the course of your life and the life long commitments you will need to make. Who will you marry? Who will you choose? Will you say yes to that ring and forever?? And with the answers to those questions, we put our dreams of happily ever after on one person with the HOPE that they are capable of giving that to us. And this is where many men and women fail....

We create a list of wants/needs, of non-negotiables, of qualities we are looking for in a husband or wife. We commit to be committed to these lists and then we become IMPATIENT. We allow exceptions to enter in and justify dating people who don't fit any of our criteria! With time we compromise our hopes and wants and settle for what is because of fear. Fear of never being loved, being alone, being rejected, being judged. We marry the wrong person....we live with regrets...we feel unhappy...we want the happiness others have...we want to change our partners (when we married them knowing full well what they were like)....we want what was never there...we want to create the life we dreamed of out of relationships that never had the foundation to make that dream a reality. In the end we hear folks say that they fell out of love, that they've changed and the relationship has changed, that it's not what it used be (when if they had been honest, it never was!), and that divorce must be the final solution (divorce..that's a whole other blog for marrieds!).

So to my singles out there...how to make sure you end up with YOUR happily ever after? How do you make sure you don't look back 2, 3, 10 years into your marriage and think...THIS is NOT what I wanted!

1. Get REAL - Get REALLY REAL! Take off the rose-colored glasses and take an honest assessment of yourself, of the dating decisions you're making, and of your current dating situation. If you're with someone who does NOT meet your expectations, your needs, has your value system and beliefs...GET OUT!

2. Quit Wasting Time - Putting a ring on your finger will NOT magically transform a man into the man you've always dreamed of having...heck to the NO it won't! YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR MAN! (that's yet another post!) Take them as they are or don't take them at all! If you're attracted to the wrong type of guy...and many of you are and KNOW IT...and you're reading this because you know it...then you KNOW you're just wasting your time and theirs...so stop the nonsense or stop complaining when you're disappointed again by them...you're driving those of us who have to rehash the drama with you crazy!

3. Warning Signs - are you seeing them or ignoring them? Ignore then = regret in the long run. I remember seeing AND feeling the warning signs, red flags, whatever you want to call that which tells you DEEP DEEP down inside that this person IS NOT THE ONE...that's what you need to tap into. That's what you need to listen to and acknowledge...that is what should should drive your decision-making.

4. Wisdom - God places some folks in your life that can also help with #1-3...however, many times we become stubborn and hard headed and don't want to listen to what anyone has to say about our dating choices even when it's out of love, care and concern. I'm here to tell you to put the ego aside and open yourself up to what others may be seeing in your dating life. Their observations may be God-given insight that He is using to help answer your prayers for love, happiness, a partner...so don't disregard...especially if you're asking for their advice and opinions and/or praying for answers!

The saddest thing for me to see and hear about is men and women marrying the wrong person for wrong reasons and hearing about the regrets they are living with years later. It happens...is happening...will continue to happen....check out this clip from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (because I'm obsessed with reality TV and how it confirms so many of the observations and lessons I've gained about life and love) as one of the wives shares her sadness with another wife who's marriage she envies and wishes she had:


So ladies...and maybe gentlemen reading this...if there are problems now..a ring won't fix it.

If your gf/bf doesn't love you how you need to be loved...a ring won't change that!

If you are not laughing and having fun with your gf/bf now...a ring won't fix it!

If you're hoping they will change after marriage...a ring won't change them!

If you don't have the same interests now...a ring won't change that!

If he/she can't take care of himself/herself now...a ring won't change that!

If there's drama now...a ring won't fix it!

A ring will not magically transform an unhealthy relationship into the one of your dreams. So quit focusing on the ring and marriage as the end results and the goals and begin focusing on the process and decisions you need to be making in your current or future dating situation to ensure that the ring CONFIRMS it. Confirms your commitment to each other.













AFFIRMS it. Affirms that this man/woman, as they are NOW, is who you want to be with forever.

DEMONSTRATES it. Demonstrates that you have both done the work, had the conversations, prayed and received confirmation that you are truly the Ones for each other.

CELEBRATES it. Celebrates the peace you both have, no doubts in your minds or hearts, that this person is the One you should be with forever.

No regrets ladies (and guys)...no regrets. That is my hope for you!

Heather & Brannen...Love Unexpected

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Heather and Brannen are amazing friends of ours who moved across the country (and way too far from me!!) to Austin, TX to do some great work in that city...check it out here. I asked Heather to share about her own life's journey and how it led her to Brannen....I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did!

1. How long have you and Brannen been married?
5 years on June 11th.

2. How long did you date?
We were friends for 6 months, then dated for a year and a half before marriage.

3. How did you know he was the One?
I wouldn't say it was a "moment" but a period of time. When I got to know him and saw how much he really submitted to the Lord, I found comfort in putting my life in his hands and being married to him. For me, realizing that I trusted him enough that I would go anywhere, and do anything with him was the realization for me that he was the one. I knew that no matter what, God had given me a husband to journey through the good times and the obstacles of life with. (Now, years later good thing I trusted him because we ended up leaving the home I was raised and moved to Austin, Tx to start a church!) Not exactly my comfort zone, leaving everything I knew behind, but being with a man that I know submits to God about everything, makes it easy for me to be willing to move anywhere and do anything for him.

4. What personality traits or characteristics did Brannen have which confirmed to you at that time that he was the One?

1) Submitting to God. If a man or woman says they love God but don't show geniune submission and sacrifice for God, then run the other way. 2) Humility. I would say alot of women overlook humility. In fact, I wasn't particularly looking for this trait in a man. However, when I met Brannen his life was full of humility. The natural product of humility is a servant-heart. My advice would be to look for a man or woman who has a pattern of servanthood, otherwise they won't make a good husband or wife. If one person is a servant and the other is selfish, this will lead to an abusive relationship - emotionally and even physically and/or sexually. Futher, if a woman is prideful she won't let her husband lead, if a man is prideful then he'll lead a family selfishly. Humility is in my book the number one thing I would go back and look for.

5. What was being single like for you pre-Brannen? Did you date a lot, or not so much, did you date for fun, or were you always on the search for the One?
Before Brannen I dated a few guys for briefly. However, I dated one guy pretty seriously - as serious as a high school relationship can be I guess. I wouldn't say I was ever the girl that couldn't wait to get married. Finding a man wasn't priority number one in my life. I was really busy in my life with soccer and school, so I had little time to think about a relationship. In fact, I still remember my girlfriends telling me that I would be the last one out of our group to get married. In deed, God has a sense of humor and I ended up being the first one to get married out of my friends. I believe when you are content in God and not being absorbed by wanting/needing a man or woman then God can bless that in his timing if we are truly dependent on him alone.

6. How do you feel God continues to confirm that Brannen is the One for you?
Everyday, I wake up and think about how blessed I am. I know most married people might say something like, "Don't get married," or have some negative remark about marriage. However, for me I have loved being married to a man that constantly serves me and leads me well. I once heard my professor say, "I wouldn't mind submitting to a man, if I found one who was worth submitting to." In my opinion there are 3 things that are a MUST in any relationship. 1) Seeking God 2) Trust 3) Humility. If one of these is lacking, I would run the opposite direction. God shows me everyday that Brannen is the one for me in the little things Brannen does each day to show his love. Little things like serving me, complimenting me, and when I see Brannen's character and his pursuit after God - I'm 100 percent convinced he is the one God has for me.

7. Any advice you would give young singles searching for the One?
I would say, be patient, enjoy single life and the stage that God has you in. I look back and think about all the fun I had when I was single. I know many women just want to hurry up and get married; however, God uses you and chooses to make an impact through you at the stage of life you are in. Now, I love being married and having a little boy and God is using me at this stage in my life. So I guess I'm trying to say, be dependent upon God because you will see His will for your life through giving up everything to him. Another must is prayer, let God know what you are looking for. Also, read read read. Study the word, read books on dating and marriage. Seek the counsel of those who have been where you are. I would also say a must is to write down a list of characteristics that you want to look for in a man.

8. Where did God fit into that journey for you?
I was not raised in church, and gave my life to Jesus in my teens. When entering college, I'd say I made my first real attempt to whole heartedly seek after God. Previously to this, I had just come out of a pretty big party stage and at this point was now ready to give everything over to God. I pursued God not a relationship and that's when I met Brannen. The funny thing is I wasn't really interested in dating at the time and I thought he was "alright." :) I still laugh now because I am madly in love with Brannen, and once I saw how he pursued Christ I definitely fell hard for him.

If I could end by saying - It's easy when you're in love to be fooled by a person. It's not so easy for that person to fool your family, friends and those around you. Therefore, seek out Godly counsel on whether the man/woman you are dating is right for you. If you are the only one that thinks the person you are dating is amazing, then you just might be in a blurry cloud of love that's not true love and not a healthy or godly relationship to be in.

Thank you Heather!!

New Year...New Life

Sunday, January 3, 2010


In the spirit of New Year and new possibilities I challenge all the single ladies (can you hear Beyoncé, I can) to take on the year with a new perspective and challenge yourselves to live this year unlike the rest. Some things to consider:

1. Invest in your girlfriends. So often we get wrapped up in our singleness pity party and neglect the females in our lives who we use as sounding boards as we recap every high and low of our current relationships. Therefore, this year, vow to spend some honest quality time with your girlfriends, not focused on men, but rather on each other. A good friendship will outlast many a bad relationship with a guy, make sure you're cultivating deep bonds with women who can love, support and encourage you as well as let you be yourself. So go grab some coffee, a glass of wine, a movie or take in some shopping with just the girls, do it often, do it soon.

2. Focus on your parents. As we get older we start to believe we know more than our parents and in turn can easily be driven mad by them. If any of you are like I was in my 20s avoiding time with parents was essential to freeing up time to pine over the latest crush. However, time with our parents is limited. The older we get the more we can really learn from and about them. Spend time asking them what their hopes and dreams were, what their love lives were like, what decisions were critical to the direction they took in life. There's a lot of wisdom that may be gained from this as well as an understanding of why they are who they are today. I wish I had learned this earlier in life while my mom was still capable of having such convos. As a stroke survivor she is now disabled and I often look at her with regret that I wasted so much time on stupid boys and not enough on getting to really know her.

3. Don't forget the siblings. Take time to nurture your relationship with your siblings. God put you together for a reason. There are conversations to be had, experiences to live out, laughs to share and memories to make. There are also lessons to be learned from each other including unconditional love, patience, forgiveness and understanding. My relationship with my sisters was pretty strained during my early 20s since I was completely immature, self-focused, and a bit boy crazy. Now that we're all married and in our (early) 30s our relationships are stronger than ever. I wish I had spent more time listening to them and seeking out their advice when I was in my 20s as they had great wisdom to share and deep down inside I longed for the type of marriages they had. A few years ago I heard from one of them that they had been praying together for me, that I would "get it" and refocus my life on where it should be focused. I believe their prayers saved my life and assured I would one day meet my One.

4. Live in the right now! Right now, not the past, not tomorrow, not what could be, but right now. We are so future and past focused and we fail to live in the present, the here and now. God calls us to leave tomorrow to Him and not worry about it. We are alive today and you may be single today so live with it and embrace and love today because God gave you today for a reason and a purpose. Each day determines your future, so make it count. As much as you may want to fast forward to meeting the One or your wedding day, you can't so get over it and live in the right now. Each day is a gift from God whereby He is refining you, perfecting you, and transforming me you into the woman He has created you to be and guess what, He's doing the same with your One, wherever he may be. So today pray for your tomorrow, thank God for the things He is doing right now in you and in your One because one day it will all make sense.

5. Give God a chance. If you don't have a relationship with God, I challenge you to seek one out, He's been waiting for you. He loves you so much and if you've tried everything else and it hasn't worked, well you have nothing to lose and everything to gain! If you do know Christ, then I challenge you to deepen your relationship with Him. Get into the Word, journal, join a small group, be consistent with attending church, carve out daily time to worship, talk and/or just listen. His work in us is never complete, our imaginations can't even fathom the things He has planned for us. That thought alone excites me because He is so good, and as such, everything He has in store for us is good!

6. Lastly, do the opposite, specifically in the area of love and relationships. Think back on the failures or the tough ones and the decisions or actions you made that may have contributed to their demise. Even dating a guy you knew deep down you shouldn't have, just cause you were feeling lonely or unloved. Do the opposite! If you dated losers (and we all know that we knew they were losers when we chose to date them so don't front like you didn't know lol) hold out for a winner. If you wanted a guy with your values don't settle for anything less. If you dated to feel complete, loved, attractive, or not alone, you need to stop that nonsense, no guy can do that for you cause all those issues are about us, not them. So do the opposite. Focus on you. Who does God want you to be? Make a list of the qualities and values you want in the One and don't settle or lower your standards (unless they're unrealistic) but instead place them in God's hands and trust He will come through. One of 2 things can happen. 1. He'll give you everything you've desired in the One or 2. He'll change you so much that your desires become God's desires for your life and in turn you'll be patient enough to wait for the One God has just for you.

Here's to hoping for lots of love, happiness and answered prayers in this new year!

While You're Waiting

Saturday, November 7, 2009

I often get asked by single ladies, "Ingrid, what the heck am I supposed to do while I wait for the One." This is usually accompanied with a slightly embittered undertone that translates into "God ain't getting this love boat show on the road and I'm losing faith here!" Nothing tests a woman's faith in her Creator more than having to play the "waiting game." My frustration in this way of thinking is the manner in which is seems many women place their lives on hold while they wait on the One. Their entire existence is focused solely on determining if every guy that crosses their path could potentially be the One. The occupation with that question takes up a ginormous amount of time (because of course as women we over analyze everything!). But seriously ladies?! Let's stop this nonsense now! Let's not waste time sitting around playing the "woe is me" game. God has not forgotten you (see song in previous post). God is not ignoring your prayers! God's timing is perfect. Grow your faith. And until that time arrives...today you have a purpose! Today there is something you need to accomplish. Today there is plenty God needs you to do. And so I found the following song quite appropriate while 'waiting'....

Great Reads While You 'Wait'

As I think back on my own journey that brought me to Bobby I have to stop and give much credit to the authors from whom I learned many a lesson. Although many church leaders will direct unmarried folks to the Bible as the source for the answers to all our questions concerning the search for the ONE...the reality is that reading the Bible on its own may not give you what you're looking for initially, it's all in there but we may need help 'getting it'. I know that for me, it really said nothing until I read it alongside Christian authors that helped bring a deeper meaning to what sometimes felt like heavy reading. Wisdom comes from God and really the only way to acquire it is through reading His Word. (Psalms 51:6 - Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.)

Yet, let's be honest...how many times have you tried reading the Bible and were left thinking...what the heck does that have to do with finding THE ONE?!...yea I felt that way a lot until I started picking up some other books from other folks just like me, who at one time asked who the One was, and within those pages, the words of scripture began to unfold. Here's my list, I hope you check some, if not all, of these great reads out!

Boy Meets Girl - taught me to rethink how I dated, the guys I chose to date, and how I handled myself in relationships. Truly, it changed my perspective on dating, I realized I had it ALL wrong!








When God Writes Your Love Story - Fall in love with your first Lover....I'll blog about this later but it changed me from the inside out!








Lady In Waiting - what are you doing in the meantime, as you wait, or search, or whatever you want to call it, for the One? Stop 'waiting' and start living!








Every Young Woman's Battle - watch enough chick flicks, read enough romance novels, observe your friends in dating relationships and you could really get a warped view on what that all should look like. This book goes to the heart of the issue. Ladies are giving up too much, too fast for all the wrong reasons...find out why.







The Purpose Driven Life - this one is not a dating book but rather a book about Life as it could be. It shed a lot of light into how I was living pre-Bobby, and more importantly pre-The Big Guy, and helped me find TRUE purpose. Life hasn't been the same since!