So I'm Excited!

My sister Kiehl and I have been learning something about patience recently, as we watched first distant acquaintances, then family friends, then family start courting, get engaged, get married.
We're 19, Kiehl and I. She's one day older than me, and my closest girl friend, in a way. And we both struggle with the same problems. And we fall out and make up again. To my mind, we're as good as real sisters with an ocean between us. I love her to bits, even if I can't always find the words to tell her so.

Recently, one of our most common struggles has been our single status. And I watch it in a lot of my friends. I'm not quite sure exactly why we want to hit that mark of "marriage material". Maybe because it is recognised by everyone in the Christian circle as a symbol of being "grown up" and "responsible". Which is about the same level as being recognised by the world as old enough to sleep around.

I know singleness is hard. I've lived, failed and live it. I intend, God willing, to live it for a good long time to come - perhaps forever.
But way too many people despise their singleness. To reiterate what we've all heard so many times before - singleness is NOT a stop gap. Singleness is a lifestyle that God has blessed us with - and, I might add, is considered to be a higher status than marriage.
We're way too easily influenced by the majority Christian or majority world view.
Marriage is not the be-all and end-all in the same way that the world views sex. Because that's all that it is, in a way. Both appear to be a mark of maturity, one in the church, one in the world.

You know what? It doesn't take marriage or sex to mean you've reached maturity. It doesn't take hitting 18 or 21 to mean you're mature either. I've seen mature 17 year olds and I've seen immature 60 year olds. Walking with God and growing close to Him - and rejoicing in the circumstances He has placed you is what makes you mature.

Singleness isn't a stagnant stage of life to be endured until the golden crown of the martyr's reward arrives. Oh no. It's part of a rushing whirlpool, a strong testing of your faith in God. And that is the glory of it. It's the time in your life when you can grow closest to God with no interruption, and people miss the glory in that. That's partly why I hate/d boyfriends/girlfriends and that kind of stuff so much.

Sure, something inside me wants it. I'm human, and we're made that way. But when I look at where I am now, and where I should be in God to be able to consider marriage - no way. I need to grow far more in and into God than I am right now. And be able to continue to grow in even when, and if, my life changes.


So! That's a prelude. This morning, while I was praying and singing and listening to While I'm Waiting {John Waller} (how I love that song! :D ), I was thinking about this blog post I've been trying to write for a while now. And not for the first time, i thought of starting an interactive website for Christian girls who are struggling with being single, so we can talk about how we can be proud of our singleness in Christ, how we can use our talents and not just sit around wishing, that singleness is a part of life and something to be thankful for, and that the blessing of singleness is willingness. Also to provide prayer support for girls who are struggling, and encouragement, and encourage Bible reading, because I know a lot of my sisters and I struggle with that too.

So many girls feel like they're on their own with the battle for finding God's will while being single, and sometimes because they're inwardly, and almost unconsciously fighting being single.

And while there's so much towards marriage and preparing for it, I think there should be something devoted towards singleness too.

I mentioned this to the sister God brought into my life as a prayer warrior, Carissa Mann, as just a thought. Her follow up remarks were:
There should be; if there isn't, you should start one!

I'd been hoping/praying she would say something like that if I was meant to go ahead. I have several techo-savvy friends, and I asked one, Kyle Johnston, how to go about setting up a website. He promptly started creating a forum-blend-blog thing.

Thank you so much to both of you for your encouragement, support and help! :)

Now I'm just looking at buying a domain. What with it being 13 days until I leave for the United States of America for two months, I'm debating whether to purchase it now (as it will be two months of practically zero use) or buy on my return, but my plans for the rest of this year may force it back on the shelf, as getting a job to support the remainder of my family is highest priority.

I know there are guys out there struggling with the same problem as us girls, and searching for peace, joy and contentment in Christ as they accept their singleness status, and honestly, I wish I could reach out to you too.
I thought of making this a both gender project, but I have little desire to have a dating agency on my hands. The purpose is learning to rejoice and use our singleness to the glory of Christ, not to set up desperate young people into couples.

(Yes, I know I'm good at matchmaking, but that's on a funside level. :P )

I'll be praying that God will raise up a young man with the heart and the ability to reach out to other young men, maybe in a new and different way, and I ask you to join me.
While not discouraging guys from reading the blog (if we get round to posting on it!) I ask that you don't get involved with the forum or the project, except in prayer.

So yes! That's my newest project, my first one online, AND! I have another up my sleeve! (Involving galsies AND guys!) So pray for me, for my spirit is willing but my flesh is weak - and pray for this endeavor.

DO HARD THINGS!

In Christ,
~Jane