Happy Valentine's!

Yes, I realize I'm a day late but I did not get this amazing gift until today.  

I knew I was in for something good when a good friend at church said, "Hey, I've got you a valentine's gift but it's in the car."  Followed by devious laughter.  She's a dear friend who knows my heart so I thought this will be good.  

Pictured above is what I was presented with after church.  

Awesome!

On the ride home with my friends I ride with one comment she made was, "If I see this package open in your house..."  I quickly followed up that oh yes it will be opened!!  Then her son from the back seat wanted to know why that package said "Grow a Boyfriend?"  We just changed the subject.

Just like all good things in life, this growth is not immediate.  It will begin within two hours of placing it in water.  Within 72 hours it will have reached it's full potential.  

I fully intend over the next 72 hours to keep you all posted on the growth.  I'm not sure what you're excited more over.  The fact I'm growing a boyfriend or the fact I can actually use the word boyfriend in a post?!

All joking aside this whole topic is a hard one for me.  Mainly for two reasons.

1.  I greatly desire to be married.

2.  I am not married nor have any potential of being in the near future. 

I'm sure many folks just think I have chosen to live a life without marriage because it would seem that's what my current lifestyle is representing.  I assure you with great fervency that is not the case.  My current job does require much of my time.  My current job has placed me in a rural area where most are married by the time they're 12, oh I mean 20.  I am not getting any younger.  Trust me these are all things I am completely and totally aware of everyday.  

Do you know something I'm finally realizing though?  These are things that God is completely aware of as well.   The Lord is the one who has placed this desire for a family within me.  The Lord is the one who brought me to this ministry out in the middle of now where.  The Lord is also completely aware that I'm now much closer to 30 than 20.  He has not forgotten these things.  He has not ignored these things.  

More than anything I think the Lord continues to ask me if I will simply trust Him with these things.  God has yet to ever at any moment given me reason not to trust Him.  He is faithful!

Through my singleness I have gotten to draw near to God when nothing else was near.  I have learned a dependency upon Christ through necessity.  I have been able to serve the Lord with my time and finances that is often not available to those whom are married.  Through this time I have gotten to fully love children that are not my own as if they were.  I have been able to help and encourage others in their marriages with biblical advice because all I know of marriage is what scripture says.  I have been able to encourage singles that God adores them when sometimes it feels no one on earth does.  Through this time God has taught me that I am not who I am based upon what I am.  Meaning that even though I'm not a wife and mom, I am still His child and that's where I need to base my security and acceptance.  Through this time God has used many different people to provide the daily love, encouragement and physical help a single girl has.  I don't have to fix things that are broken, God takes care of those things.  Granted, I've had the time to learn how to fix lots of things.  When major things happen He has provided major manly hands to help out.  The list could go on and on...

For much of my time being single my eyes were to full of frustration and anger at God to see the wonderful things He had in store for me.  I rejoice now that I am joyful more often than frustrated.  Notice, I didn't remove the fact that I do still get frustrated.  I do think that I'm more often OK then days where I am completely not ok.  

God is God.  God knows my heart and loves my heart.  The bottom line really is...  

Do I have faith that God will take care of me?  Do I have faith God will provide for me physically, spiritually, and emotionally?  Do I have faith and believe God's plans are better than mine?  Do I have faith and believe His promise of Jeremiah 29:11?  

I do believe one day I'll post a picture of a boyfriend I didn't have to grow, but I will be able to write about how God's hands grew a man just for me.  Ok, maybe a little selfish to say just for ME.  But you get my point.  I look forward to writing how God's word stretched him through time and how the living water of Christ was what satisfied his soul.  

Nope, I have no clue how God's going to do it in these hills of Tennessee but I believe He will.  Not simply to meet my desire for marriage, but in the greater scheme of things to meet His desire in furthering the Kingdom.  Through a Christ centered marriage and children who desire to serve the Lord in all that they do.  

Feel free to join me in praying for this man who will be posted on this blog one day.  Not just that he would hurry up and find Benton, TN.  More importantly though that he remain steadfast in God's word and obedient to God's voice.  

While I'm waiting we can enjoy the homegrown boyfriend just for kicks.  Got any suggestions for a name??