A Season of Singleness

 Any singles out there?

Well, today I would like to reflect upon the season of singleness. This is a subject that I think about and reflect on quite often and yet find myself incredibly shy when it comes to sharing my thoughts about it with the world...in this particular case, world = Facebook/blogger.

The older I get the more I realize the importance of sharing my experiences and the God given revelations that have transformed my life. You see, even if we haven't experienced anything major in the relationship department, we all have something to offer and insight that may be instrumental to someone else.

That being said, here are some of the things I have been pondering lately...

Have you ever felt as though your time may never come? Like, who could possibly love and understand this nerdy, quirky, Star Wars fan, accent impersonator, on fire for God kind of girl? Or guys, maybe you question whether or not a girl could really accept all of you...not just your looks, but your entire being. Someone who would challenge you to become all that you can be without judging who you are at present. In other words, a girl not marrying the potential you, but who you are today.

These doubts often times interfere with our ability to remain content in a season of singleness. Although I have had my share of pitty-party moments with a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream in hand, I have discovered that joy and contentment is possible even when there isn't someone on your arm telling you your worth and value. I have learned that the only source that can truly satisfy is not someone called [insert guy name] or in a guy's case [insert girl name]. This source of peace, nourishment, constant power supply is in God alone.

This season of singleness is not God's way of depriving you of great things....but rather it is a blessing--a gift to you. It is a time where you can grow and understand total dependency on your Father. In fact, Psalm 84:11 says, "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless." God is preserving you for something wonderful...something above average.

Instead of waiting for someone to "put a ring on it" or drowning in a complete mental state because you haven't found the one, you can experience life to the fullest NOW. No waiting for someone to fill this so called gap in your life. Your life starts now...."today is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it!" (Psalm 118:24). He has an incredibly distinct purpose for your existence TODAY.

As I was searching YouTube for cute animal videos (yes, I am a huge animal lover), I shifted gears and started looking up sermons on this very topic. I finally came across a sermon by Rev. Wendy Tufuor and was so encouraged by the words she presented to the congregation. This is applicable to both females and males...so men don't retreat! This is for you too. She outlined five things that we need to do in this season of singleness...

1. Pray - Pray for your spouse and understand that God will give you peace as you present your requests to Him.
2. Prepare - Right now is the time to become all that you can be for your future spouse and most importantly, for your Father in heaven.
3. Practice - In the mundane, practice how you would like to be....what kind of friend, girlfriend/boyfriend, spouse do you want to be? Prepare now.
4. Exercise Patience - Even though it is incredibly difficult, understand that God has something incredible in store for you. DON'T SETTLE! You are valuable and worthy of a supernatural, God orchestrated relationship.
5. Praise - Your worship is a WEAPON! Understand that when you praise, you are fighting against the enemy's schemes. When tempted to doubt God's plan for your life...when in total distress, turn your worries and frustrations into songs of praise.

Things to avoid:
1. Pressure - Don't let others convince you that something is wrong with your life because you are single. There is no reason for you to feel behind...you are merely holding out for the very best.
2. Helping God - Even when tempted, let God take control of your love life. Let things fall into place naturally instead of you forcing something that in your mind is absolute perfection.

You can watch the video (all 4 parts) here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li2jET1P6pU

As I reflect upon these points, I was reminded of an analogy that I often use to help me visualize this season and the importance of living to the fullest.

Imagine two glasses of water...one represents you and the other represents your future spouse.

As of right now, the glasses are in separate locations and are only half full. Each glass is in the process of filling up but they still need time to achieve "to the brim" status.

In the same way, we have a responsibility to become "full" in this time of singleness. Whether you and your future spouse's paths have crossed, your job is to grow in the Lord, fill in the gaps in your life with the incredible love and satisfaction that only a relationship with God can offer. Become full in the Lord so that your "cup is full."

When these two glasses collide (you and your future spouse) and each glass is full, the joy and happiness that this new and exciting relationship brings will cause each glass to OVERFLOW! They are already full before the collision, but once they officially meet they will be overflowing! As this extra water from both glasses spills out, mixes, and accumulates on the "counter-top", the two are becoming one. It is not a matter of one glass pouring more into the other....both are already full. It is through the overflow that they meet and experience the joy of combining with one another.

So I leave you with this...

Take heart! Have faith and believe that God's plan for your life is beyond anything you could ever dream up on your own.

Let Him turn your worries and anxieties into great excitement and anticipation for what lays ahead.

Give God the pen and let him write your love story...it is going to be amazing. 

In Every Season: A Poem

The leaves are turning

And oh how my heart is churning

The beauty, the joy, the air I am so yearning

Autumn is here

And there's nothing to fear

In every season

I have a reason

A reason for existence

A calling to persistence

Loving until it hurts

Singing songs of praise that assert

Alerting the world of His grace

Until I finish the race

The leaves are turning

And oh how my heart is churning

Autumn is here

My God is near

And therefore I will persevere

Feeling Moody?

Are you feeling moody?

The older I get, the more I realize that life can cause us to experience a wide variety of emotions. Perhaps you are like me and find yourself incredibly joyful and content one day and the next struggling to get out of bed. Maybe you find yourself striving for stability and consistency and yet you feel as though a day goes by and you have enough emotions and facial expressions to fill a dozen photo booth snapshot printouts! I know I have felt that way.

Whether we vocalize or reveal our emotions or not, it is important to understand that we all experience them. We all have good, bad, victorious, challenging, sad, and happy days. 

Days where we feel on top of the world as though the soundtrack of our life is Queen's "We are the Champions" on repeat. Days where everything seems to be going according to plan and we can't help but have a bounce in our step. Days where we look on Facebook and can't help but feel envious of another's achievements or depressed because so and so is in a relationship and we are single. Days where we would prefer to curl up on the couch, hide under a blanket, and have a Star Wars marathon. And the list goes on.....

The question I want to contemplate today is will we allow our circumstances and emotions dictate the way we live our daily lives? When everything around you threatens to rob you of your joy, peace, and contentment, who will you run to for shelter, for stability, for comfort, and confidence? Who will be your rock?

Happiness is not so much an art as it is a daily desire and decision to rest in the One who can provide it. No matter how you are feeling, you have the power to make each day a significant, purposeful one...because the power is not your own, but rather your heavenly Father's living in you. 

Paul writes in Phillippians 4:11-13, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

No matter the circumstances you find yourself in today, give your every worry, concern, and emotion to God. It is a daily battle, but one that you do not fight alone...

"Restless": A Poem

 "Restless"

by

Erin-Rae Donaldson 

I was restless.

Broken, bruised, and tormented by the fear that had consumed me

Lost in a field, with no GPS to help navigate my way through the roughage.

My mind wandered from dawn till dusk, contemplating the many paths I could take.

Perhaps if I turn to the right, left, or continue straight I will reach God’s intended destination for me.

But what if I make the wrong turn? What happens then?

I was restless.

A new day approached and a wave of fresh air filled my lungs.

My heart sang a song it had never sung before, like a bird singing a new melody.

Could it be that my heavenly Father was still here?

Still reminding me of his faithfulness, his constant provision, his ever-present help?

Could it be that the same God who walked on water and calmed the raging sea, could calm the storm in me?

My eyes were directed upward and my faith was restored.

I was no longer lost in the field that once haunted me.

I was now in a field where the sweet aromas of wildflowers filled the air and nothing but beauty resided.

The blue sky was clear, as clear as the path set before me--directing me straight.

Straight towards the tree of life.

The path was promising, yet I could only see but a few steps ahead.

The light radiating from the cloak of my protector illuminated the way and thwarted the fears of darkness within me.

My unknown future was now in the palms of my navigator.

For the first time, I had found rest in you Oh, God.

And now I will forever find rest in you.

The Beauty of Nature Collection: A few of my sketches

Striving to be a Samwise Gamgee

"I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you."-Samwise Gamgee

I can't help but cry every time I watch this scene. Although I am emotional in just about every film these days, even commercials I might add, I believe this scene gives us all a legitimate reason to shed a tear or two. I have seen The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King countless times, but this evening as my little sisters and I cuddled up on the couch together, slurped our homemade strawberry/blueberry smoothies, and watched the close of perhaps one of the most epic and powerful trilogies of all time, I found myself especially moved by the words of Samwise Gamgee. "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you," he says.

There have been times in my life when I was the Frodo...unable to take another step...feeling as though no strength was left to complete the journey ahead of me. Other times, I have been the Samwise Gamgee...the go to friend...the prayer warrior...the warm embrace...the shoulder to cry upon.

I believe God has placed Samwise Gamgee's in our lives so that we are constantly reminded of the ultimate Samwise Gamgee of all--He himself. What an amazing friend we have in our heavenly Father!

One of the most profound things I have learned about true friendship is that God has not given us the responsibility to solve one another's problems in their entirety, but He has called us to direct one another to the One who can. We may feel as though we have little to no ability to carry one another up the mountains of life, but my philosophy is this: If a hobbit can do it, we certainly can as well!

May we intercede in prayer for our friends.
May we never stop loving and supporting those around us...understanding that time is limited.
May we understand that no encounter, no conversation, no friendship is coincidental.
May we always offer words of encouragement...never tearing down.
May we exchange smiles and warm embraces regularly.
May laughter fill the air.
May tears be shed with no hesitation.
May we be a rock...a constant friend in time of need.
May we direct all who come our way to the Cross.
May we be a light in a world full of darkness.
May we always strive to be a Samwise Gamgee.

"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up."--Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

The Classic Game of "Slap Jack"

This evening my little sisters and I enjoyed a highly competitive tournament of the classic card game "Slap Jack." Many of you may be familiar with this game and its requirement of incredibly fast reflexes in order to gain "winner" status. I was certainly a bit rusty....I think age may be getting the best of me! If you haven't played the game before, the basic idea is this: Two players alternate  placing one card face up at the center of the table. If a Jack appears at the top, the first person to slap it wins the entire pile that has accumulated underneath. The first person to run out of cards has unfortunately lost, leaving the winner to bask in glory! Perhaps it was the night hours that brought out the quirky and slap happy version of Erin-Rae, but I found myself singing the Chariots of Fire theme song and maybe a rendition of "We Are The Champions" by Queen. All things to say, my sisters and I had an enjoyable evening.

As the tournament came to a close and the girls gave me hugs goodnight, I found myself reflecting upon the overall theme and/or concept of Slap Jack. Isn't the goal to see whose hand can get there first...who can respond swiftly enough in order to "slap the Jack"? After a few brief moments of reflection and application to everyday life, I was left to ponder this question: How often do I feel as though I have to "Slap Jack" through life? This may or may not make sense as of right now, but I hope that the words that follow will resonate with you in some regard.

There are times when we feel as though we are behind in life...that our journey is somehow lacking something that others have...we haven't "slapped the Jack" first and therefore something is wrong with us. Maybe you see others in relationships and wonder if your day will ever come. I know I have had my moments sitting on the couch with a Kleenex box watching Sleepless in Seattle...what can I say, I am a hopeless romantic. Maybe the job you were so hoping for fell through or your list of academic achievements is significantly shorter than those surrounding you. Perhaps you feel numb as if you are moving at a snail-like pace as others experience all the joyful events that would definitely be considered Facebook timeline material. Whatever challenge you are facing and whatever season you are in at this point in your life, I want to encourage and remind you that everyone has a journey and no story is more significant than the other.

Robert H. Schuller once said,"God's delays are not God's denials." What a profound word. I believe that if God has our best interest in mind and has perfect timing, then He must have no intention of depriving us of any good thing. That being said, He may require us to practice the art of patience...sometimes to the highest degree. I recently stumbled across an article that provided four reasons why God delays:

1. God delays because his ways are not your ways (Isaiah 55:8-9)
2. God delays so you can demonstrate your faith (Galatians 6:9)
3. God delays so he can bless your waiting (Isaiah 30:18)
4. God delays so he can be glorified in the end (John 11:4)  

http://godscareerguide.com/4-reasons-why-god-delays/

Remember that God will never leave you nor forsake you. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Take heart and trust that God holds your future in the palm of His hands. It's time to give God the pen and let Him write your story. 

"I'm going on an adventure!"

After a few years of contemplating whether or not I should start a blog, I have decided to go forward with it! Like Bilbo Baggins says in The Hobbit, "I'm going on an adventure!" (please pardon my excessive use of movie quotes...I am definitely classified as a movie buff! ) What an adventure this will be. Welcome to the everyday life of Erin-Rae!

It is hard to know who will be reading this, but I certainly hope that by sharing my thoughts and reflections about life, God, and perhaps some of the comical things in life,  I will bless and encourage someone in the process.

Today, I was pondering the power of God's voice...

It seems as though, the older I get, the more deep in thought I become. There are times when I would like to press the pause button, but the moment I have those thoughts, I come to the realization that I would rather care and contemplate the many aspects of life, than grow ignorant of my surroundings and ultimately tune out God's voice. I am a firm believer that God speaks to us through the ordinary and extraordinary things in life...we just have to listen. Perhaps it is through the beauty of nature, the gentle breeze flowing through our hair, the epic scene from the latest Star Trek, the profound message Sunday morning, a warm embrace, an exchange of smiles, a tearful yet inspirational conversation. Whatever the case may be, God is speaking. Maybe its a whisper...maybe it's a shout....maybe it's a stirring inside our souls.

Are you listening?