ESPECIALLY FOR THE UNMARRIED
BUT I WANT ONE!
By Cheri Cross
Jun 26, 2008 - 10:59:00 PM
"That's not fair! She has one and I don't! Why is it that she always gets something nice and I never do?!" These reactions sound like quite an unhappy little girl, and we are often taken back by hearing such a ruckus. But do we realize that sometimes we , as young women, say the same thing? Surely not in the same words or with such an emphatic tone of voice, but as I have gotten older, I have heard so many young ladies express these same things: "Am I ever going to get married? Will I be doomed to spinsterhood? All my friends are getting married and here am I, all by myself!"
And I will confess that this year has been particularly hard for me, too, as I've watched my friends start a relationship with a young man with marriage in mind and a while later, getting married. But this year, I have been greatly blessed to share my heart with a friend and in just about each letter, we'll ask each other how our "lessons in patience" are coming along. We both desired to be married, yet still be content in waiting in our father's households.
Some parents I know planned to send their daughter away to college to find a husband. And while it may be true that many godly women have met godly men in college, I am blessed by the Biblical example of Rebekah. Where was she when Isaac found her? She was at home, serving her family. If she had been away doing her own thing and living her own life, I believe that she would have missed God's beautiful plan for her life. Another example that is an inspiration to me from the Bible is Ruth. If she had gone back to her home town and sought a husband in a place that was so familiar, she, too, would have missed out on the rich blessing that God wanted to bless her with. In following her mother-in-law and serving the Lord through serving her, she later became the great-grandmother of the Psalmist, David.
Though I am continually learning, my encouragement to you young women who may be reading this is to seek to serve those around you. No, not in hopes of "finding" a life-partner through that, but because that is where God wants you to be! His plan for us now is to be in our father's house, serving and helping him, blessing our mothers with all the little things in life, helping our brothers and sisters while they are being trained in the admonition of the Lord. These, I believe, will be our greatest tools for the future, and, in the meantime, we can find great joy in walking in the path that God has us on!
I would like to close with a quote by Nancy Leigh DeMoss: "Once we agree with God that we exist for His pleasure and His glory, we can accept whatever comes into our lives as part of His sovereign will and purpose. We will not resent, resist, or reject the 'hard things,' but embrace them as friends, sovereignly designed by God to make us like Jesus and to bring glory to Himself."
Cheri Cross lives at home with her dear parents and six siblings. She finds great delight in living at home and serving them as well as others through it. Cheri has also created a lovely website for her sister, who plays the harp!
© Copyright 2002-2009 by LAF/BeautifulWomanhood.org
By Cheri Cross
Jun 26, 2008 - 10:59:00 PM
"That's not fair! She has one and I don't! Why is it that she always gets something nice and I never do?!" These reactions sound like quite an unhappy little girl, and we are often taken back by hearing such a ruckus. But do we realize that sometimes we , as young women, say the same thing? Surely not in the same words or with such an emphatic tone of voice, but as I have gotten older, I have heard so many young ladies express these same things: "Am I ever going to get married? Will I be doomed to spinsterhood? All my friends are getting married and here am I, all by myself!"
And I will confess that this year has been particularly hard for me, too, as I've watched my friends start a relationship with a young man with marriage in mind and a while later, getting married. But this year, I have been greatly blessed to share my heart with a friend and in just about each letter, we'll ask each other how our "lessons in patience" are coming along. We both desired to be married, yet still be content in waiting in our father's households.
Some parents I know planned to send their daughter away to college to find a husband. And while it may be true that many godly women have met godly men in college, I am blessed by the Biblical example of Rebekah. Where was she when Isaac found her? She was at home, serving her family. If she had been away doing her own thing and living her own life, I believe that she would have missed God's beautiful plan for her life. Another example that is an inspiration to me from the Bible is Ruth. If she had gone back to her home town and sought a husband in a place that was so familiar, she, too, would have missed out on the rich blessing that God wanted to bless her with. In following her mother-in-law and serving the Lord through serving her, she later became the great-grandmother of the Psalmist, David.
Though I am continually learning, my encouragement to you young women who may be reading this is to seek to serve those around you. No, not in hopes of "finding" a life-partner through that, but because that is where God wants you to be! His plan for us now is to be in our father's house, serving and helping him, blessing our mothers with all the little things in life, helping our brothers and sisters while they are being trained in the admonition of the Lord. These, I believe, will be our greatest tools for the future, and, in the meantime, we can find great joy in walking in the path that God has us on!
I would like to close with a quote by Nancy Leigh DeMoss: "Once we agree with God that we exist for His pleasure and His glory, we can accept whatever comes into our lives as part of His sovereign will and purpose. We will not resent, resist, or reject the 'hard things,' but embrace them as friends, sovereignly designed by God to make us like Jesus and to bring glory to Himself."
Cheri Cross lives at home with her dear parents and six siblings. She finds great delight in living at home and serving them as well as others through it. Cheri has also created a lovely website for her sister, who plays the harp!
© Copyright 2002-2009 by LAF/BeautifulWomanhood.org
