Who's learning with this email?
I'm 22 and have been out of college almost two years now- do you know how many people are engaged, married, having their first baby at this point? A zillion! I'm in 3 weddings in the next 6 months! I can understand how it can get lonely. I won't promise a miraculous peace, that's God's job, but let me see if I can offer a bit of encouragement for this time in your life.
Dannah's newest book, "What Are You Waiting For? The One Thing No One Ever Tells You About Sex," is all about the Hebrew word Yada. It's a word that is translated to mean sex, or I suppose in biblical terms "to lie with," but in reality it's more than that. It means "to know, to be known, to be deeply respected." That's the whole truth of loneliness, we all have a longing to be known, truly known. We feel alone when we feel like there is no one that actually knows us and cares for us every day. (And when I say "we" I really mean the proverbial we, the entirety of mankind, not just you and me) We see others around us in these relationships where they feel secure in being who they want to be and being accepted for that, happy because of that. We see them pursuing each other, giving up what they want for the needs of the other, and we desire that.
I always wished that my close girl friends would fill that space for me, I figured that was what was supposed to replace a romantic relationship at this point in my life. It was so hard when they had other commitments, other plans. Not because I wanted them to spend every moment with me but because I wanted to be someone's priority, I wanted to feel special. I know it's ridiculously cliché to say, but the straight up truth is I found out that I am special to God, I am His priority. He's the only one that knows me completely, pursues me wholly, loves me unconditionally. 1 John 4 says that if we know God, we know love, because God IS love. A friend of mine spoke at our summer camp Girl's Night once and shared about how God is a romantic, that He pursues us and romances us. At the time I just didn't get it, I couldn't see how God, who I couldn't snuggle with on a rainy day, would romance me. But as I've grown in my relationship with God I see how incredibly right she was. Sometimes it's little things- like when a pair of shoes I have been wanting for months goes on sale unexpectedly- sometimes it's big things- like when I get the opportunity to move across the country for a dream job that couldn't have been more perfect if I thought it up myself.
Psalm 20:4 says "May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed." Having a husband and family is a holy desire, and God will fulfill that desire someday. In the meantime, let God romance you, let Him pursue you. Don't be afraid to see the ways He is showing His love for you!!
I'm 22 and have been out of college almost two years now- do you know how many people are engaged, married, having their first baby at this point? A zillion! I'm in 3 weddings in the next 6 months! I can understand how it can get lonely. I won't promise a miraculous peace, that's God's job, but let me see if I can offer a bit of encouragement for this time in your life.
Dannah's newest book, "What Are You Waiting For? The One Thing No One Ever Tells You About Sex," is all about the Hebrew word Yada. It's a word that is translated to mean sex, or I suppose in biblical terms "to lie with," but in reality it's more than that. It means "to know, to be known, to be deeply respected." That's the whole truth of loneliness, we all have a longing to be known, truly known. We feel alone when we feel like there is no one that actually knows us and cares for us every day. (And when I say "we" I really mean the proverbial we, the entirety of mankind, not just you and me) We see others around us in these relationships where they feel secure in being who they want to be and being accepted for that, happy because of that. We see them pursuing each other, giving up what they want for the needs of the other, and we desire that.
I always wished that my close girl friends would fill that space for me, I figured that was what was supposed to replace a romantic relationship at this point in my life. It was so hard when they had other commitments, other plans. Not because I wanted them to spend every moment with me but because I wanted to be someone's priority, I wanted to feel special. I know it's ridiculously cliché to say, but the straight up truth is I found out that I am special to God, I am His priority. He's the only one that knows me completely, pursues me wholly, loves me unconditionally. 1 John 4 says that if we know God, we know love, because God IS love. A friend of mine spoke at our summer camp Girl's Night once and shared about how God is a romantic, that He pursues us and romances us. At the time I just didn't get it, I couldn't see how God, who I couldn't snuggle with on a rainy day, would romance me. But as I've grown in my relationship with God I see how incredibly right she was. Sometimes it's little things- like when a pair of shoes I have been wanting for months goes on sale unexpectedly- sometimes it's big things- like when I get the opportunity to move across the country for a dream job that couldn't have been more perfect if I thought it up myself.
Psalm 20:4 says "May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed." Having a husband and family is a holy desire, and God will fulfill that desire someday. In the meantime, let God romance you, let Him pursue you. Don't be afraid to see the ways He is showing His love for you!!

