Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Farewell

Dear readers, thank you for coming here very week to see if I have posted anything (I know I keep you guessing sometimes). This has been a very interesting experience for me. It really is exciting to see how God has been using me through writing of all things! 

I was not going to post anything at all this week. Things have just been so busy around here. My parents are on an island in the Carribean right now celebrating their 25th anniversary (which, by the way, is today) and I have six of their children under my charge this week. No big deal. I have done this before. But with all the traveling and singing and packing and planning last week, blog writing was not on my to-do list. And next week, as you all know, is Christmas and I will be cooking and baking and hiding gifts and all that good stuff. The following week, we will be moving out of the bus- everything has to come out. Everything. So my point is, you will not be hearing from me again for quite some time. Don't miss me too much. I will be back next year. 

God bless you all!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Great Joy

This week, I want to encourage you to get into the Bible. I mean really get into it. One of the best things you could ever do is commit the Word of God to memory. Over the last month or so, I have concentrated on learning large portions of Scripture and I can tell you there is something sweet about being able to quote chapter after chapter for a solid half hour.

I have always hated the fact that when I am doing my hair and makeup, that is all I am doing. Now, I am able to quote different passages and keep them fresh in my mind while I get ready for the day. More and more, I find myself quoting verses when I am exercising or working in the kitchen or driving somewhere. What better way to keep my thoughts on the things of God than to be constantly speaking the words God authored?

One of the greatest joys of knowing Scripture I discovered a couple of nights ago. My little brothers love when I come and tell them a story before bed. So Sunday night, I crawled onto Christian's bunk and began telling stories of Jesus from the first chapter of Mark. Zach joined us and was completely amazed at my ability to remember all forty-five verses. I hope he was inspired to learn just as many, because I want him to have the same joy. And I want you to have that joy too.

I won't lie to you. It is a lot of work. And if you don't do it every day, you will forget. You may have a little difficulty finding time in your busy schedule, but I found that by staying up just a little later at night and reading other books less, I have a good amount of time for the Word. And while I am thinking about it, let me go ahead and say that we have things backwards. We should not be trying to fit God into our hectic lives. He should be our life. Everything else we do is just extra and if it doesn't fit into the schedule, so what? When it comes to the Lord, you ought never have the excuse, "I didn't have time".

So, evaluate your priorities and make those necessary changes. Realize what is truly important and strive for those things with every ounce of your determination. I promise you, it is worth it.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Steffanie

This week I want to tell you about a woman who has inspired me in many ways. A woman I am privileged to have as my "big sister".

Before Steffanie married my brother, Caleb, last year, she told a dear friend of ours that she wanted to start having children right away. This well meaning friend told her that she needed to wait and they should get to know each other better and have fun for a year or two first. Many people hold this opinion and I personally find it disgusting. How sick to think of children as a burden. How ridiculous to think they would rob you of your joy in marriage. Steffanie has had an earful of negative, degrading comments in regards to her desire for children. I have to say, I am very proud of her for ignoring them all and holding to her convictions. She and Caleb married last October and had twin boys in July. She continues to hear the rude, sarcastic remarks from people who either think they are being funny or just have absolutely no clue what a wonderful gift God has given to her. And she answers them all politely and with a smile. Wow. Oh, that I could have a sweet spirit like that.

Watching her care for her children in her new role as a mother has been so much fun. Her ability to care for her entire family all at once is nothing short of impressive. I have seen her hold both boys, drink from a cup, and rub her husband's back at the same time! You would have to see it to believe it. There are many things that she no longer has time for, like doing her hair or cooking fancy meals, but she takes care of what is most important. Caleb and the boys are her priority and that is how it should be.

But as busy as she is with her new family, she always has time for me. Those quiet times when she could be doing something for herself for once, she comes to me and offers encouragement and companionship- both of which I really need right now. She has a heart for people and I love to see it. This woman always seems to know what to say and when to say it or even when nothing needs to be said at all. What blesses me the most is that she doesn't just have compassion for me when I am hurting, she cries with me. How beautiful it is to see Jesus in her!

She is such a wonderful example of what a wife and mother should be. I believe it is because of her relationship with the Lord. When her family toured with us last week, she and Caleb asked if we could watch the boys so they could have Bible study together. Not a romantic date. They wanted time in the Word. Romance in marriage is important, but seeking the Lord together is paramount. If only more people understood that. I am so glad to see Steffanie and Caleb setting this example for so many young people. They are not afraid of censure. They simply obey God and He has blessed them with a happy home.

Steffanie is a great role model for any young lady. I don't know about you, but when I grow up, I want to be just like her.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

The Duty of a Daughter

This week, God has taught me more about what my relationship with my father should look like. Daddy and I have always gotten along really well. I do not remember ever having an argument with him or being mad at him. Ever. I have loved him, respected him, admired him, and looked up to him for over two decades. However, I do not confide in him the way I should. I do not always seek his counsel and approval. I have not been his prayer warrior. I have not made serving him and helping him my priority. Though I live under his protection and authority and I support him in his ministry, I have not fully embraced my role as his daughter. I have not made an effort to submit my will to him. I have not fully given him my heart.

But I want to.

My parents raised me in such a way that all of these ideas are natural to me, but up until now, I had not made them my own, deliberate decisions. I know that my life's purpose does not begin at marriage. I am preparing diligently for marriage, but I have a duty to perform right now, while I am yet single. My calling is to be my father's helper. My purpose is to help him fulfill his calling.

Sounds like great practice for marriage, doesn't it? God designed the father/daughter relationship this way for a reason. A woman is not supposed to be independent; she is to be always dependent on a man. While she is single, this man is her father. And her father will one day transfer his authority over her to the man she will call husband. What a beautiful, natural transition!

So many women go through unnecessary struggle because they are living out their single years as independent individuals and then they marry and have to learn submission and respect. Submitting to a man is very difficult for a person who has never done it before. Years of ministry are wasted because women have not already learned how to be wives. They are obstacles to their husbands, hindering them and holding them back from all God has for them. This can be avoided simply by realizing that we were never meant to be self-reliant, self-sufficient females. In the very beginning, God created woman for man. She is his helper. It is her purpose.

This is not meant to be a drudgery. Contrary to what many people believe, living out God's design brings unimaginable joy. I am sure it breaks His heart to watch us ignore His plan and try to live out our own. If only people could see what they are missing! My prayer for each of you is that you will embrace His purpose for your life and encourage others to do the same. And may your joy in doing this be sweet. As mine is.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Choices

I have been getting some complaints because I did not post last week. My apologies. You see, last Tuesday, I was taking care of my nephews. Definitely my best excuse so far! Never fear, I shall now return to my "normal" schedule. Thank you for listening.

As singles, we tend to live a little selfishly. Even being the oldest sibling at home and caring for the little ones every day, the choices I make are still selfish ones. The way we use our free time, the way we spend our money, and the way we treat our bodies are all decisions that, for the most part, affect only us.

While money spending is not a problem for me, I do have selfish tendencies in other areas. I watch a lot of movies and spend an exorbitant amount of time exploring Pinterest. I also eat more cookies than are necessary (yes, cookies are necessary) and put too much butter on everything. I have my own agenda and often choose to do things my way without paying any attention to anyone else. I am a single woman and, although I still live under my father's roof where I am supposed to be, I tend to live a little independently. But I have heard for many years and have observed for myself that when independent single people enter marriage, life becomes about somebody other than themselves. Suddenly, every decision made has an effect on their spouses and children. And they live differently.

God has taught me much over the past two months, primarily on the subject of preparing for marriage. There have been some interesting lessons and one in particular I would like to share here. I propose to you the idea that the choices we make as singles already affect our future spouses and children. This concept has changed my life.  Here's how...

1) The way I use my free time.
There is nothing wrong with the things I used to do in my free time. I actually still do those things on occasion. But I realize that this time can be better spent and so I now use it to study and learn things that will benefit my future family. For example, I am currently studying herbal remedies so I will be properly equipped to care for the health of my family. I aim to be familiar with a wide variety of subjects so as to be able to teach my children well. There is so much information available to me and I feel it would be unwise to ignore it all. Knowledge is such a wonderful thing and my free time can be spent pursuing it with the intent of being useful to my family.

2) The way I spend my money.
 I have already said that this area is not a problem for me. I rarely buy anything for myself and when I do, I make sure I am getting the best deal possible. The only reason I go shopping at all is to be with friends and I hate making any shopping expedition by myself. But I think it would be a good practice to learn how to make money go further when buying groceries for a family. My mother has taught me a lot about this and I think I do a pretty good job of it, but there is always room for improvement.

3) The way I treat my body.
This area is the one that has changed me the most. A few years ago, I was very sick and unable to be active at all. Ever since then, I have not been in very good shape, physically. Sometimes, I would make an effort to exercise regularly, but it never became a habit (it really is a difficult thing to accomplish when you live on a bus). And as far as eating habits go, I pretty much just eat what I want. My parents raised a bunch of healthy eaters and we all love our veggies, but my problem is an insatiable sweet tooth. I recently came face to face with the fact that these kinds of choices could hurt my future children. My body is where they will spend the first months of their lives and I am now determined to create a safe and healthy environment for them. And not only that, but as a mommy I need to be in better shape to carry those kiddos around everywhere (I learned this while caring for my nephews last week). I find it is much easier to get out and exercise and even to say no to the extra cookies when I think of my future babies.

So...what new decisions can you make to prepare for your future family?

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

A Memorable Experience

Y'all, I got nothin' this week. Blame it on a busy weekend, but I have nothing profound or deeply spiritual for you today. After a little consideration, I have decided to tell you a story. A true story. This really actually for real happened to me...

My family and I went on a missions trip to Jamaica about two years ago with Price Harris Ministries. Our first evening there, the team gathered together and, after briefing us, our leader told us to pray that God would give each of us a memorable experience. Something we could tell others about for the rest of our lives. So I prayed and the very next day, God gave me that memorable experience.

It was a gorgeous sunny day and we went out on the streets of the city to tell people about Jesus. My family sang for a while to draw a crowd and then one of the preachers got up to speak. When he was finished, everyone split up to pass out tracts and talk to people one on one. I walked across the street with some of the ladies from our team and then it happened. All of the ladies were off talking to different people and a police officer approached me. 
"Is everything okay over here?" he asked.
I was all by myself and had no clue what this was about or if we were in trouble or something. So I simply said, "Yes, everything is fine."
"Where are you from?"
"We are from the United States," I answered.
His next question was wholly unexpected. "Are you single or married?"
I was startled and wondered why he would ask such a question. I figured I should probably just tell the truth so I said, "Single".
He didn't stop there. "How old are you?"
Oh, boy. This was starting to get awkward. "I am eighteen," I told him.
"That is legal age to be married."
"WHAT?!"
"Eighteen. Eighteen is legal age to be married." 
"Uh...o-kay." It was really hard to tell what he was thinking behind his sunglasses, but I wasn't liking where this conversation was headed.
"So...do you want to get married?"
Seriously? I laughed, nervously. "Yes. One day I would like to get married." 
"You want to marry me?" He was grinning now.
I laughed maybe a little too much at that. "No!" I told him.
"Why? Because I am black?"
Oh, great. Now he thinks I'm racist. I gave the best answer I could. "No...I just don't know you."
He leaned forward and lowered his voice, "Do you want to get to know me?"
Okay, time to change subject! I avoided the question altogether and asked instead, "Do you know Jesus?" 
I invited him to come to our concert and then took my leave. Before I turned to go, he touched my arm and said, "I like you." 

That, my friends, is the story of my first marriage proposal. Needless to say, I am still single. Next time I pray for a memorable experience, I may need to be a little more specific! 

I learned two things through this. First, never go anywhere without a man that you trust (like Daddy). Second, it's okay to say no. If he ain't the one, don't lead him on. Don't feel sorry for him and worry about hurting his feelings. Just say no and continue to guard your heart and keep it for one man. The man who will treasure it forever. 

One day, another man will propose to me and God will say, "This is the one I created you for." I will say "yes" for all the right reasons and then together we will share a lifetime of memorable experiences. 

And so with that in mind, I pray each of you will have a memorable experience as well.


Monday, October 14, 2013

Lessons Learned

Yes, I am perfectly aware that I skipped last week. If you will recall, I said I would "make a valiant attempt" to post every Tuesday. And I did make one such attempt last week. I failed. Thank you for listening.

For the past month, I have been very earnestly and diliberately preparing for marriage. Ever since I was thirteen years old, I have known that my single years were to be used for this preparation, but never have I been so diligent about it as I am now. A few weeks ago, I felt this sense of urgency to ready myself and become better equipped for the man to whom God will give me. I am now walking a path that tests my faith daily. Difficulties arise without warning, fear tries to grab me, doubt wants to get in, and temptation lies in wait around every bend, yet my trust in Jesus has not wavered. He has been doing many wonderful things in my life as a result and I can honestly say this is the greatest experience I have ever had.

So precious to me is my relationship with my Lord! It is truly sweeter than it has ever been before. He has been changing me and conforming me to his own image, He has answered my prayers, He has listened to me and comforted me, He has taught me His ways. He has done all of this and He continues to do these things. I see His hand on my life every day. Every moment. He has given me joy, humility, discernment, and a greater hunger for His Word. I love what He is teaching me and would like to share some of those things with all of you. 

I have learned to be thankful for my mother. I know that sounds silly, but moms are so underrated. How often have you taken yours for granted? God has helped me to realize just how important my relationship with my mom is and He has taught me to appreciate her. Honestly, I have no clue how I could have gotten through some of the hardships of the past weeks without her guidance and encouragement. My gratitude for the parents God gave me cannot possibly be expressed by mere words. I know my weaknesses. I know what kind of life I would be living without my godly upbringing. I could have been born to anyone, but of all the couples in the world, the Lord chose to give me to Todd and Michelle Allen. Wow. 

I have also learned to pray. Really pray. Here's another excerpt from my journal...

"I want to be a prayer warrior. There are battles to be fought and I want to fight them. I see needs every day. Countless people who need healing, encouragement, comfort, strength, hope, courage, mercy, salvation. Why am I not speaking to my Father daily on their behalf? I have never been very faithful in praying for people. Or praying at all. This is unacceptable. I wonder how many blessings I have missed by neglecting to pray. How many blessings have others missed?"

Think about that last question for a minute before you continue reading.

The final lesson I want to share with you is this: I have learned to wait. Waiting is probably the most difficult thing God asks us to do. It is so easy to get frustrated and try to write my story myself. But I know I can trust Him. I know that at the right time, at the right place, and in the right way, God will bring me to the right man. When I focus on serving the Lord with my whole heart, He becomes my love and it is so much easier to wait when I am holding His hand. He has this. I trust Him.

I hope these things have encouraged you today. My prayer is that God will use my life to bring Him honor and to be a blessing to others. He has great things in store for you, you know. A close walk with Him is the most important thing you can develop before marriage. Spend some time with Him and allow Him to teach you. Put all of your plans and goals off to the side for a little while and just sit in His presence. Learn to be thankful for His gifts. Learn to pray for His people. Learn to wait for His timing. If you seek Him with your whole heart, He will reveal Himself to you.

I know He will.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

The Heart of a Servant

This week, I would like to tell you about an amazing young lady I am honored to know. She is sixteen years old, but she has the wisdom and maturity of one twice her age. She is elegant, graceful, and feminine in the way she acts, speaks, and dresses. Nothing says "lady" like her deportment does. She has a wonderful personality uninhibited by the opinions of others because what people think makes no difference to her. She is also a blonde through and through, which makes her a wonderful target for teasing and laughing at...I mean, with. She is beautiful, talented, a great student, a wonderful companion, and she loves life.

There are so many good things I can say about this girl, but the quality she possesses that inspires me the most is her servant's heart. When there is work to be done, she is the first to volunteer and the last to complain. She is constantly looking for ways to help and is truly selfless in the way she reaches out to people. Never taking thought for herself, she puts her whole heart into serving others. Though she is the most loyal friend and is always there when someone needs her, she is often overlooked and unappreciated. Yet she continues to serve. There is nothing that can prevent her from doing what she does best. Her deep passion for Jesus and her desire to show His love to others are made obvious in her willingness to lay down her own wants and agenda in order that she may be His hands and feet to all those around her.

Oh, that I could be like her! Oh, that I too could represent my Master in the beautiful way that she does! My own selfishness is brought to light daily as I watch her esteem others better than herself.  I believe everyone can learn from the shining example she sets forth. Her impact upon my life has been great and I know there are many more who can say the same. She is truly a blessing to all who know her and I am so proud to have her for my sister.

I love you, Danielle!

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Listen With Your Heart

Yes, I know I skipped last week. You try uploading a blog post without any internet access sometime! That is my excuse. Thank you for listening. 

Over the past several months, I have noticed something about myself. Sometimes, when the Gospel is presented, the powerful message brings me to tears. But other times, I feel absolutely nothing. I am actually almost bored. So I wondered, how can the Gospel seem so fresh and alive one day and so stale the next? I have struggled with "keeping it real" when I sing. Those nights when the Gospel is fresh in my heart, beautiful things happen. But there are times when (and I hate to admit this) I feel like I am just up there singing.

Now, before I continue, let me make it perfectly clear that the Gospel never changes. It is always gloriously beautiful and full of wonder and power. Remember that.

A few Sundays ago, the pastor was talking about the death and resurrection of Jesus and I instantly settled into that "I've heard all this before" attitude. As I sat there, I knew the message was not touching my heart the way it should have. I was ashamed. And then in an instant, everything changed. I was once again awed by the story and it's breathtaking beauty. Something was different inside of me. In that moment, I understood why the beloved story of Jesus Christ can seem so dull and uninteresting one moment and so very intriguing the next.

You know how familiarity can cause impassivity? Like when Daddy says "I love you". I know it is true, but I do not always react to those words emotionally.

Before I go on, I do not want you to think for a minute that my faith is based upon feelings. It is not. My point here is not that we need to feel something when we hear the Gospel, but, rather, we should not be so pathetically indifferent to it.

How do we keep from having an attitude of uninterestedness toward the things of God? Well, I already told you. It is the title of my post today (I'm such a spoiler). So often we just listen with our heads. We know the stories inside and out and some of us know them backwards too. We are so familiar with them that we are not truly listening anymore. That Sunday morning, I began to listen with my heart instead of my head and suddenly I could hear the precious words. I did not necessarily feel anything, but the sweet story had meaning again.

The Gospel did not change. I did.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

His Gift

You know how you can read the Bible over and over again and every time learn something new? It seems like no matter how well I know a certain passage, there is always something new to discover. While studying Genesis 2 a few weeks ago, I saw something I had never really noticed or thought about before. And it has rocked my world.

For years I have had this idea that I am supposed to be waiting for my wonderful prince to come. I have always imagined him coming into my life and being just perfect for me. I have looked forward to meeting this man, the man who was made to be my husband. How self-centered is that? When I saw Genesis 2:22 and realized my error, I was disgusted with my own selfish attitude. This is what it says...

And the rib, which The LORD God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man.

I have had everything so backwards! This verse has showed me that I am not to wait for my man to come to me. Instead, I am to wait for God to bring me to him the same way He brought Eve to Adam. My future husband was not made for me. was made for him.

That is not all I have learned from this passage though. What God showed me next brought me to tears. For you to understand why this is so significant, I need to tell you a little bit about myself...

The past several years, I have struggled with lies.
Lies like:
You're a failure.
You will never be beautiful inside.
Nobody wants you.
You are a horrible person.
You don't even deserve to live.
There are hundreds more just like those and they are all just as ugly. If anything ever goes wrong, I am the first person I blame. I have a very low opinion of myself and think that everything bad is my fault. I have called myself garbage, I have hated myself, I have believed every lie that has been thrown at me. Praise God, this year has been better and I am so thankful to have freedom! This does not mean I no longer struggle though. Sometimes the lies still come to haunt me. I still have to fight them. But when the darkness comes, the Lord will always show me something in His Word and let me know that I am beautiful to Him. Last month, He showed me Genesis 2:22. Read it again...

And the rib, which The LORD God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man.

Do you see that? The woman was God's gift to the man, created especially for him. I am not a worthless piece of trash. I am a beautiful treasure. I am a gift. Years ago, my parents chose a name for me and I believe it was no mistake. They named me Jessica, "gift". My very name is a reminder to me now of who I am. Of who God made me to be.

No longer do I picture a princess gazing out the castle window, waiting for a dashing prince on a white horse to come for her. I see a precious gift being formed and perfected by the hands of God Himself, to be presented at the perfect time to a very special man.

The man I was created for.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

One of Those Days

Raise your hand if you've ever felt like a failure. My hand is up. Yeah, it's been one of those days. I will not bother with details because you don't want to hear about it and I don't want to talk about it. It does not help that I have nothing brilliant prepared for this Tuesday...again. I promise I will try not to make a habit out of this.

Today, I have felt lonely and even unwanted. I am pretty sure I made mountains out of molehills (to borrow the colloquialism), but us women can get emotional sometimes and I was short on chocolate. That is my story.

A couple of hours ago, I left my brother's apartment to go home. But instead of walking to the bus, I sat down on the curb and had me a good cry. It was wonderful! I have not allowed myself to cry for so long, I think I honestly just needed to. There was a perfect sky full of stars capturing my attention the way it always does. And the Creator of those stars gently reminded me that I am never alone.

As I sat there, I had a particular song playing in my head. So to all of you who have ever had one of those days, this is for you...

It's been one of those days
If anything could go wrong
It went wrong
I know I'm feeling sorry for me
There's a lot of self-pity going on
Tomorrow I will be okay
The dawn will bring a brand new day
I'm sure by then I'll be fine
Lord, today I really need a friend
I know that You understand
Would You hold me while I cry?

I try to be stong
But if anyone can fall apart
I fall apart
I run back to You again
And You heal my broken heart
You have truly been a friend
Reaching out to lend a hand
Lord, when You could have passed me by
I'm asking for Your strength today
Lift my spirit, Lord, I pray
Will You just hold me while I cry?

I take a lot of Your time
When I should be strong
I should be standing by now
But it's You I'm leaning on
You've always kept me safe from harm
Like a child in Your arms
You've cradled me through hardships faced in life
Lord, it's just one of those days
I've been fought in every way
Would You hold me while I cry?


Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Stepping Out

I did not have much time to pull my thoughts together this past week. Caring for my family on a tour to Pennsylvania while my mother stays in Michigan with my invalid brother (read that story here) is not conducive to writing. And so, this is not my usual write, edit seventy times, read, reread, edit again blog post. I actually did not know what to even write about until two sentences ago. This should be interesting...

Blogging really is not my "thing". My mother can attest to the fact that I have always hated any writing that I "had" to do. School assignments requiring an essay or short story were ridiculously drawn out, emotional experiences. There were always tears, crumpled papers, and the occasional broken pencil involved. Which begs the question, why start a blog where I am required to write something every week? I promise this was NOT my idea. I am scared of writing anything that other people will read. Journaling, fine. I can write in my journal all day long, but the blog is a different story.

Back in April of 2012, I was talking to a friend of mine and we somehow ended up on the subject of my beliefs about purity, modesty, courtship, marriage, and womanhood. He asked lots of questions, but he was not like most people I talk to who want to make me change my mind. He was genuinely interested in my opinions and apparently was impressed with what I had to say because he said, "You should speak at conferences about this stuff!" The idea seemed so absurd to me, I had to laugh. You see, even greater than my fear of writing is my fear of public speaking. Yeah. I know. Anyway, the next week, all I could think about was our conversation and what my friend had said. But speaking in front of a large group of people was NOT going to happen. Then it hit me. A blog! That idea was almost as crazy as the first though. Me? Blog? Obviously, this was not my idea at all. It was God's. He did not say anything to me verbally, mind you, but I could sense that this was His doing. I thought it over some and decided to go for it, although I was not particularly excited about the prospect. I immediately began reading several books on the subjects I would be writing about. I said I needed to be prepared. Which is good. One should be sufficiently prepared when undertaking a task such as this. But that was not why I did it. I read and studied for nearly a year before I realized that I was only putting off what I had been told to do.

Have you ever done something like that?

I tend to do things slowly and sometimes procrastinate, but avoiding something for a year was pathetic. Finally, I threw my comfort out the window and began writing. Now here I am, four months later, still not sure what I am doing and trying to figure out the internet (I am not today's typical young person). With the Lord's help, I will remain here until He tells me otherwise. And, you know, I am actually enjoying this!

So I suppose my point is that when the Lord puts it on your heart to do something, just step out and go for it. I wonder what blessings I might have missed by not starting this blog sooner. So what if the task you were told to accomplish is something you are not good at or comfortable with? Check out this verse:

And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

This has become my theme verse this year. (And I often quote it over and over when I do a concert in poor voice.) I am a real perfectionist, but it seems like when I am weakest, He uses me to bless people in the most powerful way. And so I trust Him to do that with this blog.

Well then. I am no longer in a panic as I see I have quite a few words typed up for all of you to read. Whether you will appreciate them or not is entirely up to you.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

How To Love

How is one to define love? Many say it is a feeling, intense and passionate affection, desire, euphoria, but I believe it is much more than that. Feelings are just so volatile. Erratic. Fickle. So then what is love? The Bible says God is love. I took some of the things I know about God and used that information to define love. This is what I ended up with: Love is steady, unchanging, and constant. Love is forever. Love is unconditional selflessness.

Now, with this in mind, let us look at how we can love our future husbands- right now. At this point, some of you are thinking, "But I don't even know the man yet". Well, guess what. You do not have to know your prince in order to love him. Sure you will love him when you know him, but by choosing to love him now, your love when you marry will be so much sweeter.

"Gabrielle, how am I supposed to love someone I have never met?" Good question. Here is the answer: You love him by the choices you make. You love him by considering how your choices will affect him. It is simple really. Just think before you make any decision where relationships with guys are concerned. Like this....an acquaintance of mine asked me out on a date. I said no. And this is why: while it probably would have been fun and we could have had a great time together, I knew I could never marry him. He was not "the one" and I did not need to go on a date with him in order to figure that out. See, I may not know who my future husband is, but I know enough about him to know who he is not. I loved my man in that situation by giving up my own pleasure for him. Unconditional selflessness. He is worth it to me and I want our marriage to be as special as I can possibly make it.

Every decision I make as a single woman will affect my future as a married woman and little things really do matter!

The last thing I want to bring into marriage is a broken, scarred, and soiled heart with memories of mistakes that will forever haunt me. My desire is to give my man a pure and spotless heart that has been reserved for him alone. Will you do the same? Choose to save your heart for one man. Act in such a way that will make him proud. Remember him when you make decisions that will affect both of you. Respect him, honor him, love him right now.

Love him today.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Truly Content

I'm back!! Yeah, I know. I have been really terrible about this whole blogging thing. From now on, I will be posting every Tuesday (or at least making a valiant attempt to).  So enjoy the new post and come back every week for more. Thanks for reading!

"Last night, I dreamt I was a mother. I held my precious little son in my arms and felt inexpressible joy as he called me 'mama' for the very first time. Waiting just became that much harder."

I wrote those words in my journal earlier this year. Needless to say, that was a tough week to get through. Sometimes, being single just seems so unfair. The difficulties never go away, but rather increase. Almost every one of my friends is engaged or married and now many of them are having children. I want so badly to join them in their happiness, but somehow, singleness makes me an outsider.

Will it ever be me?

It often seems as though I have nothing in common with anyone anymore and the only way out of my world of unhappiness is marriage- a blessing I do not see coming in the near future. Discontentment is very difficult to fight these days. It is my constant enemy.....well, it is supposed to be my enemy. Honestly, it is easier to just be friends, companions walking through life together. Problem is, discontentment is a lousy friend. It causes me to lose my joy, to forget my ministry, and to make those around me unhappy. Fighting it is challenging, but the consequences of surrender are detrimental.

How does one achieve victory over discontentment?

 I do not know if a person can ever have total triumph over it here in this world. The little fiend never gives up easily and it puts up a good fight. Sometimes, I think I have defeated it, but then it always comes back. There is an almost daily battle and I must constantly be on my guard against attack. But I do know how to win. First, let me give you a couple of definitions...

Discontentment: A longing for something better than the present situation.

Contentment: Happiness with one's situation in life.

When we are discontent, we desire something "better", and we think that once we obtain it, we shall be content. But it does not work that way. Discontentedness can only give birth to more of the same. In other words, you will always want something "better" than what you have. It will never be enough. It is true that you reap what you sow, and if seeds of discontent are being sown in your heart, that is what you will get at harvest time- and more of it too, because that little seed grows into something bigger and uglier. Many times, we fail to see that while we are waiting for what we think is best, God has already put us in the best place. And our disdain for the situation we are in has caused us to miss the Lord's blessings. I am as guilty as anyone. But how can we be happy with where we are? How can we be truly content?

Trust.

Just trust Him and know that His ways are higher than your own (Isaiah 55:9). He has you in a good place right now and the best thing for you to do is serve Him with your whole heart and leave no room for anything else to come in and poison you. Reach out to others, take no thought for yourself, give much, love strong, and live for a bigger purpose than your own agenda. See the good in your situation and use every opportunity you have been given to glorify God. I think you will soon find that your longings have left you and the Lord has given you not only happiness with where you are, but a lasting joy as well.

You and I are in this together.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Rebekah: A Virgin

One of the first things God tells us about Rebekah is that she was a virgin. Here was a beautiful young lady who I am sure was admired by many a man and could have had a lot of fun flirting and enjoying their attention. But she was not running after young men, trying to start a romance. Instead, she trusted in the Lord to write her love story, content to stay at home and be with her family. And her purity sparkled. Nobody ever questioned her character. The way she carried herself, the manner in which she treated men, and her sweet innocence all made it obvious that Rebekah was a virgin.

In today's society, virginity is no longer considered a precious treasure. There are very few young women who cherish this gift and are determined to save their bodies for their future husbands. You may be one of them. Do not allow yourself to feel pressured to do what everyone else is doing just because you are in the minority. I know I will never regret my decision to remain a virgin until marriage. Ever. Nobody experiences a broken heart as the result of purity. Yet countless thousands of girls and women suffer deep emotional wounds as the result of fornication.

You heard me. Fornication. You can find it listed among the "works of the flesh" in Galatians 5, along with murder, idolatry, and witchcraft. Fornication is sin and that is why it hurts so much.

I know some of you who are reading this have messed up and lost the treasure of your virginity, but you know what? God still loves you. Nothing that you have done, nothing anybody else has done, nothing at all can separate you from the love of God.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 
Romans 8: 38-39

He knows what you have done. He knew it long ago and has already paid for your sin.
He will forgive you.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
1 John 1:9

He will forget your sin.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Hebrews 8:12

He will give you victory.

But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

You can start all over! It is true that you will never again have your virginity, but you can still live a life of purity as a child of God. Put your past behind you and don't let it haunt you.

God has made you new.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Trusting God

My name is Gabrielle Allen. I am nineteen years old and I've never had a boyfriend.

Almost unheard of these days, right? Some people think I am crazy, but I have never suffered through breaking up, have never felt the regret of giving my heart away to someone to whom it does not belong, and I am still a virgin in every sense of the word. If this is craziness, then everybody should be out of their wits! 

The things I have mentioned are all things that very few young women today can brag about. But, oh! What a beautiful thing it is for a woman to save herself for one man and to be presented to him a pure bride on her wedding day! People seem to have given up hope on this ever being their story. They don't believe there are still godly young men who are saving their hearts too. It really all comes down to trust. 

Do you trust God with your future? 

Don't say yes just because it's the "right answer". Think about it. Do you really trust Him? It's okay if you don't. Go ahead and admit it; I had to myself not very long ago. Trust can be really hard sometimes, but, often, it's the hardest things that bring the most joy. Choose right now to trust God with your future.  It couldn't be in better hands! When you really believe that He will take care of everything and make your love story beautiful, you can live without worrying over when Prince Charming will show up. You can have joy that only comes from the Father. So choose to trust Him and join me on this path the world calls crazy. 

This is where real love happens.