Don't Waste Your Singleness

A few years ago, John Piper wrote a book called Don't Waste Your Life. I've not read that book (though I've been told it was good), but the title's had me thinking recently.

I know a lot of you are young single people. I also know that many of you may not really like being single. Sure, you say you like it, but really, deep down inside, you want more. That's not a bad thing; God created us to want to be with someone. Adam was lonely in the perfect Garden of Eden. Don't think that this desire, in and of itself, is somehow sinful.

However, I've noticed that for a lot of teens and even adults, this desire becomes a more or less consuming passion. At that point, we have a serious problem. We fall in love with the idea of a relationship, which leads us down a dangerous road. We become so enamored with the thought of being with someone that all else seems to fade in comparison. He drinks to the point of drunkenness sometimes? Well, I can change him. She could singe the ears off a sailor with that language? Oh, it could be worse. We're in love, love covers all, nothing else matters.

I'm sorry, but that just doesn't cut it. Love doesn't work that way. Love suffers long, and is kind; it does not envy or boast and it's not proud or rude or self-seeking. It doesn't insist on its own way and it never holds a grudge or becomes irritable. It bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things and it never fails. (I Cor. 13:4-8a, paraphrased slightly)

Yes, I left something out. Love does not rejoice in sin, but rejoices in the truth. How can we rejoice in loving someone if they're snared in a lot of nasty sin? It just doesn't work. Yes, love is a feeling, but at a point it's also a rational choice. We have to be able to love someone more than just feeling an emotion about them. We have to be able to make the choice to take the high road and love them enough to just be their brother or sister. Sometimes a relationship is based on the idea of a relationship, which makes things unhealthy on both sides.

It's hard, I know. I'm human (and single), so I realize how difficult this is.

But how freeing! Brothers and sisters, don't waste your singleness. When you're single, you're comparatively very free. You don't have to please a boyfriend or girlfriend or fiance or what have you. You don't have to worry about any of that (though, as I've said, it's designed by God and is not a bad thing). You are free to serve God in any capacity.

I know a lot of you are still under the authority of your parents, so you're not 100% free to pack everything up and head off to Botswana or something (unless,of course, your parents decide to do that). You're still comparatively very free, though. Think about it for a minute. A relationship demands that you please the other person. If you're in a relationship and you're under your parents' authority, that's a lot of people to please. That shouldn't be your only motive, of course, but still, it's a pretty big factor in a lot of decisions. We're supposed to please our parents while we're under their authority because they were placed in authority by God. Add a relationship based on love of the idea of a relationship and not of the other person, and you have a big mess.

Again, a relationship isn't wrong. But loving the idea as opposed to the person? That's wrong and it consistently leads to heartbreak.

Don't waste your singleness. You are where you are because God wants you to be there.

New design...

Okay, so clearly I've put up a new design. I'm having misgivings about the color of the header, though... thoughts?

Apologies

Again. For leaving all of you without reading fodder for the past, oh, I don't know, couple of months. (Or has it been three months? Let's pretend it's less than that...) Not that we're the only blog you read, but still, it feels weird when neither of us are posting, at least for me. Then again, I'm a bona fide nerd (one of the few labels I'm actually okay with), so I could be way off base.

We have good excuses. We're both busy. Very busy. All of you who know us personally can attest to that.

So... because of that, I've borrowed from the lovely Rae B.'s blog for my post. She just says what needs to be said so succinctly (and clearly I'm rambling).

So go here. Now. Please. =)

(Yes, I will put up a nice, new, spring-y background etc. soon, once I finish a few papers and some tests.)

Friends Forever

Hi Everyone!
I was just thinking of how much the Lord loves us! And then I thought what a blessing it is to have friends who mirror Him in our lives on a regular basis. Of course he is the greatest friend, but it's a blessing to have others as well, like my very dear friend Katie. I just wanted to put up a thank you to her for being such a great friend. =) Anyways, I am praying for all of you and if you need any 'friendship reminders' just let me know and I will be here for you. <3

Love you all!
Hannah <><

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone! Let's never forget the real reason for this season--the celebration of Christ's birth!

Don't Be a Zombie

Ahhhh... I finally have some time to write to you all! I officially went on Christmas break at 6:50 last night, so I'll try to catch up on blogging now.

Anyway, I've been thinking lately about zombies--you know, those soulless, undead creatures that crawl out of the grave and eat brains and pleasant things like that. (Fortunately, they're also imaginary.) People don't like zombies because zombies tend to destroy everything living people are working for. They look sort of like normal people, but they create chaos. Their sole goal in their strange existence is to make more of them by dragging normal people down and eating their brains. Nice picture, isn't it?

Now what does this have to do with the Christian life?

Well, as Christians, we have been made alive in Christ. We are "normal people." We are dead to sin and alive to righteousness. We are--or should be--working to build Christ's kingdom here on earth.

But Satan is always prowling, trying to destroy Christ's work. He especially likes to create discord in the body of Christ, because this absolutely ruins our witness. Why should others become Christians if we Christians are sinning against each other all the time? We say we're dead to sin and alive to righteousness, but we certainly don't live like it.

Essentially, we become zombies. We're still Christians, yes, and we're still technically alive in Christ, but we act like we're undead slaves of sin. We pick at each other and drag each other down and never really think that perhaps there might be better things to do than eat each other's brains, figuratively speaking.

I don't mean to be a downer, but this is often how we Christians operate. We get so involved in ourselves that we don't take the time to see that we've become zombies and we're destroying everyone around us.

There is a cure, though. Zombies don't have to stay zombies. If we focus on Christ and what we can do for Him rather than on what He can do for us, we'll break out of our zombie shells and become "normal" again. Then, and only then, can we really effectively serve Christ. Who ever heard of a zombie helping people?

So, my friends, don't be zombies. We should focus on Christ instead of ourselves and please, let's refrain from chomping on each other's brains. Brains really don't have much nutritional value...

Yay!

I'M DONE!!!

With NaNoWriMo, that is. This means I will finally be able to blog again. ^_^