Singles’ Awareness Day

God intentionally put our beloved single friends on my radar today by having my Thursday prayer list for our Crossroads Class coincide with Valentine’s Day. I know some joke that today is a day when those without a love interest are confronted even more with that reality. But, instead, why not make it a priority to be aware not of what they lack as if they deserve pity or sympathy, but aware, with joy and thankfulness, of all God is doing for His glory in their lives and how He is accomplishing His purposes through them? In Him they lack no good thing!

As I’ve said before, we are thankful for the way our unmarried friends are an example to us and we see displays of God’s character at work in their lives in a special way. Today we want to thank them again for their testimony before us and our kids as people we should strive to imitate.

Thank you, friends, for:

– submitting to one another in your church and families out of reverence for Christ.

– being real friends to me. Like laugh-at-my-lame-jokes friends who try to convince Matt, “She really is funny!” Like eat-dessert-first-and-main-course-later-if-at-all friends. Like common-burden-for-the-disenfranchised-and-lonely friends because it hits so close to home.

– showing you are made in God’s image, male and female, by glorifying Him with your unique design. We appreciate the way you help and nurture your parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, Sunday School classes, and the babies in the nursery. We are thankful you take responsibility for your actions, deny your fleshly desires by waiting on God’s timing, and step out in faith and do something even when the way may be unclear.

– being passionate about growing a family – God’s family – by living and giving the Gospel.

– not wallowing in self-pity over what you don’t have, but showing that God’s love has changed you and really does help you rejoice with others whom He blesses with good gifts – even the coveted gifts of marriage and children.

– using this “undistracted” time to show your self-control by serving others, showing hospitality, and not indulging in being busy-bodies or living an extended adolescence.

– enduring severe physical trials and having the mature perspective that “your outward body is perishing but inwardly your spirit is being renewed day by day.”

– caring more what that longed for guy thinks about Jesus than what he thinks about you.

– not worrying about what your diploma says your job should be and acknowledging that if you look for satisfaction in your career you are far too easily pleased.

– loving Christ like you’re married to Him, and we all are, but you really get it.

– being an example to the believers in contentment with God’s sovereign choices in your life and giftedness, and seeking to intentionally and joyfully use those gifts He gives and choices He makes, to show others how great and good He is.

Our lives have been changed by watching your lives. We love you and thank God for you!