The Single Life: Part 2

1 Corinthians 7:26-35 ~ "Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is.  Are you pledged to a woman?  Do not seek to be released.  Are you free from such a commitment?  Do not look for a wife.  But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned.  But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.  

What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short.  From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them.  For this world in its present form is passing away.  

I would like you to be free from concern.  An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs - how he can please the Lord.  But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world - how he can please his wife - and his interests are divided.  An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit.  But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world - how she can please her husband."

In these verses, Paul is saying to stay where you are.  If you are committed, stay that way.  If you are not, don't look for a husband or wife.  Stay as you are.  Time is short.  Live this life to the fullest, and focus on eternity.  Those who are unmarried can focus on the Lord's affairs and devote their lives to Him.  Paul recognized the urgency in sharing the Good News, and he was looking to single people to reach out to those who haven't yet heard.

So what does that mean for us?  What do we do with this?  First, ask yourself a couple of questions.

How am I currently spending my time?

How should I be spending my time?

Do a little self-evaluation.  Think about how you are currently spending your time.  What should stay, and what should you get rid of?  Then think about how you should be spending your time.  What should you add?

If you aren't sure about how you should be spending your time, think about what strengths and gifts God has given you.  What desires has He placed on your heart?  Spend some time getting closer to our Lord, through prayer, reading, studying, worship, and fellowship with others.  Let Him speak to you and lead you to the things He wants for you.

Remember that even if you are doing good things, they may not be the best things.  This is one thing that I really needed to evaluate in my life.  I was doing things that were good or helpful to other people, but they just weren't the best that God had planned for me.  I wasn't using my strengths and gifts.  I was at a point in my life where I was just saying "yes" to everything, and just wanted to help people, without asking God if it was something I should do.

I can't tell you exactly how you should be using your time, as we are all different.  However, I can tell you that your time should be spent in a way that honors God, and that you should be continuously doing things to bring yourself closer to Him.  Some things in my life that God has been calling me to do most recently are: working on friendships/fellowship, being hospitable, hosting/leading Bible studies, serving in my church and community, and taking care of myself - spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  Let God lead, and He will lead you right to the best things for your life.  Even better, you will find that you enjoy the things He has planned!  God wants good things for us.  He loves us!

One thing recently that has helped me prioritize and decide what belongs and what doesn't belong in my life is creating a life purpose statement.  I had the opportunity to create my life purpose statement while participating in a workshop put on by a friend and her mother, who happened to be a life coach.  It was definitely worth my time!  Now I can take my life purpose statement and use it to determine whether a certain opportunity is for me or not.  If it doesn't line up with my life purpose, then it probably isn't priority.

Consider creating your own life purpose statement.  Check out Think Simple Now for help in discovering and creating your life purpose statement.  There are 15 questions to really help you dig deep and learn more about yourself.  I recommend going through the questions, even if you don't get to creating your own life purpose statement right now.  It will definitely be worth your time!

My life purpose is to reach and connect with women and children on a spiritual level.  I want to share with them Christ's love, and empower, motivate, and encourage them to become who God has called them to be.  I want to nurture them and give them the resources and support to be a true follower of Christ.

Rise and Shine Challenge Day 1

I am starting the Rise and Shine Challenge from The Abundant Mama.  Technically I started it yesterday, but I am just blogging about it today.  I definitely am a morning person, but lately I have been struggling with getting up early, probably because I've been struggling with getting to bed on time!  My work schedule will be changing again in two weeks, so I need to make sure I am ready for it!

I have decided on a 6:00 wake up time, for now.  I may decide to bring that back to 5:30 once school starts.  I have also decided to not work out in the mornings anymore.  I will be working out or heading to the gym as soon as I get home each day.  I feel great when I work out in the mornings, but I don't have as much time, don't push myself as hard, and sometimes don't get out of bed on time because I don't want to work out.  I go back and forth on what works best for me, so we will see!

What does a good morning look like?
The assignment for day 1 is to describe what my ideal morning would look and feel like, and how it would flow.

My ideal morning:

• Wake up by 6:00am (maybe 5:30 once school starts in two weeks)
• Start my day in God's word and prayer, before I even get out of bed
• Get showered, dressed, etc
• Complete daily Bible study
• Catch up on social media, email, messages, etc
• Make breakfast and pack lunch
• Clean up kitchen
• Head out the door by 8:35 (7:30 once school starts)

My day seems to go so much better when I have my ideal morning!  What does your ideal morning look like?

Weight Loss Goals/Update

Yesterday I took another step in my re-commitment to weight loss.  I started a 90 day challenge called the Bikini Body Mommy Challenge.  Check out the website or facebook page. I have thought about starting this challenge for a few weeks now, but have quickly become discouraged, as I have started this challenge before, but never completed it.  My original plan was to start it when school started, but then I thought, why wait?  Why not start it now, and get on a good schedule again BEFORE school starts?  Then I can start school and be on a great schedule right away!

So I want to encourage you to stop putting off whatever it is that you could be doing to become a healthier version of yourself!  Why wait?  Don't look back 30 days from now and regret not starting today.  Think of how far you could go in the next 30 days!

My plan:
~ 80/20 healthy eating plan (whole healthy food 80% of the time, small indulgences 20% of the time)
~ Use My Fitness Pal to keep track of food, water, exercise, weight, and measurements (Username: amunson123)
~ Follow Bikini Body Mommy Challenge
~ Continue with gym membership

My SMART goal I made a few weeks ago:
I will lose 20 pounds by Christmas by working out 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes and keeping within my calorie limit and eating completely whole, nutritious foods at least 5 days a week.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.  I would really encourage you to read more into exactly what SMART goals are, and make a SMART goal yourself!  Maybe I will have to do a whole post on them myself!

Tips for starting your own weight loss journey:
1. Make goals ~ What do you want?
2. Plan ~ How are you going to get there?
3. Keep track ~ How are you doing on your goals? (pictures, weight, measurements)
4. Small steps ~ Take small steps as this is a lifestyle change, and you want it to last!
5. Accountability Partner ~ Who is going to keep you on track?  Who can you go to for encouragement, motivation, or help?

Who is ready to commit with me!?

Esther Study Starts Sept 1 ~ Enrollment Open!

I have been leading Bible studies through Good Morning Girls (now Love God Greatly) for going on two years now!  We've had a short break for the past few weeks, and in exactly two weeks from today, we will be ready to go with Esther!

We will be covering all 10 chapters of Esther over an 8 week period, beginning September 1.  These studies require a commitment, primarily Monday through Friday.  Each day, there will be a passage to read and study.  Much of the Love God Greatly community, including myself, uses the SOAP method.  SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer.  You can use a journal, or print off journal pages, to write these down each day.  Learn more about the SOAP method here.  You do not have to use this method, but I personally enjoy it and think I get more out of my studies by using it.

The study can be done on your own, or with a group.  My current group is through facebook, with women all over the country.  Because it is done online, you do not have to be anywhere near myself or the other group members.  You don't even have to leave your home!

All that is required is a Bible and a journal/paper.  There is no book that goes with the study.  Each week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, the ladies at Love God Greatly will create a new blog post regarding the study.  There is typically a weekly memory verse, a weekly challenge, and discussion or application questions.  You can participate in as little or as much as you'd like.

If this study sounds like something that would interest you, request to join my facebook group.  If you'd rather read into the study before joining a group, check it out on the Love God Greatly website.

Goal Setting and Goals for the Week 8/17-8/23

I think it is so important to always have goals.  I make goals for everything, as otherwise nothing would get done.  I really started creating goals when I first came across another blog, Money Saving Mom.  She creates weekly, monthly, and yearly goals, and shares them on her blog.  I just love it!

Here are some great links on goal setting:
How to Change Your Life by Setting Goals
Why You Should Write Your Goals Down on Paper

I'm keeping it simple this week.  There is more that I would like to get done, but these are the most important.

• Get on a consistent sleep schedule (Go to bed at 9:30, get up at 6:30)
• Continue with healthy eating 80/20 plan
• Keep track of eating on My Fitness Pal
• Start Bikini Body Mommy
• Exercise 6 days per week
• Finish You are Loved Bible study
• Finish church craigslist ads

What are your goals for the week?

First Blog Post ~ The Single Life: Part 1

I want to start with what the Bible says about being single.  Not much is said about singles, but what the Bible does say is so important and so clear.

We can find what is said about singles in 1 Corinthians 7.  Paul is responding to questions the Corinthians asked regarding Christian life and marriage.  Verses 7-9 are specifically for the unmarried.

1 Corinthians 7:7-9 “But I wish everyone were single, just as I am.  Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another.  So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows - it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am.  But if they can’t control themselves, then they should go ahead and marry.  It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.”

Why would Paul want everyone to be single?  Why would he say it is better to stay unmarried?  Paul saw something in singleness that others weren’t seeing.  He saw what we often don’t even see today.  He saw singleness as a gift.  He knew there was a purpose in single life.  He knew that as a single person, he had more time to devote to ministry, without the distractions and responsibilities that marriage and family bring.  

Paul wasn’t just saying he wanted them to be single.  He was saying he wanted them to be intentional with their time and devoted to ministry as he was.  It is completely possible, and maybe even probable, that singles then, like today, were more focused on their own selfish desires, than truly using the gift of singleness God has given them.

Paul was not criticizing marriage though.  He was simply pointing out that we, as singles, can be used to accomplish God’s plan and perfect will.  We need to be focused more on that than finding a mate.  Some would be better off just getting married because the lust or desire of finding a husband or wife is more of a distraction than marriage itself.  However, he was not saying to go out and marry whoever either.  He was referring to those who were already engaged, but not yet married at that time.

God has a plan for you, whether you are single or married.  He can always use you right where you are.  Keep your focus on Him, and live your life to honor and glorify Him.  

Don’t be discouraged!  Don’t spend your life waiting for a husband.  Live your life now!  If God has a husband planned for you, it will happen regardless of what you are doing!  He will bring you the happiness you desire, in his perfect timing!  God wants great things for you!

I think there is so much that God has planned for us and can do with us while we are single, so let's open our hands and our hearts and let Him give and take from us as He sees fit, and let Him use us now, right where we are.

Know that even as I am writing this, I am struggling.  It is easy to say these words, but hard to live it out.  I pray that this will both be an encouragement to you, but also help me to be intentional and live out what God has placed on my heart.

My intention is for The Single Life to be a series of posts, as I do think there is so much to it, and so much that nobody talks about. I want to talk about it! What would be an encouragement to you? What are you looking for as a single person right now? What would you like to read about or hear about from me?

If you are reading this, thank you. I love you. God loves you!

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”