More on the Subject of Contentment

This subject spurred a lot of response from you all out there in blogreadingland. Thanks for your thoughts!

Most often contentment is talked about in the light of dating/marriage. But I am convinced that we singles have blinded ourselves into thinking it ONLY has to do with that... that once we're married, our contentment will be solved. I really don't think that is true... but you can read more about my thoughts from my earlier blog entry.

So, with that being said, another great article on contentment with singleness came out recently that I wanted to share...

http://www.crosswalk.com/community/singles/1300750.html

This article gives some good advice on what to do while waiting for our special one. It also gives an incredible account, which left me in tears, of Fanny Crosby.

As we approach Christmas day, I pray for you all a wonderful season filled with the love of Christ through the remembrance of His birth.

I love you all!

All for now,
Lisa

Good Character, Morality, and the Power of Love

Does character count?
What does it mean to be a person of "good character"? I've heard this recommendation often -- "Lisa, make sure to marry a person of good character". I'm not sure what like looks like, so I thought I'd surf the web to find out more.

I found the Six Pillars of Character, in association with Character Counts, a non-profit assocation for teaching character education in schools:

1. trustworthiness
2. respect
3. responsibility
4. fairness
5. caring
6. citizenship

These are all great virtues, but do you really think you can muster up the ability, absent of God's power, to have them? I don't. I mean these are great characteristics, and they are evident in a moral person, but is that enough to prove good character?

Morality
I remember Pastor Gregg saying in a sermon recently, "Good [moral] people don't go to heaven. Only Holy people do". Amen. I think the basis of good character comes not from morality but from love.

The Fruit of Good Character
Jesus talks about the mouth speaking out of the overflow of the heart. What's inside you will come out, the facade of good virtues will not stay. I've heard it likened to toothpaste. Squeeze and see what comes out. When I was in Capernaum I saw a huge olive press. Our guide said something I'll never forget, "the quality of the oil cannot be known until the olive has been pressed". And we humans are exactly the same way. Jesus teaches us the way to build good character, especially when struggles come... and we all know about those, don't we?. Luke wrote about it:

"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." Luke 6:43-48

The Way of Love
I think true character is derived from the love of Christ and that love expressed. I think 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 does a nice job of summing it up. I'll leave you with The Message version:

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing
but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing
all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that
says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I
give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a
martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I
believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love
cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the
sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the
flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks
for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Love never
dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will
end; understanding will reach its limit.

All for now,
Lisa

Two Things

Two things God has been teaching me lately. I know, two doesn't seem like a lot, but hey, I'm just glad I'm getting it, even if it's just a little! Anyway, I thought I would take this space to delve into them a bit. I don't have all of it neatly packaged, but here goes:

1. The ever-present reality of God's work in my life. This came from a conversation with a friend of mine about how our requests to God always seem to focus on the future, and our struggles always seeming to be in the present (duh). What I mean is that we realized that it is through our present struggles that God is anwering our future requests. For instance, my friend wants to better share the gospel and her testimony. She recently did it and had the desire to "do it better" (as if it's in our power to "do" it). She was asking God to present her more opportunities and to do a better job. What we realized is that God was answering her very request in that very moment by the very present opportunity. After all, it's not just the last three that count. Meaning, it's not in the attaining, but in the preparing. And He's right there along the way.

2. What will I really take with me to heaven? We all know we won't be taking our things to Heaven. But we really won't even take our faith -- we'll have no need for faith, but all will be seen. We really won't even take our knowledge. We'll be in the face of full knowledge, full disclosure, so to speak. So, what will we take? After finishing Piper's Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, I have realized that the only thing we will really take with us, packed nicely in our luggage, is our experiences. Our experiences along the way... and I think it will be how we will be known. What this revelation has done for me is help me to have a better kingdom-minded perspective with respect to my every day living.


All for now,
Lisa

Getting Real about Loneliness

Would you believe I just received an email this morning from ChristianityToday speaking to this issue of loneliness. In this article, six singles share their coping strategies and lessons learned from lonely seasons.

Here's the link -->
http://www.christianitytoday.com/singles/newsletter/mind40526.html

There are lots of ideas for coping. If that's the right word... or how about I use the word embracing... does that sound better? Or is that too affectionate a word for such an ugly issue? I say that with a little bit of tongue in cheek because I think most often we singles begrudge loneliness when, in fact, is not a issue of singlessness as much as an issue of humanity. My married friends have shared with me their seasons of loneliness. So, regardless of marital status, is loneliness a bad thing? Something from which we should run?

I'm curious, folks, what are your thoughts?

All for now,
Lisa

Satisfaction, Gratification, Loneliness, and Being Alone

It seems these have been the topics of many a conversation as of late. Mostly around the subjects of singleness, dating, and the married life. Maybe it's just me, but it also seems like lately there has been a plethora of Christian articles on dating... from Christianity Today, LifeWay, and CrossWalk. But maybe it's like the old adage that if you desire a blue car, suddenly all you see around you are blue cars.

Satisfaction vs. Gratification

"It is the nature of desire not to be satisfied, and most human beings live only
for the gratification of it." Aristotle

I'm not exactly sure what Artistotle meant by this, but let's dig into it. So, if a desire is satisfied, would it be a desire anymore? Say for instance, I have a desire to eat and after I eat I've probably lost my desire to eat right then? By eating, I have gratified my desire; not necessarily satisfied it. I think God made us in a way that we will continually desire. And I am mindful of Paul's comments to the Philippians; knowing the secret of being content regardless of the situation.

I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me.
Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not
saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the
circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have
plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do
everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:10-13 [NIV]

I think Paul is saying contentment is a decision, not a feeling.

Contentment vs. Complacency

Learning to be content does not mean learning to be complacent. I think we must learn to continually stir the waters. We have to. So, how does that really look? I'm not completely sure. But I know I cannot move and stay on hold at the same time. It means finding your vineyard and continually tending it. You can even be bold enough to ask God to enlarge it. But don't let anyone steal your joy (and this might even be yourself!)

Loneliness vs. Being Alone

Loneliness seems to be linked to a state of sadness. Being alone seems more like you are by yourself, but not necessarily sad about it. You can be lonely in a room full of people. Perhaps a lot of singles want to be married thinking that it will solve their loneliness. I leave you with a quote from one of my favorites... Rich Mullins.

And it was just a few years ago that I finally realized that friendship is not a
remedy for loneliness. Loneliness is a part of our experience and if we are
looking for relief from loneliness in friendship, we are only going to frustrate
the friendship. Friendship, camaraderie, intimacy, all those things, and
loneliness live together in the same experience.

All for now,
Lisa