It’s another “Monday-One-Day” and if you missed The One: Part 1 – “Is There Only One” make sure to check it out.
In today’s video there is a little less wind machine and a little more male vocals. Yes, I am an alto by birth.
P.S. Post I referenced in the video: Can Anxious Andy Commit?
Love and Respect (Now) is a division of Love and Respect. Please be considerate.
From My Heart
All of the Love and Respect Now Posts…In One Place!
Emerson & Sarah Eggerichs on Marriage, Parenting, Family of Origin, Work & Death
Fighting for Love (and Other Potentially Hazardous Cliches)
Love your humor, Joy.
Joy, I love your passion, your clarity, and (like Tim said) your humor. It adds such an important dynamic to what you are saying here. We can relax and live with freedom because God is in control.
I don’t believe that there is “One” person that we are supposed to marry, but I DO think that we can choose to marry the wrong person, which I think is why I live my dating life with so much caution.
That said, I think you said two things that really speak to that dilemma.
1. You said that letting others in on your dating life can provide a lot of clarity, and I think that is key. Hindsight is 20/20, so let other people who have walked ahead of you (your parents, your married friends, or just your single friends who aren’t blinded by their feelings) share their hindsight with you.
2. You spoke of Christ’s redemptive power, and that really resonates with me. I had a professor in college who used to say, “we are never more than one step outside of God’s will” and I love that. I think I always pictured it more like a path… like after years and years of wandering away, if I wanted to be in His will I’d have a long trek back. But I don’t think God works like that. I think when we choose to be in His will, we are in it instantly. That makes me feel a ton of freedom, but it also motivates me to choose His will now.
I know that I have “the one”.. He is Everything and More that I have ever thought I Needed or Wanted. We will pray on unhealthy sexual desires so we learn how to fufill eachother without crossing the lines into perversion or unclean acts. The Marriage bed Is Sacred We Honor and Cherish It.
Lisa – Walter needs more than Cesar or a shock collar can provide.
Tim – Thank you. Man, I really wanted to have something funnier than thank you, but that’s all I got.
Ally – Well said. Being in His Will is largely in part to our choice….now.
Tabitha – At first I thought you were talking about God. Your last two sentences made me realize you weren’t. (-: Glad you found a keeper.
There is a Tim Keller sermon called “Sexuality and Christian Hope” where he discusses this modern idea of one man or one woman becoming a kind of “savior” in our lives. (I highly recommend it…you can download his free podcasts off itunes) With the modern era, a time when culture has moved away from the reality of death as a part of life and the acceptance of life after death, the pressure has been put on this life and “someone” in it to fulfill the desires in us one person was never meant to. Movie plots and musical lyrics solidify this idea. We are all suseptible to the idea that our boyfriends or girlfriends or spouses will be all of the following: best friend, dynamic lover, a source of financial and emotional security, accountability partner, wise counselor, cheerleader, intellectual sparring partner, dog walker, mindreader, adventurous traveling companion, hair braider (or maybe that’s just me) etc. The reality is that we weren’t meant to meet ALL of those needs, although it would be nice. What would we need other people in our community for, or Christ himself for, if our significant other met all of these?
And Joy, I predicted the cheesybread line. I love that you still think that’s funny.
I love that you are the only person who knows that commercial.
Love that Timothy Keller sermon. I actually have a draft of a post somewhere and I attache a link to it. Which I currently can’t find. Welcome to my life. Your words are true and something we all need to think about – regardless of our stage of life. Gotta run. Getting my hair braided today.
Not sure why, but I felt compelled to come back and share this. I was reading in Galatians this morning and for whatever reason my mind was making connections to this post…
Galatians 5:13 says, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another”
Then in v. 16 Paul says,
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh”
And finally at the end of chapter 6 he says,
“And let us not grow weary of doing what is good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up…”
These are the words that came to mind while I was reading:
Faith.
Diligence
Service
Obedience
Patience.
Surrender.
And I think that if these words are descriptive of our (dating) lives, we can be certain that we are living God’s will.
Ally – Right on. And then we can be FREE! Like Cheesy bread.
i love the freedom you breathed into this topic. so needed.
(and ohmydang. favorite ending ever!)
Good stuff Joy! Can’t wait to hear you bring it on Friday. No pressure.
tell me you’re gonna bring Walter to Cornerstone on Friday.
Loved it (especially the cheesy bread)..but what I really want to know is where can I buy that sweater? 🙂
I totally agree with you that as Christians we always worry about making the wrong decisions. But the thing is, if you are truly seeking after the Lord in every aspect of your life, then you have no need to worry. God isn’t going to trick you! It isn’t like He’s up there thinking “hmmm here’s an attractive young lady who loves Me, but she isn’t the One for him…let’s see if he’ll fall for it.” That’s ridiculous! In John 14:15 Jesus says, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” So if you are loving Christ, and seeking to follow His commandments, then Psalm 119:45, which says, “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought your precepts,” applies to you, and you have nothing to fear! The love of Christ is freeing, not burdensome (Matt. 11:28-30).
Loved the video Joy, I’m lookin forward to the conclusion.
Alece – And how much better is the ending with my additional blog? Thank you (-:
Wendy – I am pumped to come! I don’t know how much “bringing” I will do. Andy is interviewing me…so he has the control. Let’s pray the Spirit moves and that Andy doesn’t have any tricks up his sleeves to embarrass me…too much.
Karen – I got it a long time ago (7 years?) on super sale at Nordstrom’s rack. It’s my “Joseph” sweater. It also has such a big hood that I put over my head on airplanes. Then I can sleep with my mouth open and drool and no one notices.
Isaac – Insightful, scriptural and right on. Fear not! Freedom in following Him. You are a wise man. Your lady is lucky. (-:
lisa thinks...
Joy, I agree! You are right on point about relaxing in the hope/desire of “the one”. I guess impatience would be a part of control issues too. Loving suggestion: Have you ever considered some of Cesar Millan’s training for you and Walter? He keeps missing your cues. <3
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