My Worth Is Not Defined By My Marital Status

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My Worth Is Not Defined By My Marital Status

Every season of life is going to have its ups and its downs, its pros and its cons. Whether that be high school, college, grad school, single life, married life, family life, or whatever else. Different seasons. Different experiences. Different stories. I am in a season where I am in my late 20s and find myself single. That is the point of view from which I will be sharing with you. I think it is important to be honest about where we are because people who aren’t in the same place don’t fully understand. So here is a small taste of my single life—small taste of it all.  

I have a screenshot of a text message from one of my close friends. It says, “You are more than enough. Date or no date.” I had just finished telling this friend that I was mad at myself for thinking I needed to bring a date to a holiday party where I’d be the only single person. The friends who were throwing the holiday party never told me I needed to bring someone and have actually never put any kind of pressure on me like that. So why was that my initial reaction?  

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Signs of Life

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Signs of Life

On a walk through our home you’ll see shoes by the doors, dishes in the sink, laundry on the kitchen table, guitars leaning against the wall, and legos, toys, and blankets on the floor. Keep looking around and you’ll also find crumbs on the floor and toothpaste on the counters. If you open a door, there is a good chance you’ll pull back a sticky hand. There are probably school books stacked and receipts in piles. There may be a Wii remote hiding on the back of the couch. 

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#LETSGETITON: A Personal Story and Reflection

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#LETSGETITON: A Personal Story and Reflection

Pastor Rob’s sermon struck a lot of chords for me this past Sunday, as I’m sure it did many of you as well. There were many statements he said that I have found to be true in my own life. There were also many statements he said that hit home for unfortunate reasons. I want to share my story of sexual sin and redemption with you today, and then offer some of my thoughts and reflections from the sermon as encouragements.

This is not an easy topic to open up about. From time to time, I still battle shame and guilt from my actions and the decisions made during this period of my life. But, at the end of the day, God brought us through it and has blessed us with a healthy marriage and a beautiful, growing family and I want to use this story to encourage others.

Take a few moments to watch our story that was showed during our Sexual Healing [Hyperlink: vintagechurchnola.com/sexual-healing] series, which is a great series for anyone in any stage of life to go back and walk through.

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The Jerry Maguire Lie

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The Jerry Maguire Lie

I will admit that I am a sucker for a good piece of dystopian literature with a good love story interwoven inside. Yes, I do realize most are teen fiction and I should be reading things more sophisticated, I guess. They are my guilty pleasure, though. There is something so hopeful about “true love” in the midst of everything awful in the world. It seems to ground the characters, keeps them centered. They really do complete one another. 

As a wife, I have to be very careful to watch how I get sucked into these books and love stories. They are not realistic, first of all, even though I try to tell myself that they are because the characters experience painful things together. They are still fiction in the end. I always wonder why these types of books draw me in and keep me. After years of reflecting on this, I genuinely think it is because I have always wanted a romance like that. I have always wanted someone to “complete me.” Thanks, Jerry Maguire, for putting that hogwash into my head.

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The Mingling of Souls Marriage Conference

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The Mingling of Souls Marriage Conference

As creatures designed to live life in community, it is no exaggeration to say that relationships have a profound impact on our lives. From the time we are born, it is the relationships with those around us, from parents to friends to coaches and mentors and teachers, that shape us into the people we are to become. For those who are married, there is no doubt that our relationship with our spouse can be a source of joy, struggle, happiness, bitterness, or fulfillment—and often it is a combination of these things. The relationship with our spouse is the most important human relationship in our life, yet can sometimes be one of the last things to receive our attention in an overpacked schedule. Regardless of where your marriage currently sits on the spectrum from “couldn’t be better” to “adequate” to “struggling” to “barely hanging on”, every couple can benefit from some encouragement and investment in their relationship.

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