Just the other day I attended the funeral of an 86-year-old gentleman I’d since I was a little girl. When our family first got to know Vincent 29 years ago he had just lost his mother and was living alone. Vincent never married, though he enjoyed joking about the women who were “after him.” As …
If Singleness and Marriage are Gifts, Why Wasn’t I Given One?
A lovely woman in her mid-fifties, she sat across from me in the coffee shop, her hands resting lightly in her lap. She sat poised as one confident about her life. But her words revealed an inner turmoil. “I know I don’t have the gift of singleness!” she was saying. “My pastor says if I …
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Identity and Singleness
By Peter Ould Author’s Note: I’ve been a Christian for seven and a half years and the majority of that time I’ve struggled with, fallen into, and slowly overcome homosexuality. As God has freed me from the pain of the past I’ve drawn on those experiences to provide support and encouragement for others struggling with …
The “Lacks” in Our Lives
Yesterday I received a lovely birthday card from an “older” woman — someone I’ve come to love and respect. She wrote nice things about my “genuine caring and joy in helping others” being “shining reflections of the light deep inside you.” I treasure those words coming from her because she embodies those very characteristics herself …
Handling the Holidays
Holidays. Days you look forward to with excited anticipation, or face with a growing dread? Whichever emotion is attached to the holidays for you, or something on the spectrum in between, focusing on something and Someone beyond feelings is what God calls each of us to, no matter our circumstances. Jeremiah, one of the single …
Giving Up Sex
For 55 million dollars, would give up sex for the rest of your life?” What a question! It invoked some interesting answers from listeners to a radio talk show I was listening to recently. Some who called in said they would be more than willing to forfeit sex forever for this amount of money; others …
Five Steps to Enjoying Christmas
No matter whether you look forward to Christmas or dread it, the holiday season is upon us once again. For those who anticipate this time of year, it’s wonderful. But for those who dread the holidays the coming days and weeks can be a real struggle. Christmas, along with most holidays, is often portrayed as …
East at Easter: Living in the Power of the Cross
By Ross Clark In 1994, Good Friday fell on April 1st, All Fools’ Day. Have you thought as to how much this co-incidence has to say? We are not used to thinking of Easter in terms of folly. We think of Easter in terms of Jesus’ crowning in the triumph and the glory of the resurrection, …
A Dream Come True
During her growing up years, Louise read many stories about children who had been abused and neglected by those who were supposed to care for them. Her heart went out to these children. Louise determined that when she grew up she would work in an orphanage and take care of all the abandoned children who …
Delivered From All My Fears
Jeannie found herself staring at the digital numbers on her alarm clock once again. The luminous red lines forming the numbers which indicated it was three in the morning looked all too familiar. It seemed that her fears had no respect for her need for sleep, or the fact that in a few short hours …
Coping Through Rejection and Divorce
By Betty Troyer I am thankful for the healing and restoring work of Jesus in my life. Going through the trauma of separation and divorce is indescribable! There was a time I could not have shared an encouraging word with others regarding my experience. I was torn inwardly to bits and pieces. I wondered why …
Complete as One
I had someone tell me years ago that one is not complete without a spouse. It made me wonder: How do I, and other single adults, gain a sense of confidence and self-worth in a society that believes such a statement to be true? Many people believe they cannot truly live until they find their …
