The Yellowbrick Road of Waiting

First of all, sorry about the delay for Relationship Day 5...it snowed and like a child, I played allllll day in it.

<--- See! Real snow. No joke.

Okay, for the final installment of this relationship week I really just want to encourage all the "waiters" out there. I myself am a waiter. No, I don't work in a restaurant...though my boss is trying to make Chickfila more like a restaurant. I'm a waiter because I'm waiting on God's timing in my life for my own dating season.

In my family we were not allowed to date until we were 16 and even then the process to date us was very, very intense. I won't tell you all the things that the guys had to go through in order to get us on a date (if you want to know, just ask) but let's just say that it helped weed out anyone not worthy. And for that I am extremely grateful. Would I have said that 5-6 years ago? No.

While other girls around me were dating and had been since 5th grade (hah), I didn't. Well, I couldn't. And of course it was upsetting to not be dating people while my friends had boyfriends, and just like every person in the world - I desired to be desired. I, of course, had my rebellious stages where I "talked" to a guy here and there, but never went out with them or anything too rebellious - I was still Anna. But after I got a taste of how emotionally involving and hurtful dating "relationships" could be, I started to slowly shut the door to thoughts of trying to have one. And for all those closed doors that I couldn't understand, I'm thankful to You, God.

After I realized I didn't want to have just some 'here and there', regretful, self-destructive dating "relationship", I began to realize more of what God wanted in my life as a single person. SINGLE. Yes, scary concept. Scary because you think "Well, if I start to enjoy being single and don't pursue any relationships...what if God NEVER brings me my future spouse?!? What if I'm not looking when they walk past me??". But as we learned earlier this week, if you are in complete surrender to God in your life and are walking in His will ...God will show you - in His perfect time- who that person is. No worries.

"All to You, I surrender. Everything, every part of me. All to You, I surrender. All of my dreams and all of me.....You're love makes it worth it, You're love makes it worth it all." - I Surrender (Kim Walker & Jesus Culture worship)

Fact: It would take you at least a hundred years to name every specie on the planet. Think about it. Drawing any connections? Okay, let me help you: Adam and Eve? Yes, it had to have taken Adam at least a hundred years to name every specie on the planet. Did you know he was lonely that entire time? God told Adam to name the animals and even when He saw Adam was lonely, He wanted Adam to complete the task He had instructed before He created Eve.

But the entire time Adam was naming the animals and being lonely, he was doing so without the knowledge of when God would bring his helper along...Adam didn't even know what kind of helper he needed or what one would even look like! The thought of someone else to talk to and fill that relational need probably couldn't even be comprehended because all he saw around him were those that weren't created for him. But God did. And God already had her imagined.

Adam was lonely and knew he needed some kind of helper, but as he was naming the animals he saw no specie that could help him. He didn't know what he needed. But God did. Adam diligently did what God instructed him to do...for at least a hundred years. A HUNDRED years. Can you imagine being lonely but completely in God's will for a hundred years? I would probably get frustrated because like everyone else I think I have an idea of what I "need". But once I saw that person, that person that I was created to harmonize with...*sigh*...wouldn't I just fall to my knees and thank God like never before? What an extraordinary moment Adam must have had when he first saw Eve, the person God created for him. After all that waiting, after constantly pursuing what God wanted him to do...and then, there she was.

"God directed Adam's steps so that when He created Eve, Adam would have the utmost appreciation, respect, and gratitude." - Searching For God Knows What (Miller)

No one can capture that moment of when Adam first met Eve. The original "boy meets girl" moment. In the book I just quoted by Donald Miller, he talks about this moment and says that after taking in Eve and her beauty, Adam probably went on a long walk with God and continuously thank Him for her. What will you do when that day comes for you? That day when your single season is over and there he/she is. If you think that day will never come, well think again. Unless God has called you to live celibate and never marry...then the day will come. But what you do with that day will be up to you.

My hope is that I have as much innocence and bold shyness as possible, because I want to stand before my future spouse as a full woman of God - innocent, boldly shy, gentle, and very sarcastic (of course). I want to tell him about all the adventures God allow me to take without him and then make many more Godly adventures with him.

"Serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you." - 1 Chron. 28:9

I want and desire my "when Adam met Eve" moment. I want you to want that in your life as well. Once you realize you want that in the future, you then begin to live your life all for that goal of following after God's will for your life as a single person so that you can be who you're suppose to be when you're married. Some day you will have to account for your actions as a single person. Some day there will be two eyes starring back at you as you tell him/her about all your dating relationships and about how you took care of your heart (or lack of caring). Guard your heart for them. Guard your heart for yourself. Guard your heart with Him inside for His purposes.

It will be worth the wait. I promise.

"Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay." - Hab. 2: 3

P.S Remember, I'm in the same boat with you. I'm also you're biggest fan.

P.P.S Listen to my little music player thing on the left of this page. It's got my current favorite worship songs. Enjoy!