Vicky the Volkswagen

I was hanging out at T-Dog and Papa D's house one day when my parents called and told me to come outside. Manthy, Colby, and I walked out the door just in time to see the "Green Monster" pull into the driveway. 

It was hideous, the ugliest car I had ever seen, DISGUST at first sight. 

"WHY IS IT GREEN!?!?"

After getting over the initial shock that vehicles like this actually exist, my parents introduced me to my mom's new car, a 1998 Volkswagen Cabrio Convertible. 

They informed me that the previous owner had named "her" Vicky.

"Kristin, this is Vicky."

"Vicky, Kristin." 

I gave her some skin, asked the good Lord above to protect my reputation and keep me from being seen in that car, and went back inside Manthy's to eat taquitos.

A few months later, I turned sixteen. It didn't take a genius to figure out Mom had just been keeping Icky Vicky's (the adopted name I gave her) seat warm until I got my license.

FAST FORWARD

I passed Icky Vicky while I was driving the other day. We sold her the summer after I graduated high school. I needed something more reliable to get me to and from Kilgore every day. 

As I watched her zoom down Hawkins Parkway, I remembered all the laughter, the love. Tears flooded my eyes while memories flooded my mind. 

My relationship with Icky Vicky changed a lot between our first hello and last goodbye.

"I fell in love [with Icky Vicky] the way you fall asleep. Slowly, and then all at once."

Nothing about her was normal, but it was the little quirks that made her special. 

If you weren't paying attention, you'd be blinded by the black foam crumbs that blew out of her air vents when you took a turn too sharp. It was rare to receive a warning to help fight the foam, but when I could, I'd shield my passenger's eyes from the dangerous conditions. If "TAKE THE WHEEL!" came echoing from the vehicle, it wasn't because I was singing Carrie Underwood's 2005 Single of the Year. It was because there was a foreign substance scratching my cornea and you needed to call for help.

Unlike most vehicles, Vicky had two buttons on the steering wheel (within thumb's reach) that you'd click to honk her horn. As you can probably imagine, horn honking etiquette was not in my vocabulary. I'd honk right along to Brand New Key or Please Mr. Postman every time they played on the cassette tape. Yes, she had cassette player. Be jealous. 

Oh, she had the cutest honk. 

My friends and I loved "riding topless" in Vicky...and by "riding topless" I simply mean riding with her convertible top down. Vicky got a hole in her "shirt" once and like any Redneck Roughneck would, I patched it up with duct tape. This seemed like a good idea until I started driving. Now I had two problems. The tape flapped so much it sounded like I was being shot at every time I drove over 40mph...and the hole still wasn't fixed! I must say, Vicky wore both the flapping duct tape and "Aggie Mom" decal proudly. She was such a strong, independent woman. 

Vicky also had a MASSIVE trunk. I had EVERYTHING in there - an alien mask, a Snuggie, packages of toilet paper, car paint, basketballs, bubbles, paintballs, water balloons...just to name a few! We were always prepared to prank. Sure, to outsiders it appeared as if Vicky had a lot of junk in the trunk. But to insiders? One man's trash is another man's treasure. 

During the winter time, the door handle on the driver's side would stick so you'd have to either crawl out or have someone come open it for you. 

You know that whole "two is better than one" saying? Well, it's a lie. Two broken car handles is NOT better than one broken car handle. Trust me, I know. I once got locked inside Vicky because NEITHER door handle worked. 

No, the top wasn't down so please refrain from blonde joke references. 

I'm sure you're wondering how a gal like me could possibly get locked INSIDE a car. 

Me too. 

Stay tuned for the newest episode of Unsolved Mysteries: Side-Ponytail Girl Gets Trapped in Convertible w/ No Food or Water for 20min 

Towards the end of our relationship, when Vicky was at her sassiest, she began stalling in the middle of major roads. I'd often complain, "WHAT DID I EVER DO TO YOU!?" She'd stall again as if to say, "I think the real question is...what did you NOT do to me!?" 

Touché.

As it turns out, it was easier to sell Vicky than try to fix all her problems. She was in too bad of shape. 

I cried the day we sold her.

From dogs almost jumping inside her while driving down Shiloh Road, to buckling human tape sculptures in her front seat and parading "topless" around town, she made every trip worth the ride. 

My friends' parents still ask about her. 

"Kristin Koonce? Does that girl still have Icky Vicky?" 

No, she did what she came to do. 

She's bringing joy to somebody else's life now. 

This photo was taken my sophomore year, just a few weeks after I got my license. We had a basketball slumber party at Morgan's house. Rules were made to be broken, right? Right, because not only did I have more than one person in the vehicle, but I had SIX people in a car that only fit FOUR. New drivers also have a 12:00AM curfew, but as you can see from our war paint and party hats, we had a yard to decorate.

Vicky, John-David and I on our way to White Oak's prom...she was the third-wheel! 

I may have changed her birth name, but Icky Vicky changed my life.

I'd give anything to "ride topless" in her one last time.

We might not have had it all together, but together we had it all.

Reading the Whole Bible

After nearly 3 years, I have officially finished reading the entire Bible! 

It was, by far, one of the most challenging things I have ever endured but it has also been the most rewarding! Although "[Reading] the Bible Cover to Cover" WAS on my Bucket List, it was NOT a goal I wanted to simply check off. I added it to my Bucket List because I knew that, by writing it down, I was making it a priority. As Mark Batterson says in The Circle Maker, "If you haven't written down your goals, you haven't really set them." 

I wanted to read the whole Bible because I wanted to understand the Bible as a whole. 

Having grown up in the church, I was familiar with many of the stories in the Bible simply because I had heard them my entire life.

Adam and Eve
Noah and the Ark
David and Goliath
Daniel and the Lion's Den
Moses' Journey to the Promised Land
Jonah and the Whale
Samson and Delilah
Joseph's Coat of Many Colors

In fact, I could sing songs about many of these stories! From Cherub Choir, to Angelus Choir, to Bethlehem Choir, to Wesley Singers, to Youth Choir, I've participated in my fair share of church musicals. 

"Ohhhh, the tale of the whale is a whale of a tale! It's the story of the deep blue sea, about a fish and a man named Jonah who was a lot like you and me!" - Oh, Jonah!

"Samson, cut your hair! You want to be with it but you’re really square! Be guided by this golden rule: at your age, man, you should play it cool!" - Swingin' Samson 

"A technicolor promise painted in the sky, seven lovely colors pleasing to the eye. Glowing with a sparkle that fills the earth with light! Shining after every rain, a banner true and bright! A technicolor promise - RED! ORANGE! YELLOW! GREEN! BLUE! INDIGO! VIOLET! *waves pom-poms* AHHHHHH!" - A Technicolor Promise

As I got older, I gained an appreciation for context. Although I could tell (and sing) stories of the Bible, I wanted to understand their significance and how they played into the big scheme of things. In other words, I didn't really know the stories or why they were being told. 

I only knew the bits and pieces I'd learned in Sunday School. I didn't understand how it all fit together.

I wanted to know how the Old Testament related to the New Testament.

I wanted to know the context, the backstory, what was going on before/after major events.

I wanted to discuss stories in the Bible I'd read, not simply stories I'd been told. 

I wanted to know what I believed and why I believed it. 

Throughout the past 5yrs, I restarted my "end to end" expedition at least five times!

I tried reading it chronologically. 
I tried reading it historically. 
I tried reading the Old Testament first.
I tried reading the New Testament first.

I restarted (again) two Christmases ago and was finally able to stick with it. Here's what I did and what helped me: 

1) I got a new Bible! I did this for two reasons.
First, the print in my old Bible was too small and reading it would give me headaches/make me not want to read altogether. 
Second, I was using the ESV (English Standard Version) Bible I'd received in the 3rd grade that I couldn't understand very well.

For Christmas, I picked out a Large Print NIV Bible (I researched the most popular translation) and fell in love with it! I can actually see what I'm reading AND I can understand it! Well...for the most part! *wink, wink*

2) I downloaded a "Reading Plan" app so I could track my reading! 
This app allows you to pick out your desired reading plan, check off chapters after you've read them, and track your progress as you go. Being able to see the percentage I'd read thus far helped me persevere when I felt like giving up.

3) I started in the New Testament. 

The Old Testament is very (extremely, immensely, tremendously) hard to read/understand at times and I found that every time I tried to start in the Old Testament, I would get frustrated and quit. So, I read the New Testament first.

ADVICE: Do not (I REPEAT: DO NOT) put off reading 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, and 2 Chronicles for last like I did. With that being said, you should probably know that I skimmed through the genealogy and the preparations for building the temple. I'm sorry. I really am. I just...it was just...I'M SORRY! 

"Forgive me, Father, for I have skimmed."

4) I highlighted as I went. 

I began color-coding scripture at the beginning of the year to help with my studying. This helped me break apart what I was reading! Check out my post Hooked on Highlighting to see my method of highlighting! 

Although there is much (much, much, much, MUCH) I still do not know or understand, reading the Bible in its entirety helped me connect dots I didn't even know existed. For me personally, it's a lot "easier" to study a certain passage now that I am (for the most part) aware of what has happened/is about to happen.

The important thing to remember is this: It doesn't matter if you've read the Bible cover to cover fifty times or zero times. What matters is that you're reading it. Figure out what you believe and why you believe it. Take time to get to know His person, His will, and His ways. The Bible is the most important book ever written. It is God's "love letter" to us, to YOU! Prayerfully study it and let the Word change you! Be transformed. 

Website Coming Soon

In my recent post Grateful for God's Grace, I announced that I will be pursuing public speaking and that my friend was in the process of creating a website for me! 

With that being said, I have some exciting news! 

MY WEBSITE WILL BE READY IN 2-3 WEEKS! 

Everyone, meet Surprise Party Sue. If you haven't watched any of these videos performed by Kristen Wiig on Saturday Night Live, do it. You will be a better person because of it.

FUN FACT: A few years ago, I had the honor of playing this role for a skit at T-Camp. I now have a better appreciation for finger exercises. 

Two words: HAND CRAMPS

In his book Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, Michael Hyatt notes that a website "is undoubtedly the single most important branding tool you can have." 

This website will be my first step towards developing a platform! It will be my "home base" where anyone can access video clips of my speeches, my blog, links to my social media pages, and eventually podcasts and my YouTube channel!

You may be wondering how I will manage having two separate locations for my blog. 

Easy shmeezy - I won't! 

When my website is finished, you will only be able to access my blog through my website. I will be switching from Blogger to WordPress, so the layout will change, too! Despite these minor changes, the heart and soul behind my blog will remain the same: to encourage you on your journey and walk with the Lord, as we "seek the sunshine" together and look for God's hand in every situation we face! 

No need to fret! I will take good care of you guys and provide all the information you need the closer it gets. I simply wanted to give you a heads up so you wouldn't be blindsided...PLUS I couldn't hold it in any longer! I'M SO EXCITED! The official countdown for the launch of my website will begin soon! 

Have a happy, happy Thursday, friends!  

My Fear of Praying Out Loud

I don't know about you, but until just a few years ago, I DREADED praying out loud.

Yes, you read that correctly.

The girl who would rather have a microphone in her hand than VIP tickets to a Taylor Swift concert (unless Ellen or Lisa Kudrow were making guest appearances, obviously) would pretend to become unrealistically interested in ANYTHING ELSE when her Sunday School teacher said those 8 horrifying words: "Would anyone like to close us in prayer?" 

THAT'S RIGHT! I DID IT! I'M NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT IT EITHER!

I would've rather relived the night I ran into a parking pole, flew 10ft in the air and belly-flopped onto the pavement 18X than pray in front of my peers. 

For those of you who know that story, you know I mean business. 

I used to wing presentations all the time...but a prayer? Yeah, no. I need at least a 5min heads up if you plan on making my worst nightmare unfold before my very eyes...and a maybe a lawyer present, somebody of POWER! "ARREST THEM, OFFICER!" 

There was just something about praying out loud that made me forget how to...well, talk. 

I would panic.

Complete sentence? What's that? 

My neck stiffened as I secretly hoped the fire alarm would go off so I could be relieved of my distress. My prayers didn't sound anything like the other kids' and I just KNEW (after I got over the initial shock that my name was called, of course) my on the spot prayer would end up sounding like: "Father God...thank you for Sundays...um...and uh...thank you for this food...oh, wait...we didn't eat...ABORT! ABORT! I mean...um...Father God...peace be with us...Amen!"

That was just a risk I was NOT willing to take.

*flash forward to my sophomore year of college*

Ever since I joined Phi Lamb, I wanted to be a Pledge Trainer. When I was finally eligible to apply for the position, I spent DAYS working on my application. That rhetorical analysis paper that was due on Friday could wait. I pushed that baby on the back burner like it was a hot pot of freshly cooked rice and focused every ounce of my energy on that application. 

*submit*

As always, God had other plans. 

A few days went by and I received a phone call from my Chaplain asking me if I'd ever thought about being the Prayer Committee Head. She explained what the role would entail and told me to spend the rest of the day praying about it and that she would get back to me the next day. 

We hung up.

I cried.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS? *sobs* Is this a joke, God? If it's not, I will never laugh at anything ever again. You KNOW how much I hate praying out loud! I'm TERRIFIED! *sobs* WHY ON EARTH IS THIS HAPPENING? *gasp for air* Didn't you see how much time I spent on the PLEDGE TRAINER, NOT Prayer Committee, application? DID YOU??????? *ugly crying face freezes as I begin running out of tears* I DON'T UNDERSTAND! I don't know big vocabulary words! THIS IS NOT THE TASK FOR ME! I AM NOT THE CHOSEN ONE!" 

After my dramatic soap opera, I was sitting in silence rethinking the tragedy I had just endured when suddenly God placed a friend from high school on my heart. He said, "Text her." 

Huh?

"Text her."

So, I did. I pulled up "Little Male Cardinal" (she may or may not be a redhead) on my phone and began pouring my heart out to her, text by text. I told her EVERYTHING, every emotion, thought, doubt, and fear that was running through my mind. I told her how much I hated praying out loud.  

A few hours later, Lil' Male calls me and as she began reminding me of my basketball huddle prayers and how all I did was talk to God as if I were talking to a friend, I realized why God had placed her on my heart. 

OH YEAH!

I FORGOT ABOUT THAT!

I used to pray in our team huddle before every single basketball game! In those huddles, I wasn't trying to impress anyone. I was honest and felt completely comfortable asking, "God, please give strength to Tara's weak ankles that made her fall down in practice yesterday when nobody was around her" or "God, we are so scared of #49. Please be with the person that has to guard her...hopefully it's not me...but I know it won't be because I can't play defense. We almost died in practice yesterday...but you already know that. We are grateful You let us live to see this game. Please help us win, even though our legs feel like noodles. Actually, not even noodles...more like broth. Yep, broth. We are so grateful for the opportunity to play the game we love. Help us to glorify You every minute! Oh, and please don't let us get stomped at. Amen."

Yes, those were my prayers and yes, Tara really did fall clumsily to the ground while dribbling in seclusion, helplessly confessing, "I...have...WEAK ANKLES!"

If I was going to be the Prayer Committee Head, all I needed to do was talk to God the way I talked to Him in those huddles - like He's my friend...because He is! He's my pal, my buddy! 

Only Lil' Male could have provided the encouragement and reassurance I needed in that moment. 

We hung up. 

I cried again.

This time, however, I was crying tears of joy because that was just the conversation I needed to hear. I still didn't feel qualified, and obviously I couldn't pray in front of my sorority exactly like I did in front of my team (L O L), but I knew God would help me every step of the way, just as He had done numerous times before. My weakness would prove His strength and His power.

I called my Chaplain the next day and told her everything that had happened the night before. 

I was 100% down to boogie. 

Terrified, but still down to boogie.

I learned a LOT the following year serving as the Prayer Committee Head. My prayer life was challenged. My confidence and faith were challenged. Satan tried to tell me I wasn't good enough. He tried to tell me my words weren't impressive and that I was unqualified for the task. He tried to tell me that my prayers were too casual, I wasn't proper enough, etc. 

He tried to make me feel as if God were upset with me because of the way I prayed...as if I were talking to a friend.

You know what I said?

"GET BEHIND ME, SATAN!" 

You see, God doesn't care if we use SAT words when we talk to Him. He just wants to hear our hearts through our voices. Yes, even my East Texas twang! It's okay if we mess up and fumble over our words. He's not going to be disappointed if we accidentally say, "Thank you for filling our breath with lungs" (Yep, I said that at a meeting once...and laughed). We don't have to put on a fancy show, and we don't have to pray the way everybody else prays! He wants our simple, authentic selves. Talk to God in public the same way you would in private...like He's your friend!

One day, you, too, will be able to bless the food without calling for reinforcements. 

Advice from an Aggie

I recently received the opportunity to be a Campfire Speaker for Aggie Transition Camps. It wasn’t until after I graduated that I realized what I wanted to talk to them about. I'm an encourager, so that's what I wanted to do for the time I was allotted. Having been a transfer student and now being a Former Student, I thought it would be best that I speak from experience and encourage the students through an acrostic poem using the word A-G-G-I-E-S! 

Avoid settling.

Don’t settle for a major you hate or an unhealthy friendship/relationship that does more harm than good. Life is too short to be miserable. Recognize your self-worth and know what you deserve. Your happiness IS important, despite what others may say. What do you dream of doing? What is God calling you to do? You may not finish college with the same major and friends you started with, and that's okay. It's not the end of the world; it's for the best. Respect those around you, but don't disrespect and neglect yourself and your needs in the process. It's OKAY to be selfish at times if you're doing it for the right reasons.

Get involved doing what you love!

There are hundreds of organizations to get involved with on campus. Don’t join something just because your friends are doing it. It's important to devote your time to the things you're passionate about. If something is going to take up (even more) space in your calendar, it might as well be something you love! Not to mention, there are just as many lessons to be learned outside of the classroom! Don't be afraid to join an organization where you don't know a soul. Why? Because it's in those organizations you often find the rest of your bridesmaids or groomsmen. 

Go to class.

Not everyone is blessed with the opportunity to go to the college of their dreams. In fact, not everyone gets to go to college! Recognize that and don’t take for granted the time you've been given. Try to avoid skipping class because there are people out there who would give anything to be where you are and to have what you have. Remember, you’re here to get an education! Focus on that. You don't have to make straight A's (C's get degrees), but don't fail a class simply because you didn't go. I promise it won't be any better the second time around. 

Invest in yourself.

College is where you find out who you truly are. Make sure you take time to do just that. Figure out the type of person you want to be and plan accordingly. If you don’t like something, change it. Do what makes you happy! Discover your strengths and weaknesses. Explore new things. Find what makes you come alive. 

Endure the hardships.

I'm not going to lie, college is hard. You will fail tests, you will lose friends, and I hate to break it to you, but you will most likely have to be tutored in at least one class or another (Hello, MATH 141). You will be challenged. Your BELIEFS, and everything you stand for, will be challenged. Welcome those challenges with open arms. Learn from the hardships. They will ultimately shape the person you are becoming! 

Serve those around you.

E. King Gill “stood by in case his team needed him." In the same way, we should stand by, eagerly ready to serve whoever is in need, Aggie or not, with an enthusiastic smile and helping hand. Representing the 12^th Man is an honor and we should devote our lives to reaching out and serving others until we take our last breath.

Texas A&M University changed my life and I know it will change yours, too…if you let it! It is my prayer that you “bloom where you are planted” and make the most of every opportunity you’re given so that you can look back as a Former Student with confidence, knowing, without a doubt, you gave it everything you had and can enter the next chapter of your life without any regrets. 

The Importance of Integrity

"If you stand straight, do not fear a crooked shadow" was printed in black ink and hung just above my locker. It didn't take very long to figure out that if a quote was on the wall, Coach had it there for a reason. They were put there for our benefit so if we didn't fully understand what a quote meant, we needed to figure it out. 

After four years of running in and out of the Ladyneck Basketball locker room, I probably read that quote 300 times. I learned a lot playing basketball, but one of the most important lessons I learned is that walking with integrity is of utmost importance. If I made it a priority to do what was right in all areas of my life, it wouldn't matter what other people said about me. 

To this day, that quote remains engraved in the back of my mind. 

I think about it often.

In high school, it was not uncommon for someone to accuse me of being fake. They didn't think it was possible for someone to be "that" happy all time. 

They didn't understand. 
Heck, I didn't fully understand it myself! 

It troubled me that people thought I was being dishonest with them when in actuality, I really am a positive, joyful human being 92.5% of the time. It's just how I'm wired. 

I was confident in my joy, but their accusations made me question that confidence.

One day, I walked into the locker room just as I had done every day for the past two years. I glanced up at the quote on the wall I'd seen and read a hundred times, but this time it was different. For the first time, it stopped me in my tracks. It finally clicked. I understood. It didn't matter what people were saying about me or what they thought about me. All that mattered was that I was "[being] the same person privately, publicly, and personally." 

Ever since that day, I realized that if I was being true to my word, it didn't matter what I was falsely accused of. 

There are many values that make up a person. Integrity is the sum of those values. In other words, you have integrity if your actions consistently align with what you claim to personally value. What you do coincides with what you say. You walk the talk. You "do the right thing even when no one is watching." 

The qualities a person adheres to are meaningless unless that person has integrity. 

You can say all the right things, but until you prove it with your actions, you won't be heard. 

Proverbs 10:9 says, "Whoever walks with integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out."

People are always going to talk, but "if you stand straight, [you need not] fear a crooked shadow." 

Like I said, I learned a lot from the Ladyneck Basketball Program. It's no coincidence that as I sit here talking to you about integrity, I am reminded of the lessons Coach taught me without saying a single word. It wasn't just what she said, but what she didn't say, that made all the difference in my life. 

Question: Do your actions match your words? Are you walking with integrity? What needs to change so that what you say matches what you do? 

Reading Right

I wasn't much of a reader growing up. I hated reading. In fact, I didn't read a single book on the summer reading lists we received in high school. Actually...now that I think about it, there was a lot I didn't do in high school! Don't worry, I did the important stuff...like stop by the office to dip my fingers in the candle wax every day during Enrichment, use the "bathroom" pass to go get candy from the librarian, and help transfer the female hissing cockroaches into the male's container. 

Kids, don't try that home.

I'm sure you're wondering how I graduated. I ask myself that question every day. 

The world may never know. 

Anyway, I would read a few books here and there, but it wasn't until college that I fell in love with reading. Now, now. Don't get too excited! I still didn't read my textbooks. I did, however, perfect the art of skimming during assigned readings. My motto in college was, "Just keep skimming! Just keep skimming! What do we do? We skim, skim!"

As I got older, I realized it wasn't that I hated reading. I had just been reading the wrong books! I was reading books that didn't interest me and, as a result, thought I disliked reading altogether. In college, however, I began reading books about the things I'm most passionate about (Jesus, purpose, love, following your dreams, making a difference, etc.) and as it turns out, reading is a lot like fishing. I don't enjoy fishing when all I'm catching is catfish. If you're not familiar with catfish, their fins are extremely sharp and if you don't handle them just right, they'll make like Bon Qui Qui and CUT you! Plus they're ugly and nobody wants to catch an ugly fish. On the other hand, if I'm catching bass, I never want to put my pole down! 

If I only caught catfish, I'd never go fishing! In the same way, if I only read books I don't like or enjoy, I'd never read! 

I know we all have different preferences, but just in case you and I have similar reading interests, I wanted to share some of the books I've read with you! So, without further adieu, here is a "summer" reading list I actually stuck to! The books in purple were my all-time favorites. 

1) Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
2) S.H.A.P.E. - Finding and Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose for Life by Erik Rees
3) The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson 
4) You're Made for a God-Sized Dream by Holley Gerth
5) The Journey of Desire by John Eldredge
6) Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus 
7) Love Does by Bob Goff
8) Praying God's Will for Your Life by Stormie Omartian 
9) When God Writes Your Love Story by Eric and Leslie Ludy
10) Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
11) Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin
12) Praying for Your Future Husband by Robin Gunn and Tricia Goyer
13) The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson 
14) Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo
15) Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham
16) 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker
17) Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst

If you would have asked me 5yrs ago if I read, I would've given you the stink eye, yelled "MOSQUITO!" and smacked you on the arm. You can thank Pinterest for that little maneuver. Now I douse my paragraphs in bright yellow highlighter, spend the day reading at the local coffee shop, and keep my books on my nightstand to read before I go to sleep! 

Reading changes a person.

Question: What types of books do you like to read? If you don't like reading...don't throw in the towel just yet! Who knows...maybe you've just been reading the wrong books, too! 

Savor Your Singleness

There's a famous quote by Albert Einstein that says, "Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid." I am going to tweak this a little bit and relate it to singleness by saying, "Every girl is worthy of love. But, if you judge a single girl by her relationship status, she will spend her whole life believing she's unworthy." 

"So, do you have a boyfriend?" 

I think I speak for every college-aged girl when I say I get asked that question regularly...sometimes weekly! It's not a bad question to ask and we don't want to drop a can of Ravioli on your foot if you've ever asked us that. However, I speak from experience when I say that the constant questioning tends to make girls question their self-worth and believe that God's purpose cannot be fulfilled through us unless/until we're married.

Listen close, ladies. 

As a 22-year old who has never had a boyfriend, I have never been happier because I finally learned that Jesus is enough. He is all I need! It's not about having a relationship. It's about being in a relationship...with Him! Having a man on your arm means nothing if you're not content with leaning on the everlasting arms. 

SAVOR YOUR SINGLENESS!

God can, and will, use you whether you're single or not. You have not missed His calling for your life. You are not outside of His will. You are smack-dab in the middle of it. He has you where you are for a reason. 

If God has called you to a period of singleness (whether it be for a few years or a lifetime), I can assure you He has something He wants to accomplish through you, not despite of your singleness but because of your singleness. Remember, God arranges our lives in a way that will give Him maximum glory. 

Only Jesus can complete you, so use this time to get to know Him and to fall in love with Him! You are not unworthy of love. In fact, you are so loved by God that He desires to use you as you are, single or married. 

SIDE NOTE: I used to think I was contradicting myself because, although I was content with singleness, I still desired to be married. In my Life After College Bible study, I learned that not all desires are bad. There are good desires. I believe it is possible to be content with singleness while still desiring to be married. However, we're called to trust Him with our desires and, in doing so, trust that He will sustain us no matter what His plans for our life are.

Take advantage of your singleness. 

Savor it. 

It is a gift from God. 

Unwrap it. 

Run the race God has set before you regardless of your relationship status. 
If one day a man (hopefully an Aggie) begins running alongside you, great! 
If you never have a running buddy, that's great, too! 
The only thing that matters is that we run with perseverance and seek to glorify God the entire way!

Single or not, make sure you're able to cross that finish line with your hands held high!

Question: How can you serve God and those around you, whether you are married or single?