For my eighteenth birthday I received a copy of Leslie Ludy's newest book Sacred Singleness.
I had wanted this book, but I wasn't so sure I really wanted to read it. I mean, singleness? Who wants to read a book about singleness? Ever since I was a little girl I have hoped I will one day marry a wonderful man of God and raise a family. But singleness?
Well, I realized that no matter what, I will be single for at least a few, if not many years! And God has greatly used Leslie's books to impact my life in the past!
So I read it.
And then do you know what I did? I started it over again!
With a highlighter at hand, I read the whole book again.
It is beautifully written, different than the rest of the Ludy's books, and yet still containing the same deep, underlying theme: Absolute surrender and abandonment unto God alone. Besides Leslie's challenging message, it also contains stories and encouragement and challenges from many single girls who are serving the Lord now in their own season of singleness. These is especially touching to hear other girls share stories about their own battles and struggles, yet always end with the same truth: God is SO faithful! The last section of the book is filled with websites, information, and practical suggestions toward pouring out your life for those in need, whether it be through serving the poor, caring for orphans, helping foster care kids, adopting, or serving as a missionary.
Here are some of my favorite bits of the book! :
"Singleness is an incredible opportunity to be fully consecrated in body and spirit to Jesus Christ alone--to be
undistracted by any other romance and free to be consumed with Him."
Here is the crucial truth that all too many of us miss in our quest for true love: Even a beautiful God-scripted love story can never satisfy the way Jesus does. Even the most heroic and Christ-like man on earth can never fulfill the longings of our heart like the true Prince and Lover of our soul. And until we are able to
truly make Him our first love, until we are willing to give up our dream of an earthly love story for His sake, we will never know the fullness of Him who fills us all in all. We will always be looking to a mere man to meet the desires of our heart, rather than to the One who created us, who knows us better than we know ourselves, and who gave His very life's blood to rescue us.
"Until we are content with Him alone, we aren't truly ready for an earthly romance that will stand the test of time.
"The gently voice of Christ's Spirit was challenging me to become so completely consumed in my relationship with Him that I no longer pined after an earthly romance...To be so fulfilled in Him that I had no urgent need to have someone at my side. To embrace singleness joyfully, no longer seeing it as a curse, but as an amazing opportunity to build my entire life around my heavenly Prince. "
"There would be plenty of Christian voices in my life that would shout with indignation that such a sacrifice was completely unnecessary and extreme. But they did the same to Mary when she poured out her valuable perfume upon Jesus. Mary did not have the understanding or approval of others, but she had the smile of her King. And I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt which one I would
rather have."
"I was willing to gladly endure the pain of self-sacrifice, knowing that unspeakable joy lies on the other side of obedience."
"Yes, I still desired to get married and raise a family
someday. But those desires no longer controlled or consumed me the way they had before... It wasn't easy. There were many lonely nights wondering if I had made the right choice, wondering if a life of such extreme consecration to Christ was really necessary. But in those
moments I would call out to the One who faced the most intense loneliness of all time. He would gently remind me of the struggle He faced in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had asked His Father if there was any other way--but there was not. And so willingly, joyfully, He had endured the greatest test of time... all because of His love for me.
"That season of surrender was the foundation of everything I have now, from my love story with Eric to my daily intimate walk with Jesus Christ to my message for today's young women. When I laid everything down at the feet of my King, that's when I discovered the beauty and romance of the Christ-life. The moment I died to self's agenda was the moment I truly began to live for the first time. Obedience, when it flows out of a genuine love for Jesus Christ, is never wasted or regretted."
"American Christianity tells us to exalt our emotions and desires above the call of Christ to die to self, lay all our dreams and hopes on the altar, and take up our cross daily."
"Precious sisters, let us never profane the sacred sacrifice of our King by seeking the benefits of Christ without the cross! Just as He gave up His life, so we are called to give up ours. It doesn't matter what makes us happy or what makes us feel good. Yes, the way is narrow and rocky and causes pain, but that's the very road Jesus walked-- and may it be our greatest privilege and joy to follow in His steps.
"Let us not fall for the ear-tickling, lackadaisical messages that require less than absolute abandonment to the One who gave His very life for us. He took up His cross, and He
asks us to do the same."
"I was to
expect to be single--and to become fully content with singleness--unless at some point God made it clear that He had different plans for me.
"No, this is not over-
spiritualizing singleness. It's applying the gospel to singleness."
"Often, He will delay bringing marriage into our life until we've learned to find perfect contentment in Him. It's the same with ministry opportunities, children, and other dreams and desires He's placed in our hearts. The dreams themselves are good and God given, but keeping a death grip on them is not."
"In this single season of life, we are freer than we'll ever be to give our lives to those in need and become Christ's advocates for the least around the world...In your single years, more than ever, you have the ability to give your life for them; to pour out your time, your energy, your love, and your resources to those that have God's special favor...the poor.
Are you using this gift for the benefit of those in need, or are you squandering it on yourself?""My first challenge to you is to dedicate your singles years (and all the years beyond, but it starts with where you are today)
to be poured out for the glory of Christ. Are you willing to lay all your own pursuits upon the altar and allow Him to make your body a living sacrifice? This is not a decision to take lightly."
There are 143 million orphans in the world today. They are hungry, sick, scared, and alone. They ache for love, for a family, for an advocate...
Ask God to show you where to start. Sometimes, He asks us to begin with one."
"My precious sisters, we are not in a time of peace. We are in a time of war...
By God's grace we must do everything in our power to see living, vibrant, and relevant historic Christianity
rise from this conflict as the emergent victor to represent Jesus Christ for the next century and beyond with love, honor, and power...
Singleness is a short season. Marriage is a short season. Heaven is for eternity.
He's Always been Faithful by Sara Groves
