Oh you guys, I am so very excited to share today's post with you! I have been wanting to share something for all of my single friends (yep, there's a bundle of them) because I love them so much and want to encourage them where they are. Where you are. I believe that today's post will do just that. Read on to relate!
Written By: Kerrington Sweeney
I remember the day like it was just yesterday...it was a chilly April spring afternoon. My 14 year old-self was busily getting ready to go to one of my close church friends Hawaiian Style "Sweet 16." This was my very first co-gender party I was ever attending. I was so thrilled. Like I mentioned before, I was 14 years old and still in the process of 'finding myself' so to say.
That evening before I was just about ready to leave for the party, my parents were in the process of ordering new cell phones online. They were put on hold for what felt like forever (literally over 2 hours long...gotta love customer service. Urggh!) At this point the party had already begun and I was getting very impatient to get going. I arrived only about 30 minutes late to the party but, still I was late!!!
Upon my arrival, I walked in the back door of my friend's house and was greeted by a staircase landing filled with dozens of shoes. I could hear the voices of tons of people partying and loud music playing from inside. My heart began to pound. I am at a BIG party and it's going to be a late night...this is amazing! I thought. With great anticipation, I opened the door and the party was already in full swing. I had noticed vaguely that there were some guests that I didn't know at this party but, I didn't really pay much attention to it.
Like any other teenage-birthday party we all visited, played games and ate snacks. But then...it was cake time! I remember making my way to the dining room where cake was to be served. Between getting up from my chair in the living room to making my way the short distance to the dining room, my attention was caught by a very handsome young guy whom I had never met before in my entire life. My Friend, the ‘Birthday Girl’ saw that I was intrigued. And quickly ran to my aid and introduced us.
I was speechless. In that moment, I could feel my tummy fluttering frantically with hundreds of butterflies. I mustered up all the courage within me to say “Hello!” We chatted for quite some time that night and in amongst the crazy chaos and noise of the party for that 20 minutes or so it felt like it was just us there. No one else. Just him and I getting to know each other. The party went on and it was such a great night filled with so many memories. I remember leaving the party that night, with many hopes that one day I would see this young man again.
About a week's time had passed and I had given up any hope of really ever seeing him again. Besides I didn’t even know if he was a Christian or anything like that. I let the ‘feelings’ I had go. It was now the next Friday and I was off to youth group. All of us youth were just casually relaxing and chatting in the lobby of our church that night waiting for worship to get started. My back was faced towards the door. I heard the door open behind me and for some reason I turned around and lo and behold… there he was.
As time went on, we both began to have a crush on each other for about a year and a half between seeing each other at youth group on Friday Nights and now at Church on Sunday mornings. I was so excited to finally turn 16, so I could just date this guy. Then Life happened, and reality struck…
I knew without a doubt, deep down in my heart, that this was not the guy, God had chosen for me. Experiencing a heart-break for the first time was very difficult. I felt so empty…like I had nothing to offer. Like I wasn’t worth it. I came so close that time, to having that ultimate life goal fulfilled, with that perfect dating relationship and possibly filling that blank-space on my wedding invitations. But God had other plans for me. I moved on and began walking a different journey in my life. Around that time, I joined a Book Study Club that my youth leaders, Mandy and Cindy, were hosting for the girls of our youth group…and it so happened to be, that the book we began studying was “when God writes your love story.” Perfect timing, I know! I still remember the day that we ended our book study, and we had a time of reflection. It was then that, I rededicated this part of my life to God. May 30th, 2013…I gave my Love-story to the Lord once again.
In that special God ordained-moment, right in Mandy’s living room…sitting with 6 other single young ladies, who also were patiently waiting for their prince charming. We prayed together. We prayed that we would praise God in the good times and we’d praise Him in the tough times. We prayed that we would be patient for the right one to come into our lives and that we would trust God from that day forward with everything.
So Ladies my testimony is one of, God’s grace…Coming from a girl impatiently waiting to date just any guy, to a young woman waiting with purpose for her future Godly Husband. My desire for my life is to be a reminder to the world that singleness does not mean you are “stuck”. The purpose I believe in my Season of singleness is to take every day and to glorify Jesus in everything I do. It is an opportunity to let my life, be a true living sacrifice for Christ.
Until Next Time,
~Kerrington
Kerrington Sweeney is President & Founder of Uniquely Yours Ministries, (www.uniquelyyoursministries.com) a ministry dedicated to challenging, equipping and encouraging women. She is honoured that God has entrusted her with this adventure of Ministry Leadership at such young age.
She actively volunteers and serves on various leadership teams at church and in her community. She carries a strong mantle of community, a heart to love the unloveable, and walks with divine purpose to empower and compel women of the faith. She feel’s God’s ‘call’ to one day embark on the journey, of a lifestyle fully committed to ministry.
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