I Kissed A Lot of Frogs.....

If you know anything about me, you know that I am a firm believer in fairytales. I recently had the opportunity to teach a 1st grade class while their teacher was out on leave. As any other teacher would do on the Friday before Thanksgiving Break, the class and I watched movies and read different books throughout the day. One of the movies the class voted to watch was my personal favorite, Beauty and The Beast. My favorite part is when Belle and the Beast begin to fall in love. You know, the part where they are playing in the snow, reading in front of the fire, eating breakfast, THEN they begin to dance...The beginning of their Happily Ever After. When this part came on the screen, I felt the butterflies come into my stomach and began fantasizing about when I would fall in love. I realized then I wasn't the only girl in the room affected by Belle and the Beast falling in love. I looked around and about 3/4 of the girls in this 1st grade classroom had their hands on their face with tears streaming down their little cheeks. Little girls begin dreaming of their real life fairytale at such a  young age and sometimes this dream last until... well... you're 22 :)

I often found myself asking "Why God? What have I done to still be single?" Ever heard of a blessing in disguise? Yeah, being single is one of those. In a sermon I recently, we were challenged to look back to see where we came from. I know that I am a Christian, but when I looked back in my past, I began thanking God for allowing me to be single for the past 1 1/2 years. Oh how much I have grown. There is no way I would be where I am now, doing the things I am doing had I not been. Paul writes to the Church in Corinth these words in 1 Corinthians 7, "But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided." Now, I've read this passage countless numbers of times over the past few months and the words free from concern never stuck out more than they did last night. Paul had a life so focused on God that he didn't have time to sit around and have a pity party about being single. He was content. Paul loved his life, his God and loved being single. He told readers "I wish that all were as myself." Well Paul, I pray I can be like you.

I wanted to share my story about being happy- not just content- and single, so I began writing one. As part of research on how to actually write a book, I went to a local bookstore and looked for a book I could relate to. I really think God was sitting beside me on the floor putting this book in my hand. I Kissed a Lot of Frogs But the Prince Hasn't Come. I began reading it and was absolutely floored. The author had graduated from school with a degree in education and could not find a job. She stayed up praying for her soul mate. Talk about a story I could relate to- THIS WAS THE STORY OF MY LIFE! She talked of how she would be so jealous of couples but she gave everything to God. The story she shared was just amazing. I found myself more jealous of her than of my friends who had recently got engaged or married. Why? Because she was so in love with Christ.

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Proverbs 31

Over the past months, I've given everything to God. Yes, I still feel lonely on weekends when I 'm home alone eating popcorn on the couch knowing I have friends on dates. But I'm learning that these nights are perfect for spending time with my heavenly father- growing, learning, praising him.