Single-Minded

As I type this, I am sitting at my husband’s desk at his office, waiting for his engineering day to end so that we can moonlight as a couple of painters. We have the company break room in our sights and I’m lobbying for a crazy shock of red to replace the tired gray of the current walls. There are Benjamin Moore sample books on the desk beside me, and a crock pot of soup at my feet and we’re gearing up for a productive night in company with my two brothers-in-law.

But in this pause, as the company slowly shuts down for the night around me and my husband passes in and out with a quick smile, I can’t help but think of the time in which I not only did not own such a privilege as to bustle into this man’s office, clearing papers for the basket of bread and cake that I bore and completely commandeering his work space for a YLCF post—but when I had no idea that he even existed! It seems so funny to think of it, but my brother was employed by the electrician that did the wiring for this building, spending days on end working directly with Philip, the summer before I even met him. We laugh about it now—how all it would have taken would have been one day of me being sweet enough to drive my little brother to work and we’d have had this deal wrapped up a whole year earlier!

And it feels like forever ago—another lifetime altogether—that the big question of my life lay unanswered and the future stretched ahead like a kaleidoscope of differing possibility. What would he look like? Would he be as kind as I hoped, as gallant? Would he sweep me off my feet in a moment or engage in a gentle wooing?

Would I be married at all? Was there something I was missing; some path God was pointing to that didn’t lead to a wedding but to some other adventure of His choosing?

Would I be happy?

Those days may seem like a long time ago now. But I remember the questioning like it was yesterday. I remember the frustrations of singleness and the endless curiosity and the flashes of carefree joy with which God blessed my way. I remember the comparative luxury of time to focus on the Lord “without distraction” and I remember the pain of waiting. Keenly. I will never forget it. And I’m glad.

We at YLCF have been thinking a lot about our singles lately, wanting to make sure we’re serving your needs and meeting you where you are. We want to be aware that in the midst of all the good posts on marriage and homemaking and motherhood we’re not leaning too exclusively on vision-casting—important in its own right and a good thing. But not the only thing.

Not the Main Thing.

It’s for that reason that I’m excited to announce a special “Single-Mindedness” for the month of February. Look out for some wonderful pieces, some of which have been penned by our very own YLCF readers, on the blessings, the unique opportunities and, yes, the struggles of singlehood. And get ready for a little audience participation, as well. We want to hear from you: what are you doing with your single days? How are you focusing on the Lord and your relationship with Him? How are you maintaining your pursuit of the Main Thing in the midst of desire? In what ways have you learned contentment? What wonderful opportunities and ambitions has He given you?

Be thinking about it, because we want you to leave a comment on this post—or any of the others to follow this month—telling us how you’re actively investing your singlehood to the glory of God! Keep it simple and succinct because we’re planning on compiling them all into one post at the end of the month. And I am anticipating a wonderful tapestry of diversity exhibiting the creativity of our Creator-King and the beauty of His daughters in more unique situations than we can imagine.

So get scribbling!