Do you absolutely love this book yet?? I love it even more the second time around! There is just page after page of truth, encouragement, and love. The words I have searched for…there they are written on the page so matter of fact-ly. With Jesus first and my boyfriend second, I will have lasting peace and security. I absolutely love the wisdom behind each one of Debby’s words. You may think this quote does not work for you because you do not have a boyfriend so there is no possible way you can be putting a boyfriend first before God, you are all good. That is so WRONG! For me, I do not have a boyfriend, but I can so easily see how I put the hunt for my boyfriend and eventually husband way above Jesus.
When we do this it may seem harmless, or impossible to stop. There is something so important about truly putting God first: you receive his lasting peace and security. Maybe if we have been feeling insecure lately, we can look at where we are finding our security. Chasing after men will never lead to security or peace. Those gifts from above are only available when we surrender the hunt to God and start chasing after all HE has for us!
Reading through Debby’s journal entries I felt quite convicted. I have so gotten to that point in my life where all I could do was pick up the pieces of my broken heart and hand them over piece by piece to My Perfect Healer. I too, have asked Jesus to keep my heart safe, guard it, keep the key, and give it to only the one who He has for me. I made a pact with God that I would seek HIM first and when a man came along I would pray to Him alone to see if this would be the man to hold the key to my heart one day. I was doing so well with this until I was about to turn 24.
The closer and closer it got to my 24th birthday the further and further I got away from that perfect security God had given me. I wanted to be married by the time I was 25…there was no way now that this was going to happen because I am single at 24. We all have our ideal futures, don’t we? Please, tell me I am not the only one that had an idea of how they were going to meet their husband, how they were going to start dating, how he would propose, how they would be happy and married one day: sooner rather than later. Has your ideal future ever come true? I am here to tell you, unless your ideal future is completely in line with God’s future for you; it is never coming true. You can stop wishing and hoping for something so miniscule compared to what God has for you: THE BEST YOU NEED.
Just so happens instead of a man, this study came into my life right after my 24th birthday. This study has truly helped me through a struggle: a struggle of putting the hunt for my non-existent boyfriend over God. This study was what I needed and what you need and God knew that!
This study is instrumental in keeping my focus on God and not on my husband. It has helped me seek God more often. It has helped me to find support from other ladies that are struggling with the same exact thing as me. It has brought me closer to God. It has made me realize that my ideal future is NOTHING compared to the ACTUAL future God has for me. I am on a mission to embrace HIS future. Where is your mission leading you: to YOUR ACTUAL ALMIGHTY GOD or to your ideal man you thought of one lonely night?
I want you to understand something as I write this to you ladies. The reason I feel convicted is because I may have given God my heart, but it doesn’t mean I haven’t tried to get it back from Him on several occasions. It does not mean I do not struggle with being single and 24!!! There is one image I see daily that almost always is a struggle to see. A man and a woman holding hands walking together, sometimes her head is rested on his shoulder, but it doesn’t have to be just the hands in one gets me. You see I have always wanted to hold hands with a man-my man. When I see others doing what I want so badly to do I instantly think, “Lord, why can’t I have a man holding my hand as I walk down the street? I am learning that I can have that man but I can also have the man God has for me. I am waiting oh so patiently for the man who will one day be holding my hand in one and the key to my heart in the other. As a lady in waiting I pray that YOU do the same.
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Let us Pray: Lord, thank you that you give us so many blessings on a daily basis. Thank you for your blessing of security that we find in you alone. I pray that each and every one of us will be able to put down the ideal man and chase after receiving your many blessings. I pray that we are able to support each other along our journey. I thank you and praise you for bringing this group together. I pray that you help all of us to be patient, waiting for your perfect timing in our lives. We love you so incredibly much, Amen!
Your Assignment: Please share with us-What is ONE THING you have learned/ gained from this study thus far? What is the ONE thing that you see from couples that you struggle with on your journey as a lady in waiting? In your quiet time-Pray to God, be honest with Him. If you are ready give Him your heart. If you are ready make a pact with Him about what you are going to do or not do to make sure God is put first, always.
Much love to you ladies,
Diane
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For the “Lady In Waiting” Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website by clicking the “sign-up here” button at the top of our webpage; which is also where you can sign up to participate in this awesome bible study!
