Hi ladies! Andrea Boll here. I’m soooo excited to be participating in this awesome blog with so many Godly women. : ) What a blessing!
First things first, eh? I’ll introduce myself, like everyone before me!
I graduated from Missouri Southern State University in May, and I’ve since moved to Joplin and started working full-time. I love living in Joplin because it puts me closer to the community of Christ’s Church. (I had lived about 30 miles away, before.) I also want to mention that God’s timing was perfect…I just started attending CCOJ in January. Before that, I was church-hopping. It’s been an incredible blessing to meet people who have poured love, encouragement, and sound teaching into my life. Also, I am single, which may go without saying…and learning (daily!) to find my identity in Christ. Man, what a tough lesson at times! Just when I think I have things figured out, God reminds me that He is in control, and that’s such a comforting thing.
I had many brain storms for ideas of what to blog about but nothing was really developing, so I think instead I’ll just share some truths that God has shared with me in the past week or so.In my life group on Wednesday, we started out by discussing who Jesus is. People said things such as: He is infinite, the only savior, source of peace, hope, or joy…All of these things are beautiful…and all point to my favorite way to think of Jesus: LOVE. Jesus represents Love. Ladies, sometimes we have such a skewed view of what love is (me, too!). I am learning to be content in my singleness, and not to pine for every guy who looks in my direction. If a man cannot display Christlike love for you, move on!
Also at Life Group (those Life Groups = good stuff!), we were singing a song. Some are the words were, “I’d rather have Jesus, than anything.” I looked around the room at the various ages of men and women and saw the genuine worship, and then I was struck with a truth. It struck me that we should all have that attitude, and we should DEFINITELY seek that mentality in the men we find ourselves attracted to. I have made the mistake over and over of being attracted to 37 guys at one time (surely one of them will be nice, right??). It’s such a discouragement (and also a waste of time) as you realize reason after reason you can’t (or shouldn’t) be with this guy or that guy. It struck me that if I would, first, seek Christ as my affirmation and first love, and second, only allow myself to be attracted to men who understand the importance of following Christ over anything else, I’d be so much better off! Realize this is easier said than done, but it is so freeing!
Let’s pray together this week.
-For eachother! Pray for your sisters to continually seek their identity in Christ-For contentedness in singleness
-That we would seek Christ as our ultimate source of Love
-For peace and patience as we live the life that He has for us RIGHT NOW
Going Green!
-Andrea
First things first, eh? I’ll introduce myself, like everyone before me!
I graduated from Missouri Southern State University in May, and I’ve since moved to Joplin and started working full-time. I love living in Joplin because it puts me closer to the community of Christ’s Church. (I had lived about 30 miles away, before.) I also want to mention that God’s timing was perfect…I just started attending CCOJ in January. Before that, I was church-hopping. It’s been an incredible blessing to meet people who have poured love, encouragement, and sound teaching into my life. Also, I am single, which may go without saying…and learning (daily!) to find my identity in Christ. Man, what a tough lesson at times! Just when I think I have things figured out, God reminds me that He is in control, and that’s such a comforting thing.
I had many brain storms for ideas of what to blog about but nothing was really developing, so I think instead I’ll just share some truths that God has shared with me in the past week or so.In my life group on Wednesday, we started out by discussing who Jesus is. People said things such as: He is infinite, the only savior, source of peace, hope, or joy…All of these things are beautiful…and all point to my favorite way to think of Jesus: LOVE. Jesus represents Love. Ladies, sometimes we have such a skewed view of what love is (me, too!). I am learning to be content in my singleness, and not to pine for every guy who looks in my direction. If a man cannot display Christlike love for you, move on!
Also at Life Group (those Life Groups = good stuff!), we were singing a song. Some are the words were, “I’d rather have Jesus, than anything.” I looked around the room at the various ages of men and women and saw the genuine worship, and then I was struck with a truth. It struck me that we should all have that attitude, and we should DEFINITELY seek that mentality in the men we find ourselves attracted to. I have made the mistake over and over of being attracted to 37 guys at one time (surely one of them will be nice, right??). It’s such a discouragement (and also a waste of time) as you realize reason after reason you can’t (or shouldn’t) be with this guy or that guy. It struck me that if I would, first, seek Christ as my affirmation and first love, and second, only allow myself to be attracted to men who understand the importance of following Christ over anything else, I’d be so much better off! Realize this is easier said than done, but it is so freeing!
Let’s pray together this week.
-For eachother! Pray for your sisters to continually seek their identity in Christ-For contentedness in singleness
-That we would seek Christ as our ultimate source of Love
-For peace and patience as we live the life that He has for us RIGHT NOW
Going Green!
-Andrea
September 22, 2009 at 12:30 PM
haha... 37!?! Andrea! ...just when I thought I was alone in the matter ; )
thanks for the encouraging post!
September 22, 2009 at 12:48 PM
SO GOOD! Thanks for sharing, sister! I find your writing just as helpful, pleasant, funny, honest, and encouraging as I find your conversation. Love you!
September 22, 2009 at 10:34 PM
You ladies are too kind. : )
Thank YOU!
October 8, 2009 at 12:58 PM
I love that you gals are doing this. Fantastic work so far. Andrea, I really like this point as it also applies to me as a married woman
"It struck me that if I would, first, seek Christ as my affirmation and first love....I’d be so much better off!"
Amen. Thanks for sharing your insight.