Kahlilah
What do I like about being a single lady at Grace Church?
I love the people I have met and how almost every conversation I have leaves me desiring God more than I did before. I love how the people I know are real people. I have heard testimony after testimony of people dealing with health, financial, and family issues, and it increases my faith to hear how they are still trusting God. I like the fact that even though I am single, I do not carry an awareness of being single. At Grace, since it is a small church, I feel that it is more of a gift than a burden or a phase of my life that I need to hurry up and "get through." The church I went to before Grace church was pretty big, so they had a different ministry for the singles (at one time even the singles had 2 ministries, older and younger singles), young marrieds, older marrieds, youth, junior high, high school, etc. I had that as my baseline when I first visited Grace church. My disappointment at the small number of singles my age left me feeling like maybe I didn't belong here. I prayed about going to another church; one that was closer to my house and one where I could meet other singles my age.
But God had something better for me. I think that He is showing me that I am always putting Him in a box and outlining where I think He can and can't work, or what He can and cannot do. It only took one Sunday meeting and one small group meeting for me to know that I belonged here. I remember thinking that it didn't make any sense. What would I have to offer to these ladies who have seen more and know more than I? Whose lives are filled with the day to day struggles of marriage and children? Would they understand me? What would they have to offer me? Would they think my problems are insignificant?
I can say that right now, none of those things are an issue. Those were just my ways of worrying and being anxious and again, putting God in a box.
God has met me in so many different ways since coming to Grace church, mostly through His people. I feel like one part of a working whole; I more deeply understand what it means to be a member of the body of Christ. And, I have begun to understand what Paul meant when he said, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content."
