I recently met a young woman who seemed to be pursuing a college education because she hadn’t yet married. Her main desire in life is to be a wife and mother. But what do you do when that doesn’t materialize when you thought it would?   Recently I’ve heard several older single women question their purpose in life. They have college degrees and jobs, churches and families and friends. Yet, it still seems like there’s something eluding them, a purpose they’ve not yet fulfilled.   In recent days, I myself have dealt with questions about the purpose of my life; as we enter new years, seasons, or...

Sovereign Lord, Designer of all—   from the pattern of stars splayed across the skies to the detailed shapes of flower petals   Your purpose is fulfilled—   intentional beauty nothing wasted nothing without benefit   nothing that cannot be redeemed   In You I find the hope for all my failures, the strength in all my weaknesses   Crafter of hearts, Creator of souls:   I trust You to fulfill Your beautiful intentional purpose in who I am   nothing wasted nothing without benefit   nothing unredeemed   Amen.  ...

The first thing I noticed about him was that he was reading. Then I noticed he was reading a Christian book—and had a journal on his table.   Earlier that day I’d had a conversation with a friend about some book that teaches women how to get dates and “put themselves out there.” I knew without reading the book that I would never measure up, becoming a flirty, spunky, “Hi-what’s-your-name?” kind of girl around men I don’t know.   That conversation was ringing in my mind as I glanced at this guy across the pages of my own book. I couldn’t get up the nerve to strike up a conversation, even to...

You are Beyond – Above – Higher and Highest:   You are the one who surpasses all. You rise above thought, imagination, dream, desire   and fulfill what we did not know we longed for—   oh, how wonderful You are, and terrible in one. Awesome, to be feared:   Sovereign.   In that word is my sanctuary, in that word is my fear   in that word Your goodness permeates until my heart is at rest, until my hands open and release,   until my spirit receives   that which is Above, Beyond, Higher and Highest.  ...

Quite some time ago, I entered a bookstore café to do some writing and snagged the only empty seat left, one of two armchairs with a small side table between them. The other armchair was occupied by a man who, I noticed, was not wearing a wedding band.   As I settled in, my internal monologue went something like this: There’s no way that guy would happen to be a Christian, but even if he were, what are the odds that he would speak to me?   But I was wrong.   Soon the guy started talking to me, and he did happen to be a Christian, which was obvious based on the content of our...