Today we had a wonderful surprise – guests for tea! Our dear friends Amy & Kylie Williams stopped by this afternoon and we quickly added another table and invited them to enjoy tea with us. 
We served peach & english breakfast tea with our Peppridge Farms fancy cookies as we enjoyed relaxing & fellowshipping with one another.
I shared with the girls about the “season of singleness” in my life when I decided to no longer date but to give myself exclusively to seeking & serving the Lord while waiting for Him to bring me the perfect match. The Lord gave me this scripture during that time in my life –
But I want you to be free from concern; One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord, but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife and his interests are divided.
The woman who is unmarried, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.
1 Corinthians 7:32-35
I wanted to be wholly undistracted & devoted to the Lord and I commited myself to seeking Him & Him alone and forsaking all other dating or intimate relationships until He clearly told me it was time!
That decision to not date resulted in four years of developing an intimate relationship with the Lord where He became my “everything” and I grew more into the person He wanted me to become. I was able to fully serve others and led many close friends to the Lord as well as becoming a full time youth pastor ministering to hundreds of youth.
A bonus to this “season of singleness” was being able to avoid the pointless dating, relationship & break up cycle that often results in a broken & damaged heart and physical impurity.
I shared how this “no dating” decision was met with disdain & ridicule by some friends, family members & even other believers. I was considered “strange” or “out there” by many. But I held my ground, despite others opinions, knowing that the Lord clearly led me to make this commitment.
That season lasted a short four years (although the girls shouted in unison & in disbelief “FOUR YEARS!” like it was an eternity! Too funny!) and was an incredible and awesome time in my life!
Of course they then wanted to know – the rest of the story (how I met their daddy & got married!) Next week – My love story with God as the matchmaker!
Inspire Ministries 
We were so blessed to enjoy tea this afternoon!! Thank you sooo much for your time and friendship!! Kylie is beyond excited that her picture is on the blog with Grace!! 🙂 We love you all!
Amy
Thank you, Beth, for your words of compassion and understanding of what the Lord leads us to in our lives. So much distracts us as adults, we can only imagine what our young girls and boys are going through as well.
The vivid picture you paint as you tell stories help me remember when the time is right for my daughter. Thank you.
Looking forward to the amazing Matchmaker that God can be!~
I love your messages and of course this one was as timely as ever for me. I just made a 3 month no dating promise to myself earlier today so I too exclaimed “4 years!!” when I read your words!! But if 3 months turns into 4 years or longer then so be it. My life is in God’s hands and I am commited to doing whatever it is the lord would have me do. Thank you for your words. I look forward to hearing the next instalment!!
Blessings,
-jenny