Encouraging

To my single sisters

Single Christian Female Manifesto

Seek God above all else

Live a life that's pleasing to the Lord

Don't worry about what people think

If you are passionate about Christ be willing to speak out about it

Have a quiet and gentle spirit

Remember that even though people may forsake you God will take you in

Don't think that your Womanhood is not realized just because you are not a mother or a wife

Seek to encourage others in their faith

Fellowship is essential for exhorting one another to holiness

Be thankful for everything that God has given you

Know that the Lord is with you He has not forsaken you

Pray knowing that the Lord hears

Don't allow your soul to be downcast hope in God

Christ is your all in all, live like it

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Marriage Class for the single girl

Run! Flea! Have to get away!
I have no problem with marriage. I just don't want to hear about it.
I have a desire for marriage some or most single women do.
So my church is having a series on marriage. It's a good learning experience...
To be honest I fell asleep and drifted in and out of consciousness which makes me wonder if it was a spiritual attack or if I just should not have eaten that many carbs before church.
I am 34, I read the books The Excellent Wife, The Lies Women Believe, Kiss Dating Goodbye, Did I kiss Marriage Goodbye, Say Hello to Courtship, Quest for Love, Passion and Purity, this is not including the whole slew of sermons that I heard. Yes this is a full Blown RANT!!!!!
Anyhow me as woman love my femininity. Yes I can do my own heavy lifting but yes I appreciate when someone else does it for me. I can open my own tightly sealed jars. I am strong physically but fragile in other ways. I like submission, and partnership, I love children, encouraging, I love to cook for people, I like to crochet baby stuff....
There is within me a desire to use these skills to benefit a husband, but to be absolutely honest I don't think God has that for me. Is that a bad thing, no, not really. It just means that I will love on other people's kids and cook and give to people at my work, church, or family.
So to those who are single, be feminine own it, reflect how God created you to be. Do not worry about having a husband because if it comes, it comes, if it does you will not worry about it when you are before Jesus in Eternity. In the book Quest for Love book by Elisabeth Elliot one thing stuck with me and it's "Aim, above all else, at loving God." As a single woman, as a Christian period this is my goal, to love God with all my heart soul mind and strength and to love my neighbor as myself.
Yes I will go to the marriage class, hopefully without having people asking me how it's going...

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A single rib

A long time ago this blog was started with several contributers a long time ago. I do not recall how I was made one of the people able to contribute blog entries. It was for single women to exhort and encourage other single women. It has been pretty much abandoned but that's okay. We had been and some still are single ribs as Eve has been made from Adam's rib for Adam. Is our ultimate goal marriage as a Christian women? Yes and no, we are not completed by having an earthly husband, we will find the greatest satisfaction by being found united with Our heavenly bridegroom, the Son. As a Christian this union with Christ that conforms each Christian to the image of Christ is to be what we seek.
The Christian life is not easy but as it says in Philippians.
Philippians 3:13-14 ESV
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

So let each Christian press on to be found in Him. That union with Him more valuable than all things.

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Being Single in a Church filled with Couples

I started this post in 2014 and was very hesitant to complete it. Its hard being Christian and Single its like we are the unwanted stepchild not quite finding a place in the body when some socializing aspects exclude you. Those who are married talk about kids, careers, schools, and changes. I can't seem to be able to have the most appropriate response. When you are in certain churches Christianity appears to be so cookie cutter and the thing is some people do not fit this mold. What shall one do? Live to the glory of God. Seek communion with Him. Do not let the things of this world distract you or let them take your eyes from God. To those who are single we are in such a time where we can do much service. Let us then run the race set before us do not walk. I am created for God first and foremost to glorify Him. Eve was created to be a wife and mother of all mankind. As a single its not for me to know if I am ever to be a bride in this time but no matter what it is set to be part of the Bride of Christ.

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Sin, Singleness, and Lies Women Believe

I've been reading The Lies Women Believe and have found it exposing more and more sin. This brings me to repentance and urges me to focus more on getting the Word in me, that I may abide in Christ.

The group has been quiet for many months. During this time, I have stumbled and tried under my own strength to keep my sin under wraps. Now I realize that when I am not in the Word, when I don’t regularly go to church, worship, and pray, it is so easy be devoured by sin.
With my own experience in mind, I urge you all to read this book—and, of course, first and foremost the Word.

As one of the founders of The Single Ribs Society, I’ve decided to use this opportunity to write a serial blog, based on DeMoss’s book, exposing my own sins and lies. My prayer is that in reading my blog article, you will take the time to consider your own sin.

God help us, as women who seek Christ as our treasure.

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It Takes More than Lemons to Make Lemonade

5 Feb 2010

"When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!" Well, that's just a dandy idea, if "life" happens to hand you a half kilo of sugar, a large pitcher, a few dozen ice cubes, and a long stirring stick to boot! Make your lemonade and give me a jingle; it's been years since I've tasted the real stuff.

But what happens when "life," aka Christ--Creator & Giver of life and all things--hands you big ol' sack of lemons? Do you stand there and try to smile with your face screwed up in a lemon-biting grimace? Or do you immediately thank Him, the Giver of all things good, knowing that sometimes what is good for us can be pretty nasty stuff? Perhaps those lemons are meant to grow you--or someone else--spiritually, or to draw you--or someone else--closer to Christ. (My guess is Christ never gives us lemons solely for the benefit of others. Should He do that, we might start blaming all the "bad" things in life on those horrible, less-spiritual-than-me people around us.)

The moral of this story is, "When Christ brings you lemons, thank Him. When Christ brings your neighbor lemons, thank Him, then go to your neighbor with sugar and ice cubes."  It's our duty and a great blessing to help others, after all.

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Proverbs 31:30

Proverbs 31:30 says "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

I decided to use this post to discuss some things that are in this passage.

So many times I feel like women in general care too much about their appearance.

Why do we do that?

I think some women can feel insecure in the way they look. They want to appeal to the men. They think that if they don't put enough makeup or this or that on and accessorize, the guys will not look at them. They think it is more of an outward appearance that appeals than what is inside.

I disagree with this point of view. Although I have felt insecure with the way I look at times, I don't think outward appearance is what counts, but what is on the inside. The verse above says that beauty is fleeting...

I don't think we should worry about how we look, ladies. Oh, we can look nice for a special occasion, but let's not overdo it, shall we???

This is one reason why I have been uncomfortable with the idea of wearing makeup that much and have never worn makeup besides maybe a blush and even that is for very rare occasions.

I think we can fit jewelry into this section as well. If you wear anything, I wouldn't suggest wearing something large and clunky. If you think about it, it can just attract attention to an area where you shouldn't be trying to.. It can cause your Christian brothers to stumble.

Did you ever think about that?

If you really want to wear jewelry I would wear something small and simple, not large, as to not attract attention there.

So I've talked about beauty. Now I'll discuss what I think we as ladies should really concern ourselves with.....

The verse above says, "but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

Well my opinion of this section is...

I believe what really matters is what is in the inside. What we look like really shouldn't matter. The heart is what matters, not looks.

The guy who will want to marry you one day should really care about how much we are in love with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For Christ should be our number one priority before anyone and anything else. The young guy should care about where you stand in your walk with Christ before he ever thinks about the way you look.

So don't worry about how you look, but rather that you have a solid foundation and love for Christ,who gave his life for you.

I believe as ladies we should be spending more time with our Abba Father while we are single or even when we become married than wondering if we look good to everyone else. Too often I see young girls--whether they are Christians or not--flirting with the young guys. I find this sad.

Stop trying to get the guys attention!!!

We should be fearing God. Spending as much time as possible with Him. Meditating on His Word, praying, memorizing scripture.

We should be falling in love with Christ!!!! We shouldn't be like the world.

I'd like to remind you of a few verses ladies

Romans 12:1-2 "1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

1 John 2:15-17 "15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever."

Please consider what I say as a sister in Christ. Thanks so very much.

~ Michelle Miano

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