By Jackie M. Johnson
Years ago, I was talking with a guy friend (let's call him Mitch). I was going through a heart-wrenching breakup at the time and I decided to ask him for his best advice on how to deal with it.
If you've ever gone through a relationship breakup, you've probably heard something like this:
After the sun has set on your relationship, and you've gone through the darkest time, you're farther along the heart healing journey. It's nearly Dawn.
Sunrise in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains can be spectacular. The first rays of sunlight crawl across the eastern plains, and gradually increasing in brightness to reveal—like footlights on a stage—the splendor of majestic Pikes Peak.
“My job is great,” said Priya said, “It’s just the people I work with; they drive me crazy!” No matter where you work or with whom you live, there will always be people with different points of view or annoying habits.
If you or someone you know is doing online dating, listen up. These days it's often hard to tell the difference between the profiles of men and women who want a real romance and the ones who are "fake news" on a dating site.
It happens easily enough. We don't mean to, but somehow life pulls us in a hundred different directions. We get distracted and busy–and it pulls us further and further away from the One who loves us most.
If you’re single or single again, the Living Single blog will encourage you with inspiring, uplifting and practical content on dating, relationships and living the faith life.
Did you know that today there are more single adults than married adults in America? The tipping point came in 2014. So if there are now more single men and women than ever, what is the church doing to meet their needs?
My friend was hurting. We sat at my kitchen table and Sara told me about her boomerang boyfriend who had just broken up with her–again. She attacked the bowl of Super Duper Chocolate Fudge ice cream in front of her and shared her story.
When something is broken our first response is to fix it. A broken pipe under the sink. A broken lock on the front door. A broken chain on our bike. We get out-of-order things back in order, and move on.
Are you losing sleep because you have a big decision to make? Like where to go to college or whom to marry. Perhaps you’re torn between two job offers and you’re just not sure which way go. Could it be that you need God to guide you in buying a house or how to best discipline your kids or what to do about your aging parents?
Dating isn’t always easy. That’s for sure. Whether your dating life has been desert dry and you haven’t had a date in months (or years), or you’re just starting to like someone, new beginnings in relationships can be fraught with questions and angst.
Life seems to involve a lot of waiting. Maybe you’re waiting for the phone to ring—with good news about a job offer or for that guy you’ve had your eye on to finally ask you out. Or, you’re waiting to save up for that dream vacation…or for cookies to bake…or for springtime to come after a long winter.
What are you telling yourself about yourself? Is it positive or negative? Encouraging or discouraging? Maybe a parent or boyfriend or former spouse has beaten you down emotionally and you feel unwanted, unattractive and rejected. You feel less than. But that is not who you really are.
Many folks make New Year’s resolutions and then break them within the next few weeks—or even the next day! It’s not easy to try to change something in your life—like losing weight or getting organized—by gritting your teeth and trying harder. It’s often next to impossible.
Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner. Where I live in Colorado the bright yellow aspen leaves have long fluttered to the ground leaving barren tree limbs. The days are cooler and the nights longer. And there’s a powdered sugar dusting of snow on Pikes Peak.
America is at a crossroads. On November 8, the citizens of this great republic will elect a new President and Vice-President (and vote in many other state and local elections). It’s been said that the 2016 Presidential Election is one of the most important elections of our lifetime. Perhaps that has been said before in other years about other elections. But this one seems particularly crucial, especially for people of faith.
It was a cold January day in Colorado and the world was covered in white from the morning’s snowfall. It looked like a snow globe had been unleashed. The clouds had parted and it was starting to clear, so I decided to take a walk. I went to a nearby park and stood amazed at the beauty of God’s creation: the deep blue sky set against the red orange rocks draped in fresh, pristine snow. As I walked, I saw a scrub oak tree with dried up leaves still clinging to the branches. “How odd,” I thought. “Autumn is over. Why are these brown, crunchy leaves still holding on to this tree? Their season has passed.” I took a moment to look and wonder why the leaves clung so tightly to the swaying branches—as if their life depended on it. Only they were dead...
Are your feeling bound up in bitterness, anger, or resentment because someone has hurt you? Hard as it is, maybe it’s time to release your vice grip hold on those emotions and forgive him or her. And in doing so, you will find freedom and peace.
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Connect With Jackie M. Johnson
Jackie M. Johnson is an author and freelance writer who enjoys bringing biblical hope and practical help to singles worldwide. Her books include Power Prayers for Women, When Love Ends and the Ice Cream Carton Is Empty, and Powerful Prayers for Challenging Times and Praying with Power When Life Gets Tough. Connect with Jackie on Facebook or jackiejohnsoncreative.com.
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