It’s hard to believe that it’s Friday again. I don’t know if the week seems to go by fast because I mark the end of each one with this post, or if it seems to go by fast because it’s truly going by fast.  Having a little 18 month old mini-me walking around the house, noticeably changed every single morning she wakes up, I have a sneaking suspicion it’s the latter. Time is going by fast.

On Tuesday this past week I took my toddler girl with me to vote. There was a Senate and House seat open here where we live in North Carolina, along with a Supreme Court Associate Justice seat. Typically I don’t think much about voting. It’s one of the many American things I take for granted. But this past Tuesday was different. As I walked out of the small church fellowship hall, the voting location for our area, holding my female toddler, and me of course a female too, the hundreds of girls taken captive in Nigeria flashed across my mind. I smiled at the three people handing out campaign flyers, two men and a young woman, told them to have a nice day, got in my car and started to cry. I couldn’t help it.

Here I was a woman – by the world’s standards, and even history’s standards as far back as the Old Testament, just merely a woman with no real worth or dignity – walking out of a place where I exercised my God-given right to a voice in our country’s political system. And there, on the other side of the world, young girls are enslaved primarily because they were going to school.

Pure grace.

That’s all there is to it. Pure grace reigning down on me from Heaven. Pure grace for being born in a country where the goal is for women to be treated with the integrity that God gave them. No, our country hasn’t always gotten it right. And no, in some ways it’s still not right. But at least I’m not enslaved for going to school. And not only that, I get to vote.

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I met with a sweet friend this past week who is 32 and single. During my time with her I was reminded of how badly I wish I could take it away for all of you – all the loneliness, all the uncertainty, all the fear. I wish I could snap my fingers and each of you meet the man God has for you. But then again, that would mean that I would I would get the glory, and you know a person getting the glory never works out well.

There’s only One who can meet your needs – all of your needs – right now in your singleness, and that person is Jesus. Do you believe that? Do you sincerely believe that Jesus can meet every one of your needs – physical, emotional, mental, spiritual? Because I’m here to tell you that He can and He already does.

Just think back to how God has sustained you already in your life. Think about the previous times you’ve felt full of despair. He was faithful then. And He will be faithful now.

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I hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend last weekend! Didn’t the week fly by? Here in North Carolina the weather was beautiful and warm and perfect. I love it when Easter comes later than in March. When it comes in March you can’t even wear the Easter clothes you plan on wearing! Here’s a quick look into our day because, you know, I just can’t help but sharing.

I remember growing up and thinking that only kids’ years revolved around the “school calendar” – starts in August and goes to June. Then I became a teacher, and my year still started in August and ended in June. But even now, without any connection to schools at all, my year still seems to come to an end in June. We’re wrapping up Bible Study Fellowship in just a few weeks, so I’m starting to think about what I’m going to do for Bible study this summer.

(Which, by the way, next year’s Bible Study Fellowship will be on the life of Moses, and I highly recommend it. There’s even young adult classes in some places. Check out more information here. I’ve learned so much and my Bible knowledge has increased exponentially!)

Have you started to think about a Bible study for the summer? Well, I have a thought for you! I’ll be leading a Bible study/book study this summer in-real-life for single women, and I thought I’d include you all and do it online too. I’ll let you know the study in the days to come, but for now, think about that!

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Okay, here’s the funny of the day, and this just happened today as I write this, but yesterday for all of you. My personality type is an INFJ. I just found out this about myself a few years ago, and it completely revolutionized my world. I love being an INFJ mainly because I finally have an explanation for my quirkiness which includes complete absent-mindedness at times, lacking in the common sense arena, and an overall scattered existence. Which also makes me accidentally leave groceries in the car when I get home from the grocery store. Not all of the groceries, but just a bag here or there.

Now if you knew my husband you would know that this kind of thing drives him completely out of his mind. I don’t know what his personality type is, but I do know that it’s not INFJ. Stong on the “I” – yes – but the others probably as opposite from me as you can get. He’s the math guy. The logical one. The one who barely says words much less writes them.

So anyway . . . today he sends me an email that says, “you know what’s not nice that I realized . . . I came home yesterday with some fresh eggs and they are still in my truck!!!!!!!”

I know I should have done the Jesus thing, but I so didn’t! Instead I told him God was serving him up some humble pie! And fortunately for me, I think he ate it!

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It’s the middle of the day on Friday, and I’m just sitting down to write you for the first time this week. Wow! It has been an unusual week for us around here, as normally our lives are pretty quiet and predictable, but this week we had the blessing of joy come into our home through my dear friend, Emily.

Emily and I met through (in)Courage when we served together as community group leaders for the single women’s group. We Skyped, we chatted, we prayed, and we became friends. So when she was coming to North Carolina for the Make It Happen Conference in Chapel Hill, it was only natural for her to extend her trip and us meet in person. She spend most of the week with us, and I cannot tell you how much joy she brought into our lives.

Let me tell you a little about Emily.

She’s who I wish I had been at 28 years old.

She is nine years younger than me. She is a single woman. She loves Jesus. She works with a non-profit organization for children with special needs. She leads a small group. She co-leads the (in)Courage single women’s group. She is passionate about creating community and a master at hospitality. She loves children. She desires marriage and children. She is a dreamer, leader, and encourager. God is revealing more and more of His purpose for her life a little each day. She is living a faithful and purposeful life, making her single years count for something bigger than herself.

I just love Emily.

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Did you know that turkeys (like the ones you eat at Thanksgiving) fly? And no, this isn’t the beginning of a joke even though now I can laugh about it, a little. Well, I didn’t know that turkeys fly until one flew into our windshield this past weekend as we headed home from Georgia. We were going full speed ahead on the interstate. If you’ve ever wanted to know what a flying turkey can do to your windshield, here’s a glimpse.

Praise God it wasn’t worse, we were able to get over without losing control or hitting any other cars, and we’re all okay. But boy! Nothing like a flying turkey coming at you!

So here’s to flying turkeys and another weekend! It’s been kinda quiet with the prayer requests the past few weeks, but I’m still praying for you! Leave your request or just an “unspoken” either in the comments or on the Facebook page.

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