Mostly Im just poppin in to say hi! I dont stop by very often seeing how I dont really associate myself with any one denomination and I dont like debating things so when I do stop by I often leave with out saying anything.
I was raised in a litergical church, I attend a charismatic church, Im part of a chrisitans missions orginization, and many of my friends are from a mennonite or conservative baptist back ground. I usually enjoy the fellowship I have in such a broad circle but at other times I feel like an island.
Im a single woman serving in missions, I have never dated, trusting God to arange my marriage, I lean towards the ideas of courtship. Next to God my greatest desire is to marry and have a family. I want as many kids as God will allow me to have....of course being 30 that window of child bearing years will fast dissapear. I intend to homeschooling my children. In fact I beleive raising a family and involving them in missions is the greatest ministry I could ever do. I dress modestly though I primarily wear jeans. Missions wise I have heart for the muslim world. Currently I work stateside organizing camps for kids, teaching young adults about missions and leading teams overseas. I have served in 12 nations ranging from 2 weeks to 6 months. I hope to one day go long term, but dont plan to go till I know for sure that God has called me. I sincerly beleive that the muslim world is not the place for a single woman. I feel I would have more opportunities authority with in that culture myself if I were a wife and mother
My immediate family (mom, step-dad, brothers and much of my extended relations) think I joined a cult when I shared that I was born again, that I decided to be rebaptised and as I began to share with them the things that were on my heart. They think people who have large families are foolish and that being a stay at home mom is not a worthwhile goal. They think homeschooling ones children is going to ruin that child. Their denomination will not allow them to have communion with me, which I think is verry sad. I still visit them often, but we are not really close.
10 years ago God blessed me with a second family, it is to their home that I go on the weekends, and if Im sick. It is of them that I ask advise and counsel. My greatest joy is the times I have gotten to spend with their 5 children, weather hiking together, praying together or getting to fill in at their teacher for the day. Many of my convicitions about mariage and children have come from them and it is the Dad of this family that I send fathers day gifts to & whose blessing I seek in each new chapter of my life (missions trips, jobs, and hopefully a future marriage) My adopted family encourages and support me in every area. Only when I am with them, do I not feel like an island. When I express me desires and fear to them they remind me that God has placed both missions and marriage on my heart, and that they are confident that He will bring both about in His perfect timing. They do challenge me to continue trusting and waiting on God any time I decide to take matters into my own hands
- my mennonite & baptist friends encourage me in my convictions towards courtship, marriage, homeschooling and modesty. and Yet for most of them Im not modest enough, I dont wear dress or cover my hair. They have told me that as a woman I should be at home with my parents, under their authority and protection. Most of them do not approve of my involvment in missions and ministry.
-Among my charismatic friends and those I work with in ministry. Im ultra conservative, I dress like a school marm. The fact that Im 30 and have never dated, means obviously my convictions and standards are too high. Im the only one in that group who thinks purity involves more than just saving sex for marriage, but saving our heart, innermost thoughts, dreams and emotions, and most forms of intimate touch for the one we plan to spend our lives with. They tell me that it is good that Im using my single years to serve Jesus and that i should not be afraid to move overseas forever. They think it is silly that I would prefer to go to the muslim world as a married woman over going as a single. in fact most of them think if I do go overseas I should only have a few children. For in their opinion children interupt and hinder true ministry. They would be aghast to learn that if I had to choose between marriage and missions I would choose marriage
I guess I write all this hoping that there are some folks out there who can relate. thanks for listening to my rant
I was raised in a litergical church, I attend a charismatic church, Im part of a chrisitans missions orginization, and many of my friends are from a mennonite or conservative baptist back ground. I usually enjoy the fellowship I have in such a broad circle but at other times I feel like an island.
Im a single woman serving in missions, I have never dated, trusting God to arange my marriage, I lean towards the ideas of courtship. Next to God my greatest desire is to marry and have a family. I want as many kids as God will allow me to have....of course being 30 that window of child bearing years will fast dissapear. I intend to homeschooling my children. In fact I beleive raising a family and involving them in missions is the greatest ministry I could ever do. I dress modestly though I primarily wear jeans. Missions wise I have heart for the muslim world. Currently I work stateside organizing camps for kids, teaching young adults about missions and leading teams overseas. I have served in 12 nations ranging from 2 weeks to 6 months. I hope to one day go long term, but dont plan to go till I know for sure that God has called me. I sincerly beleive that the muslim world is not the place for a single woman. I feel I would have more opportunities authority with in that culture myself if I were a wife and mother
My immediate family (mom, step-dad, brothers and much of my extended relations) think I joined a cult when I shared that I was born again, that I decided to be rebaptised and as I began to share with them the things that were on my heart. They think people who have large families are foolish and that being a stay at home mom is not a worthwhile goal. They think homeschooling ones children is going to ruin that child. Their denomination will not allow them to have communion with me, which I think is verry sad. I still visit them often, but we are not really close.
10 years ago God blessed me with a second family, it is to their home that I go on the weekends, and if Im sick. It is of them that I ask advise and counsel. My greatest joy is the times I have gotten to spend with their 5 children, weather hiking together, praying together or getting to fill in at their teacher for the day. Many of my convicitions about mariage and children have come from them and it is the Dad of this family that I send fathers day gifts to & whose blessing I seek in each new chapter of my life (missions trips, jobs, and hopefully a future marriage) My adopted family encourages and support me in every area. Only when I am with them, do I not feel like an island. When I express me desires and fear to them they remind me that God has placed both missions and marriage on my heart, and that they are confident that He will bring both about in His perfect timing. They do challenge me to continue trusting and waiting on God any time I decide to take matters into my own hands
- my mennonite & baptist friends encourage me in my convictions towards courtship, marriage, homeschooling and modesty. and Yet for most of them Im not modest enough, I dont wear dress or cover my hair. They have told me that as a woman I should be at home with my parents, under their authority and protection. Most of them do not approve of my involvment in missions and ministry.
-Among my charismatic friends and those I work with in ministry. Im ultra conservative, I dress like a school marm. The fact that Im 30 and have never dated, means obviously my convictions and standards are too high. Im the only one in that group who thinks purity involves more than just saving sex for marriage, but saving our heart, innermost thoughts, dreams and emotions, and most forms of intimate touch for the one we plan to spend our lives with. They tell me that it is good that Im using my single years to serve Jesus and that i should not be afraid to move overseas forever. They think it is silly that I would prefer to go to the muslim world as a married woman over going as a single. in fact most of them think if I do go overseas I should only have a few children. For in their opinion children interupt and hinder true ministry. They would be aghast to learn that if I had to choose between marriage and missions I would choose marriage
I guess I write all this hoping that there are some folks out there who can relate. thanks for listening to my rant
