BEING SINGLE? YUCK!

So I've been single for only a couple of months now, it's all new to me. Before these last 8 months, I don't think I'd ever been single or without a fling longer than a month. I did go into this year deciding that I needed to take a year off boys to focus on my relationship with God, but that is a lot easier said than done isn't it? Anyway, when lock down started I honestly thought my world was ending, I am going to die alone, I'll never find anyone... I am the world's biggest drama queen. It was literally a day into quarantine and I re-downloaded tinder, standard, and began my hunt. It didn't take long for me to realize how little energy I had for swiping and then after matching actually having to talk to these guys... So I deleted it within 3 days. I then started focusing all my attention on growing closer to God. It didn't take long for me to realize I didn't need a guy to not feel lonely.

I started getting into a routine that I am honestly still trying to figure out with my detrimental sleep pattern. I started following the mindset of the 5am club, basically you wake up as early as possible (for me that's 7am at the moment, sometimes I pull of a 6.30am, but that's only when my motivation level is 100). You then start by doing 20 minutes of body, I usually jog and then still exercise afterwards, you could probably do yoga or whatever you feel comfortable with, I just enjoy being out of my house during this quarantine. Then it's 20 minutes of mind, this is the time of day I spend reading my bible and having my alone time with God, it sets the atmosphere for the entire day. I then do 20 minutes of growth, I usually listen to a podcast or I journal and self-reflect, lately I have been watching Michael Todd's Relationship Goal series, I HIGHLY recommend it, you can find it on YouTube. It changes your perspective on singleness and points out how important this season is.

I think one of the biggest things that stood out to me was in his first video where he speaks about what God wants to give you before you get married and that is:

1. He wants to place you, this means in your family, in your area, your school, your university, your workplace, where he can use you and grow your character.

2. He wants to give you a purpose.

3. He wants to give you provision, he is the provider and by trusting in Him, he can provide for your every need. Not just in physical aspects and food and such, but also by equipping you for your purpose.

4. He then wants to give you identity. I didn't realize how much I relied on other people to find my identity, you can't base your identity on other people. You can only be truly fulfilled and satisfied in you identity when you see how God sees you, who he says you are.

5. Then lastly he wants to give you parameters. He wants to help you set standards and boundaries to guard your heart and to help you in all your relationships. For so long I was allowing the relationships I was in to set my boundaries for me ... I got hurt and developed trust issues. I wasn't able to put up boundaries in order to protect my heart, mind and soul.

Honestly, it is one of the best series I've watched and so relevant, whether you are single, dating, engaged, married or divorced... this series is for everyone and it is life-changing.

A couple weeks ago God revealed my purpose to me which was so exciting and not really a shock. I think, for as long as I can remember, I've felt that I was going to lead girls on their journey to growing closer to Christ, as well as finding him. To be a teacher to them. This means that I need to also lead by example and be cautious about falling off the wagon. It's an amazing way to keep reminding me of God's bigger picture for my life. I have started leading a few girls on courses and it is amazing and so fulfilling.

I'm excited to see what else he has in store for me and how he is going to continue to build my character during this quarantine period.