Last night during church, there was a quote said by the preacher that flooded me with emotions. He said:
“The blessing is always bigger than the battle.”
Let’s go back to the beginning of November 2017…I had been in battle for a very long time with not just myself, but those around me. I finally felt like I had my footing on this “single mama life” and was content to stay single for as long as God desired for me. However, if am being honest, I just wanted a nice dinner somewhere and maybe someone to do things with when I got lonely. Yeah, I know that sounds selfish, but I just wasn’t quite ready for another man. All us ladies have been there at some point. I think it’s a little more tough for a 36 year old, single mom with two kids to accept dating is different now than it was 20 years ago, so I decided to rely on a couple of dating websites because I only worked, went to church and spent time with family. Yes, I know that some people take their profiles very seriously, but I was just completely let down by who was messaging me. I never truly counted, but after what seemed like hundreds of messages and me finding something wrong with every single one, I decided that maybe online dating wasn’t for me. I decided to keep the app, cause I had paid for it…but when it was done, I was done. No free steak dinner anytime soon.
God so has a sense of humor and I think He likes proving me wrong most times ‘cause I’m a control freak. I got this message from a guy while I was sorting through ridiculous messages one night. It was a short, “I really your profile, just thought I would say hi.” I looked his profile over. I stared at his pictures looking for some ridiculous bathroom mirror selfie, but none. So far, so good.
He loved Jesus.
He didn’t smoke
He didn’t drink.
He likes to fish. A lot.
I decided to reluctantly message him back, because what could it hurt, right? He could be a serial killer…who knows?!? We chatted for a few minutes and then said goodnight. Fast forward a couple of days later, I had given him my phone number to text. We both ended up not being at church that day…I wasn’t feeling well and was laying on the couch when I got this text. We ended up talking on the phone for about three hours that day, while he ran some errands and went to his brother’s house to watch football.
Friends, I didn’t know it at the time, and didn’t want to accept it honestly, but God had just given me a blessing that was so much bigger than the battle!
I spent several weeks trying to find everything I could to NOT like this guy…but God only kept revealing wonderful and amazing things that I had never experienced in a relationship. I had prayed for specific things that only me and God knew about, but it was like this dude was in my prayer closet and knew my heart. He told me this past weekend, he knew the day we talked on the phone that he was really going to like me. He just felt it. Friends were telling me, “this is everything you prayed for…don’t let it get away because you aren’t ready.” You see, sometimes those around you see the blessings in your life, before you do.
I know this was a long post, but I can promise you one thing…God is working everything out for your good and to bring Him glory! You may be in a battle right now that has you feeling surrounded on every side, but God is right there with you. He is going to bring you out of the battle and have you picking up blessings for a lot longer than you were in the fight! God always give us what we need, when we need it.
Trust His timing.
Trust His ways.
I’m glad I didn’t lean on my own understanding this time last year. My boys and I got a blessing that far outweighs the past heartaches.
God is good, y’all!
November 19, 2017 will forever be a day that I remember the absolute AWESOMENESS of God displayed in my life.
