That Season: The Sprinkles

My first semester of seminary began ambitiously with 4 classes. I'm sure what possessed me to believe that I could take 12 hours of classes on top of working 2 jobs and still adequately fulfill all class obligations and maintain some semblance of a social life. By God's grace, I did it though! My Friday class was Counseling Women; it was my "bread and butter", if you will. It involved three things I love the most: 1) Talking 2) Talking to women and 3) Talking to women about the Lord. 

The professor and his wife were both Christian counselors, so she was a guest lecture often since there were only women in the classroom. The sprinkles obsession developed from one Friday's lecture on Romans 8:28 and the sovereignty of God. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, 
who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

The lecturer went on discuss God's plan for us as perfect and right. Everything that comes to us has first passed through Him. He is for us! Just looking at this verse, we can trust and know that God is in the working of all things to His appointed end. John Piper is known for many quotes, but this one stands out appropriately now: "God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them." 

The professor's wife went on to relate this verse to ice-cream. If we are in Christ, we have the good for our lives at this very moment because God is in control. We have the vanilla double scoop. We don't need the other toppings because our ice-cream is sufficient. In the bigger picture, we don't need the other things we think we need because our current life season is sufficient. Everything else - the toppings- makes it better than it is but we still have the good! 

The longed for career. The longed for baby. The longed for husband. They are the sprinkles.

And that's where it clicked for me, singleness was my God. The Father had me single for His glory and my good in that moment. I had everything I needed in Christ, and the man would just be the sprinkles. Sprinkles by themselves aren't so tasty; I'd been given the double scoop of salvation in Christ.

I am thankful God is working all things to good and that His plans are so much greater than our own. In 2007, I was a wide-eyed girl entering seminary looking around every corner for a husband. True statement. But I was in no place ready to be a wife. I was independent. I was feisty, and I wanted things my way. I learned through the years of seminary what it meant to care for others more than self and much about submission. I also learned what it meant to rely on the Lord to find my husband instead of me being on the lookout. In 2007, Jeremy was a fresh young military man getting ready for deployment. From what I know now, it was in these same years that his faith and knowledge of the Lord grew by leaps and bounds. It wasn't until nearly 8 years later that God brought us together and ready for one another. It was in His perfect timing!

This was a sign my friend Hannah gave me as an engagement present.

I knew exactly where I'd put it- with the funfetti cupcakes, of course!