There are many different seasons of life. Some of you saw a little bit of the seasons I went through as a teenager and young college girl. Remnants of those seasons now live in the graveyard as I re-vamp this website. Those seasons helped build who I am today. Though, the memories of the lessons learned on family vacations can no longer be found on this site, they crafted me.

Some of you might remember the time my family took a trip to Oregon, where our Suburban broke down and God sent an angel to take us in to the nearest town for a hotel room. Others of you might remember my college “knowledge” where I told you everything you would need for a college dorm. The truth is, in those seasons, I was lukewarm in my walk with the Lord.

It wasn’t until recently that I was called to start posting on this blog again. For the longest time, it has crossed my mind, but the biggest challenge has always been time. The other night, I met a few missionary evangelists at a friend’s house, and it sparked my desire to write about my lessons again. I love to write, and one day I hope to write a book. This new season is a waiting season. I now have a career as a teacher. I have established myself in a new town after college, but I find myself feeling… lonely. This season is a season of preparation as I wait for a spouse. I have loved this season so far because I have learned so much, and know that my heart is being prepared and softened for what is to come. In the last eight months, God has helped me come to terms with a few things.

1. It is okay to want a Christian relationship. My previous relationship was not AT ALL how I want my next relationship to be. I want a more traditional relationship where a man leads. Now, I am not saying I want to give up my career to care for the home, but I want to be cared for and appreciated. Submission is a hard pill to swallow since I am very independent, but the relationship for me will be a relationship filled with mutual love and respect, with God at the center of course :).
2. The closer to God I am, the further away temptation is. In this generation, temptation is everywhere. This makes dating A LOT harder. I have stopped looking on dating apps because it became harder and harder to resist temptation. The more I read the Bible and pray, the less I feel the need to be like a lot of other young adults in the dating world.
3. It is OKAY to ask God for the impossible, and he will answer, even if it’s with a sense of humor. I have been praying every day for the man of God in his timing, my future children, and my students. I take prayer requests as well, but I will be persistent in those three things; and that is OKAY. Three years ago, I prayed that he would restore a friendship I had lost, and he just restored it in June.
4. My heart has been softened to children with special needs (specifically autism) and foster children. I don’t know what this means for my future, but it is a re-occurring theme in my life currently. I was a para at an elementary school in college, and feel like I will eventually foster. The curiosity I have for the foster care system and my prayers for those children who are going through unimaginable things just makes me want to cry.
5. I can’t just marry anyone. It will take a special kind of man to help me through the next seasons of life. God needs time to COOK, then he will serve him to me on a platter. This is the man that will help me through the death of my parents. This will be the father of my children. I need a supportive spouse if I am going to continue to follow my dreams. My career will take a lot of time and work to continue to do. I have faith that God will reveal me to my future spouse soon 🙂
6. My purpose. Slowly, I am learning that my purpose is not just to teach. It is a lot bigger than that, and I cannot wait to continue to minister through my words on this blog.

Psalm 27:14

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord”

In God’s Timing,

Rivers