Are You Bringing this Stinky Bad Boy to Your Future Marriage?

One of the stinkiest fruits in the world is the infamous durian. Its stench has been compared to sewage, vomit, and dirty socks. It only grows in tropical climates in Southeast Asia, thank God! When I was a summer missionary in the Philippines, I had to hold my nose to sample a tiny piece. Eeewwwyuu!…

The Most Valuable Lesson I’ve Learned About Dating

I’m probably taking dating too seriously, because I don’t date much. I can number all the men I’ve dated on my fingers. Having a more serious, contemplative personality makes me take a long time to decide almost anything. The bigger the decision, the slower I am about it.  The fact that I’m about 60% introvert…

Dirty Dozen Reasons Why Single Christians Aren’t Being Properly Prepared for Marriage, Part 2 of 2

Last week, I shared my experience with the 5-Day Challenge to Pray For Your Future Spouse. It wasn’t so much praying for a mate, but being ready for a real marriage. #pfyfs sparked all sorts of positive responses from hundreds of participants who realized how much they needed it.  I got nearly all of this…

Dirty Dozen Reasons Why Single Christians Aren’t Being Properly Prepared for Marriage, Part 1 of 2

Last week, I participated in a remarkable time of prayer and teachings hosted by Jamal & Natasha Miller, the founders of Married & Young. Jamal is the Amazon best-selling author of 25 Ways to Prepare for Marriage Without Dating. They are committed to helping reduce the divorce rate in America and developed an amazing program…

From Nope to Hope, Part 2 of 2

Last week, I shared lessons I learned from Hannah for us Christian singles from 1 Samuel 1 through 2:11. I went over these first two ideas last week: 1. There’s always a background that others won’t understand, but God knows. 2. Go to God with your pain first, not people. Read the entire thing here: https://glendablogz.com/2018/07/24/from-nope-to-hope-part-1-of-2/…

From Nope to Hope, Part 1 of 2

I was reading 1 Samuel 1 through 2:21 this afternoon, about Hannah and her desire to have a son. The biggest thing that jumped out at me was the fact that the Lord had closed up Hannah’s womb (1 Sam. 1:5). When she married the love of her life, Elkanah, she thought she was going…

Christian Singles and the New “Christian Atheism”

I recently learned a new term that’s actually been around for a few decades: Christian Atheism. I thought, “How could that be? How could one profess to be a Christian, literally a Christ-follower, and at the same time be an atheist, one who doesn’t believe in the existence of God?” I was genuinely puzzled. Who…

When You’re Craving That Summer Hookup: Seven Tips for Overcoming

What a gorgeous day. What a fabulous restaurant to go on a date to. What a romantic sunset. What a beautiful moonlit night. What an awesome vacation that would be. And no one to share it with. These thoughts and others may cause us single believers to wonder afresh where our soul mate is. If…

When Freedom is a Daily Holiday

Happy 4th of July to everyone here in the US as we celebrate our nation’s independence. This week, we celebrate our nation’s autonomy as a novice nation when the thirteen original colonies formally adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. We have been fighting and celebrating ever since. Celebration is an important activity…

A Whiff of Heaven

Our sense of smell is something we rarely think about until we actually smell something. Many people are sensitive to certain scents, so they are unable to be around strong perfumes or to use certain laundry detergents. Often certain scents or smells trigger a memory within us. The smell of orange blossoms will always remind…