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Fifty Shades of Virginity
[Guest post by Arleen Spenceley] – In the twenty miles between my house and my office, there are at least six strip clubs. As I write this, ‘Magic Mike’ – a movie about a male stripper – has been in theaters a week and has grossed an estimated $63,322,000. Fifty Shades of Grey is novel about a woman who gives her virginity to a guy whose version of sex is violent and demeaning. It is now a New York Times bestseller. All this is to say I was not surprised that when my own grandmother learned that I am a virgin, her eyes were wide and her surprise obvious when she fumbled for the words: “You are?” It’s…
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Same Sex Friendships
I bet I wasn’t like you growing up. I was taught not to become friends with boys. Boys had kudies and could get you pregnant just by looking at you. Gross. I developed an unhealthy fear of boys at a very young age that stuck with me until college. Even then I was always cautious. To this day, I can still hear my parents yelling “10 inch rule! 10 inch rule!” Don’t lead him on. So I didn’t. Don’t let him get too close. So I didn’t. But when it came to girls, no rules applied. I could have late night phone conversations, sleep overs, and hang out pretty much…
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Intentional Friendship
[Guest Post by Julianna] – Friendship is the mother of all relationships; ironically. Without friendship, the human race cannot thrive. We could survive, sure, but we wouldn’t be living at our full capacity. We wouldn’t be tapping into who we really are: Created beings in the image of a relational God. Now with that, let me say I am a bad friend. Or at least that’s what my sweet husband tried to tell me. We were watching a video series on marriage and that evening’s topic was on friendship. The pastor said that friendship is the foundation of all healthy relationships. Different types of friendships will go to different levels…
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Married With Friends
Since Marc and I got married, I’ve been thinking a lot about friendships. There’s a difference between being a private person and hiding your sins, or a public person and wanting attention. I’m an author so I automatically fall into the public arena. Some days this is great. Other days I groan inwardly. My husband does not share the spotlight. He is a private person. He refuses to use social media–if at all. This is more than okay, actually. I recently found out that Facebook is now a cause of 1/3 of divorces. WHAT? I remember how difficult it was for me to wait a few weeks after Marc and…
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What's Your Story – Lisa & Kyle
Kyle Bonenberger and his wife, Lisa Ramsland Bonenberger, are experts on love and forgiveness. A few years ago they planted City Church in Anaheim, CA. They speak, encourage, council, write, and give relational advice daily. Not to mention their credentials speak for themselves. Kyle is currently working towards his M.Div from Talbot Seminary and Lisa recently graduated from Talbot with a Master’s in Counseling. Lisa and I are both graduates of Biola University, and I had the pleasure of meeting them through Lisa’s mother, Marcia Ramsland, my mentor! Marcia is the one who named me the “Devotional Diva!” My first question to them, “What does love mean to you as…
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What's Your Story – Ashley
[Guest Post by Ashley] I always had a close relationship with God, and felt I could always lean on Him. In high school, I got a job at a leather store in the mall. I was a trainer on the football team and fell head over heels for popular guy on the team. I had my whole life planned out. I wanted to be a stay at home mom and be an active part of a church. I knew I wanted to save myself for marriage, but I started to drift from God. He wasn’t into going to church or praying. I ended up dating him and we had a…
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Start A Singles Ministry
Today, my post entitled Is Your Church A Safe Place For Singles went live on CATALYST blog. I talk about a favorite church, and how it encouraged me to lead regardless of my relationship status. Even though I am now married, I am encouraged myself as we try our new churches to find the right one for us. If you’re a pastor or a small group leader here is a great way to jump start or restart a 20’s ministry at you church. Here’s how… Singles need a home. Here’s how to start a singles ministry at your church. Create a welcoming environment. Young adults are in a state of…
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Your Relationship Status
[Guest post by Jessica Bufkin] – And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God, not your marital status, defines your life. Don’t think I’m being harder on you than on the others. I give this same counsel in all the churches. (1 Corinthians 7:17 MSG) People mean well. Really, they do. But honestly, sometimes the things that they say, despite their well-meaning intentions, remain lodged in our minds for a very long time. For instance, your relationship status. My parents have never once poked or prodded…
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Endorsements for Not Another Dating Book
In just 27 short days, my second book, “Not Another Dating Book” releases nationwide! Here are the endorsements for my book. I hope you’ll show your support by ordering a copy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Harvest House for you or someone you know. Thanks again for coming on this journey with me. I’m so excited! “We live in a time when our college students don’t give two cents worth of time or attention to the local church. It is more important today than ever before in history to grab the attention of this age group. Its time for the church to wake up and realize the importance of…
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10 Things I've Learned From Marriage
So Marc and I have only been married a month as of this Tuesday (tomorrow), but in my short few weeks I have learned a LOT about marriage. In fact, here are the 10 things I’ve learned from marriage. 1. The Little Things. It doesn’t matter who’s right if you brush first, then floss or floss first, then brush. 2. Marc is an amazing cook. 3. In sickness and in health…really means in sickness and in health. (We both got the flu on our honeymoon. To the person who gave us the flu at our wedding, we forgive you. But…) 4. Owning a home is a lot of work. There’s…
