Time on Your Hands

If loneliness is a problem in your life, you may just have too much time on your hands.

Being happy as a single is no accident. The secret is to convert wasted, tentative time to convert it to positive, committed time. Since many singles have time on their hands during evenings, weekends, vacations, it’s easy to turn nonproductive time into a time of growth.

No matter what your business or social schedule is like, taking time every day to review the day and to look at yourself quietly and calmly provides you with a space to grow, to change and to find alternative ways to get what you want.

Some things to contemplate are:

• Who am I?
• What am I doing here?
• What is the purpose of my life?
• What is God’s plan for my life? (that is sometimes not so obvious)
• Is there a reason why I am living, and is there a reason why I am living single?
• How much of this is my own creation, and what can I do about it?

Some of these may seem silly. You may say, "I know who I am." But, do you really? As mentioned before, you have to love yourself before you can love someone else. And you have to know yourself before you can love yourself.

Some other questions to ask yourself:

• What did I want today?
• What did I do to get what I wanted today?
• How did other people see me today?
• How did I see myself today?
• What did I do to improve myself or understand myself better today?
• How do I feel about myself today?
• Where do I see myself a year from today?
• Where do I see myself five years from today?
• Where do I see myself ten years from today?
• What do I really want, short term and long term?
• What am I doing every day to get it?
• Did I take time for myself today to plan and then review my day? If not, what got in the way.

Making the Most Out of Being Single

Creative Outlets in your own home:

• Learning a foreign language
• Playing a musical instrument
• Surfing the Net
• Learning new computer skills
• Reading
• Discovering hidden talents
• Exploring your spirituality
• Gardening – indoors and out

Getting Out – Don’t sit and wait around for things to happen. Mr. or Ms. Right probably won’t just come knocking at your door. You have to go out and meet them

• Take classes
• Volunteer – Free
• Go to the Library – Free
• Go to the park – Free
• Go bike riding – Free
• Get involved in church or community activities

But be careful not to over do it. Taking on too many responsibilities can lead to burn-out. Don’t be desperate to fill in those lonely hours by volunteering for too many projects. Remember, when you volunteer to do something, you are expected to do the job well. If you take on too many projects, your results will be sloppy. It’s better to take on one or two projects and do them well, than to burn yourself out trying to do too much.

Remember, you are NEVER ALONE! God is always with you. Jesus is always walking by your side.

If you don’t have that type of relationship with God and Jesus, then sincerely pray this simple prayer:

Dear Jesus,
I am a sinner and need you in my life. Please forgive me of my sins. I believe that You died on the cross and rose from the grave. Please come into my heart and life. Thank you for helping me turn from my sins and follow you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you received Jesus into your heart, welcome to the family of God! The following will help you deepen your relationship with Christ:

1. Pray. Just talk to God no matter where you are. He doesn’t care what the words are, just that they are sincere.
2. Read the Bible everyday to learn about Jesus and how to live that pleases God. Start with 1 John, then the Gospel of John, the Philippians.
3. An important part of helping your relationship with Christ grow is to tell others about Him. Demonstrate God’s love and be active in telling others about Jesus.
4. Find a bible-based church and become active getting to know other Christians. Find one with a singles ministry or groups for people your age. Many have groups for different interests. Shop around, but commit yourself to finding one and joining a church family.

God Bless,
Giselle
E-mail: deovolente.love1@gmail.com
http://www.giselleaguiar.com/
Phoenix Singles Examiner

Compassion - What it is and Why You Need it

Compassion: Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it. (American Heritage Dictionary).

I was watching the video A History of God and theologian, Karen Armstrong said something like this:

"Compassion forces us to dethrone ourselves from the center of our universe. We prefer to fulfill our needs first. But we are supposed to see the needs of other people before ours."

My first thought was: "That explains a lot." Compassion requires true selflessness.

I once told a guy I was dating that he was incapable of thinking about anyone else but himself. He replied, gee, I was just thinking of calling you. (I was going through a tough time and he offered no support.) That was the red flag of red flags. I liked him, we had a lot in common. He was a gentleman (I think that was more from his Army training.)

Kindness is not compassion. Kindness may be the first step to compassion. Kindness is having or showing a tender, considerate and helping nature. Compassion is different because of the word "passion" and its origins:

Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin passi , passin-, sufferings of Jesus or a martyr, from Late Latin, physical suffering, martyrdom, sinful desire, from Latin, an undergoing, from passus, past participle of pat, to suffer; see p(i)- in Indo-European roots.

Kindness becomes compassion when suffering is involved.

Jesus Christ came into the world to show us compassion.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ~ John 3:16

How can we be expected to truly love someone else if we don't know the love of God?

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. ~ 1 John 2: 15-17

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ~ 1 John 4: 7-8

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. ~ John 4:16b

If you want to feel God's love and have a relationship with Jesus and be guaranteed a place in Heaven, then pray this prayer wholeheartedly right now:

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for dying on the cross and shedding your precious blood for my sins. I am sorry for all my sins. I ask you to come into my heart, forgive all my sins, and be my Lord and my Saviour. Father, I thank you now for forgiving all my sins and giving me eternal life in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

If you received Jesus into your heart, welcome to the family of God! The following will help you deepen your relationship with Christ:

1. Pray. Just talk to God no matter where you are. He doesn’t care what the words are, just that they are sincere.
2. Read the Bible everyday to learn about Jesus and how to live that pleases God. Start with 1 John, then the Gospel of John, the Philippians.
3. An important part of helping your relationship with Christ grow is to tell others about Him. Demonstrate God’s love and be active in telling others about Jesus.
4. Find a bible-based church and become active getting to know other Christians. Find one with a singles ministry or groups for people your age. Many have groups for different interests. Shop around, but commit yourself to finding one and joining a church family. (Read the Benefits of a Church Family).

I welcome questions. Either comment below or email.

God Bless,
Giselle <>< deovolente.love1@gmail.com
http://www.giselleaguiar.com/
Phoenix Singles Examiner