Here is a question I asked several weeks ago: For older singles whose love life was jacked around by Assembly micromanaging leaders, and who are still single as a result, where do we go from here? Do we just resign ourselves to Sgt. Pepper's band? What have some of us done about this? Did it work? Do you regret how things turned out? Do you now just claim the gift of celibacy? What deeds, work, calling are you involved in now? Have you found a community you can be part of?
Clarence Thompson
There few joys accorded men on this earth that exceeds that of wedded bliss.
It is hard to believe I once considered that I might have the "gift' of celibacy.
At some point I realised that I would probably never get married in the assembly, and even if I could, I would not want to raise my children in such an environment.
There were certainly a few sisters I thought attractive but (with possibly one exception) none I thought God wanted me to ask to be my wife.
It is hard to wait. Sometimes it is extremely hard.
It is particularly so if one is convinced that one's singlehood is the direct result of personal mistakes and/or bad counsel given by folk we trusted.
I tend to agree that a large number of folk who at the end left the assembly single, would not be in any other environment.
What happened there to so many dear folk was highly unnatural and profoundly sad.
The forbidding to marry was in my opinion one of the most wicked, insidious and destructive of assembly practices.
It is not good for man to be alone in my view. There are clearly exceptions, but as a general rule this statement is true.
Waiting for the right person means that everyday you wake and tell God that you feel like the luckiest man alive to have the mate he gave you.
Married life should be an experience of unspeakable joy and contentment, the usual trials notwithstanding.
You should be able to look God in the eye and tell Him that this person was the perfect one for you and just what you needed!
This I believe is the result when God brings people together.
I think it all begins with honesty with God.
He knows our need even before we tell Him, but it does not in any way hurt to verbalise our heart-felt desires.
The only question then is are we willing to wait and let Him do His part.
I am oh so incredibly glad that I waited! I cannot begin to tell you!
Verne
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.
