The Abundant Single Life

By Joanna Jackson

The abundant life is readily available for every saved individual, including the single adult woman. Jesus promised in John 10:10, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Many Christian singles feel that their failures and their ongoing struggles somehow exempt them from enjoying the good things Jesus promised.

If you are a single woman looking for purpose and fulfillment in the journey of your life, The Abundant Single Life will help you discover both without compromising Biblical convictions. If you are a leader in ministry, it will help you to provide care for those who struggle with being single.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sword of the Lord Foundation
• Release date: Jan 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9780873982382

Book preview

Foreword

Rodgers and Hammerstein penned the words and music to How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? In The Sound of Music, Maria was a young girl with whom no one knew just exactly what to do. Sadly, this is somewhat descriptive of the many single young women in our Bible-believing churches today.

While one missionary told me that he did not know what he would do without the single ladies in his ministry, one pastor said that he would never support a single lady missionary. The pastors preach that there is a place for everyone to serve the Lord, all the while relegating the singles to merely baking cookies or delivering carnations to shut-ins and those bound by sickness or old age in hospitals or nursing homes. While these activities are fine, in and of themselves, there is much more to serving the Lord and living the Christian life to its fullest. Surely the Lord has more than these tasks in store for those without a spouse!

Under the inspiration of the sweet Holy Spirit, David penned, God setteth the solitary in families (Ps. 68:6). It might be interesting to note that the word translated solitary is found twelve times in the Old Testament and carries with it a variety of similar meanings, though different one from another. Among them are these two: unique and darling. In that it is actually God who has placed these solitary ones in families, it undoubtedly means that He has a plan for these unique and darling individuals. They may be single, but they are God’s precious treasures placed in this world with His purpose in mind. As Ron Hamilton so aptly put it, God makes no mistakes. If, indeed, God makes no mistakes, why then are singles often treated as though they are mistakes?

Often they are asked, When are you going to get married? Why aren’t you dating anyone? Shouldn’t you be married by now? Some would dare to say, I wonder what’s wrong with her. These questions and statements and others like them do nothing to encourage the single women in our churches to reach their potential for God. Paul wrote, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Eph. 2:10). Everyone who has ever been saved by grace through faith is God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. If I read my Bible correctly, this includes singles as well as those who are married.

It seems that some believe that being married makes a person of more worth to the work of the Lord and ultimately to the Lord Himself. This is simply not true! Apparently, every born-again individual was worth Christ’s dying for. All of us are unworthy of even the least of God’s blessings, but the fact that Jesus forgives us and saves us gives us worth. We must remember that He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (II Cor. 5:21). I’m thinking that this alone gives us worth, at least in God’s eyes. This worth must be recognized by someone besides God!

With these thoughts in mind, Joanna Jackson has Biblically and compassionately addressed these issues and many others in this book, The Abundant Single Life. Abundant life is readily available for every saved individual, not just married folks. That is the promise of the Saviour Himself, as written in John 10:10: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. As you read this book, you will be uplifted, inspired, challenged and blessed!

If you are a single woman looking for worth and purpose in a couples’ world, The Abundant Single Life will help you to discover both without compromising Biblical convictions. If you are married, this book will give you a new understanding of what being single is all about, with God’s plan and purpose in mind. If you are a leader in any ministry, it will give you insight into how to Biblically deal with those who struggle with being solitary in your work. Joanna Jackson has been single and never married. She has learned the lessons contained herein and now wishes to share these lessons with other single Christian ladies. You’ll not be sorry for reading this book—no, not at all!

So how do you solve a problem like being single? As always, the answer is in the Word of God. The Abundant Single Life is a fulfillment of II Corinthians 1:3–6.

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

"For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

"And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation."

DAN PARTON

Pastor, Timberline Baptist Church

Manitou Springs, Colorado

Preface

While growing up, I loved to play with dolls, pretending to be their mommy. Being married and having a family was always a part of my life’s plan, as was my serving the Lord. The opportunity to serve the Lord did happen as I had prayed, but the husband and family did not. I was not prepared for the many realities that being single brought my way.

In looking for some help with my needs as a Christian single lady, I found many sources; but I discovered that few conservative resources were available. Because of this, I felt God’s leading me to share some of the lessons I had learned. I am not claiming that I have all the answers, nor that I have arrived in my single life. Rather, this book is meant to help those who would like a conservative source for the single lifestyle that is often overlooked or ignored. Also, this book is to help those who want some keys to the door of the abundant life that Jesus promised us in John 10:10:

"...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

I have come to dearly love single people, and I have seen the difference they can make. I have likewise seen and experienced some of the enormous struggles that a single faces in what is basically a couple’s world. I wish I could have been more emotionally prepared for my journey. At times, it has been very difficult; and, at times, I have felt defeated. I’m glad to say that there is a victorious side to the single life! I hope to share part of that victory with you. Although no two stories are identical, I ask you to look deeply within these pages and see the answers for the areas that you, as an individual, may need.

Some Things Seem Impossible

It’s fun watching a child learning to walk. At the beginning, he appears extremely wobbly. He often falls, is easily tripped by obstacles and sometimes gets hurt, but the child continues to try to walk. The stumbling slowly lessens, and the walking becomes more stable until he’s finally mastered it. Does this mean the child never wobbles again, never trips again, and never gets hurt again by falling? Not at all! These hurtful times just become fewer and fewer. With that thought in mind, I would like to share the following:

A dear friend of mine was sharing that she had been having an especially hard time regarding her life’s circumstances. She related that she had finally come to the point where she accepted the fact that Jesus was all she needed. When I heard her say that, I knew I couldn’t say that I was at that point yet in my life.

Once, while talking with another single lady, when I shared something that I had learned, she replied, I’m not there yet.

I have another friend whose personality is all-or-nothing when it comes to learning spiritual truths and character lessons. She has come away from ladies’ meetings feeling discouraged because she knew she couldn’t do it all.

In each of these instances, the setting of goals is vital. After hearing my friend say Jesus was all she needed, I made that a goal of mine. After another single lady said she wasn’t there yet about a lesson I had learned, I told her she didn’t have to be there in that particular area. I shared that she just needed to make it a goal. My all-or-nothing friend has learned to make one lesson a goal instead of throwing away all the lessons because it seemed impossible to fulfill them all.

The same principle must be applied to the lessons in this book. In all honesty, what I have learned has taken years to finally click with me, and each lesson has come in its own time. Just because you’ve tried something before and it hasn’t worked doesn’t mean that it’s a bad principle. Just because it hasn’t worked so far doesn’t mean that it won’t work. It may just mean you need more time to be able to apply it, or more time to grow, or both. May I encourage you to make a list of goals and focus on each one at a time. To help you in doing so, I have included