BY Guest Writer
Hello, She Reads Truth friends! I am so thankful for the invitation to share with you here on the She Reads Truth site today. I love this community, and I love that what brings us together is a desire to seek Him more and live out His truth.
One of the amazing blessings I’ve experienced as part of the She Reads Truth community is the rhythm of scripture reading I’ve developed and how as result of seeking Him more intentionally, I am able to more clearly discern His voice and hear Him speak directly to certain things I’m going through, praying about, etc.
Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of being fruitful in my faith and how I can live my story more courageously, gratefully, and faithfully.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the last few years is that every season has its own value and purpose, and it’s freeing to be able to trust Him enough to embrace the story He’s written just for you.
For me, that means embracing my current season of singleness and trusting Him to bring growth and fruitfulness in the midst of the waiting and the wondering. Hope can be bittersweet — especially during times like these, as we turn our precious prayers over to His care and look to Him to guard our hearts in patience and peace.
After years of praying for marriage and waiting in delicate and hopeful anticipation, I am, for perhaps the first time, truly feeling as though I can hear His whispers about the value and purpose in this current season. He is showing me that He has plans for me right now, that He is using me right here. Dreams are being developed and nurtured, and my faith is being lived out every day, in sometimes small, but always significant ways.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Sometimes, I think it’s easy to look at where we are and see what’s missing, or compare our story with someone else’s. But His truth reminds me that I was created for my own good works, adventures, and experiences, and He has prepared all of those things in advance. I want to trust Him so deeply that I question and complain less about where He has me and instead praise Him for it.
Recently, as I was reading The Message translation of the Soul Detox plan, I came across this verse from Romans 12: “Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him.” That truth challenged my heart in mighty ways, because if I’m truthful, I had allowed some bitterness to take root.
Honestly, I don’t like even typing those words, but sharing them is important, I think, because they are an illustration of how His truth brings renewal, refreshment, and a fresh perspective. And they show how willing He is to meet us right where we are, speaking to whatever we are experiencing.
In my current season, I want to praise Him for engaging my creative heart and encouraging me to chase after dreams and grow as an artist and a writer. I want to praise Him for teaching me about discipleship and friendship and marriage and for showing me what it means to live out this verse from Hebrews 10:24: “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” When I truly take the time to reflect, I am humbled and amazed at His goodness to create this story that is unique to me.
I won’t stop praying for the desires and dreams I believe He’s placed on my heart — like marriage. But with faith, I will embrace where He has me right now, abiding in Him and finding joy in the moments He’s scripted just for me.
And as my trust in Him continues to grow, I will keep committing my deepest hopes and desires to Him, believing He will develop them, as He wills, and bring about a harvest at just the right time.
// Katie’s Blog //
50 thoughts on "katie: contentment"
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…. Your desire to live courageously really convicts me because I know I haven't been doing so. It's been more like – making do and keeping busy UNTIL…. (I get married, I become a mother, I get a new job, etc. etc.) I'm learning more every day that God has special plans for me, for all of us, and though it may not look like I thought it would – my life is still beautiful and will be as long as I give it to Him. Having said that, it's still difficult some days to accept that my singleness may not be just a season. I would appreciate your prayers. Thank you.
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Hi, Lauren, thank you for reading my story and sharing your heart here. I will be 30 later this year, so I understand the pressure a woman can feel when it comes to age and fertility, etc. I'm glad you found encouragement in my post. Living courageously and with contentment isn't always easy, but I'm learning that when I really lean into Him, trusting that He does have a purpose for every season He brings me through, that He makes everything work for good, and that He is using me even now, I am blessed with His joy and peace. Praying for you right now! Praying He encourages your heart and blesses you with a fresh perspective on where He has you. I pray that you would know how precious you are to Him and that He is using you to further His Kingdom in beautiful ways. Praying that He'd give you abundant joy in your current season, but also sweet hope for the future He has planned for you. :) xoxo
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Thank you Katie. I got a little behind yesterday & just now reading your testimony today and all the great comments. Your blog description says you are a 20-something; I'm older than you but feeling many of the same feelings. I've always assumed I would be a wife one day, be a mother one day… and I'm in a relationship but unmarried. I hate to talk about the ticking biological clock, but fertility isn't meant to last an entire lifetime and I'm approaching the age where motherhood may not realistically happen for me. When I think about it, I feel extremely sad and confused. I try not to think about it because those feelings often overshadow the positive aspects of my current (long-term) relationship…
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I loved reading this Katie! I too am working on just being thankful for where God has me rather than complaining about what I don't have. Hearing it and seeing it in others' is such a blessing!
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Thanks so much, Heather! :) So glad we can all come together here and spur each other on! Turning discouragement and complaints into praise isn't easy, but it's definitely worth it! Encouraged to know that you're working through that in your life, too! Praying He blesses your efforts and that we both continue to grow and bear His fruit in that area!. :)
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Katie, thank you for sharing your story. I too struggle with the concept of why I am still single. I have had several long term relationships but never seemed to find the one. I want to get married and have children and build a family but I am realizing that even though I think I am ready, God has different plans for me. I struggle every day to just leave my life in his hands and trust that he will guide me in the right direction. Thank you again for sharing your story, it really touched my heart. Good luck with everything!
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Hi, Missy! Thanks for reading. :) So glad that you found encouragement in my story. Praying that He would help you to keep surrendering your desires into His Hands and trusting the story He's written just for you! :)
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I think for me, the hardest part was, when all my friends were getting married, they made me feel like God just dropped some guy in their lap. I couldn't help but think "why not me?" but now that I'm a little older and my friends have been married for a few years, I can totally see that not only was I not ready for marriage, but I also had TONS of growing that I needed to do. Now I'm so happy with the person I've become and I feel like I'm truly ready for that next step. Its HARD because trusting God isn't easy (even though people make it seem like it is) but you must be on the right track :) Thank you for sharing your story!
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So encouraged by your story! What a great place to be. Praying that you keep learning and growing and praying for His fruit in your life. It sounds like He's doing amazing things in your life! :)
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I love, love how you wrote that every season has its own value& purpose. . Isn't there so much truth in those words? Thank you for your testimony, thank you for sharing God's grace with us.
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Hi, Susie! Thanks for reading and for your sweet comment. So happy you're a part of this community. :)
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Hi Katie! Thank u so much for ur story, I totally relate to that. I have been single for 8yrs nw and to b honest am tired of being single!!!!! I have been praying for marriage for quite sometime up to a point where I feel like God can do everything else apart from him giving me a husband. Don’t get me wrong I know there is nothing impossible with him bt bcause it has taken too long sometimes I just feel like giving up. Ladies I really nid ur prayers
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Hi, Susan! Thanks for reading and for sharing your heart and story. I have been single for about that long, as well, so I definitely understand! I will be 30 later this year, and I certainly thought my life would look differently than it does! ;) I have thought the *SAME* thoughts you have — that God can pretty much do anything but bring me a husband. But you have to fight those lies with truth! :) For me, surrendering my desire for marriage has been one of the hardest areas of my life to surrender, but when you work through that and surrender it He really is faithful to bless you with joy and contentment. (And I know it's an area I will have to keep surrendering, as well!) Blessings to you today! Praying that He would encourage your weary heart, give you abundant joy in the present, and give you hope for the future He has planned for you! :)
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Thanks for posting this. It's a beautiful testimony about being content, waiting on God and praising here where you are. I struggle with this and am working on it right now!
Thank You!
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Hi, Kaydee! Thanks for reading and for your sweet words. May He bless your heart and encourage you, as you continue to work through what you're learning. I'm so thankful we can all come together here on the She Reads Truth site and encourage one another to keep pressing on!
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