Sitting on the back porch on a beautiful fall, Sunday afternoon and soaking up the last rays of summer sunshine, I am reminded how much of life is about change. Much like the seasons change every year, so do our lives. It is subtle sometimes, barely noticeable but always constant, always a part of us. Other times, the changes in our lives are like the changing of the leaves, a bit at a time but then a sudden, bright explosion of color (or change).

How do you address change in your life? Do you embrace it and squeeze every moment out of it, learning from the changes and letting them make you a better person or do you hide from them, resenting the fact that life does change?

You’re single right now. Are you preparing for the fact that may and probably will change sometime in your life? Are you making the best of every opportunity you have now to embrace life and to grow in your relationship with Jesus? Are you doing things now that you have always dreamed of doing, embracing the opportunity to do them without the responsibilities of a relationship hanging over them? You will never again have this season in your life because things will change. You may meet that special someone, you may have a new career opportunity, your parents may require more and more support from you, the list goes on and on.

The challenge for us as singles, is to not let this season in our lives be wasted. We need to embrace every opportunity that God brings our way to live our life to the fullest. Take that trip that you have always wanted to take. Learn how to play a new sport, stick to that exercise and diet routine you started last week, pursue that dream career. What ever it may be, GO FOR IT! Become disciplined enough to have what it takes to make those dreams come true. Life is much too short to spend it waiting. We need to be women after God’s heart that are not afraid to live life to the fullest and embrace the changes in our lives as they come.

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I love to read and as my friends and family know, I have my very own library. When the weather starts to cool and the nights get longer, my favorite way to spend an evening is with a good book. So, with the coming of fall and onset of winter, I thought I would share with you all a list of my favorite books. They are in no particular order, but they have all had an impact on my life in one way or another. Some are ones I’ve only read once, others are frequent rereads. Most are available at a Christian retailer or online. I hope you will be inspired to pick up a book and spend some time this fall reading. Enjoy!!

The Case for Christ by Lee Srobel — I remember thinking,"YES, this is WHY I believe in Jesus" while I was reading.

 

 

 

 

 

Let Prayer Change Your Life by Becky Tirabassi* — Inspired me to make prayer a priority in my life.

 

 

 

 

For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn — Every women, whether single or married, needs to read this book.

 

 

 

 

 

Do You Think I'm Beautiful? by Angela Thomas — Will make you cry and then feel the arms of God.

 

 

 

 

 

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren — You gotta read it at least once.

 

 

 

 

 

Progress of Another Pilgrim by Frances J. Roberts — Always on my nightstand, powerful and thought provoking.

 

 

 

 

 

Just Enough Light for the Step I'm On: A Devotional Prayer Journey by Stormie Omartian — One of the most practical books for hard times (and good ones). Read it with a highlighter in hand and buy 2 copies. You will give the other one away, I promise.

 

 

 

 

How to Get a Date Worth Keeping by Henry Cloud — Don’t let the title scare you ... there is a lot here that is good.

 

 

 

 

 

Single Purpose by H. Norman Wright* — The best devotionals for singles I have come across.

 

 

 

 

On the Anvil by Max Lucado — Max is one of my all time favorite authors and this is his first book. I think the publisher has redone it and given it a new title (Shaped by God), so the original may be a bit hard to come by, but well worth the effort.

 

 

 

 

Today Matters: 12 Daily Practices to Guarantee Tomorrow's Success by John Maxwell — So practical and yet so challenging.

 

 

 

 

 

*Indicates book may be out of print. Check for availability at a local library.

Copyright © 2006 by Eileen Hershberger Share

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