Surviving Church as a Single

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J0Y

Senior Member
Mar 7, 2009
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#21
I would also echo - - AM I NOT WHOLE BEING ME? lol
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
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#22
BY THE WAY, YOU SINGLE GUYS OUT THERE ARE WELCOME TO JUMP IN, TOO. (I don't want to be able to say I won without having a little competition out there.)
 
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J0Y

Senior Member
Mar 7, 2009
509
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#23
can I win based on the fact that I was asked to a 'baby shower' today for a good friend but didnt go coz I thought I had work...then when I realised I didnt, I still didnt change my RSVP cos I knew that EVERYONE going already had kids.......I feel right now that I would rather watch paint dry than endure more baby talk....
 

J0Y

Senior Member
Mar 7, 2009
509
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#24
(btw, I am not so heartless as to not have brought a present which I will drop in to her tomorrow...and have a catch up...)
 

J0Y

Senior Member
Mar 7, 2009
509
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#25
I applaud you seoulsearch!
I have had to endure similar scenarios myself!
I have gone to at least 2 Balls (Dances) each year for the past 4 years with no partner......
Not to mention all the Weddings.....
21sts....
and the list goes on lol
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
14,943
4,587
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#26
I admire those in their 20's who are happy single. I wish I had reached that point of contentedness when I was 21... would have saved me a lot of heartache... in fact, I think I still learn a lot from the happy singles here who are at any age or stage in life--what impresses me is that they've learned to make the most out of their lives and are happy following God as they are.

(Teach me, oh wise ones. ;))
 

J0Y

Senior Member
Mar 7, 2009
509
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#27
I agree....
I must admit, had I not been single I would not have been free to be used by God like I have been. (re: I wanna be your hands - posted in the testimony forum) so yeah....
But musicalme, I do also admire the fact that you are content....I think it was about your age where I really started to stress!
 

Kakashi

Senior Member
Jan 3, 2007
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#28
*shrugs* bigger churches I've been to had tons of couples, and couples were friends with couples and as a new person it was like " Oh hai guys" and well.....kinda hard to get into the crowd.

Needless to say, i like smaller churches.
 
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MusicalMe

Guest
#29
It took me a while to understand how to be happy being single... it also took a couple of smothering boyfriends (I somehow bring every thread around to the fact that I hate to be smothered...) and that helped.

Plus, my mom has always told me that if she could go back and change one thing, she would have lived on her own for a while before getting married. She got married straight out of college. So I always took that to heart and decided that I have my whole life to be married and only now to be young and single and free with nothing to tie me down. Finances permitting, I could literally pick up and move anywhere in the world. When am I ever going to have that kind of freedom again?
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
14,943
4,587
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#30
Kakashi--thanks for being brave enough to post on a thread that so far, only has women answering :) !

Musical--you are so right. I always dreamed of marrying young, raising a family, then retiring at a good age and traveling the world with my beloved. But, it just hasn't worked out that way...

So, I am trying to save up to be able to visit at least one new place a year, even if it's just a few hours away.

I found a company through a travel agency (Gutsy Women Travel--they have a web site) that is designed for women traveling by themselves, and they have destinations all over the world (I have my eye on their trip to Egypt--how cool would it be to see the pyramids!) I've also seen some sites that supposedly offer trips and events for Christian singles, but we'll have to see (so far my experiences with places like eharmony and a "real-life" dating services that supposedly catered to the needs of a Christian were far from desirable.)

I finally decided that maybe life didn't work out the way I had hoped... so if it's God's will... why not start living the dream in reverse!
 
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MusicalMe

Guest
#31
Wow, Kim, I'm definitely going to have to check out that site. Maybe I can finally make it over to Europe!
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
14,943
4,587
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#32
It's definitely worth a look, Anne. Check out their website and order a brochure! The tours are designed for groups of 20 women or less, so it sounds very personalized, safe,and detail-oriented, which is something I like. Who knows, maybe you and I might find ourselves on the same tour someday?

I know that one way God has blessed my single time is by giving me a family that's scattered all over--through tagging along with them, I've been able to see small parts of Korea, France, Italy, Switzerland, and several places in the US...

One of the things I'm hoping for in someone is a person who loves to see new places as much as I do!

As difficult as being single can be... ah... the sweet smell of freedom... is definitely worth being thankful for!
 
Jul 10, 2009
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#33
Try being a single mother at church. It sucks! I go so my son will have a strong up bring. But being single with a child at church is the worst.
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
14,943
4,587
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#34
Laura,

I hope you find a church with a strong support network for single parents. At my old church, half or more of the congregation consists of those who are raising children alone or are now in blended families, so there was a lot of understanding and they always tried their best to provide childcare at their events.

I know this is a bit different but I can certainly empathize. I dated a guy for three years and because he was an alcoholic (to an extent I didn't understand at the time), I pretty much became the single parent of his two boys, ages 18 mo. and 4 at the time. Their mother had passed away almost a year before I was in the picture, and their father, once he became comfortable (and saw that the kids and I had attachments to each other), quit his job to drink full-time, leaving me to care for his children. I had to make sure they were bathed, dressed, and fed, because otherwise it simply did not get done. Next to my divorce, it was probably the most stressful period of my life.

I took the boys to church with me by myself. The relationship was horrible, but the best thing that came out of it was what I learned from his kids.

I will never forget his older son asking me, "Kim, why does God love us?" and I stammered around for an answer...

I'll always be grateful for everything his kids brought to my life.

Best wishes to you and I hope you find some support for your unique challenges.
 
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SamIam

Guest
#35
The biggest problem i have in the church and being single is when me and my daughter go, sometimes people will give me these judgmental looks and say rude things since i dont have on a wedding ring, and have a child. I dropped her off in her sunday school class one morning and the teacher said, So where is so and so talkin about her other parent, and my daughter said she didnt have one. and the teacher gave me a really dirty look... and rolled her eyes at me...
 
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Sharp

Senior Member
May 5, 2009
2,565
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#36
wow from what you guys describe, churches can be meeeeeeean! I mean I wouldn't know, I've never really been a part of one, but some of these stories are bad :(
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
14,943
4,587
113
#37
The biggest problem i have in the church and being single is when me and my daughter go, sometimes people will give me these judgmental looks and say rude things since i dont have on a wedding ring, and have a child. I dropped her off in her sunday school class one morning and the teacher said, So where is so and so talkin about her other parent, and my daughter said she didnt have one. and the teacher gave me a really dirty look... and rolled her eyes at me...

Yeah, and it makes you want to shout, "THIS IS CHURCH, FOR PETE'S SAKE... WHERE IS GOD'S LOVE THAT YOU ALL TALK ABOUT???"

Heh... when I was taking the boys to church... being an Asian chick dropping off one little boy with brown hair and bright blue eyes and the other with super light, white-blond hair and green eyes... they probably thought I was just the hired domestic help.

I get that a lot, even with my own family! :)

Sharp--don't let us scare you--there ARE some positive experiences in church too! Don't let this hinder you from finding one. Like anything in life... there are ups and downs.
 

Sharp

Senior Member
May 5, 2009
2,565
20
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#38
Oh I'm always on the lookout for churches! I just never feel welcome so I tend to leave...maybe one day....
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
14,943
4,587
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#39
I'm really sorry to hear that!! It should NOT be that way. Wish you were here, I'd take you to my old church--with your sense of humor, I can think of a group of guys you'd fit in with right off the bat. And prolly some of the girls, too. :)
 
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SamIam

Guest
#40
lol i doubt sharp would talk to the girls!!