That's correct: we met online.

Since there are a few men coming to visit church that I've met on the internet, specifically on a Christian dating website, I thought I might post a bit of my "profile" on here so if you're curious, you can know what the basis of our getting to know each other is.

givengrace's Profile (that's me)

Introduction

Hi, brothers. :) So what have you been learning lately? What is the Lord doing in your life? I guess that's what I'm looking for, really - to get to know God more through getting to know more of His people. I hope I may be an encouragement to you and a faithful sister despite my short-comings. If you love Jesus, we have one awesome thing in common, and I'd love to talk about it, whether we have anything else in common or not.

Man, it's so awesome to know that the Lord knows us - what we're doing, where we're going, what we're thinking - that He's right here with us, always. His love is manifest in His very presence. I pray you know His presence - even if you can't feel it right now. Emotions come and go, passion can ebb and flow, but Christ remains. He chose to love us, and He is faithful to that choice. Thank You, Jesus!

Our God is so good! I can't get over it. Hope I never do. Anyway, drop me line if you'd like to chat or write - or visit if you happen to be in the northeast. The grace of our Lord be with you now and always! - Amanda


What I'd like to do on a first date...

We're so priviledged to be able to build relationships rooted in Christ with the unity that we can only know as brothers and sisters in the LORD! I'm actually not looking for someone to date... I would like to build friendships without romantic expectations where we can trust each other because we trust God in each other.

To begin that friendship: come to each other's churches, get to know each other's family and faith family; let's worship together and learn together, and serve together. Normal, daily unromantic things. Become friends. Brother and sister in the LORD. That is a relationship that's eternal and so good whether God leads it to more or not.

I've come to believe that before a man and woman are husband and wife, they are brother and sister, and that romance really has no place outside of marriage. Without a permanent commitment, the expression of romantic feelings and promises is deceitful and sets both people up for disappointment, wounded-ness, and lack of trust in the future. As single women, we have one Romancer: God. He shows us His deep passion for and delight in us everyday.

The betrothed woman has two: God and her bridegroom. Her heart then is her man's to pursue. His promises of affection and romance have solid, permanent commitment to stand on.

So... I gladly will get to know you, but as my brother only, and I as your sister. No expectations for anything less. Deal? :)

My past relationships have taught me...

Do not awaken love... until we're committed to sustaining it every day for the rest of our lives. I've learned that I truly desire and need a brother who will lead me in holiness and truth, and I will follow him.

To me, being a Christian means...

Having life! learning; changing; seeking; family and authentic fellowship; serving and helping... all being the fruits of a relationship with God through Christ because of His perfect Life and willful Death. I love my Lord more than anything. I live for Him, I'll die and go to Him. I have nothing - I am nothing - outside of His grace and truth. Thank You, Father for Your Son. Thank You Jesus for Your obedience and gift. Thank You Spirit for interceding and guiding me in the truth. To God be the glory forever. Amen!

In five years, I see myself

This fall I'll be starting course work with no definite end date or direction, really. The Lord provided my deli job which will pay for a few classes per semester, and we'll see where it goes from there. My goals are to become fluent in Spanish and French, to write something more substantial than a blog entry every couple of days (and this profile), and to build relationships with people I meet in classes and hallways, cafeterias, libraries, etc. I just want to learn and serve the Lord where He places me.

I'm passionate about guiding girls in understanding their worth as daughters of the King, and if a few more girls join the youth group this year, I'll step in as a small group leader. I'm praying the Lord brings them!

Also really excited about a discipleship course that my church started last year. A small group of people went through the program and now they're discipling the next group. I'm being discipled this fall, and then I'll be discipling someone else after, which is a humbling thought, and very special to me.

So much is happening soon - it's awesome. This summer has been a time of deep searching and growth with the Lord, and now He's sending me out. I feel so blessed.

Growing up, I was a dancer (until about four years ago) so I'm quite knowledgeable about the human body as far as physical conditioning goes. Also this fall, if ok'd by pastor and the elders, I'm going to teach a free, weekly Pilates class for ladies using the church facility. I'm really excited about bringing an eclectic group of women together and sharing about Beauty in Christ, getting to know each one and minister to her heart. I'd love to all swap names each week and pray for one another. Simply to bond and grow deeper as sisters - and perhaps some will come who don't know the Lord! Ladies from around town. We'll see what the Lord does!

Missions work is always tugging at my heart there. The Lord hasn't sent me, yet, but I think He will. Something in me aches for other cultures and lands and PEOPLE. I love children - worked at a preschool with 1-4 yr olds for a year and a half before my deli gig and I just love them. Their excitement and honesty, their humor and generosity with love. I would LOVE to go work at an orphanage.

Speaking of kiddos, I also would love to be a mommy. Married to a man of God who loves being a daddy, having children that we're both joyfully passionate about raising in the Lord. At least while they're small, I'd love to homeschool and have our home open to travelers, studiers, small groups: LOTS of fellowship. We could be a family immersed and serving in the body of Christ and the community and learning... travel as a family and learn first hand about cultures, the outdoors, adventure, history, music, art, sports, science... and of course we have the privilege of teaching them the Truth and Awesome Joy of who God is, what He has done, how He loves them, and how they can be in relationship with Him; how to live as Christ did and love others!

We can learn together and teach our little ones what it means to have life, and have it abundantly! What could be greater than that?!

And I pray I may see my brother, father, and nominally-Catholic extended family bow before Jesus as their Savior and life-source.

In all things, Thy will be done, Father. To You be all glory.

My favorite Bible passage is...

The LORD God is a sun and a shield,
The LORD will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
- Psalm 84:11

Everything is given from and made possible by the Lord God. We taste that He is gracious and good because He makes us taste Him as so! We see because He is our sun; we're guarded because he is our shield; we cling to Him because He's given us grace; we walk boldly with Him hoping in His glory; He provides for our hearts abundantly with Himself; we walk beside Him because He upholds us in His righteous right hand! We shall not be moved, and we shall give thanks to the One who is so worthy! Thank You, Lord.

One final thing I'd like to mention...

"What matters is not that we do all we might have done or all we dreamed of doing, but that, while we live, we live by faith in future grace and walk in the path of love. The times are in God’s hands, not ours.

"With this common conviction we will, God willing, embrace [life] with all the might that God inspires in us... May the Lord establish the plans of our hearts."
- John Piper, A Godward Life, part two