Dear Friends,

This has been a year of rest and reshaping priorities. I finally came to the end of my SELF, so I hope. I am nowhere near attaining the prize of life as Paul described but I am pressing on. In January I joined a worship team at the International House of Prayer (www.ihop.org), a goal I had been reaching for since I moved to Kansas City in 2003. Two months later I was cut from the team and received word that my grandmother (Theora Blair) had passed away. I hit a wall. With my world turned upside down I began evaluating my priorities, purpose, and life pursuits. I determined that since I so value the godly heritage my grandparents left to 5 children, 15 grandchildren, and 20 great grandchildren it was time for me to redirect my focus to my husband and children, which leads to the obvious obstacle: I don’t have any … I am still single.

The Lord has graciously given me numerous godly brothers to encourage my heart but He has also brought me to a place of letting go. I thought I had already surrendered all my dreams to the Lord, but I had been struggling to loose my grasp on one last temporal desire: marriage. I am not the only one. Many of my single friends over the age of 30 or 40 are still longing for earthly spouses. The journey of being single but not called to celibacy is a difficult road. After pursuing a long-term relationship I read Josh Harris’ book and “Kissed Dating Goodbye” for an entire decade. For a while I focused entirely on pursuing the Lord. Eventually, my roommate, Audra, and I began praying daily for our future husbands and joined a network of ladies who are praying and fasting for godly marriages to come forth in our generation (to join e-mail: fast.pray@gmail.com). I believe God’s plan is for me to be married and have a family, but I am letting go like Abraham and laying this promise on the altar reasoning that the Lord can resurrect it. I have wrestled with God like Jacob, sought His face like David, cried out like Hannah, and concluded like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that my God is able, He will, and even if He does not fulfill His promise I will not bow down to any earthly idol. My primary pursuit in life will always be to know and love my eternal Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.

We all reach for something: money, success, fulfillment, recognition, relationships, health, comfort, whatever, but loving God fully is the only prize worth winning. We contend for breakthrough in many areas but we gain nothing without love (1 Cor. 13:1-3). Even if we never see a change in our temporary circumstances are we willing to become so consumed with the ultimate prize of loving Jesus that this is all that really matters?

At some point in life the Lord brings each of us to the end of ourselves. For some it takes a major crisis to shift our priorities. Whatever the season you are in I pray the Lord will set His seal of love upon your heart so that you may press on for the prize of loving Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. I am still involved in ministry and working part time. To read more and make contributions visit UniqueDove.com.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Chérie Blair