Me (with Craig Clarke last summer) at the Sunken Road from the Battle of Fredericksburg. . .
Table on Contents for this series on singleness:
(Explanation and overview of this series follows this list of contents)
- A theology of singleness
- Three perspectives on singleness (what has kept me sane)
- Heartbreak and the goodness of God. . .
- Times when I hate being single!
- An open letter to a female friend. . . struggles in dating Christian and non-Christian men
- The blessings and joy of singleness
- The role of infused beauty in my life (“softening” a single dude)
- 4 “big picture” principles on living the single life well
- Singleness, “becoming the right person”, and personal development
- 5 “best practices” of singleness (your input desired)
Recently, Ruthie Dean asked me to write an article for her blog on the subject of singleness. I was honored, as her blog is exceptional. Additionally, it is a subject I have thought about often. This is probably obvious from the simple truth that I AM single and have been for quite a while. As a result, I had been meaning to write on the subject of singleness since I started this blog 9 months ago. However, it took Ruthie’s request to write for her blog to finally get me started.
So, I going to write 5-7 posts on singleness over the next several months. I don’t proclaim to be an expert on the subject, just a guy who has had a LOT of practice at being single.
I know that many people who read my blog are married. Actually, most people who read this blog are married. If that is the case, I hope marrieds can benefit from this series in three ways.
- Life and laughter – I hope that whether you are single or married, much of what I talk about will be equally applicable. To say it will be about singleness is a bit of a misnomer. This series will be about life. Given that I am an old bachelor, my angle will be from that of the vantage point of singleness. Also, I hope that some of it will be funny for all of us, if nothing else, humorously awkward.
- Understanding and ministry – Singles are increasing in number around the world. Did you know that for the first time in America history there are more single adults than marrieds? People are getting married older than ever in America. Divorce is a norm in society. Never marrieds are also increasing. Your churches, neighborhoods, places of work, and even your families will be increasingly populated with single adults. Hopefully reading this series will help you understand and relate to this growing population.
- Your future family – If you don’t already, you most likely will have children one day. Eventually, they will be single, at one time or another, in their adult lives. Hopefully, this series will be helpful for you in this way.
Looking forward to your new blogs on singleness. Since I have been married for 50yrs it will be interesting to see what you have to say. I always enjoy all your articles and I am sure this one will be fascinating!! Hugs!!!
Thanks Jane!
John
I really enjoy reading your blog. You are tremendously talented. I recently came across this site which might interest you. You may be at the beginning of something big. We met in Chattanooga at the FPC. Margaret and I were in France for 35 years.
Blessings for the New Year.
http://www.platformuniversity.com/
Tom Petty
Hey Tom, I do remember you guys! Thanks for you encouragement on this blog and for letting e know about this other site. I’ll definitely check it out.
Bring it on!
Alright then!
Way to start the year…a series on singleness. Just what I have been thinking. I had two weeks Christmas break and I spent it with dear friends and family. I traveled across the country and it was fun. The time came for me to go back home…my apartment, where I live alone and I have had a hard time adjusting. Maybe I should get a cat…
I can’t wait to read your thoughts on this subject.
Tatuu, thanks for your enthusiasm with this series. Hopefully it will be helpful for all of us. Yeah, the living alone thing is pretty rough at times. I’m a pretty big extravert, so I really don’t like the silence that comes from living along.
Good Stuff” as PHILIP used to say.
He did have some fun ways of saying things, didn’t he!
36 and single…hardly ever hear a guy’s perspective on this. So looking forward to it!
Hi! Nice series…just wanted to let you know about a typo:
“Given that I am an old bachelor, my ***angel*** will be from that of the vantage point of singleness.” (should be angle).
You don’t need to publish this comment
In our Lord Jesus,
Seth
Hey Seth, I really appreciate your input here. Honestly, there are tons of typos in this blog if you start to look for them. I’m trying to improve as a writer, but I am an AWFUL editor. My sister always makes fun of me for this.
I appreciate you correction here and please do so whenever you see something that I have missed like this.
Thanks brother!
You are really brave to write this series! In my 20s I was so ashamed to be single and I always hoped, that people would not ask whether i was single or did i have a boyfriend. When i turned 30, i realized, that i have thought, that it is kind of ok to be single in your twenties, you could always excuse yourself, that you are still studying (although i haven’t finished my studies even now and i actually think, that studies do not hinder creating a family, it never was the real reason), but it is a real catastrophe to turn 30 and still be single. Now in my thirties I’m learning to live with it. I’m learning to be brave and even talk about singleness, learning to admit that i’m single. But it has required a lot of courage from me, in the beginning it was really hard.
Thanks Ave…thanks for reading and for your input here! Great word on becoming comfortable in where the Lord has you in life.