Designed to Radiate

As the smoke clears from Valentine’s Day… “rolls eyes”. Just kidding, there are no hard feelings about Valentine’s Day. I enjoyed my Valentine’s day evening. I spent the night jamming out to some good music while enjoying a favorite meal and beverage, then ended the night with a movie. For me, after a long couple of weeks, it was great to take some time to celebrate my journey being single and then get to rest.

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I hope that everyone had a great Valentine’s day and found love throughout their day. Although I did not have a significant other to celebrate Valentine’s day with, I decided to stay positive and I was able to give and receive love from people at work and those I interacted with throughout the day.

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As someone single for quite a while… I can say I have finally started to come to a place where I am okay with it. Of course, I have my emotional moments where I get sad and ask God why is it taking so long for my man to show up?!

Instead of allowing my self to sulk, I have learned to push through those emotions and feelings and focus my thoughts on God. My focus is on developing into the woman God has called me to be.

“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.”- Proverbs 4:25

Resting in God and putting my focus on strengthening my relationship with him, has allowed for spiritual growth, learning what I need to work on, and learning what I like to do. Lately, I have enjoyed cooking new recipes. Growing up I liked cooking, but when it came to cooking for the whole family I started to dread it. I disliked standing up for so long, that I had to make so much food, and when picky eaters wanted something different than the meal that was being prepared. I still cooked for my family, but I was often upset about it.

I had the attitude of “those aren’t my kids and that’s not my husband, so why should I have to cook for them, especially when they don’t show gratitude” (Crazy right?, they were still my family and I loved them). I knew that I was supposed to be serving my family with selfless love, but deep down, I was upset because I wasn’t already doing this for my own family (my kids and my husband). It’s hilarious, but also pretty sad that I had that attitude.

A few meals I enjoyed making.

A Salmon and Leek parcel (tried some new flavors), first time poaching eggs was fun, and fried rice…yum!

Since moving out on my own I have missed cooking for my family. I believe that I took for granted the opportunity to cook for them and helping to make sure everyone was fed. Now I make time to cook for them and take them meals when I can, so they don’t have to worry about cooking after a long day.

I love how God allowed me to be removed from the environment; he showed me how my perspective had shifted and reopened my heart to something I already liked to do. I realized that my family was always grateful for me cooking and serving them, I was just blinded by the negative thoughts I was allowing in my mind.

I wish I could go back and change some things, but if that didn’t happen the perspective probably wouldn’t be changed now. I can now apply this situation to when I become a wife and mother and serve my family.

Through all of this, I have learned that I purely enjoy cooking and baking, I get excited to research recipes and go buy the ingredients. I also enjoy learning new techniques, like how to properly cut, prepare, plate, and etc. It is fun!!

As stated before, singleness is okay. It allows you to refocus and be ready and prepared for the role of a wife and mother (For the men: husband and father) you desire to be. It also prepares you for the many more life lessons that will come once you are in a relationship. You have the opportunity to get to know yourself and truly love yourself. So, do not rush it!

God has given you the grace to be prepared for his blessing.

–Love, Shardea’ Nicole

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-D2R-