But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:8-9
The Power of – One – is such a lonely number.
This phrase has been dancing through my head for a while now.
The Power of One…the One…Jesus Christ.
One is such a lonely number. Me…alone…by myself.
As I type this article, it has been thirty-one days since I dropped my only daughter off for her freshman year of college. She is a four hour drive from our home. I have shared with you her Senior year of high school, my preparation for the big drop off at college and even the events of the drop off day.
Now, I’ve had thirty-one days on my own, for the first time since 1993 when I was married to her father. Just me.
I’m happy and settling into this new phase of my life. I am going room by room and cleaning out. I have started to intentionally eat healthier and have convenience food delivered to me that will help me with weight loss too. I am going to the gym and working out with a friend.
Cristina, my daughter, has settled in so beautifully at college. I know, in her heart, she is making a home there and she’s happy and making great friends and doing well!
I share all of this to point out that I have intentionally changed my mindset from one of loss to one of new opportunities. If I look back on where I’ve been and who has been in my life and focus on what I’ve lost, that is a dark, lonely corridor that I don’t want to be in, and is devoid of Hope. Instead, I look to the One and ask Him what opportunities He has for me in this new phase.
I don’t label myself as a widow or single mother. I am a child of God. I am not broken or “less-than”, just waiting for anything. God has something for me right now. I am still a work in progress that calls on His Grace and Mercy every moment of every day; and I struggle with a myriad of things that He and I are working on together for His Glory. I am still here, so I still have a purpose.
As I look back over my life and all of the growth that God has allowed in my life in the past 20+ years, it is amazing. I have endured things that I would never have asked for had I been able to see as I was going into the storm, and I would never have thought I would survive. But by clinging to the Power of One – the One, I have not only survived, but I have thrived. I laugh more than cry; I am filled with joy, contentment, and gratitude.
So, even though one is such a lonely number, the Power of One always wins. I encourage you to focus on the Power of One – the One – and keep your mind from thinking that one is a lonely number. God can do a lot with one when you are surrendered and looking to the One.
Dear Lord, Please help me to continue looking to You – the One – for my hope and contentment. Thank You for loving me and growing me. Amen
Archive: originally posted on awidowsmight.org in October 2015