WEBVTT

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 The scripture reading comes from Isaiah chapter 56.

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 Please follow along on the screen, the bulletin, or on your own Bible.

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 Starting in verse 3, oh, there's no screen, so yeah, follow along on your bulletin or your own Bible, okay?

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 Starting in verse 3, we read,

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 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,

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 The Lord will surely separate me from his people.

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 And let not the eunuch said, Behold, I am a dry tree.

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 For thus says the Lord,

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 To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me, and hold fast my covenant,

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 I will give in my house and within my walls monuments and a name, better than sons and daughters.

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 I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great, thank you, Soda.

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 Welcome, everybody, again.

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 My name is Chris.

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 If you don't know me, I'm one of the leaders here at Watermark.

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 Let's just pray together as we get into God's word.

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 Father, I just want to thank you that you're a God who really does know us.

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 You're a God who really does see us.

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 You're a God who really does care for us.

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 And you're a God who is really good.

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 And I pray this morning, Lord, your word would not just be a word which is in one ear and out the other ear,

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 but I pray, Lord, we would hear good news from you.

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 I pray that we would encounter you this morning.

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 I pray, Father, for those of us who, as we talk about singleness, Lord, those of us who are wrestling with this, I pray you would just minister to them.

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 I pray for those of us who this is a topic we don't really want to engage with or talk about.

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 Lord, I pray that you would open our ears to hear what you want to say.

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 And I pray, Father, that even as we are here in the safety of Hong Kong and we are so blessed in so many ways,

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 we also want to pray around the world.

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 We want to pray for Afghanistan at the moment, for the church there and the believers there.

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 Father, we pray that you would be their protection.

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 You would be their provision.

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 Father, we ask that you would let your name be known in that nation.

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 We pray, God, would you bring healing.

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 Would you bring deliverance in that place, Father?

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 Father, we ask.

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 But we know that you are good and we know that you are faithful and we know that you are sovereign.

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 So thank you, Lord, in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 Great.

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 So we're going through this series looking at a lot of hot topics of marriage, of sex.

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 We looked at cohabitation and transgender.

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 And today we're kind of carrying on.

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 We're not going light today.

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 We're looking at singleness.

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 And for some of you, you'll feel that this is a topic that is burning on your heart.

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 Some of you will feel like this is not a topic burning for you at all.

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 But I believe this is a topic for every single one of us to really listen to this morning.

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 And it's something that's really actually very precious on my own heart.

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 And even in our own family, we've really talked about this issue a lot with my wife over the years.

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 But I don't know if you know that actually singleness is a global issue at the moment.

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 There was a book that came out a little while ago by a guy called Robert Putnam.

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 It was called Bowling Alone.

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 And in it, he said, across America, people used to bowl in leagues.

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 He says now they bowl alone.

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 In Hong Kong, I don't know if you know the statistics, but actually about 30% of men, 30% of women are single.

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 And that is increasing dramatically, especially with the divorce rates increasing.

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 And in the church, this is actually can also be exacerbated quite a bit because the elephant in the room is that there is actually a 60-40% ratio of females to males.

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 And which means for many women, and I know talking to some of you, this is a real issue.

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 You know if you want to marry and you want to follow the scriptures call to marry someone who is a godly Christian guy,

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 it often feels like there's just not enough to go around.

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 And some people leave churches and some people even leave the faith over this very issue.

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 So this is a really pressing one for us as a church.

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 But as I was actually preparing this sermon, I've chatted to quite a number of the singles in the congregation.

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 And I also spoke to a journalist called Anna Broadway, who has actually just been going around the world,

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 visiting 41 countries, talking to over 300 singles for a book that she's publishing on singleness.

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 And so I'm going to share a few things that she said.

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 But actually one of the things that's just come across to the people that I've been talking with is that singleness is complicated.

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 Okay?

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 There's no one stereotypical single.

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 And by the way, every one of us, hands up who has never been single.

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 That's good.

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 There's no like birth arranged marriages or anything like that going on.

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 Like every one of us has been single.

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 And if you live long enough and outlive your spouse, every one of us will also be single.

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 Which means that this sermon is for everyone.

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 And so the different kinds of singleness that we can have are multitude.

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 There are dating singles.

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 There are what I call career singles.

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 Career singles, they kind of married their jobs.

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 And so career has kind of become everything.

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 And for some of them, they kind of wake up in their 30s and realize that the pool of their options has shrunk.

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 And then they decide whether they continue to be career singles.

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 Or maybe they might become what I call reluctant singles.

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 Those who want to get married but for some reason or other, they just haven't yet.

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 And then there are functional singles.

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 People who are married like, for example, domestic helpers.

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 But actually live apart from their spouses and are functionally single.

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 And then there's others who are vocational singles.

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 People who have chosen to be single like priests and nuns and maybe some missionaries.

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 And then there are what I call burnt singles.

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 People who have either through divorce or widowhood or bad dating experience just don't want a partner.

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 And then there are others who I call no choice singles.

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 Maybe because of disability or because of same-sex attraction and following scripture's call for them to remain celibate.

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 Celibate in life.

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 And we could go on.

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 Do you see?

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 Singleness is a multitude of things.

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 Which means actually in this sermon today, I cannot address everyone and every issue.

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 Because singleness for a 20-year-old compared to singleness for a 70-year-old looks incredibly different.

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 But where we're going to start and where we want to go is in this beautiful passage in Isaiah 56.

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 Because this passage actually comes after Isaiah 53, which is all about a suffering king who's going to come and lay down his life for people.

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 Taking their sins, which we know is Jesus.

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 And then chapter 55, which we read earlier, is an invitation for in the light of Jesus and what he's done for everyone to come to him and to find life in him.

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 And then chapter 56 expands that invitation out to the people that everyone thought were excluded from society.

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 To foreigners and to eunuchs.

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 And eunuchs are people, well, I don't have to go into the details.

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 But they were the singles of the day.

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 They were the no-choice singles.

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 No possibility of marriage or of having children.

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 And Isaiah 56, verse 7 says this.

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 Sorry, not verse 7.

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 Verse 3 says this.

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 Let not the eunuch say, behold, I am a dry tree.

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 Now just think for a minute.

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 Why would he say that?

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 Why would he say that?

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 Because in a culture which is dominated by the biological family,

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 where it sees kind of marriage and having kids as the normal trajectory of life.

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 You know, you're born, you grow up, you get married, you know, you have kids, then you retire, your kids then look after you,

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 and then you die surrounded by your family.

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 That's kind of the narrative arc that many people live.

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 That's what people think is a fruitful life.

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 And in Hong Kong, actually, what we do is we kind of add a stage in there, which is like,

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 but don't get married until you've got a stable income and you've got a good career and, you know,

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 you've finished your studies and all those kind of things.

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 And so actually, even in Hong Kong, once you get to kind of the late 20s,

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 there's this five to ten-year window where a kind of marriageable period.

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 And if you go beyond that, then often it feels like you become a leftover man or woman,

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 you know, where you're just coming home to either a darkened flat eating cup noodles by yourself

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 or still living with your parents in your 65.

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 That's kind of the image that we have, isn't it?

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 And so that's the idea of being a dry tree without children, without this family around you.

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 No name to pass on, feeling shamed in society.

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 And so what often happens is well-meaning relatives and particularly church friends as well

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 come along and they say things like,

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 have you got anybody yet?

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 And like, let me hook you up with someone.

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 And then there's this extra pressure that comes on.

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 And for women, the biological clock is ticking.

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 And often when every wedding, you know, we had a great wedding yesterday with Zee and Helen,

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 but every wedding can get you thinking about what's wrong with me.

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 Am I too ugly?

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 Am I too independent?

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 Am I too poor?

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 Am I too successful?

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 What's going on with me?

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 And many of us feel that shame.

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 We feel nameless.

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 We feel like a dry tree.

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 And in response to this kind of traditional narrative, actually, modern culture has given

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 something else.

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 It says it's not just about loneliness, although it has that.

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 Singleness is also about liberation.

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 I don't know if you know the actor Michael Douglas.

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 He said, being single is pretty good.

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 It's a nice sense of irresponsibility.

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 Somebody else said, single is the opportunity to live life on your terms and not apologize.

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 You know, it's like, I'm free to do what I want, any old time, any old how, video games

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 till 2 a.m., constant traveling, focus on your career or education, just you do you, liberation

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 from the chains of responsibility and marriage.

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 And scripture comes to us, and this passage is going to come to us and say, singleness

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 is not about loneliness.

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 It's not about liberation.

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 It's about recognizing a few things.

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 And the first thing that it's about recognizing is about recognizing that in Christ we have

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 a new identity.

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 So that's my first point.

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 Look at me again.

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 Isaiah 56.

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 It says this, let not the eunuch say I'm a dry tree.

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 To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast to

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 my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than

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 sons and daughters.

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 It's a name that won't be cut off at all.

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 You see, the people of Israel were formed out of a promise to Abraham that he would be the

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 descendant of many nations, of a great nation.

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 And that promise was to be passed on through children.

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 And just as in Chinese culture, identity, one's identity and one's honor was found in

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 being able to bear children and pass on your name and then be part of this great family.

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 And so belonging to this people in covenant relationship with God and with each other was

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 expressed actually through keeping the Sabbath.

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 And the thing was eunuchs were excluded from this community.

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 They couldn't pass on or share in this blessing of the family that God had for them.

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 They were that dry tree.

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 But God says to them, in the light of Jesus coming, for those who trust him, for those

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 who make him their God, you have a status change.

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 And it's not a Facebook status change.

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 He says, you're not a dry tree.

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 You're not abandoned to a life of lonely misery.

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 Instead, you have a name.

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 And it's an everlasting name.

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 And a monument, let me say, a place in my family, in my presence.

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 That's what the house and walls are about.

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 It's about the temple of God where his presence dwells.

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 You've got a seat of honor in the table.

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 You see, you know, in biological families, you know, we put pictures of our kids on the

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 wall, you know, and we show them.

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 We say, look at my Johnny or whoever it is.

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 We have pride and honor in that, don't we?

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 And what happens, though, after a few generations where you've kids and then you've got the parents

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 on the wall and all those pictures, you actually forget about, like, your great, great, great,

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 great grandparents.

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 Does any of you remember them?

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 I don't.

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 But actually, what God is saying here is, in God's family, on his wall is a picture with your name on it.

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 It's your picture.

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 And it's a place of honor.

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 And he says it's more honored than sons and daughters because you've been bought by the blood of Jesus.

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 So you have a pride of place if you are single or if you are married.

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 Because he loves to show off to the world those who are his.

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 And you know what?

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 He'll never forget you.

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 You will always be remembered.

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 Which means this.

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 In Christ, your primary identity, if you are married, is not married.

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 If you are single, your primary identity in Christ is not single.

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 It's not shamed.

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 It's not anything else.

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 It's beloved, honored, secure.

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 That's who you are in God's family through faith in Christ,

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 which means the church should be the one place in all of society

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 where a lot of those invisible, excluding barriers between marrieds and singles are broken down.

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 You know, we have more in common between marrieds and singles

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 than we have difference in the family of Christ.

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 Did you know that?

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 Which means then that actually, we also need to be aware of how we unwittingly put up barriers.

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 You know, as a single, I used to sit in groups with marrieds who had kids.

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 And do you know what they talked about all the time?

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 It wasn't the weather.

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 It was their kids.

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 And do you know how actually excluding that can feel as a single?

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 You know, if every time a single who's in their 50s,

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 we see them and we think,

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 how sad, let me try and find someone that they can be with,

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 without actually asking them where they're up to,

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 what we're actually saying is,

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 we're saying your primary identity is marital and I need to fix that,

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 rather than your primary identity is in Christ.

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 So actually, as marrieds and singles,

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 we actually need to get together and talk together

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 to find out what are the things that actually create barriers between us.

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 So that actually we can truly be a community

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 where we have a name which is better than sons and daughters,

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 it's better than married, it's better than single,

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 it means we're in Christ and we're His.

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 That's the first thing we have.

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 We have a new identity in Christ.

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 Second thing, we have a new vision.

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 And here, 700 years later,

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 the Apostle Paul picks up on this vision

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 of the eunuchs being included.

00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:10.880
 And Paul, by the way, is single.

00:17:12.019 --> 00:17:17.519
 And he doesn't see his new identity in Christ as being loneliness

00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:20.240
 or even just liberation for his own self,

00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:23.120
 but he sees this new vision for his own singleness.

00:17:23.120 --> 00:17:24.180
 And here's what he says.

00:17:24.180 --> 00:17:25.860
 1 Corinthians 7, 7.

00:17:25.940 --> 00:17:26.180
 He says,

00:17:26.580 --> 00:17:30.900
 I wish all were as myself am.

00:17:31.840 --> 00:17:32.100
 He says,

00:17:32.140 --> 00:17:33.740
 I wish everyone was single like me.

00:17:34.900 --> 00:17:36.200
 Now, by the way,

00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:37.560
 he's not saying marriage is bad.

00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:38.180
 In Ephesians,

00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:41.700
 he creates this amazing picture of Christ and the church

00:17:41.700 --> 00:17:45.019
 as being this glorious gospel picture of what marriage is about.

00:17:45.600 --> 00:17:45.940
 He's not.

00:17:46.019 --> 00:17:47.100
 He's big on marriage.

00:17:47.099 --> 00:17:54.240
 He's also not saying that singleness is great because of all the personal benefits I get for myself.

00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:57.319
 You know, all the extra time or money I have for myself.

00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:59.939
 He's not saying that because actually, to be honest,

00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:01.519
 sometimes if you're single,

00:18:01.779 --> 00:18:04.879
 it feels like you have less time and less money.

00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:08.240
 Like, it's much harder to get a mortgage if you're single in Hong Kong.

00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:14.500
 It's sometimes you work longer hours because you don't have the family reason to go home.

00:18:14.500 --> 00:18:17.380
 So you just keep working.

00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:19.339
 Some of us,

00:18:20.819 --> 00:18:21.880
 well,

00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:25.000
 it's not time.

00:18:25.099 --> 00:18:25.680
 It's not just money.

00:18:25.779 --> 00:18:26.859
 It's also sex, right?

00:18:27.319 --> 00:18:28.160
 No sex.

00:18:28.940 --> 00:18:29.359
 And actually,

00:18:29.579 --> 00:18:33.279
 some of us who are single think that sex is all rosy in marriage,

00:18:33.339 --> 00:18:33.960
 and it's not.

00:18:34.059 --> 00:18:34.559
 But actually,

00:18:34.660 --> 00:18:36.200
 at least you get to have it sometimes.

00:18:37.779 --> 00:18:40.279
 So Paul is not going this beautiful vision,

00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:42.900
 I want you to be like me because it's so free for me.

00:18:42.900 --> 00:18:44.660
 But here's what he says.

00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:45.060
 He says,

00:18:46.019 --> 00:18:48.640
 each has his own gift from God.

00:18:49.380 --> 00:18:51.700
 One of one kind and one of another.

00:18:53.060 --> 00:18:54.380
 And we carry on in the whole chapter,

00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:55.320
 but I'm going to stop there.

00:18:56.680 --> 00:18:57.420
 He says,

00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:58.480
 he's talking about,

00:18:58.580 --> 00:18:58.820
 he says,

00:18:58.900 --> 00:19:02.280
 singleness and marriage are gifts.

00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:04.800
 Some of us think,

00:19:05.280 --> 00:19:07.400
 I hope there's a returns policy on that gift.

00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:09.900
 But what do you do with a gift?

00:19:09.900 --> 00:19:14.340
 You receive it with gratitude.

00:19:15.860 --> 00:19:16.680
 Some of us think,

00:19:16.840 --> 00:19:16.860
 well,

00:19:16.940 --> 00:19:18.580
 but I don't have the gift of singleness

00:19:18.580 --> 00:19:19.840
 because I want to get married.

00:19:21.360 --> 00:19:21.940
 Paul says,

00:19:22.019 --> 00:19:23.000
 that's not the point.

00:19:23.120 --> 00:19:24.900
 It's not about your desires here.

00:19:24.940 --> 00:19:26.100
 That's not what he's talking about.

00:19:26.340 --> 00:19:29.960
 It's about your present circumstances and situation.

00:19:30.660 --> 00:19:31.759
 That's what he's talking about.

00:19:32.180 --> 00:19:33.440
 So if you are married,

00:19:34.300 --> 00:19:36.560
 you have the gift of marriage.

00:19:37.419 --> 00:19:39.500
 Some of us hope that we have the gift of singleness.

00:19:40.200 --> 00:19:42.099
 But you have the gift of marriage.

00:19:42.339 --> 00:19:43.279
 If you are single,

00:19:43.539 --> 00:19:45.240
 you have the gift of singleness.

00:19:46.159 --> 00:19:47.519
 And it can change.

00:19:48.339 --> 00:19:49.259
 If you're married,

00:19:49.539 --> 00:19:50.480
 a spouse may die

00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:51.539
 and you become single again.

00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:52.960
 If you're single,

00:19:53.059 --> 00:19:53.779
 you can get married.

00:19:54.579 --> 00:19:56.720
 It's not necessarily a fixed condition.

00:19:57.339 --> 00:19:58.679
 But we have different gifts

00:19:58.679 --> 00:20:00.079
 at different times.

00:20:00.419 --> 00:20:02.000
 And you can wrestle with a gift.

00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:02.639
 If you're single,

00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:04.119
 you can desire to be married.

00:20:04.220 --> 00:20:05.720
 That's a good desire.

00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:07.519
 He's not saying,

00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:08.639
 don't desire it.

00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:11.159
 But what our tendency can be,

00:20:11.740 --> 00:20:12.740
 whether you're married or single,

00:20:13.099 --> 00:20:15.559
 is to look at everything that you don't have

00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:17.859
 rather than everything that you do.

00:20:18.639 --> 00:20:21.079
 To look at the whole rather than the donut,

00:20:21.399 --> 00:20:22.399
 if you know that analogy.

00:20:24.679 --> 00:20:28.019
 And what can happen is bitterness can creep into our hearts

00:20:28.019 --> 00:20:31.700
 and we end up with this state of actually saying

00:20:31.700 --> 00:20:32.899
 to the gift God has given,

00:20:33.379 --> 00:20:34.200
 God, you're not good.

00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:36.480
 God, I can't trust you.

00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:39.279
 God, you're not loving to me with this gift.

00:20:41.879 --> 00:20:43.759
 Page Benton Brown says this.

00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:44.119
 He says,

00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:45.240
 I'm not a single

00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:48.899
 because I'm too spiritually unstable

00:20:48.899 --> 00:20:50.539
 to deserve a husband.

00:20:51.639 --> 00:20:53.839
 Nor too spiritually mature to need one.

00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:56.220
 I'm single because God is good

00:20:56.220 --> 00:20:57.740
 and this is his best for me.

00:20:59.019 --> 00:21:00.599
 Some of us need to hear that.

00:21:01.259 --> 00:21:02.759
 Some of us need to hear that.

00:21:03.500 --> 00:21:06.359
 Scripture says God so loved you

00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:09.759
 that he gave his only son for you,

00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:14.759
 that he also gave a gift of singleness to you right now

00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:16.299
 for this season.

00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:17.980
 It's not always easy.

00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:20.859
 But can you trust him that he's actually good

00:21:20.859 --> 00:21:23.059
 and he's loving you with this situation right now?

00:21:23.059 --> 00:21:27.839
 But if this is the gift,

00:21:28.379 --> 00:21:30.960
 what is the gift for?

00:21:31.259 --> 00:21:33.319
 If it's not just for your own personal benefit,

00:21:33.319 --> 00:21:38.159
 well, the word gift

00:21:38.159 --> 00:21:41.000
 is actually the word charisma,

00:21:41.179 --> 00:21:44.339
 which is the same word for spiritual gift

00:21:44.339 --> 00:21:46.519
 in the rest of Corinthians.

00:21:46.519 --> 00:21:49.779
 And what are spiritual gifts?

00:21:50.779 --> 00:21:52.619
 Do you remember we looked at the chocolate cake

00:21:52.619 --> 00:21:53.660
 like a few weeks ago?

00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:55.819
 They're gifts of grace

00:21:55.819 --> 00:21:57.619
 given to us

00:21:57.619 --> 00:22:00.240
 for the benefit of others.

00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:04.279
 Smithhurst,

00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:05.420
 I think that's how you pronounce his name,

00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:05.859
 says this.

00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:08.759
 The world champions the single life

00:22:08.759 --> 00:22:10.980
 because of all you can do for yourself.

00:22:11.819 --> 00:22:14.139
 The Bible champions the single life

00:22:14.139 --> 00:22:15.940
 because of all you can do for others.

00:22:16.519 --> 00:22:18.420
 That's very powerful

00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:22.819
 because marriage pictures

00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:26.019
 the depth of Christ's love for the church

00:22:26.019 --> 00:22:29.879
 by sacrificing your desires for one person.

00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:33.900
 Singleness pictures the gospel

00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:36.200
 and the breadth of Christ's love

00:22:36.200 --> 00:22:38.680
 where you can sacrifice your desires

00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:39.879
 for many others.

00:22:39.880 --> 00:22:44.000
 You know,

00:22:44.260 --> 00:22:47.560
 you may not have more money

00:22:47.560 --> 00:22:48.240
 if you're singles.

00:22:48.560 --> 00:22:50.060
 You may not even have more time.

00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:52.480
 But what you do have

00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:54.840
 probably is more flexibility.

00:22:57.080 --> 00:22:59.600
 I spoke to Anna Broadway

00:22:59.600 --> 00:23:01.760
 and she said in all of her research

00:23:01.760 --> 00:23:02.700
 of what she had done,

00:23:03.360 --> 00:23:03.820
 she said,

00:23:03.819 --> 00:23:05.139
 as I've gone around the world,

00:23:05.500 --> 00:23:07.139
 the most contented singles

00:23:07.139 --> 00:23:08.480
 I have ever met

00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:09.939
 are not those who don't wrestle

00:23:09.939 --> 00:23:10.579
 with singleness,

00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:12.919
 but those who have a deep sense

00:23:12.919 --> 00:23:13.859
 of mission.

00:23:17.059 --> 00:23:17.579
 You know,

00:23:17.659 --> 00:23:20.240
 I've got single friends here in Hong Kong,

00:23:20.339 --> 00:23:21.579
 I've got single friends in the UK,

00:23:22.439 --> 00:23:23.899
 who are at the forefront

00:23:23.899 --> 00:23:25.039
 of missional justice.

00:23:25.539 --> 00:23:26.439
 They've even moved

00:23:26.439 --> 00:23:27.579
 into other communities

00:23:27.579 --> 00:23:29.079
 to be able to reach out

00:23:29.079 --> 00:23:30.480
 to low-income people.

00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:31.980
 I've got friends

00:23:31.980 --> 00:23:34.019
 who are actively discipling others

00:23:34.019 --> 00:23:34.960
 and using their time

00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:36.360
 to do one-on-one Bible study

00:23:36.360 --> 00:23:38.259
 to engage with those

00:23:38.259 --> 00:23:38.940
 who are hurting,

00:23:39.079 --> 00:23:39.839
 those who are sick,

00:23:39.940 --> 00:23:41.200
 in all kinds of ways.

00:23:41.299 --> 00:23:42.140
 That's something that both

00:23:42.140 --> 00:23:43.240
 marrieds and singles

00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:43.920
 should be doing,

00:23:44.220 --> 00:23:45.620
 but you've got way more flexibility

00:23:45.620 --> 00:23:46.400
 if you're single

00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:47.360
 because you don't have to do

00:23:47.360 --> 00:23:48.059
 kids' homework

00:23:48.059 --> 00:23:49.819
 and you don't have to wake up

00:23:49.819 --> 00:23:51.180
 for like kids' nap times

00:23:51.180 --> 00:23:52.319
 and all that kind of stuff.

00:23:52.839 --> 00:23:54.059
 You've just got more flexibility.

00:23:56.019 --> 00:23:56.900
 And that's why

00:23:56.900 --> 00:23:58.519
 Paul says,

00:23:58.640 --> 00:23:59.920
 I wish you guys were like me

00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:00.940
 because he's got this

00:24:00.940 --> 00:24:03.019
 driving missional heart

00:24:03.019 --> 00:24:04.140
 that he wants the gospel

00:24:04.140 --> 00:24:04.900
 to go out

00:24:04.900 --> 00:24:06.320
 all around the world,

00:24:06.580 --> 00:24:07.820
 which he says,

00:24:07.860 --> 00:24:08.759
 I wish you were like me.

00:24:09.420 --> 00:24:09.660
 You know,

00:24:09.700 --> 00:24:10.500
 the missional justice

00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:11.380
 in Watermark,

00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:12.560
 we need singles

00:24:12.560 --> 00:24:13.740
 to be right at the forefront

00:24:13.740 --> 00:24:15.080
 of helping marriage

00:24:15.080 --> 00:24:16.440
 to actually engage with that

00:24:16.440 --> 00:24:17.620
 because you can actually

00:24:17.620 --> 00:24:19.460
 forge a way for that

00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:20.820
 in a way that many others cannot.

00:24:21.700 --> 00:24:23.259
 There are so many opportunities.

00:24:23.880 --> 00:24:24.660
 But when singleness

00:24:24.660 --> 00:24:25.820
 is all about your career,

00:24:25.940 --> 00:24:27.019
 it's all about video games,

00:24:27.100 --> 00:24:28.100
 it's all about your travel,

00:24:28.099 --> 00:24:29.459
 don't be surprised

00:24:29.459 --> 00:24:30.480
 if at some point

00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:31.719
 it leaves you feeling empty

00:24:31.719 --> 00:24:33.199
 and deeply lonely

00:24:33.199 --> 00:24:34.699
 because you were made

00:24:34.699 --> 00:24:35.839
 for far more than that.

00:24:38.019 --> 00:24:39.079
 So let me ask you,

00:24:39.139 --> 00:24:39.799
 how are you losing

00:24:39.799 --> 00:24:40.359
 your singleness

00:24:40.359 --> 00:24:41.359
 if you're single?

00:24:42.539 --> 00:24:43.500
 Do you know

00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:44.500
 who God has called you

00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:45.219
 to serve

00:24:45.219 --> 00:24:46.619
 in this community

00:24:46.619 --> 00:24:47.419
 and even outside

00:24:47.419 --> 00:24:48.099
 the community

00:24:48.099 --> 00:24:50.179
 because it is a gift

00:24:50.179 --> 00:24:51.399
 for his kingdom?

00:24:52.279 --> 00:24:53.339
 That's the second thing.

00:24:53.619 --> 00:24:54.539
 You've got a new identity.

00:24:54.539 --> 00:24:57.000
 Get a new vision

00:24:57.000 --> 00:24:58.579
 for singleness.

00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:00.279
 Third thing.

00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:03.139
 A new community.

00:25:04.099 --> 00:25:04.960
 I'm going to pull this up

00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:05.680
 because I'm going to get

00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:07.940
 the cake.

00:25:08.180 --> 00:25:08.599
 Thank you.

00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:16.220
 This is one I feel

00:25:16.220 --> 00:25:18.399
 really, really convicted by.

00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:20.420
 You know, it's easy.

00:25:20.740 --> 00:25:21.319
 I'm married

00:25:21.319 --> 00:25:22.359
 and I have kids now.

00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:23.859
 I was single

00:25:23.859 --> 00:25:24.559
 until I was 31

00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:25.599
 but I'm now married

00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:26.019
 with kids

00:25:26.019 --> 00:25:26.959
 and it's easy for me

00:25:26.959 --> 00:25:27.359
 to say,

00:25:27.740 --> 00:25:28.219
 to those of you

00:25:28.219 --> 00:25:28.639
 who are singles,

00:25:28.879 --> 00:25:29.759
 you have this new

00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:30.819
 identity in Christ.

00:25:31.359 --> 00:25:32.039
 You've got all this

00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:33.339
 flexibility for the kingdom.

00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:36.659
 I think the spirits

00:25:36.659 --> 00:25:38.619
 are not wanting this to work.

00:25:40.279 --> 00:25:41.479
 It's easy to say that

00:25:41.479 --> 00:25:42.019
 and then you go,

00:25:42.139 --> 00:25:42.559
 yeah, but

00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:44.899
 you don't have to worry

00:25:44.899 --> 00:25:45.579
 about the future

00:25:45.579 --> 00:25:46.659
 of growing old alone.

00:25:49.159 --> 00:25:50.059
 And I get that.

00:25:50.059 --> 00:25:51.779
 I really get that

00:25:51.779 --> 00:25:52.919
 because we all

00:25:52.919 --> 00:25:54.579
 desire intimacy

00:25:54.579 --> 00:25:56.059
 and we all desire

00:25:56.059 --> 00:25:56.679
 to be loved

00:25:56.679 --> 00:25:57.319
 and to love,

00:25:57.399 --> 00:25:57.759
 don't we?

00:25:58.200 --> 00:25:58.720
 That's what we've been

00:25:58.720 --> 00:25:59.220
 talking about

00:25:59.220 --> 00:26:00.000
 in this series.

00:26:01.659 --> 00:26:02.839
 And so Satan

00:26:02.839 --> 00:26:03.839
 whispers

00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:05.279
 in our ear,

00:26:06.299 --> 00:26:07.659
 did God really say

00:26:07.659 --> 00:26:09.500
 you can't marry

00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:10.179
 a non-believer?

00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:12.440
 Did God really say

00:26:12.440 --> 00:26:12.899
 you're loved

00:26:12.899 --> 00:26:13.740
 and delighted in

00:26:13.740 --> 00:26:14.099
 when,

00:26:14.659 --> 00:26:14.859
 look,

00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:15.500
 all your friends

00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:16.099
 are getting married

00:26:16.099 --> 00:26:17.119
 and you're still single?

00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:19.939
 Satan wants

00:26:19.939 --> 00:26:20.519
 to take

00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:21.519
 these moments

00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:23.559
 and wants to lead us

00:26:23.559 --> 00:26:24.699
 to doubt God's goodness

00:26:24.699 --> 00:26:25.959
 and Isaiah 56

00:26:25.959 --> 00:26:27.179
 comes to us

00:26:27.179 --> 00:26:28.059
 and it says

00:26:28.059 --> 00:26:28.939
 it's a passage

00:26:28.939 --> 00:26:29.639
 not just about

00:26:29.639 --> 00:26:30.679
 individual eunuchs

00:26:30.679 --> 00:26:31.459
 who go to church

00:26:31.459 --> 00:26:32.019
 on a Sunday.

00:26:32.699 --> 00:26:33.579
 That's not what it is.

00:26:33.779 --> 00:26:35.159
 It's about the excluded

00:26:35.159 --> 00:26:36.599
 being included

00:26:36.599 --> 00:26:38.519
 in the family of God

00:26:38.519 --> 00:26:39.419
 which is the community

00:26:39.419 --> 00:26:39.779
 of God

00:26:39.779 --> 00:26:40.859
 welcomed in the people

00:26:40.859 --> 00:26:41.379
 of God.

00:26:42.219 --> 00:26:42.679
 Do you remember

00:26:42.679 --> 00:26:43.399
 Jesus,

00:26:43.939 --> 00:26:44.619
 Mark 10,

00:26:44.679 --> 00:26:45.199
 he says this,

00:26:45.559 --> 00:26:45.839
 he says,

00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:47.539
 no one who has left home

00:26:47.539 --> 00:26:48.839
 or brothers

00:26:48.839 --> 00:26:49.519
 or sisters

00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:50.159
 or mother

00:26:50.159 --> 00:26:50.959
 or father

00:26:50.959 --> 00:26:51.980
 or children

00:26:51.980 --> 00:26:52.599
 or fields

00:26:52.599 --> 00:26:53.439
 for my sake

00:26:53.439 --> 00:26:54.279
 and for the gospel

00:26:54.279 --> 00:26:55.779
 will fail

00:26:55.779 --> 00:26:56.579
 to receive

00:26:56.579 --> 00:26:57.879
 a hundredfold

00:26:57.879 --> 00:26:59.279
 in the present age

00:26:59.279 --> 00:26:59.579
 and he goes

00:26:59.579 --> 00:26:59.919
 houses,

00:27:00.059 --> 00:27:00.259
 brothers,

00:27:00.419 --> 00:27:00.699
 sisters

00:27:00.699 --> 00:27:01.159
 and mothers

00:27:01.159 --> 00:27:01.679
 and children.

00:27:01.980 --> 00:27:02.199
 Do you know

00:27:02.199 --> 00:27:03.179
 what he's talking about?

00:27:04.819 --> 00:27:05.959
 He's talking

00:27:05.959 --> 00:27:06.619
 about

00:27:06.619 --> 00:27:08.559
 that following Jesus

00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:09.899
 and living for his kingdom

00:27:09.899 --> 00:27:10.759
 at times

00:27:10.759 --> 00:27:12.019
 can tear us away

00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:12.759
 from the most

00:27:12.759 --> 00:27:14.500
 deepest intimate relationships

00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:15.779
 that we crave for.

00:27:16.699 --> 00:27:17.480
 He's saying

00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:18.139
 loneliness

00:27:18.139 --> 00:27:19.319
 can eat away

00:27:19.319 --> 00:27:21.079
 at the most faithful heart

00:27:21.079 --> 00:27:22.259
 and bring temptation

00:27:22.259 --> 00:27:23.419
 but Jesus says

00:27:23.419 --> 00:27:24.399
 I'm promising

00:27:24.399 --> 00:27:25.599
 to you

00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:27.459
 not just my

00:27:27.459 --> 00:27:28.599
 spiritual presence

00:27:28.599 --> 00:27:29.059
 with you

00:27:29.059 --> 00:27:29.939
 although that is true

00:27:29.939 --> 00:27:31.799
 but also

00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:33.159
 my presence

00:27:33.159 --> 00:27:33.959
 with you

00:27:33.959 --> 00:27:35.379
 through my church

00:27:35.379 --> 00:27:37.659
 because you know

00:27:37.659 --> 00:27:38.159
 when we say

00:27:38.159 --> 00:27:39.139
 Jesus is enough

00:27:39.139 --> 00:27:39.819
 for us

00:27:39.819 --> 00:27:40.879
 that is true

00:27:40.879 --> 00:27:42.679
 I really believe that

00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:44.320
 but you know

00:27:44.320 --> 00:27:46.340
 Jesus doesn't give hugs

00:27:46.340 --> 00:27:46.980
 directly

00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:48.600
 he gives it

00:27:48.600 --> 00:27:49.519
 through his church

00:27:49.519 --> 00:27:51.720
 Jesus doesn't cook

00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:52.600
 meals for us

00:27:52.600 --> 00:27:53.220
 and invite us

00:27:53.220 --> 00:27:54.080
 around directly

00:27:54.080 --> 00:27:55.539
 he does it

00:27:55.539 --> 00:27:56.539
 through his church

00:27:56.539 --> 00:27:58.440
 Jesus doesn't give you

00:27:58.440 --> 00:27:59.500
 a baby to hold

00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:00.440
 or help you

00:28:00.440 --> 00:28:01.779
 to feel part

00:28:01.779 --> 00:28:02.080
 of it

00:28:02.080 --> 00:28:02.539
 or a kid

00:28:02.539 --> 00:28:03.220
 to play with

00:28:03.220 --> 00:28:04.519
 by himself

00:28:04.519 --> 00:28:05.180
 he does it

00:28:05.180 --> 00:28:06.200
 through his church

00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:10.100
 and so most of the singles

00:28:10.100 --> 00:28:11.380
 that I've spoken to

00:28:11.380 --> 00:28:12.600
 from those who are

00:28:12.600 --> 00:28:13.559
 same sex attracted

00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:14.180
 to those who are

00:28:14.180 --> 00:28:15.480
 in the 50s or 60s

00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:16.759
 have told me this

00:28:16.759 --> 00:28:17.940
 one of the greatest

00:28:17.940 --> 00:28:19.840
 ways that singles

00:28:19.840 --> 00:28:21.340
 can experience

00:28:21.340 --> 00:28:22.900
 the love of Christ

00:28:22.900 --> 00:28:23.940
 and stay faithful

00:28:23.940 --> 00:28:25.019
 and contented

00:28:25.019 --> 00:28:26.000
 in their singleness

00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:29.140
 is when marrieds

00:28:29.140 --> 00:28:30.220
 open up their lives

00:28:30.220 --> 00:28:30.940
 and their homes

00:28:30.940 --> 00:28:31.880
 and invite them in

00:28:31.880 --> 00:28:34.819
 and this is

00:28:34.819 --> 00:28:37.660
 this is a call to us

00:28:37.660 --> 00:28:38.440
 who are married

00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:39.279
 you know

00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:40.400
 a number of watermarkers

00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:41.160
 have said to me

00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:43.180
 that even if I can't

00:28:43.180 --> 00:28:43.859
 have kids

00:28:43.859 --> 00:28:44.880
 if I can go

00:28:44.880 --> 00:28:46.079
 and actually babysit

00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:47.079
 someone else's kids

00:28:47.079 --> 00:28:48.259
 or just feel like

00:28:48.259 --> 00:28:49.880
 I'm part of their family

00:28:49.880 --> 00:28:51.380
 just get a taste of that

00:28:51.380 --> 00:28:53.339
 that is so precious

00:28:53.339 --> 00:28:54.039
 to me

00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:55.960
 but you know

00:28:55.960 --> 00:28:56.639
 as marrieds

00:28:56.639 --> 00:28:57.579
 we often live

00:28:57.579 --> 00:28:58.819
 as if our identity

00:28:58.819 --> 00:28:59.819
 is more as married

00:28:59.819 --> 00:29:01.940
 than as part of the community

00:29:01.940 --> 00:29:03.799
 so we hide ourselves away

00:29:03.799 --> 00:29:04.799
 in our own little bubbles

00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:06.059
 and we end up

00:29:06.059 --> 00:29:07.460
 neglecting those

00:29:07.460 --> 00:29:08.859
 who need us

00:29:08.859 --> 00:29:09.779
 and who God has called us

00:29:09.779 --> 00:29:10.359
 to be around

00:29:10.359 --> 00:29:13.720
 let me make this

00:29:13.720 --> 00:29:14.519
 even more challenging

00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:17.819
 as Christians

00:29:17.819 --> 00:29:19.960
 we cannot say

00:29:19.960 --> 00:29:21.139
 to those who are

00:29:21.139 --> 00:29:22.359
 same sex attracted

00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:24.219
 or those who are

00:29:24.219 --> 00:29:25.599
 otherwise

00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:26.859
 you know

00:29:26.859 --> 00:29:27.619
 who are single

00:29:27.619 --> 00:29:28.679
 we cannot say to them

00:29:28.679 --> 00:29:29.159
 hey listen

00:29:29.159 --> 00:29:30.899
 you should stay celibate

00:29:30.899 --> 00:29:32.259
 or we cannot say

00:29:32.259 --> 00:29:33.019
 to someone

00:29:33.019 --> 00:29:34.079
 you should only marry

00:29:34.079 --> 00:29:34.599
 a believer

00:29:34.599 --> 00:29:36.959
 when they struggle

00:29:36.959 --> 00:29:38.439
 with that

00:29:38.439 --> 00:29:40.179
 if we are not willing

00:29:40.179 --> 00:29:41.379
 to open up our homes

00:29:41.379 --> 00:29:42.199
 and our lives

00:29:42.199 --> 00:29:43.199
 at the same time

00:29:43.199 --> 00:29:45.159
 because if we do that

00:29:45.159 --> 00:29:45.719
 what we're doing

00:29:45.719 --> 00:29:46.599
 we're laying burdens

00:29:46.599 --> 00:29:47.119
 on people

00:29:47.119 --> 00:29:48.279
 but not lifting a finger

00:29:48.279 --> 00:29:48.779
 to help

00:29:48.779 --> 00:29:50.379
 and that Jesus says

00:29:50.380 --> 00:29:51.860
 is hypocrisy

00:29:51.860 --> 00:29:54.040
 is that strong enough

00:29:54.040 --> 00:29:56.240
 it's hypocrisy

00:29:56.240 --> 00:29:58.580
 and we should be called out

00:29:58.580 --> 00:29:59.800
 as marrieds for that

00:29:59.800 --> 00:30:03.640
 because the gift of marriage

00:30:03.640 --> 00:30:05.120
 in the body of Christ

00:30:05.120 --> 00:30:07.120
 is not just for us

00:30:07.120 --> 00:30:08.120
 who are married

00:30:08.120 --> 00:30:09.580
 it's also for the sake

00:30:09.580 --> 00:30:10.240
 of the singles

00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:12.020
 so they can experience

00:30:12.020 --> 00:30:13.340
 the love of Christ

00:30:13.340 --> 00:30:14.800
 through our family relationships

00:30:14.799 --> 00:30:20.039
 one of the great things

00:30:20.039 --> 00:30:20.599
 in Watermark

00:30:20.599 --> 00:30:22.599
 is I just see this happening

00:30:22.599 --> 00:30:23.940
 on multiple layers

00:30:23.940 --> 00:30:26.139
 there are numerous families

00:30:26.139 --> 00:30:26.659
 who I know

00:30:26.659 --> 00:30:27.579
 are already doing this

00:30:27.579 --> 00:30:27.980
 with people

00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:28.740
 from all kinds

00:30:28.740 --> 00:30:29.519
 of different stages

00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:31.299
 but I want to invite

00:30:31.299 --> 00:30:33.039
 Angelina and Christina

00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:34.539
 up

00:30:34.539 --> 00:30:35.119
 just to share

00:30:35.119 --> 00:30:35.579
 a little bit

00:30:35.579 --> 00:30:37.059
 of their journey

00:30:37.059 --> 00:30:37.799
 together

00:30:37.799 --> 00:30:39.240
 so come on up

00:30:39.240 --> 00:30:40.579
 let me just move this

00:30:40.579 --> 00:30:41.000
 over the way

00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:44.079
 maybe just

00:30:44.079 --> 00:30:46.480
 excuse me

00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:48.640
 thank you

00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:50.019
 if you just

00:30:50.019 --> 00:30:50.720
 want to come

00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:51.319
 come up here

00:30:51.319 --> 00:30:52.579
 great

00:30:52.579 --> 00:30:55.599
 thank you so much

00:30:55.599 --> 00:30:56.539
 it's not that scary

00:30:56.539 --> 00:30:57.200
 it's okay

00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:58.240
 they're friendly

00:30:58.240 --> 00:31:01.220
 Christina

00:31:01.220 --> 00:31:02.380
 and Angelina

00:31:02.380 --> 00:31:03.440
 you have both

00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:04.119
 I know

00:31:04.119 --> 00:31:05.900
 you've walked together

00:31:05.900 --> 00:31:06.559
 and I know

00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:07.140
 that you've both

00:31:07.140 --> 00:31:07.740
 been in Watermark

00:31:07.740 --> 00:31:08.299
 a while

00:31:08.299 --> 00:31:09.700
 but I'd love to hear

00:31:09.700 --> 00:31:10.539
 maybe Christina

00:31:10.539 --> 00:31:11.400
 could you just tell us

00:31:11.400 --> 00:31:12.019
 maybe a little bit

00:31:12.019 --> 00:31:13.080
 of your experience

00:31:13.080 --> 00:31:14.039
 as a single

00:31:14.039 --> 00:31:14.799
 some of the challenges

00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:16.019
 and some of the things

00:31:16.019 --> 00:31:16.940
 that God has been

00:31:16.940 --> 00:31:17.500
 showing you

00:31:17.500 --> 00:31:19.660
 I think the challenges

00:31:19.660 --> 00:31:20.779
 come from

00:31:20.779 --> 00:31:22.140
 the discrepancy

00:31:22.140 --> 00:31:23.440
 between our cultural

00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:24.519
 point of view

00:31:24.519 --> 00:31:25.600
 and Christian point of view

00:31:25.600 --> 00:31:27.380
 our society

00:31:27.380 --> 00:31:28.440
 set marriage

00:31:28.440 --> 00:31:29.240
 as some sort

00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:29.920
 of a milestone

00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:31.000
 that we need to achieve

00:31:31.000 --> 00:31:31.620
 in our life

00:31:31.620 --> 00:31:33.600
 and if we don't achieve it

00:31:33.600 --> 00:31:34.000
 then

00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:35.559
 we're missing out

00:31:35.559 --> 00:31:37.440
 and

00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:39.500
 people almost see

00:31:39.500 --> 00:31:40.259
 single people

00:31:40.259 --> 00:31:41.380
 who are not married

00:31:41.380 --> 00:31:42.840
 as some

00:31:42.840 --> 00:31:43.860
 you know

00:31:43.860 --> 00:31:45.220
 some people

00:31:45.220 --> 00:31:45.860
 who are

00:31:45.860 --> 00:31:47.940
 not great

00:31:47.940 --> 00:31:48.340
 or

00:31:48.340 --> 00:31:48.900
 you know

00:31:48.900 --> 00:31:50.960
 so

00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:51.940
 yeah

00:31:51.940 --> 00:31:53.740
 and at the individual level

00:31:53.740 --> 00:31:54.500
 you feel

00:31:54.500 --> 00:31:55.960
 like

00:31:55.960 --> 00:31:56.680
 you're struggling

00:31:56.680 --> 00:31:57.200
 a lot

00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:57.960
 with uncertainty

00:31:57.960 --> 00:31:58.559
 in your life

00:31:58.559 --> 00:31:59.100
 you're not sure

00:31:59.100 --> 00:32:00.460
 when God is providing

00:32:00.460 --> 00:32:01.720
 your partner

00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:02.400
 in the future

00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:03.080
 so

00:32:03.080 --> 00:32:04.460
 those are the main

00:32:04.460 --> 00:32:04.860
 challenges

00:32:04.860 --> 00:32:05.400
 I think

00:32:05.400 --> 00:32:05.900
 great

00:32:05.900 --> 00:32:06.680
 great

00:32:06.680 --> 00:32:08.000
 Angeline

00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:08.460
 do you want to

00:32:08.460 --> 00:32:09.180
 share a little bit

00:32:09.180 --> 00:32:09.560
 about

00:32:09.560 --> 00:32:10.560
 maybe some of

00:32:10.560 --> 00:32:11.380
 your experience

00:32:11.380 --> 00:32:13.040
 with

00:32:13.040 --> 00:32:13.860
 yeah

00:32:13.860 --> 00:32:14.360
 walking

00:32:14.360 --> 00:32:14.960
 and opening

00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:15.460
 your home

00:32:15.460 --> 00:32:15.980
 and your life

00:32:15.980 --> 00:32:16.480
 up with

00:32:16.480 --> 00:32:17.519
 with singles

00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:18.080
 and almost

00:32:18.080 --> 00:32:18.660
 how you got

00:32:18.660 --> 00:32:19.920
 to that stage

00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:20.380
 as well

00:32:20.380 --> 00:32:22.300
 so

00:32:22.300 --> 00:32:26.160
 this is on

00:32:26.160 --> 00:32:27.019
 okay great

00:32:27.019 --> 00:32:28.980
 my husband

00:32:28.980 --> 00:32:29.500
 and I

00:32:29.500 --> 00:32:29.920
 we

00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:30.540
 are

00:32:30.540 --> 00:32:31.300
 a host

00:32:31.300 --> 00:32:32.180
 of a

00:32:32.180 --> 00:32:33.259
 community group

00:32:33.259 --> 00:32:33.759
 at our home

00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:34.160
 weekly

00:32:34.160 --> 00:32:35.440
 and it

00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:35.800
 just so

00:32:35.800 --> 00:32:36.180
 happens

00:32:36.180 --> 00:32:36.779
 that

00:32:36.779 --> 00:32:38.180
 the entire

00:32:38.180 --> 00:32:38.660
 CG

00:32:38.660 --> 00:32:39.580
 is made up

00:32:39.580 --> 00:32:39.900
 of

00:32:39.900 --> 00:32:40.560
 singles

00:32:40.560 --> 00:32:42.600
 so

00:32:42.600 --> 00:32:44.940
 yeah

00:32:44.940 --> 00:32:45.759
 over

00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:46.740
 the years

00:32:46.740 --> 00:32:47.460
 I don't think

00:32:47.460 --> 00:32:48.220
 we intentionally

00:32:48.220 --> 00:32:48.920
 set out

00:32:48.920 --> 00:32:49.519
 to cultivate

00:32:49.519 --> 00:32:50.019
 these

00:32:50.019 --> 00:32:50.800
 relationships

00:32:50.800 --> 00:32:52.420
 but

00:32:52.420 --> 00:32:53.200
 it's been

00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:53.920
 a beautiful

00:32:53.920 --> 00:32:54.500
 thing

00:32:54.500 --> 00:32:55.080
 to walk

00:32:55.080 --> 00:32:55.860
 alongside

00:32:55.860 --> 00:32:57.200
 young

00:32:57.200 --> 00:32:57.800
 adults

00:32:57.800 --> 00:32:58.360
 I'll call

00:32:58.360 --> 00:32:58.720
 them

00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:00.240
 singles

00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:01.600
 and

00:33:01.600 --> 00:33:02.040
 just

00:33:02.040 --> 00:33:02.940
 sharing

00:33:02.940 --> 00:33:03.380
 life

00:33:03.380 --> 00:33:03.660
 with

00:33:03.660 --> 00:33:04.020
 them

00:33:04.020 --> 00:33:05.360
 yeah

00:33:05.360 --> 00:33:06.320
 so

00:33:06.320 --> 00:33:06.700
 maybe

00:33:06.700 --> 00:33:07.060
 tell us

00:33:07.060 --> 00:33:07.280
 a little

00:33:07.280 --> 00:33:07.440
 bit

00:33:07.440 --> 00:33:07.780
 about

00:33:07.780 --> 00:33:08.180
 what

00:33:08.180 --> 00:33:08.500
 that

00:33:08.500 --> 00:33:09.640
 how

00:33:09.640 --> 00:33:09.880
 you've

00:33:09.880 --> 00:33:10.000
 gone

00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:10.300
 about

00:33:10.300 --> 00:33:10.600
 that

00:33:10.600 --> 00:33:10.960
 and

00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:11.260
 actually

00:33:11.260 --> 00:33:11.460
 what

00:33:11.460 --> 00:33:11.780
 that's

00:33:11.780 --> 00:33:11.940
 kind

00:33:11.940 --> 00:33:12.020
 of

00:33:12.020 --> 00:33:12.240
 looked

00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:12.480
 like

00:33:12.480 --> 00:33:12.660
 I know

00:33:12.660 --> 00:33:13.020
 you talked

00:33:13.020 --> 00:33:13.260
 about

00:33:13.260 --> 00:33:13.640
 a little

00:33:13.640 --> 00:33:13.980
 bit of a

00:33:13.980 --> 00:33:14.620
 two-way

00:33:14.620 --> 00:33:15.340
 relationship

00:33:15.340 --> 00:33:15.760
 and how

00:33:15.760 --> 00:33:16.240
 things have

00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:16.460
 really

00:33:16.460 --> 00:33:17.720
 how

00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:17.960
 you've

00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:18.700
 been blessed

00:33:18.700 --> 00:33:19.180
 through that

00:33:19.180 --> 00:33:19.400
 and

00:33:19.400 --> 00:33:19.880
 what

00:33:19.880 --> 00:33:20.120
 that's

00:33:20.120 --> 00:33:20.319
 looked

00:33:20.319 --> 00:33:20.660
 like

00:33:20.660 --> 00:33:21.319
 yeah

00:33:21.319 --> 00:33:21.640
 I

00:33:21.640 --> 00:33:22.360
 think

00:33:22.360 --> 00:33:23.460
 this is

00:33:23.460 --> 00:33:23.660
 how

00:33:23.660 --> 00:33:24.059
 God

00:33:24.059 --> 00:33:25.039
 shapes

00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:25.519
 gospel

00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:26.100
 community

00:33:26.100 --> 00:33:26.640
 I hope

00:33:26.640 --> 00:33:28.160
 and

00:33:28.160 --> 00:33:28.420
 it's

00:33:28.420 --> 00:33:28.600
 just

00:33:28.600 --> 00:33:28.960
 been

00:33:28.960 --> 00:33:29.440
 very

00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:29.680
 very

00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:30.200
 natural

00:33:30.200 --> 00:33:30.460
 and

00:33:30.460 --> 00:33:30.680
 very

00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:31.160
 organic

00:33:31.160 --> 00:33:33.380
 that

00:33:33.380 --> 00:33:34.200
 we've

00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:34.380
 had

00:33:34.380 --> 00:33:34.540
 the

00:33:34.540 --> 00:33:35.040
 privilege

00:33:35.040 --> 00:33:36.720
 I don't

00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:37.240
 think

00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:38.340
 like

00:33:38.340 --> 00:33:39.040
 a

00:33:39.040 --> 00:33:39.259
 mother

00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:39.540
 or

00:33:39.540 --> 00:33:40.000
 father

00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:41.019
 role

00:33:41.019 --> 00:33:41.640
 but

00:33:41.640 --> 00:33:41.980
 just

00:33:41.980 --> 00:33:42.340
 as

00:33:42.340 --> 00:33:42.560
 a

00:33:42.560 --> 00:33:42.800
 brother

00:33:42.800 --> 00:33:43.080
 and

00:33:43.080 --> 00:33:43.340
 sister

00:33:43.340 --> 00:33:43.600
 in

00:33:43.600 --> 00:33:43.960
 Christ

00:33:43.960 --> 00:33:44.360
 role

00:33:44.360 --> 00:33:45.540
 of

00:33:45.540 --> 00:33:45.960
 walking

00:33:45.960 --> 00:33:46.720
 alongside

00:33:46.720 --> 00:33:48.600
 a lot

00:33:48.600 --> 00:33:48.800
 of

00:33:48.800 --> 00:33:49.420
 singles

00:33:49.420 --> 00:33:50.680
 in

00:33:50.680 --> 00:33:50.900
 their

00:33:50.900 --> 00:33:52.600
 new

00:33:52.600 --> 00:33:53.000
 life

00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:53.720
 experiences

00:33:53.720 --> 00:33:54.040
 for

00:33:54.040 --> 00:33:54.540
 example

00:33:54.540 --> 00:33:55.400
 their

00:33:55.400 --> 00:33:55.800
 first

00:33:55.800 --> 00:33:56.420
 jobs

00:33:56.420 --> 00:33:57.759
 their

00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:58.180
 first

00:33:58.180 --> 00:33:58.720
 experiences

00:33:58.720 --> 00:33:58.980
 of

00:33:58.980 --> 00:33:59.440
 changing

00:33:59.440 --> 00:34:00.100
 jobs

00:34:00.100 --> 00:34:00.759
 their

00:34:00.759 --> 00:34:01.400
 conflicts

00:34:01.400 --> 00:34:02.200
 with

00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:02.600
 work

00:34:02.600 --> 00:34:03.200
 colleagues

00:34:03.200 --> 00:34:03.660
 with

00:34:03.660 --> 00:34:04.060
 boss

00:34:04.060 --> 00:34:05.180
 relationships

00:34:05.180 --> 00:34:07.380
 less

00:34:07.380 --> 00:34:07.700
 so

00:34:07.700 --> 00:34:07.880
 but

00:34:07.880 --> 00:34:08.400
 sometimes

00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:09.059
 relational

00:34:09.059 --> 00:34:09.900
 issues

00:34:09.900 --> 00:34:11.380
 but

00:34:11.380 --> 00:34:11.599
 just

00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:11.940
 doing

00:34:11.940 --> 00:34:12.519
 life

00:34:12.519 --> 00:34:14.139
 and

00:34:14.139 --> 00:34:15.400
 for

00:34:15.400 --> 00:34:15.619
 me

00:34:15.619 --> 00:34:16.180
 personally

00:34:16.180 --> 00:34:16.599
 I've

00:34:16.599 --> 00:34:16.800
 never

00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:17.280
 felt

00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:17.840
 like

00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:18.619
 I'm

00:34:18.619 --> 00:34:18.840
 in a

00:34:18.840 --> 00:34:19.240
 position

00:34:19.240 --> 00:34:19.539
 of

00:34:19.539 --> 00:34:20.599
 superiority

00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:21.860
 or

00:34:21.860 --> 00:34:23.960
 of

00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:24.240
 having

00:34:24.240 --> 00:34:24.559
 more

00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:25.079
 wisdom

00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:25.980
 I

00:34:25.980 --> 00:34:26.300
 think

00:34:26.300 --> 00:34:26.880
 having

00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:27.640
 more

00:34:27.640 --> 00:34:30.500
 years

00:34:30.500 --> 00:34:31.720
 helps

00:34:31.720 --> 00:34:32.140
 a little

00:34:32.140 --> 00:34:32.420
 and

00:34:32.420 --> 00:34:33.360
 experience

00:34:33.360 --> 00:34:34.220
 life

00:34:34.220 --> 00:34:34.900
 experiences

00:34:34.900 --> 00:34:35.380
 I mean

00:34:35.380 --> 00:34:35.780
 but not

00:34:35.780 --> 00:34:36.260
 from a

00:34:36.260 --> 00:34:37.420
 place

00:34:37.420 --> 00:34:37.680
 of

00:34:37.680 --> 00:34:38.140
 knowing

00:34:38.140 --> 00:34:38.360
 it

00:34:38.360 --> 00:34:38.600
 all

00:34:38.600 --> 00:34:38.860
 but

00:34:38.860 --> 00:34:39.320
 more

00:34:39.320 --> 00:34:39.560
 from

00:34:39.560 --> 00:34:39.740
 a

00:34:39.740 --> 00:34:40.080
 place

00:34:40.080 --> 00:34:40.420
 of

00:34:40.420 --> 00:34:40.880
 just

00:34:40.880 --> 00:34:41.420
 sharing

00:34:41.420 --> 00:34:41.860
 life

00:34:41.860 --> 00:34:42.039
 and

00:34:42.039 --> 00:34:42.180
 I

00:34:42.180 --> 00:34:42.660
 felt

00:34:42.660 --> 00:34:43.480
 that

00:34:43.480 --> 00:34:43.660
 in

00:34:43.660 --> 00:34:43.920
 those

00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:44.539
 relationships

00:34:44.539 --> 00:34:44.940
 it's

00:34:44.940 --> 00:34:45.300
 always

00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:45.560
 been

00:34:45.560 --> 00:34:45.720
 a

00:34:45.720 --> 00:34:45.960
 two

00:34:45.960 --> 00:34:46.140
 way

00:34:46.140 --> 00:34:46.800
 relationship

00:34:46.800 --> 00:34:47.680
 it's

00:34:47.680 --> 00:34:47.960
 never

00:34:47.960 --> 00:34:48.380
 about

00:34:48.380 --> 00:34:48.640
 me

00:34:48.640 --> 00:34:49.060
 telling

00:34:49.060 --> 00:34:49.380
 them

00:34:49.380 --> 00:34:49.620
 what

00:34:49.620 --> 00:34:49.820
 to

00:34:49.820 --> 00:34:50.220
 do

00:34:50.220 --> 00:34:51.100
 or

00:34:51.100 --> 00:34:52.440
 what

00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:52.640
 they

00:34:52.640 --> 00:34:52.840
 should

00:34:52.840 --> 00:34:53.380
 think

00:34:53.380 --> 00:34:54.660
 but

00:34:54.660 --> 00:34:55.080
 actually

00:34:55.080 --> 00:34:55.640
 sharing

00:34:55.639 --> 00:34:56.039
 life

00:34:56.039 --> 00:34:56.279
 on

00:34:56.279 --> 00:34:56.559
 life

00:34:56.559 --> 00:34:56.739
 with

00:34:56.739 --> 00:34:57.000
 each

00:34:57.000 --> 00:34:57.259
 other

00:34:57.259 --> 00:34:57.440
 if

00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:57.539
 you

00:34:57.539 --> 00:34:57.659
 know

00:34:57.659 --> 00:34:57.819
 what

00:34:57.819 --> 00:34:57.940
 I

00:34:57.940 --> 00:34:58.179
 mean

00:34:58.179 --> 00:34:59.519
 you

00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:00.359
 said

00:35:00.359 --> 00:35:00.519
 to

00:35:00.519 --> 00:35:00.619
 me

00:35:00.619 --> 00:35:00.779
 I

00:35:00.779 --> 00:35:01.639
 never

00:35:01.639 --> 00:35:02.199
 thought

00:35:02.199 --> 00:35:02.440
 about

00:35:02.440 --> 00:35:02.619
 the

00:35:02.619 --> 00:35:03.039
 categories

00:35:03.039 --> 00:35:03.299
 of

00:35:03.299 --> 00:35:03.779
 necessarily

00:35:03.779 --> 00:35:04.299
 single

00:35:04.299 --> 00:35:04.819
 and

00:35:04.819 --> 00:35:05.579
 married

00:35:05.579 --> 00:35:05.799
 as

00:35:05.799 --> 00:35:05.960
 we're

00:35:05.960 --> 00:35:06.179
 doing

00:35:06.179 --> 00:35:06.319
 it

00:35:06.319 --> 00:35:06.519
 because

00:35:06.519 --> 00:35:06.659
 it

00:35:06.659 --> 00:35:06.839
 just

00:35:06.839 --> 00:35:07.099
 feels

00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:07.359
 like

00:35:07.359 --> 00:35:07.699
 we're

00:35:07.699 --> 00:35:09.099
 one

00:35:09.099 --> 00:35:10.519
 is that

00:35:10.519 --> 00:35:10.699
 right

00:35:10.699 --> 00:35:11.299
 yes

00:35:11.299 --> 00:35:11.980
 yes

00:35:11.980 --> 00:35:14.199
 for

00:35:14.199 --> 00:35:14.699
 example

00:35:14.699 --> 00:35:15.739
 I'm

00:35:15.739 --> 00:35:15.940
 going

00:35:15.940 --> 00:35:16.199
 through

00:35:16.199 --> 00:35:16.460
 some

00:35:16.460 --> 00:35:16.900
 struggles

00:35:16.900 --> 00:35:17.319
 in my

00:35:17.319 --> 00:35:17.659
 life

00:35:17.659 --> 00:35:17.960
 and I

00:35:17.960 --> 00:35:18.400
 felt

00:35:18.400 --> 00:35:19.199
 very

00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:19.599
 much

00:35:19.599 --> 00:35:19.980
 that

00:35:19.980 --> 00:35:20.279
 when

00:35:20.279 --> 00:35:20.699
 I've

00:35:20.699 --> 00:35:21.000
 opened

00:35:21.000 --> 00:35:21.259
 up

00:35:21.260 --> 00:35:21.440
 and

00:35:21.440 --> 00:35:21.780
 shared

00:35:21.780 --> 00:35:22.140
 my

00:35:22.140 --> 00:35:22.860
 struggles

00:35:22.860 --> 00:35:24.660
 with

00:35:24.660 --> 00:35:24.860
 our

00:35:24.860 --> 00:35:25.100
 young

00:35:25.100 --> 00:35:25.660
 adults

00:35:25.660 --> 00:35:26.200
 they

00:35:26.200 --> 00:35:27.140
 instinctively

00:35:27.140 --> 00:35:28.240
 understand

00:35:28.240 --> 00:35:29.040
 what I'm

00:35:29.040 --> 00:35:29.360
 going

00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:29.940
 through

00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:31.340
 and they

00:35:31.340 --> 00:35:31.740
 can give

00:35:31.740 --> 00:35:32.180
 me a

00:35:32.180 --> 00:35:32.500
 different

00:35:32.500 --> 00:35:33.160
 perspective

00:35:33.160 --> 00:35:33.760
 like

00:35:33.760 --> 00:35:34.720
 from being

00:35:34.720 --> 00:35:35.240
 a

00:35:35.240 --> 00:35:35.920
 son

00:35:35.920 --> 00:35:36.180
 and

00:35:36.180 --> 00:35:36.540
 daughter

00:35:36.540 --> 00:35:38.240
 to

00:35:38.240 --> 00:35:38.500
 my

00:35:38.500 --> 00:35:38.700
 role

00:35:38.700 --> 00:35:39.100
 as a

00:35:39.100 --> 00:35:39.480
 parent

00:35:39.480 --> 00:35:40.160
 of

00:35:40.160 --> 00:35:40.820
 young

00:35:40.820 --> 00:35:41.200
 adults

00:35:41.200 --> 00:35:41.920
 myself

00:35:41.920 --> 00:35:43.080
 giving

00:35:43.080 --> 00:35:43.420
 me a

00:35:43.420 --> 00:35:43.720
 different

00:35:43.720 --> 00:35:44.240
 perspective

00:35:44.240 --> 00:35:44.740
 so I've

00:35:44.740 --> 00:35:45.100
 always

00:35:45.100 --> 00:35:45.460
 felt

00:35:45.460 --> 00:35:45.780
 very

00:35:45.780 --> 00:35:46.480
 encouraged

00:35:46.480 --> 00:35:48.240
 and

00:35:48.240 --> 00:35:49.019
 yeah

00:35:49.019 --> 00:35:49.559
 by them

00:35:49.559 --> 00:35:49.920
 pouring

00:35:49.920 --> 00:35:50.179
 their

00:35:50.179 --> 00:35:50.440
 life

00:35:50.440 --> 00:35:50.679
 into

00:35:50.679 --> 00:35:50.960
 me

00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:51.179
 as

00:35:51.179 --> 00:35:51.400
 well

00:35:51.400 --> 00:35:51.760
 yeah

00:35:51.760 --> 00:35:51.880
 that's

00:35:51.880 --> 00:35:52.159
 great

00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:53.039
 Christine

00:35:53.039 --> 00:35:53.340
 how

00:35:53.340 --> 00:35:53.659
 like

00:35:53.659 --> 00:35:54.679
 from the

00:35:54.679 --> 00:35:55.079
 other end

00:35:55.079 --> 00:35:55.880
 tell us

00:35:55.880 --> 00:35:56.860
 how you've

00:35:56.860 --> 00:35:57.460
 experienced

00:35:57.460 --> 00:35:58.119
 that

00:35:58.119 --> 00:35:58.400
 and

00:35:58.400 --> 00:35:59.320
 yeah

00:35:59.320 --> 00:36:00.019
 if I can

00:36:00.019 --> 00:36:00.440
 just add

00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:00.860
 on that

00:36:00.860 --> 00:36:01.539
 I feel

00:36:01.539 --> 00:36:01.920
 like

00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:02.480
 of course

00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:02.820
 Angie

00:36:02.820 --> 00:36:03.219
 and Bernard

00:36:03.219 --> 00:36:03.719
 are sharing

00:36:03.719 --> 00:36:04.119
 lots of

00:36:04.119 --> 00:36:04.460
 wisdom

00:36:04.460 --> 00:36:05.360
 and give

00:36:05.360 --> 00:36:05.699
 us lots

00:36:05.699 --> 00:36:05.980
 of good

00:36:05.980 --> 00:36:06.440
 advice

00:36:06.440 --> 00:36:06.780
 but

00:36:06.780 --> 00:36:08.280
 I felt

00:36:08.280 --> 00:36:08.780
 like I

00:36:08.780 --> 00:36:09.559
 was invited

00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:09.940
 to the

00:36:09.940 --> 00:36:10.260
 journey

00:36:10.260 --> 00:36:10.780
 and that

00:36:10.780 --> 00:36:10.980
 we're

00:36:10.980 --> 00:36:11.440
 walking

00:36:11.440 --> 00:36:11.940
 alongside

00:36:11.940 --> 00:36:12.500
 together

00:36:12.500 --> 00:36:13.219
 it's

00:36:13.219 --> 00:36:13.440
 not

00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:14.079
 just

00:36:14.079 --> 00:36:14.400
 them

00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:14.840
 pulling

00:36:14.840 --> 00:36:15.340
 us

00:36:15.340 --> 00:36:16.159
 but

00:36:16.159 --> 00:36:17.359
 their

00:36:17.359 --> 00:36:18.899
 vulnerability

00:36:18.899 --> 00:36:19.859
 is so

00:36:19.859 --> 00:36:20.420
 powerful

00:36:20.420 --> 00:36:20.839
 that it

00:36:20.839 --> 00:36:21.059
 really

00:36:21.059 --> 00:36:21.659
 opens up

00:36:21.659 --> 00:36:22.159
 my heart

00:36:22.159 --> 00:36:22.799
 and I

00:36:22.799 --> 00:36:23.179
 feel like

00:36:23.179 --> 00:36:23.559
 I'm being

00:36:23.559 --> 00:36:23.980
 part of

00:36:23.980 --> 00:36:24.119
 their

00:36:24.119 --> 00:36:24.519
 family

00:36:24.519 --> 00:36:25.539
 and

00:36:25.539 --> 00:36:26.279
 I've

00:36:26.279 --> 00:36:26.519
 been

00:36:26.519 --> 00:36:26.859
 in

00:36:26.859 --> 00:36:27.119
 Breaking

00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:27.440
 Bread

00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:27.980
 for

00:36:27.980 --> 00:36:28.679
 five

00:36:28.679 --> 00:36:28.960
 years

00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:29.359
 and now

00:36:29.359 --> 00:36:29.599
 I'm

00:36:29.599 --> 00:36:29.759
 in

00:36:29.759 --> 00:36:30.059
 new

00:36:30.059 --> 00:36:30.299
 CG

00:36:30.299 --> 00:36:30.639
 called

00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:30.799
 The

00:36:30.799 --> 00:36:31.139
 Messenger

00:36:31.139 --> 00:36:32.940
 but

00:36:32.940 --> 00:36:33.199
 over

00:36:33.199 --> 00:36:33.440
 the

00:36:33.440 --> 00:36:33.759
 past

00:36:33.759 --> 00:36:34.119
 five

00:36:34.119 --> 00:36:34.639
 years

00:36:34.639 --> 00:36:36.239
 Angie

00:36:36.239 --> 00:36:36.440
 and

00:36:36.440 --> 00:36:36.639
 Bernard

00:36:36.639 --> 00:36:36.960
 and being

00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:37.259
 part

00:36:37.259 --> 00:36:37.659
 of Breaking

00:36:37.659 --> 00:36:37.819
 Bread

00:36:37.819 --> 00:36:38.139
 really

00:36:38.139 --> 00:36:38.519
 shaped

00:36:38.519 --> 00:36:38.839
 me

00:36:38.839 --> 00:36:39.339
 the way

00:36:39.339 --> 00:36:39.559
 I

00:36:39.559 --> 00:36:39.980
 vision

00:36:39.980 --> 00:36:40.420
 my

00:36:40.420 --> 00:36:41.319
 30s

00:36:41.319 --> 00:36:41.460
 and

00:36:41.460 --> 00:36:41.839
 40s

00:36:41.839 --> 00:36:41.960
 and

00:36:41.960 --> 00:36:42.460
 50s

00:36:42.460 --> 00:36:42.920
 because

00:36:42.920 --> 00:36:44.399
 in

00:36:44.399 --> 00:36:44.599
 the

00:36:44.599 --> 00:36:45.059
 past

00:36:45.059 --> 00:36:45.840
 I've

00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:46.179
 always

00:36:46.179 --> 00:36:47.239
 planned

00:36:47.239 --> 00:36:47.980
 my life

00:36:47.980 --> 00:36:48.799
 focusing

00:36:48.799 --> 00:36:49.000
 on

00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:49.519
 myself

00:36:49.519 --> 00:36:50.480
 but

00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:50.840
 Angie

00:36:50.840 --> 00:36:51.259
 and Bernard

00:36:51.259 --> 00:36:51.980
 opening up

00:36:51.980 --> 00:36:52.460
 their house

00:36:52.460 --> 00:36:53.199
 to people

00:36:53.199 --> 00:36:54.960
 who need

00:36:54.960 --> 00:36:55.739
 to be

00:36:55.739 --> 00:36:56.119
 heard

00:36:56.119 --> 00:36:56.820
 who need

00:36:56.820 --> 00:36:57.860
 some guidance

00:36:57.860 --> 00:36:58.519
 or need

00:36:58.519 --> 00:36:59.739
 to walk

00:36:59.739 --> 00:37:00.219
 the journey

00:37:00.219 --> 00:37:00.820
 together

00:37:00.820 --> 00:37:01.739
 it's just

00:37:01.739 --> 00:37:02.400
 really changed

00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:02.719
 the way

00:37:02.719 --> 00:37:03.079
 I view

00:37:03.079 --> 00:37:03.679
 property

00:37:03.679 --> 00:37:04.079
 you know

00:37:04.079 --> 00:37:04.920
 home

00:37:04.920 --> 00:37:05.860
 basically

00:37:05.860 --> 00:37:07.660
 it's

00:37:07.660 --> 00:37:07.920
 given

00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:08.180
 by

00:37:08.180 --> 00:37:08.660
 God

00:37:08.660 --> 00:37:09.059
 for

00:37:09.059 --> 00:37:10.380
 us

00:37:10.380 --> 00:37:10.599
 to

00:37:10.599 --> 00:37:10.940
 open

00:37:10.940 --> 00:37:11.320
 up

00:37:11.320 --> 00:37:12.039
 whoever

00:37:12.039 --> 00:37:12.440
 needs

00:37:12.440 --> 00:37:12.780
 to

00:37:12.780 --> 00:37:13.680
 come

00:37:13.680 --> 00:37:14.240
 and

00:37:14.240 --> 00:37:14.599
 join

00:37:14.599 --> 00:37:15.200
 the

00:37:15.200 --> 00:37:15.680
 community

00:37:15.680 --> 00:37:16.380
 and so

00:37:16.380 --> 00:37:17.680
 yeah

00:37:17.680 --> 00:37:18.079
 it's

00:37:18.079 --> 00:37:18.599
 such a

00:37:18.599 --> 00:37:18.880
 blessing

00:37:18.880 --> 00:37:19.340
 for me

00:37:19.340 --> 00:37:19.800
 to spend

00:37:19.800 --> 00:37:20.019
 my

00:37:20.019 --> 00:37:20.620
 20s

00:37:20.620 --> 00:37:21.200
 in

00:37:21.200 --> 00:37:21.599
 Breaking

00:37:21.599 --> 00:37:21.960
 Bread

00:37:21.960 --> 00:37:22.760
 great

00:37:22.760 --> 00:37:23.500
 maybe

00:37:23.500 --> 00:37:23.980
 the last

00:37:23.980 --> 00:37:24.220
 thing

00:37:24.220 --> 00:37:25.079
 in terms

00:37:25.079 --> 00:37:25.380
 of even

00:37:25.380 --> 00:37:25.820
 a sense

00:37:25.820 --> 00:37:26.620
 of how

00:37:26.620 --> 00:37:27.039
 you're

00:37:27.039 --> 00:37:28.380
 going out

00:37:28.380 --> 00:37:28.960
 and serving

00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:29.680
 in different

00:37:29.680 --> 00:37:30.059
 ways

00:37:30.059 --> 00:37:30.760
 I know

00:37:30.760 --> 00:37:31.440
 you mentioned

00:37:31.440 --> 00:37:31.860
 something

00:37:31.860 --> 00:37:32.559
 about how

00:37:32.559 --> 00:37:34.219
 God has

00:37:34.219 --> 00:37:34.400
 really

00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:35.179
 challenged

00:37:35.179 --> 00:37:35.500
 you

00:37:35.500 --> 00:37:35.840
 in that

00:37:35.840 --> 00:37:36.119
 just

00:37:36.119 --> 00:37:36.340
 even

00:37:36.340 --> 00:37:36.820
 recently

00:37:36.820 --> 00:37:37.860
 so

00:37:37.860 --> 00:37:38.639
 one night

00:37:38.639 --> 00:37:38.920
 I was

00:37:38.920 --> 00:37:39.079
 just

00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:39.320
 praying

00:37:39.320 --> 00:37:39.519
 to

00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:39.860
 God

00:37:39.860 --> 00:37:40.559
 I said

00:37:40.559 --> 00:37:41.279
 God

00:37:41.279 --> 00:37:41.719
 I have

00:37:41.719 --> 00:37:42.219
 so much

00:37:42.219 --> 00:37:42.860
 flexibility

00:37:42.860 --> 00:37:43.360
 like you

00:37:43.360 --> 00:37:43.619
 mentioned

00:37:43.619 --> 00:37:44.159
 in sermon

00:37:44.159 --> 00:37:45.039
 time

00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:45.659
 and energy

00:37:45.659 --> 00:37:46.039
 and I was

00:37:46.039 --> 00:37:46.299
 thinking

00:37:46.299 --> 00:37:47.279
 what can I

00:37:47.279 --> 00:37:47.440
 do

00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:47.920
 how can I

00:37:47.920 --> 00:37:48.279
 spend

00:37:48.279 --> 00:37:48.619
 my

00:37:48.619 --> 00:37:49.039
 singleness

00:37:49.039 --> 00:37:49.400
 in a

00:37:49.400 --> 00:37:49.659
 wiser

00:37:49.659 --> 00:37:50.019
 way

00:37:50.019 --> 00:37:50.360
 so I

00:37:50.360 --> 00:37:50.639
 prayed

00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:50.960
 that

00:37:50.960 --> 00:37:51.699
 before I

00:37:51.699 --> 00:37:51.940
 go to

00:37:51.940 --> 00:37:52.179
 sleep

00:37:52.179 --> 00:37:52.880
 next

00:37:52.880 --> 00:37:53.320
 morning

00:37:53.320 --> 00:37:53.699
 Angie

00:37:53.699 --> 00:37:54.099
 texted

00:37:54.099 --> 00:37:54.380
 me

00:37:54.380 --> 00:37:54.840
 saying

00:37:54.840 --> 00:37:55.480
 hey

00:37:55.480 --> 00:37:55.940
 are you

00:37:55.940 --> 00:37:56.400
 interested

00:37:56.400 --> 00:37:56.619
 in

00:37:56.619 --> 00:37:57.079
 serving

00:37:57.079 --> 00:37:57.279
 at

00:37:57.279 --> 00:37:57.539
 Branches

00:37:57.539 --> 00:37:57.719
 of

00:37:57.719 --> 00:37:57.900
 Hope

00:37:57.900 --> 00:37:58.179
 teaching

00:37:58.179 --> 00:37:58.639
 kids

00:37:58.639 --> 00:37:59.719
 which

00:37:59.719 --> 00:37:59.920
 is

00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:01.980
 an NGO

00:38:01.980 --> 00:38:02.320
 in

00:38:02.320 --> 00:38:02.760
 Hong Kong

00:38:02.760 --> 00:38:02.940
 that

00:38:02.940 --> 00:38:03.460
 supports

00:38:03.460 --> 00:38:04.180
 asylum

00:38:04.180 --> 00:38:04.539
 seekers

00:38:04.539 --> 00:38:04.800
 and

00:38:04.800 --> 00:38:05.240
 refugees

00:38:05.240 --> 00:38:07.200
 and

00:38:07.200 --> 00:38:07.440
 my

00:38:07.440 --> 00:38:07.860
 immediate

00:38:07.860 --> 00:38:08.880
 response

00:38:08.880 --> 00:38:09.400
 was like

00:38:09.400 --> 00:38:09.780
 no

00:38:09.780 --> 00:38:09.940
 I

00:38:09.940 --> 00:38:10.080
 don't

00:38:10.080 --> 00:38:10.340
 like

00:38:10.340 --> 00:38:10.640
 kids

00:38:10.640 --> 00:38:13.280
 but

00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:13.559
 I

00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:13.800
 knew

00:38:13.800 --> 00:38:14.000
 that

00:38:14.000 --> 00:38:14.220
 God

00:38:14.220 --> 00:38:14.500
 was

00:38:14.500 --> 00:38:14.960
 opening

00:38:14.960 --> 00:38:15.320
 up

00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:15.519
 the

00:38:15.519 --> 00:38:15.820
 door

00:38:15.820 --> 00:38:16.700
 and

00:38:16.700 --> 00:38:16.980
 he

00:38:16.980 --> 00:38:17.480
 was

00:38:17.480 --> 00:38:17.960
 asking

00:38:17.960 --> 00:38:18.260
 me

00:38:18.260 --> 00:38:18.820
 inviting

00:38:18.820 --> 00:38:19.160
 me

00:38:19.160 --> 00:38:19.539
 to

00:38:19.539 --> 00:38:20.760
 step

00:38:20.760 --> 00:38:21.100
 outside

00:38:21.100 --> 00:38:21.240
 of

00:38:21.240 --> 00:38:21.380
 my

00:38:21.380 --> 00:38:21.680
 comfort

00:38:21.680 --> 00:38:22.019
 zone

00:38:22.019 --> 00:38:22.320
 and

00:38:22.320 --> 00:38:22.519
 so

00:38:22.519 --> 00:38:22.680
 I

00:38:22.680 --> 00:38:22.980
 started

00:38:22.980 --> 00:38:23.240
 going

00:38:23.240 --> 00:38:23.460
 there

00:38:23.460 --> 00:38:23.840
 with

00:38:23.840 --> 00:38:24.480
 some

00:38:24.480 --> 00:38:24.800
 members

00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:25.059
 of

00:38:25.059 --> 00:38:25.340
 Breaking

00:38:25.340 --> 00:38:25.640
 Bread

00:38:25.640 --> 00:38:26.160
 and

00:38:26.160 --> 00:38:26.480
 we've

00:38:26.480 --> 00:38:26.580
 been

00:38:26.580 --> 00:38:26.780
 going

00:38:26.780 --> 00:38:27.019
 there

00:38:27.019 --> 00:38:27.260
 for

00:38:27.260 --> 00:38:27.500
 almost

00:38:27.500 --> 00:38:27.680
 a

00:38:27.680 --> 00:38:27.820
 year

00:38:27.820 --> 00:38:28.100
 now

00:38:28.100 --> 00:38:28.559
 so

00:38:28.559 --> 00:38:28.840
 every

00:38:28.840 --> 00:38:29.200
 Saturday

00:38:29.200 --> 00:38:29.559
 we

00:38:29.559 --> 00:38:29.900
 go

00:38:29.900 --> 00:38:30.340
 and teach

00:38:30.340 --> 00:38:30.519
 the

00:38:30.519 --> 00:38:30.900
 kids

00:38:30.900 --> 00:38:31.420
 just

00:38:31.420 --> 00:38:31.680
 an

00:38:31.680 --> 00:38:32.019
 hour

00:38:32.019 --> 00:38:32.559
 but

00:38:32.559 --> 00:38:32.980
 really

00:38:32.980 --> 00:38:33.740
 building

00:38:33.740 --> 00:38:34.420
 relationships

00:38:34.420 --> 00:38:35.019
 with them

00:38:35.019 --> 00:38:35.320
 and share

00:38:35.320 --> 00:38:35.860
 the gospel

00:38:35.860 --> 00:38:36.240
 so

00:38:36.240 --> 00:38:37.099
 that's

00:38:37.099 --> 00:38:37.539
 great

00:38:37.539 --> 00:38:37.980
 can I

00:38:37.980 --> 00:38:38.139
 just

00:38:38.139 --> 00:38:38.320
 pray

00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:38.700
 for you

00:38:38.700 --> 00:38:39.240
 you guys

00:38:39.240 --> 00:38:39.700
 thank you

00:38:39.700 --> 00:38:40.039
 so much

00:38:40.039 --> 00:38:40.519
 for sharing

00:38:40.519 --> 00:38:41.820
 father

00:38:41.820 --> 00:38:42.119
 I just

00:38:42.119 --> 00:38:42.360
 want to

00:38:42.360 --> 00:38:43.019
 thank you

00:38:43.019 --> 00:38:44.200
 for both

00:38:44.200 --> 00:38:44.680
 Christina

00:38:44.680 --> 00:38:45.619
 and Angelina

00:38:45.619 --> 00:38:45.860
 I know

00:38:45.860 --> 00:38:46.480
 they represent

00:38:46.480 --> 00:38:47.079
 many many

00:38:47.079 --> 00:38:47.539
 people

00:38:47.539 --> 00:38:48.740
 here in the

00:38:48.740 --> 00:38:49.280
 congregation

00:38:49.280 --> 00:38:49.740
 at different

00:38:49.740 --> 00:38:50.240
 stages

00:38:50.240 --> 00:38:50.579
 Lord

00:38:50.579 --> 00:38:50.880
 but I

00:38:50.880 --> 00:38:51.340
 thank you

00:38:51.340 --> 00:38:51.539
 Lord

00:38:51.539 --> 00:38:52.139
 that even

00:38:52.139 --> 00:38:52.500
 in their

00:38:52.500 --> 00:38:53.079
 relationship

00:38:53.079 --> 00:38:54.119
 we just

00:38:54.119 --> 00:38:54.340
 see a

00:38:54.340 --> 00:38:54.460
 little

00:38:54.460 --> 00:38:54.900
 picture

00:38:54.900 --> 00:38:55.180
 of what

00:38:55.180 --> 00:38:55.460
 you've

00:38:55.460 --> 00:38:55.700
 called

00:38:55.700 --> 00:38:55.860
 us

00:38:55.860 --> 00:38:56.119
 to be

00:38:56.119 --> 00:38:56.380
 as a

00:38:56.380 --> 00:38:56.780
 church

00:38:56.780 --> 00:38:57.760
 and

00:38:57.760 --> 00:38:57.860
 Lord

00:38:57.860 --> 00:38:57.980
 I

00:38:57.980 --> 00:38:58.300
 pray

00:38:58.300 --> 00:38:58.519
 for

00:38:58.519 --> 00:38:58.840
 them

00:38:58.840 --> 00:38:59.240
 and I

00:38:59.240 --> 00:38:59.500
 pray

00:38:59.500 --> 00:39:00.019
 for us

00:39:00.019 --> 00:39:00.280
 as a

00:39:00.280 --> 00:39:00.539
 church

00:39:00.539 --> 00:39:00.719
 Lord

00:39:00.719 --> 00:39:00.900
 that you

00:39:00.900 --> 00:39:01.079
 just

00:39:01.079 --> 00:39:01.579
 help us

00:39:01.579 --> 00:39:02.380
 to learn

00:39:02.380 --> 00:39:02.719
 how to

00:39:02.719 --> 00:39:02.960
 walk

00:39:02.960 --> 00:39:03.300
 alongside

00:39:03.300 --> 00:39:03.780
 each other

00:39:03.780 --> 00:39:04.119
 well

00:39:04.119 --> 00:39:04.400
 Lord

00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:04.800
 I pray

00:39:04.800 --> 00:39:05.699
 just even

00:39:05.699 --> 00:39:05.900
 with

00:39:05.900 --> 00:39:06.519
 Christina

00:39:06.519 --> 00:39:06.940
 and her

00:39:06.940 --> 00:39:07.380
 the

00:39:07.380 --> 00:39:08.280
 wrestles

00:39:08.280 --> 00:39:08.639
 that she's

00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:09.039
 going through

00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:09.480
 and Angelina

00:39:09.480 --> 00:39:09.840
 the wrestles

00:39:09.840 --> 00:39:10.179
 she's

00:39:10.179 --> 00:39:10.579
 going through

00:39:10.579 --> 00:39:10.759
 Lord

00:39:10.759 --> 00:39:11.099
 I pray

00:39:11.099 --> 00:39:11.519
 that they

00:39:11.519 --> 00:39:11.699
 would

00:39:11.699 --> 00:39:11.900
 just

00:39:11.900 --> 00:39:12.519
 experience

00:39:12.519 --> 00:39:13.320
 continually

00:39:13.320 --> 00:39:13.980
 your

00:39:13.980 --> 00:39:14.519
 presence

00:39:14.519 --> 00:39:15.139
 with them

00:39:15.139 --> 00:39:15.940
 that you

00:39:15.940 --> 00:39:16.239
 would just

00:39:16.239 --> 00:39:16.820
 minister

00:39:16.820 --> 00:39:17.500
 through each

00:39:17.500 --> 00:39:17.820
 other

00:39:17.820 --> 00:39:18.699
 and through

00:39:18.699 --> 00:39:19.199
 the body

00:39:19.199 --> 00:39:19.519
 Lord

00:39:19.519 --> 00:39:20.320
 of just

00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:20.820
 how good

00:39:20.820 --> 00:39:21.219
 you are

00:39:21.219 --> 00:39:21.639
 just how

00:39:21.639 --> 00:39:22.099
 faithful

00:39:22.099 --> 00:39:22.519
 you are

00:39:22.519 --> 00:39:22.920
 just how

00:39:22.920 --> 00:39:23.400
 gracious

00:39:23.400 --> 00:39:23.920
 you are

00:39:23.920 --> 00:39:24.340
 just how

00:39:24.340 --> 00:39:24.659
 enough

00:39:24.659 --> 00:39:25.079
 you are

00:39:25.079 --> 00:39:25.579
 for us

00:39:25.579 --> 00:39:26.420
 so bless

00:39:26.420 --> 00:39:26.559
 them

00:39:26.559 --> 00:39:26.960
 I pray

00:39:26.960 --> 00:39:27.360
 in Jesus

00:39:27.360 --> 00:39:27.759
 name

00:39:27.759 --> 00:39:28.900
 amen

00:39:28.900 --> 00:39:29.880
 thank you

00:39:29.880 --> 00:39:30.539
 so much

00:39:30.539 --> 00:39:31.799
 give them a round of applause

00:39:31.799 --> 00:39:32.659
 thank you

00:39:32.659 --> 00:39:43.759
 so feel free to go up and chat to them afterwards to really hear more

00:39:43.759 --> 00:39:47.880
 but this is just a little taste of what I think God is wanting us to be as a community

00:39:47.880 --> 00:39:53.360
 and so I want to challenge us if you're married

00:39:53.360 --> 00:39:59.079
 generally don't just kind of run off after Sunday just do your own thing

00:39:59.079 --> 00:40:04.579
 invite a single along to lunch for you with you Christmas time is a hard time sometimes

00:40:04.579 --> 00:40:11.760
 for things invite people into your family we have this relationships evening that is coming up often as

00:40:11.760 --> 00:40:16.940
 as we go hey that's just for singles and we check out but no I encourage you to come because actually

00:40:16.940 --> 00:40:21.300
 as married and singles we need to be in the same room talking about the same things and then you'll see

00:40:21.300 --> 00:40:23.960
 ways that God will call you and how to serve

00:40:23.960 --> 00:40:29.159
 so I want to encourage us to do that because in a city which is filled with loneliness

00:40:29.159 --> 00:40:32.059
 and it is a very lonely place

00:40:32.059 --> 00:40:34.460
 it needs to see a community

00:40:34.460 --> 00:40:35.980
 whose identity

00:40:35.980 --> 00:40:37.599
 is not based

00:40:37.599 --> 00:40:39.679
 in a marital status

00:40:39.679 --> 00:40:41.000
 but is based in being

00:40:41.000 --> 00:40:43.059
 having a name better than sons and daughters

00:40:43.059 --> 00:40:46.800
 the last thing

00:40:46.800 --> 00:40:47.900
 I want to share

00:40:47.900 --> 00:40:49.780
 and by the way

00:40:49.780 --> 00:40:50.380
 we've

00:40:50.380 --> 00:40:53.220
 we've got a few of these booklets

00:40:53.220 --> 00:40:54.160
 which are around

00:40:54.160 --> 00:40:55.519
 I think there's some outside there

00:40:55.519 --> 00:40:56.300
 and some at the back

00:40:56.300 --> 00:40:58.300
 these are on Christians

00:40:58.300 --> 00:40:59.500
 dating and marriage

00:40:59.500 --> 00:41:01.539
 if you're single or if you're married

00:41:01.539 --> 00:41:03.080
 feel free to just pick one up

00:41:03.080 --> 00:41:03.740
 that's got some

00:41:03.740 --> 00:41:05.500
 some great stuff in there

00:41:05.500 --> 00:41:06.080
 because actually

00:41:06.080 --> 00:41:07.140
 there's a whole lot of things

00:41:07.140 --> 00:41:08.160
 I'm not even talking about

00:41:08.160 --> 00:41:09.519
 I haven't even started talking about dating

00:41:09.519 --> 00:41:12.320
 but actually that's something

00:41:12.320 --> 00:41:13.080
 that in community

00:41:13.079 --> 00:41:16.559
 this is where we can actually begin to wrestle with these questions

00:41:16.559 --> 00:41:19.519
 and so we just got this to help begin that conversation

00:41:19.519 --> 00:41:22.779
 the final thing

00:41:22.779 --> 00:41:24.319
 we've talked about a new identity

00:41:24.319 --> 00:41:25.900
 we've talked about a new vision

00:41:25.900 --> 00:41:27.319
 we've talked about a new community

00:41:27.319 --> 00:41:28.440
 that we have

00:41:28.440 --> 00:41:29.299
 the last thing

00:41:29.299 --> 00:41:30.759
 is we have a new hope

00:41:30.759 --> 00:41:34.279
 because even when

00:41:34.279 --> 00:41:35.960
 and here's the kind of caveat

00:41:35.960 --> 00:41:38.679
 even when we do community really really well

00:41:38.679 --> 00:41:40.879
 we get our identity

00:41:40.879 --> 00:41:43.460
 we get that sense of vision and purpose

00:41:43.460 --> 00:41:45.500
 all of us

00:41:45.500 --> 00:41:47.659
 will still have

00:41:47.659 --> 00:41:50.639
 unmet longings in our hearts

00:41:50.639 --> 00:41:53.139
 and that goes whether you are single

00:41:53.139 --> 00:41:54.759
 or you are married

00:41:54.759 --> 00:41:57.139
 all of us

00:41:57.139 --> 00:41:58.980
 maybe will have longings for a partner

00:41:58.980 --> 00:42:01.980
 or maybe longings for a spouse to change

00:42:01.980 --> 00:42:04.279
 and if your hope

00:42:04.279 --> 00:42:07.500
 is ultimately in a relationship

00:42:07.500 --> 00:42:09.780
 sooner or later

00:42:09.780 --> 00:42:11.559
 that will crush you

00:42:11.559 --> 00:42:13.719
 like Hong Kong

00:42:13.719 --> 00:42:15.519
 is a transient place

00:42:15.519 --> 00:42:17.119
 people come and go

00:42:17.119 --> 00:42:21.280
 and we can sometimes feel the loss of friendships

00:42:21.280 --> 00:42:22.099
 right?

00:42:22.260 --> 00:42:22.679
 can't we?

00:42:23.960 --> 00:42:25.280
 and so Jesus

00:42:25.280 --> 00:42:26.639
 sorry

00:42:26.639 --> 00:42:27.840
 one person said

00:42:27.840 --> 00:42:30.739
 if Jesus isn't sufficient for you

00:42:30.739 --> 00:42:32.380
 when you are single

00:42:32.380 --> 00:42:34.820
 he won't be sufficient for you

00:42:34.820 --> 00:42:35.599
 when you are married

00:42:35.599 --> 00:42:38.659
 because our ultimate hope

00:42:38.659 --> 00:42:40.099
 is not found

00:42:40.099 --> 00:42:41.799
 in just the relationships we have

00:42:41.799 --> 00:42:42.759
 it's found in someone

00:42:42.759 --> 00:42:43.559
 who loves us

00:42:43.559 --> 00:42:45.319
 way more than anybody else ever will

00:42:45.319 --> 00:42:47.299
 because you know

00:42:47.299 --> 00:42:48.039
 Jesus Christ

00:42:48.039 --> 00:42:50.019
 was the most fulfilled single ever

00:42:50.019 --> 00:42:51.779
 but he was also

00:42:51.779 --> 00:42:52.579
 the most abandoned

00:42:52.579 --> 00:42:54.119
 the most rejected

00:42:54.119 --> 00:42:55.599
 the most shamed

00:42:55.599 --> 00:42:56.699
 single ever

00:42:56.699 --> 00:42:57.480
 do you realize

00:42:57.480 --> 00:42:58.339
 how counter-cultural

00:42:58.339 --> 00:42:59.539
 it was for him to be single?

00:43:00.159 --> 00:43:01.579
 but it wasn't just that

00:43:01.579 --> 00:43:02.579
 he was

00:43:02.579 --> 00:43:03.920
 not just a dry tree

00:43:03.920 --> 00:43:04.940
 he also died

00:43:04.940 --> 00:43:05.980
 on a dry tree

00:43:05.980 --> 00:43:07.779
 abandoned

00:43:07.779 --> 00:43:09.860
 the ultimate shame

00:43:09.860 --> 00:43:10.460
 and rejection

00:43:10.460 --> 00:43:12.420
 but he wasn't rooted

00:43:12.420 --> 00:43:13.019
 in bitterness

00:43:13.019 --> 00:43:15.639
 because you know

00:43:15.639 --> 00:43:16.980
 his hope was found

00:43:16.980 --> 00:43:17.860
 in his father

00:43:17.860 --> 00:43:19.360
 and in doing

00:43:19.360 --> 00:43:20.440
 his father's will

00:43:20.440 --> 00:43:21.579
 and being one

00:43:21.579 --> 00:43:22.819
 who knew his father

00:43:22.819 --> 00:43:24.259
 that's why

00:43:24.259 --> 00:43:24.619
 do you see

00:43:24.619 --> 00:43:25.679
 all through the gospels

00:43:25.679 --> 00:43:27.279
 he's always withdrawing

00:43:27.279 --> 00:43:28.819
 to be alone

00:43:28.819 --> 00:43:29.579
 with his father

00:43:29.579 --> 00:43:30.319
 do you know

00:43:30.319 --> 00:43:30.799
 there's a difference

00:43:30.799 --> 00:43:31.579
 between loneliness

00:43:31.579 --> 00:43:32.559
 and aloneness

00:43:32.559 --> 00:43:34.840
 you know

00:43:34.840 --> 00:43:35.599
 you can be alone

00:43:35.599 --> 00:43:36.360
 and not lonely

00:43:36.360 --> 00:43:38.799
 because Jesus

00:43:38.799 --> 00:43:41.699
 he's the one

00:43:41.699 --> 00:43:42.219
 who knows

00:43:42.219 --> 00:43:42.860
 that his father

00:43:42.860 --> 00:43:43.940
 is enough for him

00:43:43.940 --> 00:43:45.799
 some of us

00:43:45.799 --> 00:43:46.779
 immerse ourselves

00:43:46.779 --> 00:43:48.119
 in constant activity

00:43:48.119 --> 00:43:49.480
 and being with people

00:43:49.480 --> 00:43:50.860
 because you are terrified

00:43:50.860 --> 00:43:51.759
 of being alone

00:43:51.759 --> 00:43:53.279
 with your own thoughts

00:43:53.279 --> 00:43:55.299
 some of us

00:43:55.299 --> 00:43:57.099
 we like being alone

00:43:57.099 --> 00:43:58.159
 but it's a Netflix

00:43:58.159 --> 00:43:59.119
 Netflix

00:43:59.119 --> 00:43:59.880
 filled

00:43:59.880 --> 00:44:00.880
 self-focused

00:44:00.880 --> 00:44:01.559
 aloneness

00:44:01.559 --> 00:44:04.279
 but actually

00:44:04.279 --> 00:44:05.099
 what God is calling

00:44:05.099 --> 00:44:06.019
 each one of us

00:44:06.019 --> 00:44:07.860
 is to know

00:44:07.860 --> 00:44:08.699
 that the presence

00:44:08.699 --> 00:44:09.440
 that you need

00:44:09.440 --> 00:44:10.639
 more than any other presence

00:44:10.639 --> 00:44:12.779
 is the presence

00:44:12.779 --> 00:44:13.900
 of the heavenly father

00:44:13.900 --> 00:44:14.840
 who loves you

00:44:14.840 --> 00:44:16.159
 dearly and deeply

00:44:16.159 --> 00:44:17.460
 which is why

00:44:17.460 --> 00:44:18.460
 if you are a single

00:44:18.460 --> 00:44:20.679
 and if you are married

00:44:20.679 --> 00:44:23.000
 a daily rhythm

00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:23.840
 of getting into

00:44:23.840 --> 00:44:24.880
 the presence of God

00:44:24.880 --> 00:44:25.400
 in scripture

00:44:25.400 --> 00:44:26.299
 reading and prayer

00:44:26.299 --> 00:44:27.079
 is vital

00:44:27.079 --> 00:44:28.259
 if you don't want

00:44:28.259 --> 00:44:29.139
 to be a dry tree

00:44:29.139 --> 00:44:29.920
 because as a married

00:44:29.920 --> 00:44:30.639
 you know you can be

00:44:30.639 --> 00:44:31.259
 a different kind

00:44:31.259 --> 00:44:31.920
 of dry tree

00:44:31.920 --> 00:44:33.199
 a spiritually dry tree

00:44:33.199 --> 00:44:34.980
 and as a single

00:44:34.980 --> 00:44:36.440
 but actually

00:44:36.440 --> 00:44:37.519
 scripture says

00:44:37.519 --> 00:44:38.239
 if your roots

00:44:38.239 --> 00:44:39.119
 are deeply rooted

00:44:39.119 --> 00:44:39.819
 in the presence

00:44:39.819 --> 00:44:40.440
 of God

00:44:40.440 --> 00:44:42.739
 you will bear

00:44:42.739 --> 00:44:43.659
 much fruit

00:44:43.659 --> 00:44:45.980
 and your life

00:44:45.980 --> 00:44:48.059
 will flow

00:44:48.059 --> 00:44:49.819
 with the presence

00:44:49.819 --> 00:44:50.500
 of the one

00:44:50.500 --> 00:44:51.659
 who says

00:44:51.659 --> 00:44:52.199
 he's never going

00:44:52.199 --> 00:44:52.639
 to leave you

00:44:52.639 --> 00:44:53.460
 or forsake you

00:44:53.460 --> 00:44:56.440
 and so here's

00:44:56.440 --> 00:44:57.380
 the final part

00:44:57.380 --> 00:44:57.900
 that scripture

00:44:57.900 --> 00:44:58.800
 proclaims

00:44:58.800 --> 00:45:01.179
 if you are married

00:45:01.179 --> 00:45:03.639
 one day

00:45:03.639 --> 00:45:04.280
 you won't be

00:45:04.280 --> 00:45:07.240
 if you are single

00:45:07.240 --> 00:45:09.300
 one day

00:45:09.300 --> 00:45:10.039
 you won't be

00:45:10.039 --> 00:45:12.320
 because it says

00:45:12.320 --> 00:45:14.000
 human marriage

00:45:14.000 --> 00:45:14.880
 and sexuality

00:45:14.880 --> 00:45:16.280
 is penultimate

00:45:16.280 --> 00:45:18.679
 one day

00:45:18.679 --> 00:45:19.579
 all of your

00:45:19.579 --> 00:45:20.880
 unmet longings

00:45:20.880 --> 00:45:21.720
 and desires

00:45:21.719 --> 00:45:23.179
 will be ultimately

00:45:23.179 --> 00:45:23.919
 fulfilled

00:45:23.919 --> 00:45:24.599
 in the one

00:45:24.599 --> 00:45:25.439
 who is the

00:45:25.439 --> 00:45:27.000
 ultimate husband

00:45:27.000 --> 00:45:28.179
 the ultimate

00:45:28.179 --> 00:45:29.079
 bridegroom

00:45:29.079 --> 00:45:29.919
 that we are longing

00:45:29.919 --> 00:45:30.859
 for in our hearts

00:45:30.859 --> 00:45:31.279
 and that is

00:45:31.279 --> 00:45:32.019
 Jesus Christ

00:45:32.019 --> 00:45:34.439
 and we will see

00:45:34.439 --> 00:45:35.879
 him face to face

00:45:35.879 --> 00:45:38.500
 and you won't

00:45:38.500 --> 00:45:39.279
 be disappointed

00:45:39.279 --> 00:45:41.859
 and if Christ

00:45:41.859 --> 00:45:42.559
 is the center

00:45:42.559 --> 00:45:43.259
 of your marriage

00:45:43.259 --> 00:45:43.980
 right now

00:45:43.980 --> 00:45:44.980
 and if Christ

00:45:44.980 --> 00:45:45.639
 is the center

00:45:45.639 --> 00:45:46.539
 of your singleness

00:45:46.539 --> 00:45:47.739
 right now

00:45:47.739 --> 00:45:49.500
 there will be

00:45:49.500 --> 00:45:49.939
 pain

00:45:49.940 --> 00:45:51.820
 because we all

00:45:51.820 --> 00:45:52.340
 have a cross

00:45:52.340 --> 00:45:52.760
 to bear

00:45:52.760 --> 00:45:56.460
 but Jesus

00:45:56.460 --> 00:45:57.019
 shows you

00:45:57.019 --> 00:45:57.700
 the cross

00:45:57.700 --> 00:45:58.980
 always comes

00:45:58.980 --> 00:45:59.460
 before the

00:45:59.460 --> 00:45:59.960
 resurrection

00:45:59.960 --> 00:46:01.800
 and there is

00:46:01.800 --> 00:46:03.179
 resurrection life

00:46:03.179 --> 00:46:03.880
 with him

00:46:03.880 --> 00:46:05.079
 and he is

00:46:05.079 --> 00:46:06.079
 guaranteed it

00:46:06.079 --> 00:46:06.800
 by going ahead

00:46:06.800 --> 00:46:07.280
 of you

00:46:07.280 --> 00:46:09.639
 Jesus is

00:46:09.639 --> 00:46:10.559
 enough for you

00:46:10.559 --> 00:46:10.960
 today

00:46:10.960 --> 00:46:13.280
 he's enough

00:46:13.280 --> 00:46:13.820
 for you

00:46:13.820 --> 00:46:15.800
 with your

00:46:15.800 --> 00:46:16.400
 sexuality

00:46:16.400 --> 00:46:17.700
 he's enough

00:46:17.700 --> 00:46:17.980
 for you

00:46:17.980 --> 00:46:18.300
 with your

00:46:18.300 --> 00:46:18.780
 singleness

00:46:18.780 --> 00:46:19.240
 will you

00:46:19.239 --> 00:46:19.959
 trust him

00:46:19.959 --> 00:46:21.379
 will you

00:46:21.379 --> 00:46:22.099
 trust him

00:46:22.099 --> 00:46:23.899
 find time

00:46:23.899 --> 00:46:24.739
 alone with him

00:46:24.739 --> 00:46:26.019
 find your

00:46:26.019 --> 00:46:27.179
 identity in him

00:46:27.179 --> 00:46:28.879
 and let it

00:46:28.879 --> 00:46:29.599
 push us back

00:46:29.599 --> 00:46:30.139
 into be a

00:46:30.139 --> 00:46:30.539
 community

00:46:30.539 --> 00:46:30.959
 where we

00:46:30.959 --> 00:46:31.299
 don't just

00:46:31.299 --> 00:46:31.939
 preach our

00:46:31.939 --> 00:46:32.639
 identity in

00:46:32.639 --> 00:46:33.019
 Christ

00:46:33.019 --> 00:46:34.000
 but we

00:46:34.000 --> 00:46:35.000
 experience it

00:46:35.000 --> 00:46:35.719
 and live it

00:46:35.719 --> 00:46:36.299
 through our

00:46:36.299 --> 00:46:36.679
 community

00:46:36.679 --> 00:46:37.500
 relationships

00:46:37.500 --> 00:46:40.339
 let me pray

00:46:40.339 --> 00:46:40.979
 for us

00:46:40.980 --> 00:46:46.940
 and if you're

00:46:46.940 --> 00:46:47.619
 single right

00:46:47.619 --> 00:46:47.860
 now

00:46:47.860 --> 00:46:48.260
 I want you

00:46:48.260 --> 00:46:48.860
 actually to

00:46:48.860 --> 00:46:50.260
 just think

00:46:50.260 --> 00:46:50.740
 what is God

00:46:50.740 --> 00:46:51.320
 trying to say

00:46:51.320 --> 00:46:51.760
 to you

00:46:51.760 --> 00:46:53.199
 where are you

00:46:53.199 --> 00:46:53.840
 up to with

00:46:53.840 --> 00:46:54.460
 your singleness

00:46:54.460 --> 00:46:56.340
 where is

00:46:56.340 --> 00:46:56.800
 Jesus

00:46:56.800 --> 00:46:57.780
 in your

00:46:57.780 --> 00:46:58.199
 singleness

00:46:58.199 --> 00:47:00.699
 if you're

00:47:00.699 --> 00:47:01.099
 married

00:47:01.099 --> 00:47:01.960
 I want to

00:47:01.960 --> 00:47:02.340
 ask you

00:47:02.340 --> 00:47:02.699
 the same

00:47:02.699 --> 00:47:03.260
 question

00:47:03.260 --> 00:47:04.460
 where are you

00:47:04.460 --> 00:47:05.000
 up to

00:47:05.000 --> 00:47:05.699
 with your

00:47:05.699 --> 00:47:06.260
 marriage

00:47:06.260 --> 00:47:08.440
 how are you

00:47:08.440 --> 00:47:09.240
 seeing it

00:47:09.240 --> 00:47:10.420
 as part of

00:47:10.420 --> 00:47:10.940
 something that

00:47:10.940 --> 00:47:11.600
 can serve

00:47:11.600 --> 00:47:12.080
 others

00:47:12.080 --> 00:47:12.760
 rather than

00:47:12.760 --> 00:47:13.360
 just serving

00:47:13.360 --> 00:47:13.880
 yourself

00:47:13.880 --> 00:47:15.640
 and is

00:47:15.640 --> 00:47:16.480
 Jesus enough

00:47:16.480 --> 00:47:17.000
 for you

00:47:17.000 --> 00:47:18.780
 will you

00:47:18.780 --> 00:47:19.500
 trust him

00:47:19.500 --> 00:47:22.240
 just take a

00:47:22.240 --> 00:47:22.640
 minute to

00:47:22.640 --> 00:47:23.320
 reflect on

00:47:23.320 --> 00:47:23.600
 where your

00:47:23.600 --> 00:47:24.320
 hearts are

00:47:24.320 --> 00:47:25.680
 take a minute

00:47:25.680 --> 00:47:26.000
 just to

00:47:26.000 --> 00:47:26.780
 respond in

00:47:26.780 --> 00:47:27.340
 prayer to

00:47:27.340 --> 00:47:27.640
 him

00:47:27.639 --> 00:47:41.199
 I think

00:47:41.199 --> 00:47:41.579
 there's some

00:47:41.579 --> 00:47:41.960
 of you who

00:47:41.960 --> 00:47:42.400
 just really

00:47:42.400 --> 00:47:42.819
 have a

00:47:42.819 --> 00:47:44.859
 there's been

00:47:44.859 --> 00:47:45.219
 things that

00:47:45.219 --> 00:47:45.559
 we've said

00:47:45.559 --> 00:47:46.000
 this morning

00:47:46.000 --> 00:47:46.480
 which actually

00:47:46.480 --> 00:47:46.960
 just really

00:47:46.960 --> 00:47:47.639
 resonate with

00:47:47.639 --> 00:47:47.960
 where you're

00:47:47.960 --> 00:47:48.319
 up to

00:47:48.319 --> 00:47:53.839
 don't run

00:47:53.839 --> 00:47:54.179
 away

00:47:54.179 --> 00:47:55.400
 I want to

00:47:55.400 --> 00:47:56.279
 call you to

00:47:56.279 --> 00:47:56.739
 come up for

00:47:56.739 --> 00:47:57.619
 prayer afterwards

00:47:57.619 --> 00:48:00.159
 because we

00:48:00.159 --> 00:48:00.579
 want to walk

00:48:00.579 --> 00:48:01.019
 with you as

00:48:01.019 --> 00:48:01.559
 a community

00:48:01.559 --> 00:48:05.859
 there's some

00:48:05.859 --> 00:48:06.579
 of us who

00:48:06.579 --> 00:48:08.839
 this has just

00:48:08.839 --> 00:48:09.699
 been a huge

00:48:09.699 --> 00:48:10.440
 idol in our

00:48:10.440 --> 00:48:11.900
 lives and

00:48:11.900 --> 00:48:12.279
 we've never

00:48:12.279 --> 00:48:12.940
 seen it as

00:48:12.940 --> 00:48:13.440
 a gift

00:48:13.440 --> 00:48:15.900
 and you need

00:48:15.900 --> 00:48:16.500
 to hear the

00:48:16.500 --> 00:48:17.179
 father's voice

00:48:17.179 --> 00:48:17.659
 saying I

00:48:17.659 --> 00:48:18.179
 love you

00:48:18.179 --> 00:48:19.579
 you may not

00:48:19.579 --> 00:48:20.179
 understand

00:48:20.179 --> 00:48:21.579
 it may feel

00:48:21.579 --> 00:48:22.119
 uncertain

00:48:22.119 --> 00:48:23.880
 but just reach

00:48:23.880 --> 00:48:24.659
 out to me

00:48:24.659 --> 00:48:25.960
 surrender to

00:48:25.960 --> 00:48:26.299
 me

00:48:26.300 --> 00:48:32.880
 father we

00:48:32.880 --> 00:48:33.500
 just pray

00:48:33.500 --> 00:48:34.780
 but we

00:48:34.780 --> 00:48:35.260
 thank you

00:48:35.260 --> 00:48:35.640
 that you're

00:48:35.640 --> 00:48:36.120
 the god

00:48:36.120 --> 00:48:37.380
 who brings

00:48:37.380 --> 00:48:38.140
 the excluded

00:48:38.140 --> 00:48:39.260
 into your

00:48:39.260 --> 00:48:39.820
 community

00:48:39.820 --> 00:48:41.200
 lord that

00:48:41.200 --> 00:48:41.680
 was all of

00:48:41.680 --> 00:48:42.080
 us

00:48:42.080 --> 00:48:43.940
 all of us

00:48:43.940 --> 00:48:44.320
 were like

00:48:44.320 --> 00:48:44.680
 that

00:48:44.680 --> 00:48:46.400
 but thank you

00:48:46.400 --> 00:48:46.920
 lord that you've

00:48:46.920 --> 00:48:47.700
 given us a name

00:48:47.700 --> 00:48:48.220
 which is better

00:48:48.220 --> 00:48:49.160
 than any other

00:48:49.160 --> 00:48:50.080
 name that society

00:48:50.080 --> 00:48:50.960
 may label us

00:48:50.960 --> 00:48:51.320
 with

00:48:51.320 --> 00:48:54.480
 that name of

00:48:54.480 --> 00:48:54.840
 being your

00:48:54.840 --> 00:48:55.340
 sons and

00:48:55.340 --> 00:48:55.640
 daughters

00:48:55.640 --> 00:48:57.820
 and I pray

00:48:57.820 --> 00:48:58.580
 lord in this

00:48:58.580 --> 00:48:59.180
 church that

00:48:59.180 --> 00:48:59.660
 that would not

00:48:59.660 --> 00:49:00.240
 just be a

00:49:00.240 --> 00:49:00.900
 theory I

00:49:00.900 --> 00:49:01.840
 pray god that

00:49:01.840 --> 00:49:02.539
 deep in our

00:49:02.539 --> 00:49:03.019
 hearts we

00:49:03.019 --> 00:49:03.700
 would find a

00:49:03.700 --> 00:49:04.539
 contentment in

00:49:04.539 --> 00:49:05.720
 you whether we

00:49:05.720 --> 00:49:06.360
 are married or

00:49:06.360 --> 00:49:06.820
 whether we are

00:49:06.820 --> 00:49:07.420
 single knowing

00:49:07.420 --> 00:49:08.300
 that you truly

00:49:08.300 --> 00:49:09.059
 are enough for

00:49:09.059 --> 00:49:11.519
 us teach us how

00:49:11.519 --> 00:49:12.059
 to love one

00:49:12.059 --> 00:49:12.760
 another well

00:49:12.760 --> 00:49:14.580
 teach us how to

00:49:14.580 --> 00:49:15.180
 use the gifts

00:49:15.180 --> 00:49:15.740
 that you've given

00:49:15.740 --> 00:49:16.720
 us to serve

00:49:16.720 --> 00:49:17.280
 one another

00:49:17.280 --> 00:49:19.400
 we thank you

00:49:19.400 --> 00:49:20.060
 for your grace

00:49:20.060 --> 00:49:21.600
 thank you that

00:49:21.600 --> 00:49:22.519
 you are sufficient

00:49:22.519 --> 00:49:24.160
 in jesus name

00:49:24.160 --> 00:49:25.440
 amen