Novelist and Children's Author

Featured Guest: Allison Flexer

Posted by on Oct 2, 2014 in Faith, Family | 3 comments

And the winner of Where Treetops Glisten by Cara Putman, Sarah Sundin, and Tricia Goyer is:

Heather S

Congratulations, Heather!

And now our featured guest . . .

Allison K. Flexer is an author, speaker, and blogger who is passionate about communicating the love of God to others. Her first book, Truth, Lies, and the Single Woman (Beacon Hill Press), tells the story of her single journey and gives practical steps for letting go of the lies that destroy the joy and confidence of unmarried women. Allison was also a contributing writer for Fulfilled: The NIV Devotional Bible for the Single Woman. You can connect with Allison on her website at www.allisonflexer.com or on Twitter: @allisonkflex.

Allison Flexer

All about Redemption

 by Allison Flexer

 

“When is it going to be my turn?” I had just found out my former boyfriend was dating someone else. “But we just broke up a few months ago,” I whined to my mom. “He’s moved on, and that was my last chance. I’m almost thirty-five now, and it’s too late to start over again. I’ll be single forever!”

 

Even though that scene happened quite a few years ago, I vividly remember that conversation in the kitchen with my mother. Most of my friends were already married, and I had just received two more bridal shower invitations in the mail that week. I believed I had squandered my last change for marriage and felt rather hopeless.

 

It’s tempting to lose hope when faced with unmet desires and seemingly unanswered prayers. Waiting on God is difficult, but it always has a purpose. Years of waiting on a spouse taught me to rely on God. My faith is stronger because my desires weren’t immediately fulfilled.

 

We serve a God who is all about redemption. He sent Jesus to save us from our sins, but he keeps redeeming us. God has a plan for our lives that is greater than we can imagine. He sees the whole picture while we only see a small part.

 

One of my favorite quotes is by Leslie Haskin. In her book, God Has Not Forgotten About You: …and He Cares More than You Can Imagine, she writes, “You are today who you are because of every person, every experience, and every thought God has allowed and connected to bring about His redemption plan in your life.”

 

Thankfully, God answered my prayers in a big way. I finally had my turn to fall in love and get married. Looking back, I do see pieces of the redemption plan God worked in my life. I needed that time of singleness to grow closer to him. I had to learn to love and value myself before sharing my life with a husband. God’s timing is always perfect. He’s never in a hurry, even though sometimes we want him to be!

 

Whether you’re single or married, remember that God loves to redeem the broken pieces of our lives. He is our Healer, the one who turns ashes into beauty. Know that God is enough for any situation and he longs to pour out his love on you today. He’s all about redemption.

 

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who

forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems

your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.

(Psalm 103:2-4, NIV)

 

Singletruth_redemption_web

 

Giveaway:

Beacon Hill Press is giving away 10 copies of Truth, Lies, and the Single Woman on GoodReads. Here’s the link to enter:

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/108019-truth-lies-and-the-single-woman-dispelling-10-common-myths

 

banner

 

 

Sherry here: Thank you, Allison, for joining us today! Beacon Hill Press graciously sent me a copy of Truth, Lies, and the Single Woman and I highly recommend it! There are so many truths in the book that are relevant for all women. I’m going to give my copy to my college-aged daughter and suggest she share it with her friends.

Questions for discussion: Are you married or single? If you’re married, how old were you when you met your spouse? If you’re single, how do you focus on God during the waiting time?

 

 

3 Comments

Join the conversation and post a comment.

  1. Allison K. Flexer

    Sherry, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog today! I’m excited about the book and so glad you enjoyed reading it. Thanks for allowing me to guest post here today!

    • Sherry Kyle

      Anytime Allison! Did you start writing the book when you were single or after you got married? And did marriage give you a new perspective on singleness?

      • Allison K. Flexer

        Hi Sherry! Yes, I started writing the book in 2009 when I was 34 and single. It took me four years to finish it, partially because I was still struggling with a lot of the lies that I cover in the book. I started dating my husband in 2012 and got married in 2013 at the age of 38! Beacon Hill Press called me 3 months before the wedding and offered me the book contract. Throughout this first year of marriage, I have definitely seen how my single journey prepared me. God was working all along (of course!). I can see now that I wasn’t emotionally ready for marriage in my 20’s or early 30’s, like I thought I was! God is so good and designs a beautiful plan for each of us!

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. All About Redemption | Allison K. Flexer, Author - […] “When is it going to be my turn?” I had just found out my former boyfriend was dating someone…