Standing up in a Room of 200 Women

Blogging, Emotional, Relationships October 17, 2012

I am writing this from my Influence hotel room, because I just can’t hold it in.

On Friday after lunch, there was a “life panel.” Amazing, amazing people were on this panel, Jessi Connolly from Naptime Diaries and her husband Nick, Emily Freeman at Chatting at the Sky who wrote Grace for the Good Girl, Sarah Matheny at Peas and Thank You, and Rach Kinkaid at Kincaid Parade. They had wise words to share with all of us about the inner-workings of blogging and our hearts.

And I felt an urge, and a nudge, that I so desperately wanted to ignore. But as I felt my cheeks flush and my tears run hot, I needed to know. I needed to hear from these ladies how to have what they have, when I don’t.

I raised my hand from the very, very back.
With shaking hands and a trembling voice I asked what kills my heart the most. I voiced the lie that Satan tells me most often. I can’t remember the exact words, and I know I quoted Emily Freeman like a fan girl, but I spoke what my spirit was longing to say.

How do you have influence, when you are single? 
When you so desperately want to be married. 
When you want the ministry these ladies have with their husbands and children and women in their churches and on their blogs.
I’m not a mom. I’m not a wife. Which is hard on me day after day after day. I intentionally pray that marriage would not be an idol to me. Yet, my heart longs for a family. And I feel less than everyone.

I feel like what I bring to the table isn’t enough. I feel like God uses them women who have their whole life in perfect order (and I recognize the ridiculousness in that statement. I really do). I feel like because I’m not married, I am worth so much less to his kingdom.

And I cried.

I cried my eyes out in front of 200 women. Standing. Hands trembling, voice shaking and tears for not only the entire world to see, but also several of the women I respect and cherish the most in this community. 
I was a hot.mess. 
 
But then grace upon grace upon grace was poured over me.
The amazing panel spoke soothing to my soul. Jessi calmed my heart. Emily looked me in the eye from across the room and told me that Jesus is in me. Several lovely ladies cried with me and hugged me and shared their stories. Several married women came to me later, hugged me, and told me marriage didn’t make them minsters to women. Jesus gave them their ministry. Later, Casey Wiegand said, “Your mess is your ministry.” And oh, sisters, how tightly am I holding onto that right now.

Jesus is in me even though I’m not married.
Jesus is in me even though I’m not a mom.
Jesus is not in me any less because I am single. He does not love me any less. My influence is not any less important to his kingdom.

I am enough.
You girls are enough.
You are enough.

i love you guys.

Written by

Brittany is a 30 year old lawyer, living in the Seattle-Metro area. She is the creator of and writer at www.WhereMySoulBelongs.com, a blog that focuses on appreciating life right where you are every day. At WMSB you'll find articles on faith, fitness, frugality and managing to somehow have work-life balance in the middle of it all.

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8 Comments

  • Reply
    No Matter What Our Relationship Status is.... - Where My Soul Belongs
    February 14, 2013 at 8:46 am

    […] most about Brittany is the courage she exhibited when she stood up and asked this question—how do you have influence when you are single? I knew exactly what she meant because I had spent years of my life struggling with singleness and […]

  • Reply
    Rachel {CreativelyRedeemingHer}
    April 6, 2013 at 12:15 am

    You have a ministry friend! There is so much in store for your beautiful life and I pray you find the healing & hope you desperately, courageously need. I have been there in the singleness, frustrations, doubts, heartbreaks, disappointment, unanswered prayers & abandonment. Jesus has always been the best, whether single or married, mother or not…always the best.

    • Reply
      Brittany
      April 6, 2013 at 11:07 am

      Thank you, Rachel. You are so right. He really is the best :).

  • Reply
    Back When He Was My Best Friend - Where My Soul Belongs
    January 21, 2014 at 4:28 am

    […] try to be really open, honest and vulnerable with you guys when it comes to singleness. This isn’t easy. In fact, sometimes it’s downright […]

  • Reply
    Advice for the Single Girl You SHOULD be Reading - The Rachael Way
    July 29, 2015 at 5:01 am

    […] matters until we answer the one question of why we are or aren’t married today. Singleness is something I’ve been passionate about for several years, and a big part of why I started my most recent blog in […]

  • Reply
    3 Things that You Shouldn't Believe about Being Single
    July 29, 2015 at 7:28 am

    […] matters until we answer the one question of why we are or aren’t married today. Singleness is something I’ve been passionate about for several years, and a big part of why I started my most recent blog in […]

  • Reply
    Heather Dawn (@mylittlehea)
    July 30, 2015 at 7:50 am

    Thanks for linking to this on Rachael’s post. I’ve often felt the same way in the past, but luckily when I was really struggling, I was surrounded by an entire group of single people from our church that were in the same boat. We’ve all since gone our separate ways, some to get married and others to chase their dreams.

    • Reply
      Brittany
      July 30, 2015 at 10:56 am

      That’s so great! It’s a hard thing to struggle with and having support, even if it’s from friends of the past or electronically, helps so much.

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