A Young Sister’s Letter to an Older One and Her Reply
May, 1978
Dear Sis. F——,
Greetings to you this evening in Jesus’ name. I am so thankful for His great love and mercy to me.
You are probably surprised to be hearing from me. It has come to my mind several different times to write you, asking for prayer and advice. I have complete confidence in your life and appreciate your sincerity so much. I also feel I can tell you what is on my heart and it will be kept confidential.
I am enjoying my work here. I find it satisfying and rewarding to be doing something for the Lord. Yet at other times I have a very strong desire to have a companion and a home of my own. I don’t want to shirk my duty here. I want to stay here just as long as the Lord wants me to stay, and to be content where He has placed me. I have even asked the Lord to take the desire for a companion away if He didn’t want me to have one, because I know if it wasn’t given from the Lord, I wouldn’t be happy. I want His will to be done above all. But the desire for a companion and home just about overwhelms me sometimes. I just felt like I needed someone to help me pray. I know the Lord will not fail; His promises are sure. He said He would give us the desires of our heart if we delight in Him. I have asked the Lord to give me desires that would only please and glorify Him, because I don’t want anything that He doesn’t want me to have. Psalm 37:4-7 has been a comfort to me many times. Committing our way unto the Lord, trusting in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. Also resting in the Lord and waiting patiently. The Lord has pointed out many scriptures to me about waiting on the Lord in the past years. But of late, He has been bringing the thought of having faith. Even though there are so few single boys my age among the saints, I just feel there must be somebody somewhere for me.
I learned a new song, which has been an encouragement to me. It says:
“Keep on praying, prayer of faith avail,
Keep on praying, God can never fail,
Keep on praying, plead His promise true,
Keep on praying, God will answer you.”
Before starting this letter, I knelt in prayer asking the Lord to help me write what He wanted and to help me put on paper just what was on my heart, so you would understand my need. I do want the Lord’s will to be done in my life and I want to be happy, content and satisfied with Hisdealings. Pray for me.
—A single young sister of 28
Dear Sister,
Greetings to you in the precious name of Jesus. Yes, truly His love and mercy are great towards us. I am glad that I ever found Him precious to my soul, and I want to live for Him all the days of my life.
I am glad that you shared your burden with me. It helps oft times when we can confide the burden of our heart with someone. You explained how you felt about your work…and that you wanted to stay there just as long as the Lord wants you there and desire to be contented where He has placed you—also that you want His will to be done in your life above all. Dear sister, strive to keep that consecration. I believe that is what the Lord desires you to do. Your desire for a companion is a natural desire, and it is our privilege to take this desire to the dear Lord. As you continue holding it before the Lord, continue to keep your consecration, “Lord, Thy will be done above all else.” You may have to battle sometimes to keep it that way but this is a part of our Christian warfare. Like you said, if the Lord doesn’t give you a companion, you wouldn’t be happy with one.
God has answered prayer for different ones who looked to God for a companion and waited on Him. Sister H—— took this matter to the Lord and God saved a young man for her. Others have looked to God, and God answered their prayers. After you came and talked to us while Sis. P—— was still living, we continued to hold this matter before the Lord. (You no doubt remember the time I am referring to.) She and I would have prayer together after my husband would go to work of a morning. I will continue to be in agreement with you in this matter.
Sister, there is a precious scripture in Isaiah 54:5, “For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall he be called.” Then in the New Testament, the thought is brought out of the church being the bride of Christ. I like this thought of being the bride or wife of Christ. He is our spiritual husband and companion. He loves us with an everlasting love. He even gave His life for us. He is with us continually and will never leave us nor forsake us. Others may not always understand us, but He always does. We can share every burden, tell Him every secret of our heart, knowing He knows and understands and cares. We must be fully obedient to Him as a true wife must, but He will never require unreasonable or unseasonable service. He will never send us to do a task alone but will go with us, and help us. He can fill the place in our life that even an earthly companion cannot. An earthly companion can do much for us, but they cannot fill the need of our soul as our heavenly companion can. This relationship with the Lord is one we can enjoywhether single or married. I have two husbands—the Lord and A——.
Dear Sister, you have a freedom now that you want to appreciate and use wholly to the glory of God. I believe that you are striving to do this, but I feel like speaking now of it. I mean the freedom of a single life. I was once a single girl serving the Lord, striving to serve the Lord and wanting to fill the place of service to the Lord just as you are. I didn’t have a companion until I was nearly 26. When I entered into the marriage covenant with A——, fully believing it to be God’s plan for my life, I found that it brought many responsibilities, and that I didn’t have the freedom that I had in my single life. I speak of this with the desire that you may fully realize and appreciate the freedom which you now have while you have it. You may already appreciate it, but I felt like speaking of it. Sometimes, we don’t fully realize or appreciate a blessing which we have until it is gone or in the past.
May the dear Lord truly bless you and work out that plan in your life that will be to His greatest glory and for your best good. May you be like Mary of old. After the angel revealed a part of God’s plan for her life, she said, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” ()
I will continue to pray.
Christian love,
Sis. F——
The Lord indeed did answer prayer. It was a year later that the Lord put it in the heart of a young man to court and marry this young sister. Young sisters, it truly pays—let me repeat it again, it really, truly pays to wait on God.