A Single Year Part 2

If you look closely, you can see me. I'm a dancing, grinning worshipper.

I'm afraid I may have sugar-coated my single year just a tad. I was reading over the blog post and it just seemed too…pretty. Too clean. It was a transformative year, no doubt; but if you remember my initial post about it, I did kinda enter it kicking and screaming. God said, “Be single.” And I was like, “Come on, bro. Why? Ain't nobody got time for that.” But I did have time. A year, in fact.

Take Your Time

Me with my parents (to my right) and my aunt

Death is an odd thing, really. People are here one day, then gone the next. And the same will happen to each of us one day. Songs will be sung (“I’ll Fly Away,” if you’re in the South), kind words spoken by people who knew you best, flowers and cards given to your survivors, a repast held back at the church...and then everyone will go home. Some will remember you. Some will miss you. Some won’t. It can really shake you if you think about it long enough, which I happen to do from time to time.

Journey to a Husband: Servanthood

Photo via @lauralacquer

Marriage isn't guaranteed for anyone. I want to start there. But if we have the desire for marriage, there is plenty we can do right now as single women to prepare for that season. As we tackle the topic Journey to a Husband, I thought it only fitting to follow honor with service. Service can be anything! But I've learned it's especially the little things.

Musings on Modesty

Taken at my first CURVEXPO with Nubian Skin in February

If you follow me on social media, then it will come as no surprise that I’ve had quite a few conversations about modesty the past couple days. Six months ago, I had a really cool opportunity to model for Nubian Skin at the New York CURVEXPO. I left feeling so inspired. (You can read about my first experience here.) A couple weeks ago, they reached out to see if I could help out again. Of course! This week, I went back and learned so much more about boobs, bras, beauty and business. The company is a startup, so I got to work directly with the founder. I picked her brain on all things concerning beauty, boobs and business. She was even so generous to let me offer another giveaway to the like...ten people who follow me. To announce this, I posted a photo of myself in lingerie on my Facebook. (You probably gotta be my Facebook friend to see that.) There’s also a back shot on Instagram that I posted just for fun. And then came the onslaught of texts and phone convos...

Journey to a Husband: Honor

Photo via @drephoto3 

It's no secret that many single women desire marriage. We daydream about our future husbands and create lists about our non-negotiables. We fill our Pinterest boards with wedding decor and ring styles and gown designs. But we still may not be ready for the kind of relationship that leads to a healthy marriage. We can get ready, though. Obviously, I'm no expert--I've never been married. In fact,  I gave up dating for a year. That year is up and while I'm still not quite dating, I felt inspired to write about the wisdom about relationships and marriage I've acquired. I'll call it Journey to a Husband. This is the first installment.

A Single Year

A lot can happen in a single year. Last summer, I attended the Legacy Conference for the first time. It changed my life in more ways than one. I stepped outside my comfort zone and traveled to the conference alone, praying and believing I would make new friends. I did! I met some incredible people from across the country that I now call family.

It was at the end of Legacy that I felt called to a year of singleness. I kissed dating goodbye. (I actually read that book--it's pretty good and brings a lot into perspective.) Today marks a year since I made that decision. I'm still on a spiritual high from my second Legacy Conference and can’t help but reflect on my growth this past year.

Fast Five

Photo via blackgirlhealth.com

I bet the woman described in Proverbs 31 was a neat freak. She likely coined the phrase "a place for everything and everything in its place." She's the type of woman that you could stop by unannounced and the smell of ocean breeze consumes you as she opens the front door. She greets you with a smile and welcomes you to join her in the kitchen where she's preparing the most delicious meal ever as light music plays. At the sight of fresh lemonade on the counter, your mouth waters. You figure There's no way she can be this perfect, so you ask to use the restroom and secretly snoop--only to find that to your horror, there isn't a speck of dust on even the tallest shelf.

The Devil is in the Waiting

Waiting is hard. Whether it's for a ride at the amusement park, your next paycheck or a friend running late for dinner, waiting requires a certain level of patience. I always thought I had it. Apparently, I don't.

What I Want My Daughters to Know

Photo by Kesha Lambert Photography via @triciasmithbrown

All this talk about Beyoncé and empowering women has got me thinking about future generations. If you didn't know, I'm crazy about kids. For as long as I can remember, I've wanted seven--it's my favorite number, after all. I'm much older and wiser than I was when I first decided that, but somehow that number hasn't changed through the years. I think of my children often: how I want to raise them, what I want to teach them, what instruments they'll take up, sports they'll play...essentially who I want them to become. So I made this list to remind me of all the things I want them to know when they're no longer figments of my imagination but actual humans walking the earth.

The Single Life: Why I'm Not Dating

Hi, my name is Delesia and I’m addicted to men. 

*Hiiiii, Dele--wait, say what, girl?*

I know, I know. I probably don’t seem like I have an addiction, because it's often so easy to cover them up. I'm able to hide it so well because it’s mostly internal and during my talks with God. But it’s real. On the inside, I’m a mess. 

The Husband List: An Update

Photo via Legacy Event Planning

I first wrote this post about a year ago. A girlfriend and I had read former Miss USA Kristen Dalton Wolfe's The Husband List: 12 Non-Negotiables and were inspired to draft lists of our own. Since that time, I have experienced more spiritual and personal growth than I could have ever imagined. I was recently invited to share this post on the Courtship vs. Dating blog as a guest blogger and thought it fitting to update it to reflect who I am now.

To Dear Old NYU

One week ago, New York University held its 183rd commencement ceremony to honor the graduating Class of 2015. Yours truly is humbled to be a member of that class. I now have a master's degree in public relations and corporate communication (PRCC)! A week after commencement, I'm still feeling inspired, excited and relieved...all at once. 

10 Things To Do While SAVED & SINGLE

I'm working on becoming a better me, as I'm sure we all are and should. A blog post on what the specifics of becoming a better me entail is coming soon, so be on the lookout. In the meantime, I came across another post call 10 Things to do While Saved & Single and I really enjoyed the read. Not only that, but I took a lot from it on how to improve my life as a single Christian. Some of these things I already do; others I am willing to adopt. I thought it might bless some of you so below is the text of the post that originally appeared on NORingNOSheets. Happy reading!

How to be a Christian

When I wrote How to be Beautiful, I didn't think it would be the first of a series of How Tos, but here I am writing my second How To post. I felt compelled to write this because I feel like Christians today get a bad rep. We're called too conservative and judgmental and off-putting.

Make no mistake, being a Christian and living a life that's pleasing to God is not easy. It's something I work hard at each day. One Sunday a few months ago, my pastor said something that really spoke to me. It was along the lines of: "It is not my job to make you better Christians, but to make you better human beings." Amennnnn. We were made in God's image and given superior intelligence to other animals for a reason. We can discern right from wrong and choose love and acceptance over hate and rejection. Being a Christian isn't about walking around proud and condemning others for the lives they lead, but sharing your love, talents and passion for Christ with the world around you. Here's how I think it should be done: