Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Not Alone Series: Loneliness

Linking up with Jen at Jumping in Puddles and Morgan at Follow and Believe for another Not Alone post!

We all have times when we feel alone. What are ways that you combat loneliness? Pray? Join a group? How can we encourage each other to stay positive? ~ prompt courtesy of Laura

What perfect timing with Valentine's Day this weekend!


Let's just all get on the same level here and acknowledge that when we are talking about "loneliness" we are not talking about having no friends or living as a hermit; we are talking about not having a Special Someone. Those are different longings, I think, and while both are totally valid, I want to be clear that I'm talking about the latter.

Well, friends, where do I turn when I'm lonely? I turn to friends! If my friends are in a relationship, they haven't been their whole lives, so I can vent to them, and if my friends are single, they are living the struggle! My friends and I encourage each other, and we pray for each other, which is so wonderful.

I really like Morgan's suggestion of learning to love your own company. That one took me a while, for sure #extrovertproblems. There was a time when I was calling my friends on my commute home, trying to get together with them that day, just so I would have something to look forward to other than being home alone.

More recently, though, I think I've settled down with myself. Being alone is not something I dread anymore. This only came through practicing being alone, so if being alone is uncommon for you, give it a whirl!


Finally, I like to use my moments of loneliness to pray for Mr. TDH and our future together. I pray for the moment we meet and our process of growing together and our lives together. I pray that we will glorify God through our relationship, and hell yes I pray that our relationship will start!
Jk... a little. Ok, not very much. Mainly that's true. 

{This may have revealed what I really do when I'm lonely - watch other lonely people on television. Um what? Did I just admit that? Noooooo...}

How can I encourage you? How can you encourage me? I think the title of this series says it all: even when I feel all alone in the world, I know that I am not. There are so many of you awesome ladies out there who are experiencing similar things, and I think we should pray for each other, be good friends to each other, {give tv recommendations to each other!} and send virtual hugs because we truly are not alone. Because what are friends for?