Pink Tuesday and blooming crocus.

I'm so glad yesterday is over! Some yesterdays are like that. One thing I love about God is that His mercies are new every morning! I love it that He allows U-turns, and that He's perfect. . . but not perfectionistic. How happy and blessed I am to be His daughter.

Speaking of daughters, I just had a wonderful conversation with a daughter in the faith. She is quite a mature and lovely young woman. I don't think she'll wrestle long with the question, "Am I a woman or a girl?" because I think I'm beginning to see the beginnings of a truly wonderful work that God is doing in her life. It's a work that will require maturity. As someone who has known her most of her life, I feel joyous and excited.

Some in this next generation of young adult believers will be called upon to live lives that are essentially and radically different than what the world lives. Last year, the census bureau discovered that there are now more unmarried adults than there are married adults in the US. Also, I've heard older adults sternly counsel the younger ones to wait until they are 26 to marry. That definitely has it's pros and cons, but it can said, in all fairness, that readiness for marriage has much more to do with maturity than with chronological age.


This gal is bright, intelligent and promising, and beautiful. And she's God's. She will hear, and has heard many divergent voices of how to spend her life, her youth, and her many different expressions of beauty. We all know the options : career, school, military service, missions, an active dating life, marriage. But, in her case --and I'm so proud of her for this-- she wants what God wants. Whatever that may be.

That's great. A lot of people say that. But, in some cases it can be quite costly. Take Mary, when she was a young virgin. She said "Be it unto me as thou hast said" and behold! She was left to explain to her parent's and relatives that she was pregnant, via divine overshadowing, with a holy child.

Other girls around her were, no doubt, also sold out to God, and wanted his plan for their lives. But her calling was radically different, and came a little sooner than she expected. Still, after one or two questions to the angel, she consented.

Now, my children, and my young friend may not have a calling as radical as a virgin birth. But, going counter-culture at a young age can be about as daunting. One thing that helped my daughter in the faith was a talk bolstering her up as a young woman vs. an old child. Too many young people have this struggle: 'When am I an adult?'

She has long reached the age of reasoning and accountability. She might find herself in a courtship in the near future as she has captured the imagination and notice of a remarkable young, godly, twenty- something man. Courtship at her age is counter culture. But this seems very right and very peacable to her.

What an interesting prospect. I do counsel young people who are considering a relationship with the member of the opposite sex to look, look, look and pray before they leap. But sometimes, like a crocus as a heralder of Spring, we get to see a wonderful early work of the Lord that was hidden, but bloomed early.