But women came. And we had fun. And I learned so much about dating, marriage, and intimacy.
The course finished with overwhelming success measured through restoration, healing, and clarity. Yes, Solomon dropped it like it was HOT. Literally. We had to wrestle through the tension of what femininity looked like in the face of passion and surrender. [Just writing that last sentence out made me feel like the a buxom blonde on the cover of a cheap grocery market romance novel. All I need is Fabio to show up with an open shirt and we’re set!]
September came and with it a new set anxiety about being single, alone, and without Fabio. One woman who knew me intimately found me after the series and asked to pray over me and whoever I was to marry. Truthfully, I thought I knew who I was going to marry I could’ve sworn God revealed it to me—scripture and all! But he married someone else. I was crushed, alone, and Fabio-less.
Because God has a sense of humor, the same woman who prayed over me two years ago sent me an email last week with emoticons of smiling yellow faces and moving hands. In true Alanis Morisette irony, the daily reading for us [we both read the One-Year bible] is no other book than Songs of Solomon! My life has come full circle.
I’m traveling up the California coast this morning while trying to finalize guest activities for the next couple days. Dad is driving, mom is sleeping, and I’m grateful to be here; in the now, in God’s perfect time, with God’s perfect peace.
Has your life come full circle? If not, how can we pray for you? Where are you at and where do you want to be? As Jackie prayed for me, I want to pray for you! If you would like to download the SOS summer series, click HERE and follow instructions to view in iTunes. It’s free so don’t complain about how fast I talk! [Give me a break, I was new at teaching! ;)]
Oh. Yes. Full circle. Only in an entirely different way. (ha) My first love….came back into my life. As it crashed and burned, a whole pattern of behavior/attitudes/choices were revealed that brought clarity in ways I'd never have expected. Suddenly, it was also clear how wrong I'd gotten it in not trusting God all those years ago (and all those years in between). (Oh. We moved. Church politics that challenged my faith in major ways happened and suddenly, we moved. And I was young. 😉 ) So it was much, much deeper and more profound that just about guys and relationships.
My whole life had come full circle and God's wisdom was shown. It was, truly, the worst of times…..and the best of times.
Gilgal. I got to see Gilgal after that. 😉
Now go get married! ha
Love!
deb
A full circle, not so sure, half circle more like it. Six years ago, the Lord allowed me to marry the man of my dreams..everything was "perfect" until our son arrived 2 years later. New stresses arrived as we adjusted to a new baby and becoming "clueless" parents, but other things changed too…our relationship was different. The past 4 years has been a roller coaster ride, but God is ever so faithful! I am not whom I want to be but everyday strive for what the Lord wants me to be 🙂
Praying for you and your wonderful day ahead! Lord Bless you!
Ah yes, full circle. Reading Song of Solomon this morning was enchanting. For the first time in my life I read it the way it was meant. A love letter from my True Love to me. I literally had butterflies in my tummy. =) After I got married I took my eyes off of my True Love and put them on my husband. I am now once again being romanced by my God and He is teaching me how to be the wife He created me to be.
B,
I am so excited for you! I pray that you are blessed beyond belief and that your day is perfect. I know that I know that I know that you are going to be a radiant and stunning bride and that you will knock his socks off.
Praying for you all. Love you!
So proud of you guys and so excited for your future. Love you both!
xoxo
D
Thank you Bianca! You are the sweetest, I'm a new follower of your blog and I have to say I always love what you write about. I wish you an abundance amount of love, peace, and harmony with your wedding coming up so soon. 🙂
Full circles. Not sure what that might be. I feel I'm pretty far from it at this time in my life. I'm a 22 year old woman that has been through such a roller coaster the past 2 years. I'm thousands of miles away from where I wish to be. I have faith God is making me go through this very rough patch to make me a stronger person and I pray that I might see the wonderful light at the end of this long tunnel.
Sending you so many prayers your way! 🙂
Bianca, enjoy the moment. You will have many circles with life, love and family. I will continue to pray for you and Matt much happiness, love and peace. Your dads study was perfect timing yesterday. After being married for 18 years, we have never needed the Lord more. Loving Matt is the easy part Bianca, keep the LORD in the center of your marriage and it will be awesome. Enjoy your ride with mom and dad it's a special time for them too. I love you guys.
Much Love to you always.
So fun!! I'm completely excited and over joyed for you!! 🙂 Umm, I'm probably not full circle.. half circle maybe (give or take). I'm just trying to become all God has created me to be and help futher His Kingdom. I fail miserably all the time, but I know that God is made stronger in my weaknesses. Will you pray that I will just keep my eyes on the Lord and stick to Him like super glue, and help to further His Kingdom and tell all the people around me about His love? Thanks soo much!!! Happy Labor Day!! Love you lots, Bianca!!! Have a great day!!
My full circle, well I turned 25 last month and I've been living at home with my parents for the last 10 months since I lost my job. Never thought that would happen. I know its where I'm supposed to be. I found a temporary job–manual labor, it sucks but I'm thankful I have a job again. I'd love to download the SOS series, but the first one keeps giving me an error message. 🙁 I could use prayers right now as I'm starting my fourth semester of grad school and I don't have direction for my thesis yet. Also, I could use prayers as I just found a lump on my breast and will be going to the doctor to have it checked out, not fun (especially with no insurance). Thanks! Congrats on your wedding and thank you for your inspiring and uplifting blog!!
Got chills reading this. So excited for you and Matt! Wish I could be there.
Hope someday I meet someone that completes my circle.
Love you!
Please pray for me to be free from the bondage I am in.
Thank you.
"Truthfully, I thought I knew who I was going to marry I could’ve sworn God revealed it to me—scripture and all! But he married someone else. I was crushed, alone, and Fabio-less." —> haha. I can totally relate to this. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your heart. Your story is really encouraging! I'm looking forward to the day that I get to see God's real love story for me unfold 🙂
Praying for you, your wedding, and your marriage! It'll be awesome!
Congratulations! Full circle? no, not yet.. until God brings the family back together
Hi Bianca! Well – today is 7th!
Blessing to you and Matt for all the days to come!!!
On full circles.. – Yesterday I was looking through some old papers and found a list of my goals from 2004 – things I wanted to accomplish and my weaknesses I wanted to "fix". Since then my circumstances changed many times and over, many "things" were accomplished, and yet, my intrinsic challenges remained. Yes – the list of weaknesses I would write in 2010 is still the same it was in 2004! And yet:
2004 action plan – increasing self-esteem, self-education, self-motivation, self-discipline, self-control. It could be summarized in a word "self-improvement" and the tools for the "project" would come from "self-help" shelves of the bookstore.
2010 plan – It can be summarized in a short word – surrender. The tools? – well, it is more about giving up the tools, knowing that I need Him so much and letting Him to do His work in me and through me, prayer, repentance for times I let "self" take over..
The list of weaknesses is the same. But I am so different. Full circle.
Congratulations Bianca! Hope you and Matt and your families have a wonderful, beautiful and blessful day today!
I am seriously so happy for you!!! I will definitely get the downloads and listen to your teachings. I NEED them!!! =) There are 3 very big things that I want in my life, but I don't want you to pray for those things for me. I want you to pray that I trust in God's will for my life and believe that whatever I desire will come to pass because of my unfailing trust in Him. Because I know that He will not withhold any good thing from me. Faith, trust, and confidence is key! =) Have a wonderful wedding my dear friend!!! May God bless you and Matt abundantly!!! xoxo
Hey I am so glad I stumbled across your blog!
I am 21 years old, and got married 13 months ago to my best friend in the whole world! Thus, I am so excited that you get to marry your best friend today 🙂 Marriage is one of the most beautiful, amazing things in the world. Even at such a young age, through marriage, I have learned how to love God in a totally different way. I have always loved God as my Father, but now I also love him as my Lover and my closest Friend. It's neat how you learn to love God differently as love starts to mean different things to you!
My full circle is that 4 years ago when I started college, I thought I wanted to be a doctor, so I was pre-med. After a few semesters, I wasn't too sure about medical school, so I decided to try nursing…. then psychology….. then social work…. and then pre-med again in January 2010. I graduated this May and unfortunately flunked my MCAT. So here I am again, 4 years later, clueless as to what I am supposed to do, letting go of the idea of becoming a medical doctor. Except this time around, I'm not going to rush into different career paths. I'm going to trust God and let HIM show me what I need to do. And this time, I get to wait on God with a totally amazing (and absolutely gorgeous) husband at my side 🙂 Prayers for direction would be much appreciated.
Have a happy happy HAPPY wedding day!
Love, Sarah
I think I'm miles away from my full circle. Hoping that God will soon unfold my own love story but as well trying to enter that full circle without a man…damn, who said beiing single for five years was fun.
Congratulations to you and Matt. Wishing you guys a Christ-centered marriage.
Bianca! Happy wedding day beautiful! You & Matt are probably saying your vows as I write this!
This post made me smile big because I just finished reading today's scripture from my One Year Bible – I was cracking up b/c I was thinking how the SAUCEY scripture reading of the day was so fitting for you!! Maybe Matt should have read it to you as you walked down the aisle! Hah…
And I love that the verse even talks about vineyards…so fitting!
I told LV to give you a big hug from me (he's been staying with us). Hope to see you soon Mrs. Bianca Juarez Oltoff!
I spelled your new last name wrong! Mrs. Bianca Juarez Olthoff! xo
Well, not full circle yet.. but I know it's coming. I am at the point where you were two years ago it's September and I'm still waiting on my Fabio. But so thankful that God did not allow me marry someone who wasn't the best for me. I've learned that I don;t want to marry just a Christian but I want to marry a man of God. So my dress patiently hangs in the closest awaiting it's big debut!!! Because it's coming SOON!
Enough about me!!!! I'm so happy for you. I thought about you all day today and I couldn't be happier. You've become a household name and I mentioned you were getting married today!!! So excited and can't wait to see pictures!!! Love you girl!
So happy for you and Matt, congratulations. I guess I am in the I need prayer group, I haven't come full circle, I would just like to be happy where I am. Thank you.
September 2008? Oh girl…I am SO there right now. I stumbled across your blog last week and this post brought a tear to my eye at work yesterday. I couldn't have found your site at a better time. I'm about to turn 26 with not even a hope of a God-fearing man in sight. Oh and did I mention that my baby sister is about to be married? Yea, that's got the whole family in a fuss about my spinster state. I put on a good face and tell everyone I LOVE the single life, I'm enjoying the dating scene, I'm focused on my career, blah blah blah. What's a girl to do? But inside I ache. I feel alone. And then I feel pathetic for feeling like a lonely loser. I trust. And pray. But somedays the anxiety overwhelms and the tears can't be held back.
I pray that our God knows just what I need and that my life, too, will come full circle. And that if it doesn't, I can learn to be ok. Thank YOU for your inspiration and for allowing me to take a step back for a second, take a deep breath, trust, and carry on!
Congrats to you on your marriage. You make a beautiful bride!
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