**Are you really ready to Life with someone? ❤️**

Being single is often viewed as a wilderness or a barren time for many, causing us to spend our singleness in agony. So then, a healthy love comes… I mean, I could spend some time on the journey to trusting and then believing that God will send your person, but that needs a whole separate series of blogs. 🤣👏🏽

So again, a healthy love comes along, and y'all are in bliss, right? Spending time together, learning about each other, and falling for each other. (For my saints, that means something completely different, so listen—I condone God-purposed relationships, but follow me for the sake of the topic, ok? 👍🏽)

And life happens… and I mean happens! That fine man who is all the things, right? He loses his job or is hit with child support papers from a previous relationship. Or is simply walking out some bad decisions that happened before you and before he committed to Christ.

Or vice versa... That woman is riddled with the news of an illness and is now fighting for her life. Or maybe dealing with a child going to jail or an identity crisis. Perhaps wrestling with reputation issues due to past relationship mistakes that had absolutely nothing to do with you.

What are you doing? 'Cause y'all are just dating right now.

Do you realize that having a desire to be in a relationship means that you’re going to *life* with anyone you choose? You can’t control that. And who are you to judge the past if the present is progressive? For my Christian, sold-out-for-Christ folk… what happens if all this is happening and you're watching the hand of God over their life at the same time?

Are you ready to life with someone? Not have sex? Not pose for pics? Not post Valentine's Day wow’s, but really *life* with another person that quite possibly is a gift from God?

Can you handle blending your life, really? Are you really ready to serve?

Serve: To be favorable, opportune, or convenient. To be worthy of reliance or trust.

Are you ready to be selfless? 'Cause there’s nothing pretty or postable when y’all are trying to have a baby and it’s taking sleepless, prayerful nights and unshakable faith.

The question is… how strong is your prayer life really? 'Cause you can’t even think you can *life* with someone, be selfless, or stand in the mud with anyone if you’re spiritually lazy.

So again… while you’re tore up about being lonely or wanting a bae, is it possible that God is trying to find you faithful in your ability to *life* with someone…

Enjoy the season of singleness, where you’re allowed to be as selfish with yourself as you want. Where you can bask in studies and in the presence of God for as long as you choose. Where having a bowl of cereal is still clutch! Be grateful for the time to become mature emotionally and spiritually. 'Cause life gets more complicated with two… and it takes work for all the beautiful posts.

Next time you see a couple and think "couple goals," ask yourself: Are you mentally prepared for the person you prayed for to not like something about you or maybe a few things and vice versa? Just know that healthy relationships and marriages require both parties to swallow that pride lemonade…

“Now pose, baby, we worked hard on this.” - CCF

So, dear sweet friend… Are you ready to *life* with someone?

Are you hopeless about having a mate because you really just don’t want to do work, cause you lack discipline, can God trust you to pray for your “sought out” family in the middle of the night in your prayer closet?

I mean do you read? And that’s not an insult. I don’t know many people who just love to read but they do … cause it almost impossible to prepare for anything your unwilling to study.

Whew! I sound like I’m fussin but I think think it’s time to have a deeper conversation. Ask God to help you understand what actually doing life with someone else means?

Here are some questions:

- Have you sought God's guidance in this decision to be in marriage?

- How strong is your prayer life, and are you prepared to support a partner in theirs?

- Are you comfortable with being vulnerable and open about your emotions?

- Are you ready to put your (future) partner's needs before your own?

- How do you handle conflicts and disagreements?

- Are you willing to compromise and find solutions together?

- How do you cope with stress, and are you ready to support your  (future) partner during tough times?

- Can you accept and support your  (future)partner's past, including any mistakes or challenges they have faced?

- Are you prepared to face unforeseen challenges together, such as health issues or financial setbacks?

- Are you actively working on your personal growth and emotional maturity?

- How do you handle criticism, and are you open to constructive feedback from your (future) partner?

- Are you ready to take responsibility for your actions and their impact on the relationship?

I’m asking myself these very things as I navigate love again and not just love but partnership ….

Remember, vulnerability means evaluating where you’re really at in life concerning all these things mentioned. Be true to yourself.

-The Lost Conversation ✍️

**Deep Thoughts, Raw Truths.**"

The Journey to Wholeness ❤️

**Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)**
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."