You Are Something Strange!

Posted on October 28, 2009
Filed Under HerImage, Relationships

You Are Something Strange!
by Vanessa Richardson

I am saved, single, and not having sex. I dedicated myself life and body to Christ at an early age. God didn’t come into my life in a storm. It was in calm; that I answered the call to become a follower of Christ. It was one of the greatest things I’ve ever done! I am not perfect by any means. I have fallen short of the mark on several occasions. I just don’t love God but I am in love with Him. There is not a day that goes by that I am not mindful of Him.

I made a conscious decision not to have kids out of wedlock. I made a spiritual decision not to share my body outside the sanctity of marriage. Now in my thirties, I am still standing fast to my vows. Through the passage of time, I’ve been tested and tried. I faced a rare ailment called catamenial pneumothorax. This is when a woman has a period and her lung collapse. The end result was my having an emergency hysterectomy at 28 years of age. Years later I am still standing.

You are not married yet? You don’t have any kids? You’re in your thirties? Yes, to all the above. No. I don’t hear my biological clock ticking. No. I don’t have any regrets about myself conscious decision to not have kids before marriage. And definitively no; I don’t feel old. Mentally that is. (Physically? we will save that for another discussion). For some unknown reasons; I have always been considered strange in my family.

Ok, so I eat out of plastic plates and spoons at restaurants and at my home. That’s not so strange. (Although, I feel guilty about using plastic ware as it’s not good for our planet. I really should go green). Really, I ask of you, is it strange for me to have three different types of hand sanitizers in my pocketbook? Is it strange to hold my own twenty for hour Jefferson ’s marathon? I own seasons 1-6 on DVD!

I recall my younger years. Girls were primping get their nails and hair done wanting to impress the guys. I was at library or in my room buried deep in a good book. My girlfriend’s idea of having a good time was trips to the local shopping outlets. When they were able to convince me to accompany them on one of their shopping excursions (and they were many) I would branch off. Ecstatically, to the nearest bookstore I would go. At the end of the day my girlfriend’s arms would be laden with the latest fashion in clothing. My arms would be filled with the latest releases from my favorite authors. My friends love me dearly, but I could see the looks in their eyes saying, you are something strange.

Never had it dawn on me to change who I was to please that of others. Not that my family and friends asked me to do so. I didn’t allow majority rules to change who I was as a person At the time like all teen aged girls; I’ve gone through the ups and downs of finding voice and then using it. And as a woman, I’ve gone through the rigors of life seeking to find my own identity. The process of life hasn’t always been easy. There were times when I had to get low with it. On my knees I would go to God in prayer.

When it was most difficult for me, I still believed God was going to provide my healing. You know—certain ones have to dig a little deeper. Stretch a little wider. I had to get a little lower. On my stomach I’d go. When you want something bad from God, you forget pride. I confess now the end results are well worth it.

I’ve gained patience from my hellacious experience. I’ve developed confidence through faith. In the fullness of time God will unite me with the right one. Until then I remain focus; striving to stay in God’s perfect will and not permissive. I am who God called me to be. Some may say I am strange. Others my say I am different. I say that I’m wonderfully and fearfully made. I am one of God’s chosen. The certain one not forsaken. Chosen for Purpose.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vanessa Richardson is an author, poet, and playwright. She written several stage productions and have been blessed to perform them at various venues. Her stage productions include: Mama Rainey, Someone To Love Me, Why Do Bad Things Happens To Good People? Lord, I Don’t Understand, and The Fullness Of Time.
Vanessa wants her readers, to be aspired toward greatness, in spite of what circumstances, may dictate to them. "With God all things are made possible to them who believe" With faith we can leap over boundaries. We can break barriers and defeat the labels of rejection.

Vanessa realized that she had not just a story to tell but many stories. Relying on God; she wrote her first inspirational novel The Certain Ones, a spiritually impacting novel that inspires her readers to know that not everyone is called into greatness. Fact: Many can not handle the process that goes along with becoming great. Only the certain ones that endure can obtain greatness. Vanessa is currently working on her Fiction novel titled Love Found Me.