Everyone knows the stigma surrounding Northwestern about getting a “ring by spring.” In a small town like Orange City, it is not unusual to find many couples engaged at a young age, or quickly after dating someone. It is easy to become stressed out by the fact that everyone around you is in a relationship, making you feel like you are not on the same path as everyone else. Being single in college is normal, and that is why students Marissa Leraas and Olivia Hartlep decided to start a “Single Women’s Book Study” on campus. They wanted to create a community for single women where they could discuss how their singleness is valued and a gift from the Lord.
This ministry started when Leraas came up with the idea to offer a Bible study for single women on campus, since there has been a Bible study for married couples. She felt that it is equally as important to be rooted in the Bible as a single person as it is when you are in a romantic relationship. She wanted to show that even among the stigma on this campus, it is possible to “find joy in your singleness and feel complete as yourself without a significant other.” Leraas teamed with Hartlep to build a group of women ranging from freshman to seniors to regularly attend the study.
To guide this new group on campus, Leraas chose to study the book “Get Lost” by Dannah Gresh. It is a book she read in high school that she believed portrayed a great message to women. The book is written for the reader to reflect as they read and get encouraged to focus on God and His love when they are feeling alone and unloved. Hartlep said, “This book explores how to deny the lies of the enemy that tell us that singleness is a problem we have and instead fall in love with our singleness. The main plot urges the reader to get lost in the love of God, because He loves us and sees us even when we feel unlovable. It is a great book to help people understand that there are positive aspects of being single, and finding a relationship should not be your priority, rather seeking a deeper relationship with Christ.”
Leraas and Hartlep are striving to get more women involved in this study. This group is open to anyone interested, and it is very welcoming. A typical night of the weekly meeting time consists of coffee, snacks, and fellowship. They open with prayer requests before jumping into the reading for the week. Everyone has a chance to share their thoughts, experiences and takeaways from the readings. It is a judgement free atmosphere allowing for insightful conversations.
Bible studies are a great way to build a community, and that is what this group hopes to accomplish. Through vulnerability and conversation, Leraas and Hartlep hope to see the group of women continue to grow. This group has only met a few times, but the women who are a part of it have already had stirring conversations with one another and met new people. Singleness and the natural craving to find love is difficult to navigate, but this group of women is discovering that having genuine and honest conversations about it, as well as seeking advice from the Bible, can make that journey easier.
This group meets every Sunday from 7:15 to 8:15 pm in the Music Department classroom. Reach out to Marissa Leraas or Olivia Hartlep if you or someone you know would like to hear more about this new, unique opportunity on campus.
A WELCOMING SPACE ALLOWS FOR GREAT CONVERSATION
