This week I'm back at Willow Creek Community Church to lead a three-week class on Thriving Single in a World Geared for Families. If you're in the Chicago area and in the single demographic, I hope you'll consider joining us!

This class is running concurrent with the Family Series at Willow right now. This past weekend senior pastor Bill Hybels preached on dating. Check out what he had to say:

(click image to watch video)

It was a huge honor. And, honestly, a fearsome thing.

When Larissa, the editor of Christian Single magazine, called and told me they wanted to feature me on their cover, I was pleasantly shocked.

And then slightly horrified. Mainly due to the timing. Before the interview and the photo shoot took place, I got laid off from my job of 15 years. Then I went to China for 16 days for a church trip. So by the day of the big photo shoot a couple days after my return, I was unemployed, jet-lagged, weighing 20 pounds more than I wanted to. And now being crowned the Queen of the Single People.

Say cheese!

Driving myself to the photo studio the day of the shoot, I remember telling myself to just get over myself and own it. During my 15 years on a magazine editorial staff, I'd been present at many photo shoots where the cover girl obviously felt self-conscious (a feeling I especially get now). And I'd seen some of the resulting deer-in-the-headlights pictures.

Read more...