Lisa Anderson is my guest today … and I can’t wait for you all to get to know her. Honestly she should do all the talking because she’s witty and smart and has a really cool radio voice. Lisa Anderson is director of young adults for Focus on the Family, the world’s leading Christian organization dedicated to helping families thrive. She manages Boundless, Focus’ ministry for young adults, with the goal of helping 20- and 30-somethings grow up, own their faith, date with purpose and prepare for marriage and family.
Lisa is the author of The Dating Manifesto: A Drama-Free Plan for Pursuing Marriage with Purpose and hosts “The Boundless Show,” a national radio program and weekly podcast, where she leads discussions on timely issues and volunteers far too much information from her personal life. Which I love. She interviewed me for the podcast last year as well.
Lisa is also single – hello single men! I’m happy to take applications .. because after this podcast I’m sure many of you are going to want to ask for her contact information.
Speaking of singleness… today Lisa and I are going to have a conversation about it. We are going to talk about the common questions we hear from the singles we minister to but we are also going to be super real about our own struggles with being single. I’m not sure if people think about that … we are leading singles but want to be married too. We encourage singles but need encouragement too. Granted we laugh more than cry about it these days … but it’s totally possible to be content in this stage of life and still deeply desire marriage. You will learn my greatest fear when it comes to talking publicly about singleness. Lisa will share plenty of funny stories about living with her single mom. And be sure to stay to the end when she shares the one thing she’s learned about loving people well.
So if you are single – this is a must hear podcast. And if you are married, you will be enlightened about how you can help your single friends. And if you just want to laugh a little … join us.
LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE VIA ITUNESLISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE VIA GOOGLE PLAY
IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN
- What leaders of singles ministries (who are single) struggle with in their own singleness.
- Jill's greatest fear about being single in the public eye.
- How Lisa shares too much on dates.
- What we think of online dating these days.
- How to trust God in your singleness besides just … do it.
- What identity has to do with dating.
- What God said to me when I failed in a relationship.
- Hilarious quotes from Lisa's mom.
SHOW NOTES
- My trip across country
- Live event in Dallas on August 5th
- Boundless
- Episode 444 – my interview on Boundless
- Today's Christian Woman
- Freedom Life Coaching
- Support Podcast
Find Jill on social media:
- Website: www.jillmonaco.com
- Facebook : www.facebook.com/jillmonacoministries
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jillmonaco
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/jillmonaco
- YouTube: www.youtube.com/jillmonaco
Find Lisa on social media:
- Website: www.lisacanderson.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lisaanderson
One last thing …. Producing this show does take resources. So if you would like to hear more conversations, please consider supporting this program of the ministry. Just click the button below and you'll be led to a donate page. All gifts are tax deductible! Thanks so much!
Hi Jill. I am new to your ministry and really enjoyed your podcast with Lisa Anderson.
I particularly appreciated your discussion of online dating. I recently had a very nice discussion with a Christian woman who is 12 years younger than I am (I’m 66 and she’s 54).
We seemed to have a lot in common, but she ended up saying the age gap is too great. Do you have any opinion on age gaps, especially when singles are now in their 50s or 60s?
Thanks,
Jim Buchan
Hi Jim, thanks for your comment. I’m so glad you enjoyed the conversation with Lisa! I have heard from singles of all decades say that sometimes age matters and sometimes it doesn’t. Usually when it doesn’t is when they know each other from social groups, friends or family and they forget about age. But online they aren’t as willing because there are so many choices. I personally have dated much older and younger. I find that as long as I feel we are in the same stage of life and have similar hobbies, lifestyle and such … it’s not so noticeable. Hope that helps. 🙂
I really loved this episode! I too have gone through the doubts and questions of, “Why am I still single?” I’ve had to work through feelings of doubt, insecurity, and even shame about still being single in my 30s. However, I’m learning to embrace and make the most of this season of singleness while also desiring marriage strongly.
God has been giving me freedom from fear, including the fear of being a voice to singleness in my community. I’ve had a desire for many years to write about my experiences as a single woman, but have hesitated in doing so as I didn’t want to be judged or have people critique me and find me lacking in some way. Thankfully, as you and Lisa were talking about, I’m learning to get firmly rooted in my identity in Christ so that I can pursue what God is putting on my heart.
Thank you for being an inspiration and a voice for single people! I look forward to joining you ladies in ministering to singles, even if it only ends up being in a very local sense. Guess I need to start up my blog again. 😉
Hi Crystal, I’m so excited for you … do what you were created to do! Write, share, teach others. If you share out of your experience, no criticism will hurt you because it is yours! Naysayers are discouraging sometimes, even to me. But I when I remember the encounters I had with God, the words of men fall away. Best of luck to you on the blog too!
Great podcast! I have been since 6 years and am in my forties. It gives me hope to know that even though i haven’t had the best luck dating that there is still hope. God obviously has a plan for me and i need to just let that happen.
Hello, I loved the podcast and I had a question about the comment that I believe Lisa had said about finding her identity in Christ. She had mentioned the importance of doing so, and that there was a book study or bible study by Beth Moore that she had done that really helped her and I was wondering what it was called.
Thanks 🙂
Hi, I will have to ask Lisa and get back to you about that. I’m so glad that you loved our conversation as much as I did!