Ashan R. Hampton
Are you single? Truly single? Never been engaged, are not dating, celibate or feeling guilty
because you're not celibate; almost 30, over 30 and panicked by all of this? Tired of all the
dating, single woman man drama, and seek a better, more peaceful way to live righteously and
single according to God's kingdom principles?
Set Your Affections On Things Above delivers one of the most practical, liberating messages to
single women who want to move from casual Christianity to true relationship and intimacy with
Christ. This book speaks to the hearts of all women who want to be healed from emotional and
relationship mishaps, in order to experience more of God's presence in their lives.
Ashan R. Hampton, author of the novel Like She Knows Single, presents an often humorous,
anecdotal discussion of issues that 21st century single women deal with most, such as husband
seeking, improper relationships, the fear of being alone, the church dating scene, sexuality and
much more.
In chapters like, Future Husbands, Good Girls Don't, Attitude Adjustment and Let It All Blow,
women will be inspired to move beyond emotional heartbreak and dating madness to experience
the restorative, healing powers of the Holy Spirit.
Ashan R. Hampton, author of the novel, Like She Knows Single, has worked as an English Instructor, most notably at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, for five years. She is a graduate of the Donaghey Scholars Program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where she earned a B. A. in English. She received a Master's in English from the University of Central Arkansas and was briefly enrolled in a humanities doctoral program at Clark Atlanta University. In 2000-2001, she was invited to the highly competitive Scholars-in-Residence faculty research program sponsored by the Faculty Resource Network at New York University. She is currently a professional writer, an active freelancer and independent scholar.
Visit her website www.singlesoul.net for updates on future writings and author tours.
In the last chapter, I broached a subject that many would rather not talk about - dating, or sexual
activity in the church. Few people want to address it, because it would be difficult to do so
without indicting the church leadership, as well as the congregation.
I added this section, however, because I in no way want anyone to think that I place blame solely
on the men. On the contrary, there are many prurient, sexually driven, silly women who
intentionally seduce men within church – theirs and other surrounding churches in the city, in
some cases! We see these women; we know these women.
However, I have encountered females with church dating stories, ranging from mild to the
extreme, who knowingly or unknowingly conduct themselves in a manner that sets them up to be
victims of Mack Daddies in and outside of church, but because this book addresses Christian
women in particular, I will focus on the activity that occurs in what is supposed to be the Lord's
House, a holy sanctuary devoid of worldly issues.
All kinds of people are entering church doors these days. The ones who really need to be there,
actually. Former gang members, convicts, addicts, prostitutes, dope dealers, homosexuals,
lesbians, Satanists, witches – all the people your parents probably tried to shelter you from, if you
were raised in a conservative, relatively drama free family. These people, however, still need to
be delivered from some aspects of their former lifestyles. Likewise, there are many men and
women who have been promoted to the pulpits and other forms of church leadership who are still
dealing with the vestiges of lust, or a promiscuous past. Now they are ministers; now they want to
get married, and now they are looking at you, and you are looking at them, and satan still sees all
of that leftover lust just swirling around between the two of you. The enemy then seizes this
opportunity to tempt and pervert the lonely, the celibate and the longing.
So, is that man interested in knowing you as a potential mate, or as a sex partner? Now the game
begins. Men have a way of manipulating women into tipping their hand, to clearly see what lies
beneath all that Sunday induced holiness most women try hard to shield themselves behind while
in church. There are some women who can be deemed silly who begin to do all kinds of things at
this point that will later make them victims of the man's innate sexual desire, and unwittingly
obscure their potential as future wives.
Below is a list of rules of conduct that a woman should be cognizant of. The rules include actions
a woman just shouldn't take when a man shows interest in her, because it actually deters him
from establishing a meaningful relationship with her, whether it be of friendship, or marriage.
Beyond that, there are just some things women do that are retarded that need to be stopped
anyway!
- Remember that a 'saved' man, a minister or other male officer in a church is still a man –
subject to all the failings and lusts of any old regular man on the street.
- Do not offer attractive men in church your phone number. Remember that the man should
pursue the woman. (But a harmless smile never hurt anybody!)
- Do not invite men to your apartment thinking that they will be perfect gentlemen. (There
is not that much Bible study in the world!)
- Do not accept an invitation to a man's apartment thinking that you all will just watch TV.
- Wearing tight or low cut clothing to church will make men notice you, especially from
the pulpit, who will proposition you for sex, not marriage.
