Song of my Life

You know, it's funny. I remember being an 18 year-old in the youth group, looking at the singles group and feeling so sorry for them. At that point in time, I planned to go to ACU, get married after graduation (at the very latest,) and live a wonderful happily married life. I couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with these people that they were at least 22 years old and still single.

Six years later, I'm 24 years old and in a singles group. If I'd known then what I know now, I wouldn't have had such pity on them. Now I know that this precious time of life I'm in right now is incredible! I can't imagine what it would be like to not be where I am right now. It's like a special little extra gift the Lord is giving to me. Granted, marriage has it's obvious blessings, but I've still got years and years to be married! Right now, I am being blessed with a time for just me. I'm getting to focus on becoming the person I was created to be and building an intimate relationship with the Lord. I have changed so much in the past year because of these incredible people that have come into my life. I have learned and grown and I have no doubt that these changes wouldn't occured had I not been in this place at this time.

It's not that I haven't struggled with singleness. In fact, it was a big part of what I thought about in college. I actually bought a self-help book about singleness when I was 21 years old, the summer before my senior year at ACU. At Christian universities, senior year is crunch time. I had one year left to find a husband or my life would be officially over. Surely there would never again be such a large pool of Christian men in my peer group to choose from. That book was supposed to help me take advantage of my situation in a timely manner. Obviously, it didn't work. Now I look back and wonder, "How on earth did I honestly think that I needed a self-help book about getting out of my single state at such a ridiculously young age?"

To the girls still in college who read this blog: Your life will not be over if you graduate college without a man. In fact, your life will just be beginning. You may be hearing people tell you otherwise, but don't listen to them! Take advantage of the single time to find out who you really are as a child of God. Don't try to push relationships that aren't right. The Lord's timing is PERFECT! He is our Father and our Creator. If we want good things for ourselves, how much more must he want them for us! He wants his children to be happy, to prosper, and to find love. Whatever you do, don't push it. Wait and pray for the Lord to put you exactly where he wants you to be. I can't imagine what my life would be like if things had happened according to my plan. I know that I wouldn't be at Farmer's Branch, I wouldn't have these incredible people in my life, and I wouldn't have a beautiful roommate who I love. I wouldn't have met these amazing godly brothers and sisters who encourage me and lift me up on my walk, inspiring me to know the Lord more. I also wouldn't have had the opportunities to lead like I have or have had the humbling and awakening experiences I have had.

I don't want to come across as knocking marriage at an early age. If that's what the Lord has planned for you, then by all means, it's right! I am the product of a very young marriage. My parents were married at 19 and have had a wonderful 30 year marriage, still going strong. All I'm trying to say is don't despair if it's not the plan for you right now. The Lord wants to bless you in incredible ways!