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Battling Bitterness
This has been a tough year for me in regards to my singleness. I turned 30 and two of my cousins (who are like brothers to me since I'm an only child) had significant milestones occur in their lives: One is expecting his first child and another recently became engaged. Earlier this summer I was dreading attending a family picnic because I'm the only singleton among all my cousins. As another single friend of mine says, "I'm really tired of celebrating other people's happiness." I've had a lot of others' happiness to celebrate lately!

After the picnic, I was angry at myself for being bitter that these things weren't happening to me, that I was unable to be really happy for my family. I prayed, "God, I can handle being single. But I can't handle being single and bitter. I don't want to be that person. I confess my bitterness and resentment to you and ask that you'd kill the bitterness that's already there and prevent it from growing in my life anymore. Please help me to be happy and even joyful for my family."

I've prayed that prayer often over the last few months. My new cousin was born a couple days ago, and as I visited him and his parents in the hospital, I was truly joyful. Instead of feeling I was missing out on something great in life, I left feeling blessed and thankful for the precious gift of new life in our family.

My cousin's wedding is coming up in a few months. I get to be a guest-book girl yet again (third time in a row—you know what they say, "Always a guest-book girl, never a bride") and wear a bridesmaid dress. But I'm praying God will give me the grace to celebrate this long-prayed-for event in my cousin's life and let it renew my hope that God does indeed answer our prayers.

Julie

Embracing Today
I'm a single-again adult, and for a long time I didn't think I'd ever want to remarry. Then suddenly, for reasons I can't really explain, all of that changed. Thus began my new journey.

I've prayed about my singleness in many ways and have waited—sometimes patiently, but usually not—for God to answer. Recently I've decided to stop fighting this state I'm in and begin to "embrace" my singleness. As a matter of fact, "embrace" is my new action word. I know I need to stop running from what I don't like and instead ask God for the bigger picture. I'm striving to stop fighting this season I'm in and learn what God would have me learn.

That means I also need to embrace the good things he's blessed me with and stop taking them for granted. Does that mean I suddenly like being alone? No. But it does mean I'm learning to embrace those alone times and see what God has in store for me while I'm here.

TS

All of Me
I'm praying God will lead me where he wants me to go, and will help me learn to trust in him more than in other people. I admit, as recently as last year I was so angry and frustrated in my single state that I annoyed even myself. I was so consumed by being with a girlfriend, that I let even minor statements from friends and family about my singleness really bother me.

Then I remembered something a good friend wrote to me in an e-mail: "God wants 100% of you." The words made so much sense that now I'm enjoying this period of my life despite the fact that I'm 32 and have never been married. I'm really letting the fact that God wants all of me sink in, and I'm enjoying it.

Without my previous single-minded devotion to getting a girlfriend, I'm now freed to pursue other goals, like attending Bible college and studying Christian counseling. I'm having fun becoming a balanced Christian single—Christian first, single second.

Kevin

Living Like Ruth
I've seen God do wonders in my life. I was the kind of person who couldn't live without a boyfriend until I became a Christian three years ago. I cried to Jesus about my singleness, and through sermons and Christian books he spoke to me that he's still pruning me. He's been working patience, joy, and kindness into my life. I've realized this is my time to get involved in my church and to learn to trust God with my doubt and discouragement.

I've also been blessed by reading the book of Ruth in the Bible. After her husband's death, Ruth based her life on faithfulness, obedience, and trusting in God. Her story gives me hope because she wasn't looking for a man but was busy doing what she needed to to provide for her mother-in-law and herself. God, who looks at the heart, gave her his favor by giving her Boaz as a husband. Like Ruth, I strive to walk in his favor and trust him to provide my Boaz whenever and however he sees fit.

Susan

Don't Waste the Wait
I'm 37 years old, single, and currently in the long, sometimes frustrating process of gaining my teaching credentials. I spent the last year of my life focusing on a guy God clearly told me early on wasn't "the one." Yet, because I liked him so much, I persisted in our friendship. In the meantime, I allowed valuable study time to slip through my fingers. To make a long story short, I finally passed one of my exams, but not without a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. As for the guy? Not only is he not the one for me, he turned out to not even be a real friend. All I was left with was a broken heart.

I've prayed a lot this past year about the singleness thing, about how difficult it can be and how much of an outsider I feel like at times. God quickly reminded me he called me to educate children—not just in academia, but also to be a light to the countless kids who have no source of love or hope in their own home. He showed me that my life priority right now is becoming the teacher he wants me to be. He's also given me peace that there will be a right relationship, but in his time, when I'm more fulfilled within myself and with God.

In the meantime, he's been nudging me to get involved in art and plays and different things in my church and community so I can become a more well-rounded and happy person. Waiting on God doesn't mean just sitting around. A good friend once told me, "Don't waste the wait," meaning do the things Christ is calling you to do now.

RNM

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Read more from 'Talk Amongst Yourselves'

Table For One: The Savvy Girl's Guide to Singleness by Camerin Courtney You'll love this book by the Singles Channel's own Camerin Courtney! It's an honest and upbeat look at the emotions, expectations, joys, frustrations, and privileges of the single life, that will delight and inspire you! Buy it today!