I am single and I am okay with that.

Some would argue that they need to be in a relationship to ultimately feel complete, but I want to be the best version of myself that I can possibly be so that one day, when the time is right, I can offer that to someone else. I want to come to a point where I’m ready because I’ve come to love myself wholeheartedly and see myself the way the Lord sees me. How could I possibly love someone else when I don’t know what that’s supposed to look like on me? I want to first fall madly in love with my Creator, before I dare try to earnestly love someone else.

God has brought me to a season of singleness and I personally cannot complain. There have been many blessings placed in my life recently to the point where I have felt so much grace and peace. All the while holding two jobs and a full load of classes at Texas A&M University. All of a sudden it was as if I had nothing on my plate to worry about, instead God held it all on His shoulders while guiding me. Once I let go and gave Him a say in what I do on a daily basis, I realized He wanted all of my time. He grounded me to do nothing but love Him and become whole in Him. He has shown me that I simply cannot be who I want to be without first going low, lifting Him up, and laying my life down at His feet.

I joke around and tell my friends, “I am single and not ready to mingle.” Maybe I say this out of protection for myself, to guard my heart or out of plain old stubbornness. One thing I’ve figured out is God thinks about other things that come into play; things I might not even think about.

So what should you be doing? First off, stop worrying. You’re not late. Others are not early. Our stories unfold differently, each living out a chapter at a time. What’s going on in someone else’s life is not for you, not yet at least. As my mother says time and time again, “Everything at its given time,” living according to the grace that has been given to you.

When you’ve prayed for something, you have to believe you have received it; that it has been answered, just not in our timing. We like to think of time in terms of minutes, hours, or days. But what seems like infinity for us, may not be in the eyes of God. “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” 2 Peter 3:8. And because we know God’s intentions are all good, He’s got us covered.

John Orteberg wrote a book called God is Closer Than You Think, in which he says, “And the future is always out there somewhere. You can spend an eternity waiting for tomorrow, or worrying about tomorrow. If you live there, you likewise will lose your life. This moment is God’s irreplaceable gift to you. Most of all, this is the moment that matters because this moment is where God is. If you are going to be with God at all, you must be with him now-- in this moment.”

Cue epiphany moment. This time, your singleness, can be used to build your relationship with God, who holds our true identity. What a better way to allow yourself to bloom then by trusting the one who plants the seed? In this moment, you could learn what exactly He has intended for your life. Ever wanted to know what your purpose in life is? This is a time to discover what that truly is. You get to sit down, lay your gifts out on the table and put the puzzle together.

Orteberg also relates God to Waldo, in that He is present on every page but can be hard to find for those unwilling to seek. When you finally find him, you’re life changes forever. It takes time to find Waldo, and it demands patience. Some are better at this while others seem to give up when faced with trials and tribulations. Maybe this is the moment where you’re faith is being tested. When those who question Him begin to wonder where Waldo is, in this case God, they forget the main concept: willingness to see with eyes of wonder and patience to endure the trial.

While building this relationship, place your hope there too. No one is going to be 100 percent for you, so why demand that of another person? Your hope must be placed in God. If your hope is placed elsewhere like a person or the instrument God is using, then it is taken away from you, you have lost all your hope.

Then when all is said and done, God will give you the green light to go. And go means go, so hit the gas and don’t look back.