So I just turned 21, holla, and I was looking at my license to find the expiration date for my taxes. Exciting stuff, I know. Anyway, I looked down and saw the year 2026. 8 years away. I realized that in 8 years I’m going to be 29. TWENTY NINE. My mind went into panic mode, more like a bunch of clock-wheels turning over and over again. I’m 21, in college, no boyfriend, no engagement, no marriage, no kids. No prospects.

I had to stop myself and breathe. I had to tell myself that it’s okay to not have any of that at 21.

If you are anything like me then everyone around you seems to be excessively dating, hooking up, in a relationship, getting engaged, or newly married. At 21 years old it’s overwhelming, because it seems too fast. But I realized that I’m exactly where I need to be. The truth is, I don’t need a relationship right now. I don’t want kids right now. I don’t have to be married right now. Society, the world around me, put this pressure that I have to be in a certain place in life by a certain time. But there’s no need to rush being young. I’m only going to be young once. I’m only going to be single, in this moment, once. And, oh my, is there so much I want to do as a single woman. I want to travel to new places. I want to try new coffee shops. I want to move to a new city. I want to experience the world, without another person. I know what you're thinking, "Jenna, you can do that in a relationship." But I think I need to grow as "just Jenna." And that is so exciting to me.

We tend to jump into relationships, because we’re scared we aren’t checking off the boxes. We’re behind everyone else. We haven't begun running the race. We’re scared to be lonely.

But I’m here to tell you, don’t settle for the fear of being lonely. Life is too short to settle. It is too short to succumb to societies deadlines. It is too short to settle for less than you deserve. And you deserve the world. Don’t think so? You were hand crafted. Every cell, tendon, sinew, eyelash, freckle was created with love. The greatest love that you could ever ask for. God made you entirely unique. He made your temper, your quirks, your talents, your laugh, your heart. A heart that wasn’t meant to settle. God did not create you to settle. You are exactly where you need to be.

We are naturally impatient. We want things to happen at our command. However, life doesn’t happen at our command. We can set out with the greatest of intentions and our expectations fall short. In my experience, the greatest things in my life have happened in time. While I hate waiting, I’ve learned to be content in God’s timing. I’m not afraid to be lonely, because my life is in His hands--and that's more than enough for me.