How do you find that perfect person?

I have been blessed with a wonderful life and family, but I went through some tough stuff growing up; my earthly father wasn't everything that he should have been.

Before he left, I found myself putting my happiness completely in his hands. I was happy when he was proud of me. It made me joyful to make him laugh or to find him in the crowd and see him smiling and giving me a thumbs up after hitting a double at a softball tournament. And it made me feel like the coolest girl there was to hear him talking about me to the other dads about my squirrel hunting skills and watching him smile proudly as he shared our hunting experiences.

When he left, I was devastated.

For years after that, I was torn between wanting to push guys away, because I didn't know if I would ever be able to love and trust someone again, and wanting to be loved by a man because I had missed out on it for so many years when my dad wasn't around. I never wanted to allow myself to get close enough to a guy to let my heart get hurt like that again, yet I deeply yearned for the feeling of love that my earthly father didn't give me.

The only thing I knew to do after experiencing such heartache, was to reach out to God. I told God that I was going to set back and wait until he sent me that perfect man. In my mind, I had the perfect idea of what my future husband would be like.

I hoped he would be a sensitive, respectful, and God-fearing man. I thought it would be a great bonus for him to be able to sing and play music. And being handsome wouldn't hurt either.

After telling God what I wanted, it made me feel a little better. I mean, after all, God wants what is best for me, right?

When I drive to and from school, I'm able to do a lot of deep thinking. This subject happened to be weighing on my mind, as it does often, and I was feeling frustrated.

I thought, "Lord, how am I ever going to find this perfect person? I want someone who will be a strong spiritual leader for myself and my future children. I want a man with good morals, strong convictions, and a forgiving and tender heart."

Then I proceeded to list the other things that he quickly reminded me aren't important (you know, the stuff about him being handsome and a good singer).

But I felt like God softly spoke to my heart and said, "You will never find your perfect man because there is no such thing."

I sat there, driving to school, in amazement that I have spent so much time waiting and waiting for the perfect man to come along just to hear that he wasn't coming. I'll have to admit, I was disappointed.

But I feel like God wanted me to understand that the only man that can give me contentment and complete happiness is Jesus. He's the only one that can give me everything I need, and He's the only man that will never fail me. No one can give me what Jesus can. And I will never experience completeness until I find myself content in Him alone.

And I'm not necessarily talking about how to find the love of your life or the "perfect guy you've been dreaming about."

There is absolutely no one who is perfect, and there is no one who will never fail you. My mother, even though she loves me so much, will fail me at times. Like the time in kindergarten when all she put in my lunchbox that morning was a sweet note and some silverware. She forgot all about the food. And there I was, five-years-old, staring into an empty lunchbox, crying, trying to figure out how my mom could have done such a thing to me. (Don't worry mom. It took me a few years to get over that on, but I've forgiven you.)

And my earthly father may not have been everything I needed him to be. But I have a good Heavenly Father who is more than enough.

I now have peace knowing I don't have to find the perfect man. Because if that's what I'm waiting for, then I will be greatly disappointed because I'll never ever find that. But I am greatly looking forward to the day when I meet a man who tries his very best to live his life the way God and His word instructs us to and who encourages me each day to grow in my faith because of the way he lives his life.

You will have a miserable man if you're expecting him to be perfect. No man can give you perfection. Only God can do that for you.