It’s happening. Every post on your feed is a happy couple with a wedding countdown. They post weekly--if not daily--updates of the planning and shopping. Each bridesmaid posts a sappy paragraph about knowing each other for however long. There will be engagement photo shoots, save the dates, and RSVP requests. There are showers to go to and endless invitations.

Meanwhile, you are just chillin' with no ring in sight. These people are your age, maybe you even graduated together, and they are moving along in life. You feel behind. Your best friend is telling you all about florist drama and you’re wondering if you’ll even have a date soon. You start to think that maybe you’re doing something wrong. Am I too eager? Am I not worth marrying? Am I even wifey material?

Let me tell ya, I FEEL YOU. It seems like everyone I talk to is engaged or just married. And I am SO excited for each one of them. I love seeing the excitement and the sweet smiles of two people in love. I love oohing and aahing at each ring and having a secret peek at the dress. I love it all! And.. I’m so ready for that to be me!

But girls I am having to work on my heart with all this. I’ll get so caught up in looking at everyone’s business that I forget about my own. Honestly, I get downright jealous. I get down on myself. And I drive my poor sweet boyfriend crazy talking about it all. And it’s not like I’m not happy with where I am, or that I don’t want to wait until I graduate to take that next step. I am SO GRATEFUL for where God has me.

I tend to lose sight of that sometimes. I get so caught up in everyone else’s lives that I criticize my own. God has us each on a very special timeline that is called HIS. And I thank Him for that! Oh how many times I have wished things would speed up and then later praised Him for not doing that!

My heart gets impatient. I pressure myself to go at the same pace as everyone else. I mean, my best friend has been dating this guy as long as I have dated mine and they are engaged! Yet I have years before that happens to me! I try to match my life to others’ so that I can keep up and not be left out. But I am missing out on watching what God is doing with me in the meantime!

By making me wait, I will get to grow and experience so much life with my man. We will be able to work through the tough times and rejoice in the happy times. We will grow in our faith to become the man and woman we must be before becoming husband and wife. I can watch my friends prepare for their weddings and step into marriage, and I can go to them for advice when I need it.

I love that my fella is waiting. I love that I get to enjoy the dating life for a while longer. (I love that he has plenty of time to be saving up for that ring. ;) ) I love that we get to study together now and that we won’t have to do that once we’re married! I love doing life with him now without all of the married responsibilities!

God has a plan that is perfectly orchestrated for us to glorify Him. He has everything timed according to His purposes. Of course He doesn’t want me to get married just yet, I can’t even file my taxes by myself! God is growing me, pushing me, and teaching me every day. He is pointing me in the direction for my life and equipping me as I go.

So I will continue to praise God for what He is doing in my life and the lives of my friends. I will celebrate with my best friend and pray for her changing life. I will love my sweet man and thank God that I get to experience college with him. I will thank God for our time together and for Him growing my heart to be patient in His pace for my life. And I will learn to become content and excited about where God has me and what He is using me for now.