I have read a lot of posts about how young women should not be afraid of marriage. That marriage is one of the greatest things that can happen to a woman.

I totally agree.

Marriage is awesome. Finding someone you want to spend the rest of your life with is great.

However, being married by 23 is not in God’s plan for everyone.

Note that I said God’s plan.

Humans can make all the plans in the world. But if God does not want something to happen?

It’s not going to happen.

Both my aunt Audrey and my uncle Tracey were past 23 when they met their spouses. That’s how the timing worked out. In the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter three, we are told this, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”.

There is a season for everything. Just like how God tells the grass to grow, or the trees to bud, if marriage is part of His plan for you, He’ll let you know.

The other big part of this discussion is the fact that marriage is not required. God has used many single folks to do His work.

St. Brigid did a good part of spreading the the faith across Ireland, she was never married. Joan of Arc was teenage girl, Paul was single all his life, Jesus never married.

We are called to share God’s love and grace. He does not say, “Get down the aisle, then we can talk”. He said “You are my hands, get to work”. We have youth groups where we tell teenagers to preach to their friends. We don’t tell them, “Look hard and fast for a spouse, then you can tell your friends about Jesus”.

God’s grace is for everyone. It does not start with “I Do”.