Never Had A Boyfriend (Trusting God pt. 2)

This is part 2 of a 3 part series about trusting God.  For the intro, click here.

I am nineteen years old, finishing my sophomore year of college, and I have never had a boyfriend.

*gasp*

People tend to be a little shocked whenever I say those words out loud.  Though I would say that I am an introvert, I do know how to be outgoing when placed in social situations, and I think I'm a generally nice person.  Most people my age think that those traits lead to the obvious conclusion that I have had a boyfriend at some point in my life.  Wrong.

This has actually been kind of a touchy subject for me in months and years past, but lately God has given me a real peace about it and I want to share it with whomever may be in need of that peace today.

When I was somewhere around twelve years old, I felt called by God to make the decision not to date until I was sixteen.  Honestly, that was not a hard commitment to stick to... until I was fifteen and the guy who had had me smitten for a year asked me out.  Still, I said no, and I have no regrets about that today- because, instead of being centered on romance, my relationship with that particular guy was a friendship that was blessed in very obvious ways and still stands today.

I have definitely been seriously interested in other guys besides that one, but a committed relationship never began.  If I told you that that had not led to some true heartache for me, I would be telling a big fat lie.  I've spent more time than I care to admit crying about rejection, broken trust, and pure impatience.

Unlike a lot of good Christian girls born and raised in the Bible Belt, I don't have a set list of traits that my future husband must have.  I have only one requirement- he must be a true follower of Christ.  I've attempted to list other things before, but God has constantly proven to me that He knows what is best for me way better than I do.

It is not because of my decisions that I have never had a boyfriend- rather, it is because of God's providence.  Though I've managed to keep my standards high in most situations, God has always protected me from being in relationships which weren't right for me and my own discernment was flawed.  Looking back, I know that God has done awesome things with my life in the past years that I would have let slip by if I had been caught up in having a boyfriend.

I am waiting for the man who God has prepared for me.  For all I know, I have already met him- or, maybe I won't for many more years.  What I do know, though, is that God has been preparing us for each other, through each of our challenges, triumphs, heartaches and joys.  Once I am in a committed relationship with a man, I hope that he'll be the one.  I want to be able to tell my future husband that my heart was saved just for him.

There are days, and even months when I am filled with doubt and insecurity, but it is during those times that I look back and cannot deny that God has been taking care of me, cradling my fragile heart, in every moment. Whatever may come, or not come, I trust Him.