A Rant About Relationships.

It's everywhere. 

You see it all over Facebook, in your circle of friends, at work, at church . . . You see it every day. It's likely you haven't NOT encountered someone that has experienced this. It is an inevitable thing. 

Know what I'm talking about yet? 

Yes, I'm talking about love. 

So many of my friends are getting engaged, getting married, starting their own families. I see pictures plastered all over Facebook of engagement photo shoots and weddings. Pictures of kisses, excessive hand-holding, looking into each other's faces . . . TV shows and movies thrive on the hero or heroine finding their "one true love." It can have as much action or comedy in it as you want, but everyone loves watching the lovers "find each other" and live happily ever after . . .

Have you barfed yet? 

While I am partially kidding and laughing about it myself, it's something I encounter every day. I not only get to see it online and in other media, but also in real life. I have two really close friends my age getting married in about two months (and I get to sing for their wedding, which I really am excited about!), and I have other acquaintances getting engaged and getting married. Spring and summertime seem to thrive on people falling in love and becoming twitterpated with each other. Older people are constantly asking me if there's a "man in my life." Even if there is a hint of a possibility for me to be in a relationship, I get so much grief about it, it's ridiculous. 

It's inevitable. And it's only going to get worse from here. 

I have always felt this pressure to find a husband and life partner as soon as I possibly can ("ring by spring!" which also makes me want to barf), even at an early age. Coming to JBU has heightened that pressure. JBU is kind of known for matching people up and getting that ring by spring. But what happens if I don't find my future husband at college?! If I don't, I may . . . *gasp* be single forever! I will be all alone with no one to share life with!

. . . People, seriously?! Since when is it a bad thing to be single?

Now, let me say that I am all for marriage. It's a wonderful thing from what I've been taught and from what I've seen and witnessed in my own life. I hope to be married someday. I do want to share my life with someone at my side for the rest of my life. 

However, I think so many people just wanna get hitched so they won't feel alone. Especially Christian young people, which I think is quite ironic. Let me explain why. As believers, we have a Savior, and the greatest Lover we could possibly have: that is Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can satisfy our desires and the only one who will never disappoint us or abandon us. Yet, we tend to put all of our hopes and dreams on one guy or gal, who is 1. not perfect, 2. will disappoint us at some point, and 3. won't satisfy us at all times. Yet, most of us deep down would rather have the latter than a divine romance with the King of Kings. Hmm. 

The apostle Paul was definitely an advocate for being single. But he also praises marriage. Basically, he commands you to be content with where God has you in your life. "If you are not married, do not seek a wife. If you are married, do not seek to be free" (slightly paraphrased from 1 Cor. 7:27). I struggle with this a lot, in both directions. Sometimes, I see others around me dating or in relationships, etc. and I'm like, "Man, I want to get married so badly," and other times I'm like, "No way, I don't need anyone!" Yeah . . . 

I really enjoy being single; it definitely has its perks. You can spend time with a lot of guy friends without feeling guilty, because you're really only supposed to be spending time with "your" guy. You don't have to worry about financial issues for another person if you were living by yourself. You don't have to work around another person's schedule to do something. There is just so much freedom in being single! 

Let me make a point: It's not the end of the world if you don't find your future spouse by the end of college!!!! I am most likely going to be one of those people. Not necessarily by choice, mind you, but knowing me, that might not be the plan that God has for me. If He does bring me to my future husband at JBU, wonderful. If not, then obviously it wasn't meant to be, and He has something else, something better in mind for me. Besides, I came to JBU to get a good, bonafide education in what I love, not to get my MRS degree. 

Sorry, this was kind of a rant more than a really encouraging post for you all, but I'm hoping it will encourage some of you regardless. :)