How to Survive Singles Awareness Day (feat. MAJOR.'s "Why I Love You")

I'm almost 24 years old, and this is my 23rd Valentine's Day as a single woman. The last 22 Valentine's days didn't bother me much, but this one is different. Last year, right before my 23rd birthday, it was as if someone flipped a switch inside of me and triggered a desire for marriage. Ever since then, it's been weighing on my mind pretty heavily. I've heard other singles alternately refer to this holiday as Singles Awareness Day, and I didn't realize how SAD that was (pun intended) until I really became aware of my singleness. It's weird. One minute I didn't care, and the next minute, my singleness hit me like a ton of bricks.

As I continue my single season, I'm trying to figure out exactly what it is I need to be doing while I wait. I'm working on myself in a lot of ways, because I always say that I want to become the woman God wants me to be, but I often wonder, am I becoming the woman my future husband needs? That's something I hadn't considered until very recently. The next logical thought that followed was, how can I become the woman my future husband needs if I haven't met him yet? The answer is, of course, found in God. As I was meditating on this idea, He dropped a song in my spirit--a secular one at that: MAJOR.'s 2016 hit, "Why I Love You."

MAJOR. - "Why I Love You" - single (2016) / Amazon

(Before we continue, I know what you're thinking. Yes, I'm going to be cliché and reference this song on Valentine's Day. Yes, I am listening to it as I type this, and yes, I will be a cliché crybaby when this plays at my wedding. Moving on...😂)

Verse 1:

I found love in you

And I've learned to love me too

Never have I felt that I could be all that you

see

It's like our hearts have intertwined into the

perfect harmony

Love is, first and foremost, found in God. Who better to teach us how to love ourselves than the One who first loved us, the one who loved us before we were a twinkle in our mother's eye? When He tells us who we are, we hesitate to believe Him because the world tells us otherwise. Often, we feel like we can't measure up to who He calls us to be, but how can we be anything less than wonderful when we were made in the image of the One who cannot be measured? When we intertwine our hearts with His, He will give us our desires because our desires will match His will for our lives.

Verse 2:

I found love in you

And no other love will do

Every moment that you smile chases all of

the pain away

Forever and a while in my heart is where

you'll stay

One of the most profound quotes I've ever read is a line in Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower: "We accept the love we think we deserve." We are undeserving of a love as perfect as the kind God gives us, but that perfect love should raise the standard for the love we expect to receive on earth. I'm not saying we should expect our significant other to be perfect, but we should expect that person to be an earthly reflection of His love for us. When He smiles on us, our pain turns into praise, and our fears turn into faith. We should, in turn, seek to be with someone who makes us feel safe.

These are just a few things I pulled from the song. It simultaneously reminded me of the kind of love I am given and caused me to anticipate the love that I hope will find me...and then I got it: If this is the love I want, this is the love I have to give. I don't know how much single time I have left, but however long God will have me to wait, I'll do my best to be a reflection of Him. I'll reflect His light not only because He calls me to do so, but because that is the type of love my future husband deserves. I might not know who he is yet, but I may as well get a head start.


Dear future husband,

When the God in me speaks to the God in you, we'll realize that we are stronger as two. Until "I" becomes "we," I'm letting Him work on me. We'll be better together than we are apart, but for now, He's making space for you inside of my heart.

My heart is preparing itself to be found by you. I hope that when you find it, you'll stay forever and awhile.

With love,

Your future wife

Happy Valentine's Day ❤