I know we've ALL heard this way too many times, but... we all have to keep God's timing in mind--and yes, I know, I hear it as much as anyone (and even more, because I'm older, ha ha--I know JOY and Raeshelle can probably very much relate) that God's timing can be very different than our timing.
My parents married at 19 and 21--they met at ages 13 and 15 and have been together ever since (my Dad says it just keeps getting better and better). Obviously, I thought I'd follow in their footsteps.
I was upset because I felt I was a late bloomer--I married at 23, but, it was a very unhappy marriage and he left by the time I was 25 (I was completely against the divorce but when someone else leaves and literally goes to the other side of the world without ever speaking to you again, there's not much you can do.)
So... some of us may be meant to find someone and marry at 18... and if so, God bless you!! But, some of us apparently are on a different time schedule... and I pray that God blesses us in our search as well.
I do know one thing, though--I'll make a much better wife and possibly mother now than I would have at 25. (At that age, I was concerned about being happy--now I pray that God will choose someone for me whom I'll be happy serving for the rest of my life, and that he'll be someone who won't abuse that prayer because he will understand and live what God has established a husband to be.) This is NOT to say that someone else wouldn't make a great spouse in their 20's or younger! I just know that God has shown me I had issues I needed to work on first instead of plowing ahead with what I wanted (marriage and a family life) and for all those out there who are smarter, younger, and easier for God to mold than I was, many kudos to you! (You could probably teach me a thing or two
.)
Don't lose heart--chase after God with everything you are and see what happens!!
