Marci Turner stellt fest, dass Frauen statistisch gesehen immer später heiraten.
Over the past century, the average marrying age for the American woman has increased from 21 to 26. More women are now in college than men.
Das gilt nicht nur für die USA. Damit einher geht oft eine Zeit der Unabhängigkeit und Freiheit. Trotzdem gilt:
Though God will call some women to remain single (1 Cor. 7:7–8), at the core of most women is a desire to marry. God made us to be helpmates (Gen. 2:18–23), and one day most women will likely marry.
Turner macht auf die Herausforderungen aufmerksam, die durch diese verlängerte Zeit der Unabhängigkeit entstehen:
My single years brought great independence and self-awareness, but my transition from those “me” years to a life of “we” as a married woman was rocky.
Turner gibt deshalb einige Hinweise, die sie selbst als ledige Frau gerne bekommen hätte, z. B.:
1. Nutze deine freie Zeit voll aus
You can read your Bible for uninterrupted lengths of time. You have time for extended prayer. You have the flexibility to go on mission trips, to evangelize, and to be trained in discipleship. Use this time wisely. It will fuel you once you are married and raising children.
2. Nimm deine Gedanken gefangen
The longer a woman who wants to get married is single, the more she thinks about one thing—marriage. By bringing your thoughts in obedience to Christ, you are trusting Jesus in your marital status, and in his timing.
3. Diene anderen
Extended singleness can feed the hungry lion of selfishness. […] As a single gal, you have bandwidth to serve others and the church by volunteering. This will help keep your heart graceful toward others.
5. Lerne, dich zu unterordnen
Whether it is in school, at work, or with your parents, practice respecting and submitting to the authority God has currently in your life.
6. Bekenne deine Sünden
Married Christians sin against each other regularly and repent regularly. […] Practice repentance so that your husband marries a woman with a soft heart.
7. Übe Gastfreundschaft
If you are challenged in the art of keeping a home, take classes, learn from other women, and practice.
Turners abschließende Empfehlung an junge Frauen:
Single girl, training yourself for marriage is really just discipleship: intentionality, service, accountability, submission, repentance, hospitality, and community. If your singleness lasts longer than you’d planned, take heart that you are ultimately becoming more and more like Jesus.
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