I’m 30, and I’m single. It wasn’t my choice to be single at this stage of life, but it’s how things have worked out. Most days, I don’t think much about it. I have a wonderful life, and I’m comfortable enough with myself to be single. I love to cook and save the leftovers for lunches. I escape to the movies alone and find it’s one of my favorite places to be alone. I enjoy driving alone because I don’t have share the radio with someone else. I don’t mind eating alone, I don’t mind walking my dog alone and I don’t mind riding my bike alone. I’m comfortable being single. The one place I hate going on my own, is church.
I hate it, and I’m comfortable now because I’ve attended my church long enough to know more people there. But when my close friends are out of town, it’s still awkward to go to church alone. In the two-plus years I’ve attended my church and sat alone, only once did someone come sit next to me so I wasn’t alone. I remember feeling so grateful she moved next to me. It made all the difference.
The Bible talks much about orphans and widows. My church has an exceptional missions department, including local efforts to reach orphans and widows in our community. But what about me? Where do I fall in the mix?
When my car breaks, I call my father who lives four hours away. I sheepishly ask a guy at work to look at it so I’m not taken advantage of by a mechanic. What happens when my AC breaks? Or when my lawnmower breaks? Two weeks ago, I had to have some minor medical tests done under local anesthesia. I had to call my parents and ask them to come for a visit. I had no one else I felt comfortable enough to ask to drive me, sit with me, talk with the doctor and drive me home. I don’t have a husband and my best friend was out of town. So what happens with the single woman needs help?
I think this is a place where the church needs to grow.