Christine, the shelves of Christian bookshops are littered with books on the topic of singleness. Why did you set out to add to that number? A little while on, are you glad that you did, and why?
Honestly, our book arose out of our frustration with so many of the books that have been written on the topic of singleness. As we moved from our late twenties through our thirties and began to talk through the various experiences we were having as single women in the church, we realized that most of the discussions in these books didn’t address our concerns. Most assumed that we would be married by our late twenties, and if we weren’t, they simply counselled us to “have faith” and make sure we were good Christians so that God would reward us with a spouse. As we mention in the book, it seemed like God was being described as a cosmic vending machine. We simply needed to come up with the right change, and we would get what we wanted. Not only did this set up a problematic conception of God, but it also ignored our key question: why might God ask Christians to remain single for a certain number of years or for their whole lives? So, we set out to try to find an answer to that question.
I am very glad that we decided to write the book. What began as a personal quest has resonated with our readers. I have been encouraged by the notes I have received from single women, single men, church leaders, and even a few married men and women who have appreciated the messages in the book. I feel like we have started to turn the discussion of Christian singleness from a focus on finding a spouse to a focus on serving God wherever He has placed us.
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