Part of the problem, she notes, is the conflicting expectations girls face today. They grow up enjoying fairy tales about handsome princes—but also being told they can be anything they want to be. That’s fine up to a point—but, she writes, “Too many choices . . . can be dizzying and disorienting.” Feminism promises “liberation, power and choice,” she writes, “But liberation to what end? Power to what purpose? Choice for what outcome? These are not ends in themselves, and for that very reason, the feminist manifesto continues to leave women unsatisfied.”

Cast adrift in a sea of seemingly endless options, many women wind up living life on autopilot, Marshall says. In reality, they require guidance—the kind that flows from a strong relationship with God.

You’ll find more than just ruminations in Now and Not Yet. Marshall includes specific recommendations about what women can do to pursue a truly contented life, which may—or may not—include a trip down the aisle. As one woman told Marshall:

“As I finished law school, I remember asking several people for advice on how to commit completely to my work while still remaining completely open to the possibility of marriage. I had few role models of single Christian women working with excellence in their careers, and few people really had any advice for me on that. I decided to head fully toward my work goals while I was single and to trust God’s will and timing on marriage. I think it is a large part of why I have been so content being single.”

In short, work hard and leave the rest up to God. Which, come to think of it, is a good plan whether you’re married or not.



Rebecca Hagelin has championed the pro-family message in both Washington and around the nation for some twenty years. She is a vice president of  The Heritage Foundation whose vision is to "Create an America where freedom, opportunity, prosperity and civil society flourish."

Her weekly column, "Heart Beat", appears on  WorldNetDaily.com and  Townhall.com. She is the author of "Home Invasion: Protecing Your Family in a Culture That's Gone Stark Raving Mad."   For more information, please visit www.homeinvasion.org.