My responses to these various (and well meaning) individuals have been just as varied.  Once, because a friend had signed up and was having some success, I quickly decided that I should try out online dating, too.  Okay, I actually tried it three times, and it didn’t work for me.  What I found in the profiles never matched up with what I met in person.  But on the flip side of that, I do know a couple who met online and married within a year.  They are two peas in a pod and believe that God led them to try online dating, so that they would meet one another.

I also have read a whole lot of dating advice books that have told me how to get a date with someone, where to look, how to make myself more available, etc.  I’m not knocking these resources, because the majority that I read are filled with practical info.  But they’re not an “add water and stir” instant remedy to my single situation. And that’s what I was mistakenly looking for when reading through them breathlessly. 

The last, concerted “I need to find a husband now!” effort involved me joining a new social group.  Someone had questioned:  “Who do you hang out with?”  As in, “why don’t you have a group of the Friends sitcom type of friends who are your own age and shoe size?"  And so I gave it the ol’ college try—I really did.  But it just wasn’t right.  I didn’t fit in, didn’t find friendships that could deepen and grow and didn't find a "Boaz" type of man (see the book of Ruth).  And in hindsight, I think that that was part of God’s plan. 

You see, in all of my efforts, God was not leading the charge.  I was.  I really wasn’t watching and waiting and following His direction.  I was making my own path.  But every way I tried going was just a dead-end.  I finally realized this and found that God was leading me in another way.  His way.  Which didn’t look anything like anyone else’s way of how to do life as a single person.

Now, all of that is not to say that this is not the year when you will get married.  I don’t know what God is saying to you.  He could have placed this desire on the front burner in your life.  He could be impressing upon you to change your priorities and preparing you to meet your future mate. 

Just make sure you wait on the Lord and trust in him.  He will show you what He wants you to do.  He may have you join a dating service.  Or he may have you read a particular book or socialize with a certain group of people.  Just make sure that he is the one who is leading you to do these things. 

Now, how you will you know that?  By spending time with the Lord, so that you may recognize his voice and know him better (John 10:4, Ephesians 1:17).  Study the Scriptures and make Proverbs 3:5-6 your daily motto.