Before You Meet Your Future Husband

Caitrin Bennett reviews a 30-day devotional for young Christian women hoping to be married one day.

My junior and senior years of college, I did not date at all. This started as an intentional, yearlong “dating fast,” and ended up lasting another year and a half, partially out of my own choice and partially because 21-year-old boys are … well, 21-year-old boys. There were certainly lonely moments and certain guys I cried over during those years. I wanted to be a wife and a mother one day more than anything, and it sometimes felt so far away and out of my grasp. 

Looking back, though, I’m so glad I had that time of singleness. Those years were very formational for me. I was able to focus on my growth as a student, a future teacher, a friend, and a Christian. I spent many hours praying and journaling about what I wanted in a future husband, and also how I myself needed to grow to become the kind of wife he deserved. When I finally met my husband, Chris, the fall after I graduated, I was more mature. We were both ready to date intentionally and move into engagement, marriage, and parenthood.

During a time of singleness like I have described, a young Christian woman could benefit from praying with a book like Before You Meet Your Future Husband: 30 Questions to Ask Yourself and 30 Heartfelt Prayers. The title says it all. Each of the 30 days in the devotional includes a very short reflection on the theme, an introspective question with plenty of journaling space, and a short prayer. There are also lots of beautiful verses from Scripture and other inspirational quotes sprinkled throughout. 

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The daily themes are grouped into three categories: heart, head, and hands. In the “heart” section, the reader will move towards opening her heart to God and forgiving others for past hurts. Next, she will work on her “head,” detoxing from the influences of inappropriate media and examining the ideas she clings to regarding a husband or other future plans. Finally, the “hands” section offers ideas for what the reader can do right now in this time of singleness: serve those around her, hone her skills and talents, and pray for more trust in God’s amazing plans for her life.

Before You Meet Your Future Husband encourages readers to wait patiently and trust in God’s plans, whether that be for marriage later on or not. Meanwhile, they will grow in maturity and spirituality through reflection and working on themselves.

Please note that the authors of this book are not Catholic. While I did notice some rather Protestant language, I did not find anything too worrisome. I would still feel comfortable recommending this to unmarried Christian women in their late teens or early twenties. Both the format of the book and its language make it accessible to such readers. I hope it encourages and motivates them during a season of life I myself remember very well!

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