For twenty-six years, I was single

They said it was alarming that I had been alone for that long. “Even singlets come in pairs,” they would tease, and I would laugh along, even when the joke pricked a little. It wasn’t like I didn’t hear the whispers. I knew what people thought. I was beautiful, smart, neat, virtuous, and deeply in love with God. I carried myself well. I spoke with confidence and grace. So whenever I mentioned that I was single, people reacted with shock. “Are the men around you blind?” someone once asked. “How can a full package like you still be single?” But the truth was this: men came. Just not the right ones. Some wanted my body. Some wanted to “see how it goes.” Others wanted benefits without commitment. And I had already settled it in my heart. “I’m not so desperate for marriage that I’ll accept just any man so I can be called ‘Mrs,’” I once told a lady who wondered why I kept being a bridesmaid but never a bride. “There’s a time and season for everything. I’ll wait for mine.” I meant it. “If all a man wants is your body,” I would say, “there are a thousand other bodies he can chase tomorrow. But a man who truly loves you will respect your body, even when his desire is strong.” God’s standards became my standards. If he needed to sleep with me to confirm I was “the one,” then he wasn’t the one. No wed, no bed. Still, I won’t lie.There were moments I wondered if something was wrong with me. When another wedding invite came. When another friend changed her surname. When another “almost” walked away because I wouldn’t compromise. But in those quiet moments, God reassured me. He told me I was not delayed. I was being preserved. So I stayed busy with purpose, growth, service, and knowing Him more. Then, two weeks after my twenty-seventh birthday, during an outreach I organized, I met Dunsin. From the beginning, he was different. Intentional. Clear. God-fearing. He looked at me with conviction and said, “I’m not here to play games. I want you to be my wife.” One day, I asked him why he wasn’t like the others, why he never pressured me sexually. He smiled and said something I will never forget: “My love, physical attraction is important. And yes, I’m attracted to you—physically and sexually. That’s normal. But my desire for God is stronger than my passion for a woman. I can’t lose my relationship with Him because of fornication. If God says we should wait, then we can wait. I love you—but I love God more. And that keeps me on track.” I was blown away. It wasn’t that he lacked desire. It was that he had discipline. He feared God more than he felt feelings. That response strengthened my convictions even more. I knew then that I wasn’t crazy for waiting. I wasn’t old-fashioned. I wasn’t “doing too much.” I was right. And in God’s appointed time, we got married. The wagging tongues went silent. The teasing stopped. The whispers found a new target. But I knew something they didn’t—I had not married out of pressure. I had not lowered my standards out of fear. I had not rushed ahead of God. It was my set time. And the right man came. My name is Amy, and this is my story. ________ Truly, body no be firewood, and that's because body na temple of God wey we no suppose abuse. If a man must sleep with you before marrying you, he is not right for you. Don’t bend standards that were built on God just to meet someone’s temporary desire. Sexual purity pays. God still has sons. God still has daughters. If you trust Him, He is able to write your story beautifully—without you editing it in panic. If you’re still waiting, don’t give up. You are not forgotten. You are not behind. You are being prepared. Your package is on the way. One love. 🤍 PS: Registration for my upcoming online story writing training is still ongoing. Kindly check the comments section to see more details. ©️ Rejoice S. James