Dating and the Single Mom
When we hear a single mom talking about her (lack of) love life, how do we normally respond? Most likely, we want to help her find a new husband, encourage her to “get back out there”, tell her about the person we know who met her husband online and why doesn’t she try that site?
In the time of the Old Testament, a young widow was expected to remarry and was even told who that next husband would be. But consider the story of Ruth. She did not meet and marry Boaz right after losing her husband. She took time to learn, grow, and heal. She studied God’s word, learned to rely on Him as her husband, and used that time to grow closer to Him. God opened some pretty cool doors for her during that time, too.
Today’s single moms could be a single mom as a result of divorce, but, some are widows or have never been married. So, what lead them to the road they are on? Allison Herrin (Maia Moms) once shared that she has yet to find a single mom that does not have abuse and/or addiction in her past or in the past of someone very close to her. Many single moms may have even been through more than one divorce. (There are staggering statistics about multiple divorces.) There are lots of stories. And no matter the story, no matter the “fault” that occurred, there is pain and hurt. There are wounds to be healed.
So, while it can be tempting – as a quick fix – to try and setup a single mom with this “great guy” you know or help her create an online dating profile, please reconsider. Instead, invest in her. Tell her about thrive. Invite her to church. Tell her about Jesus Christ. Grow in friendship with her, build her trust, and spend quality time with her children. We can help her on her path towards healing past hurts, while God will step in – in His timing – and introduce her to the man she can truly grow old with.
This is part of a continuing series on our Thrive ministry. For more information on how to care for single moms, check out the Thrive ministry page for the complete list of posts! Thank you for your support of this ministry!