Ladies, don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself. Have your Galentine's Day parties, drink wine, eat chocolate with your single girlfriends, and just enjoy the company. But, if you turn on that Nicholas Sparks movie and begin to feel pity for yourself because everyone else is out with their boyfriend, remember that your season of singleness is an amazing gift God has granted you!

Ben Stuart, the author of "Single. Dating. Engaged. Married." writes of what this time in life has to offer you, and let me tell you, after reading this you want to be single. He writes, "God has ordained a season of singleness for every human being on the planet. Singleness does not simply exist as extended adolescence, a pursuit of career ambition, or preparatory phase of marriage. Rather, God has ordained the unique freedoms of single life not for distractions or ambitions, but for devotion to Him." Guys! This is so ridiculously cool!

God has given us this season in our lives to focus on Him because He desires a relationship with each of us. If that is not relationship goals, I don't know what is. According to Stuart, you are single because God knows you can accomplish what you need on your own. He wants you to grow and quite frankly dating is distracting.

Coming from someone who has never had a boyfriend on Valentine's day, this year will be my first with one, and honestly, the expectations when you're single are so blown out of proportion. As a single gal on past Valentine's days, I would often think how nice it would have a boyfriend who brought me enormous stuffed animals and took me to dinner and professed his love for me (I watched too many Nicholas Sparks movies as a teen). And although that all sounds nice, this February 14th I really don't want all of those extra gestures. I realized that my thoughts as a single gal created expectations I thought I wanted. However, now being a taken gal, I don't want some showy display. I just want authentic love and 1 Corinthians 13:4 reminds us, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud" (NIV). So this Valentine's day, set standards for yourself and decide that your season of singleness with bear much fruit.

Just remember that although it's easier to focus on what you don't have, there is so much more than you do have. Don't waste this time of your life. It is an amazing time to grow and mature and order your life. As Jason Evert says, "Find your bridesmaids, then your groom" in "How To Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul." So you show up to that Galentine's Day party, not with hate for love, but hope for it!