Stop looking for that love that you think you want. Stop looking for that love that you see in movies. Stop looking for that love that you think is love because in most cases, you are looking for the wrong love.

So many young girls go around and say "I want a boyfriend" or "I need a boyfriend." They go around looking for someone to call their boyfriend or for someone to date so they fit in. If no one has ever told you before, let me be the first—if this is your mindset, you are doing it wrong. Stop looking for someone to just have so you aren't alone or to look cool. Stop looking for someone just because you feel lonely.

In the long run, it just turns into hurt and someone to add to the list of people you have dated. Now, some people may disagree with me, but for me I never went around and dated a bunch of guys or even talked to many because I wanted to "fit in." I didn't feel the need to just say I had a boyfriend or the need for someone to just take me out every weekend so I had something to do. Instead, I was the one who went out and hung out with all my friends who thought they needed all of that. I was the girl who always third wheeled or even fifth wheeled, and I was OK with that.

As I went through middle school, I discovered that having guy friends was so much more fun than having a boyfriend. Not having to keep up with someone when I could barely keep up with myself or the drama was a lot easier. I wasn't looking for a boyfriend, little did I even care to have one. I watched friends go through countless stupid breakups that didn't even matter a week later because they already found someone new. And how could we ever forget those "my life is over" breakups that some girls would have when they were only in seventh grade...Girl, please shut up. No one really cares, and you are only in seventh grade. You have so much more going for you than some young boyfriend that you won't even remember. I even went through eighth grade with the same mindset that a boy will come into my life when God's ready to send one my way. Not only one, but the right one.

I sat and focused on what really mattered which was my relationship with Christ and working on myself before I got into a relationship that I didn't know anything about. I focused on figuring out God's plan for my life and focused on loving myself first. You can't love someone else the way you are intended to if you don't love yourself first. You must fully accept who you are to fully accept another person. I wrote in the back of my Bible everything I wanted in the man that I wanted to marry one day and prayed over that. I told God and myself I wanted that guy to walk into my life and to not let myself settle for anything less. Well, as I entered into high school, I never thought I would meet him. I never thought the kid I slapped on the very first day of high school would be the man I want to marry one day. Now, when I mean slapped, I don't mean across the face or in a bad way. I mean slapped on the shoulder to let him know he was going to be my partner, and he had no other choice. I got to know him more and more, and he finally asked me out.

He did everything a boyfriend should do for a girl and much more. We got so close and so did our families. Our relationship lasted all throughout high school and is still going strong to this day. We have dated since freshmen year in high school, and now we are still dating as freshmen in college with not one breakup in-between that time. He has treated me the way a man should, and leads our relationship the way God intended a man to. Now ladies, I know he sounds perfect and he is all mine but he isn't. He is perfectly imperfect and still everything I want. No one wants a perfect person because no one truly is—and what fun would that be? That is also why God's always perfect for us and He still loves our imperfect selves.

We have grown so much in our relationship with the Lord since we have dated and hold each other accountable. I truly love him and I know he truly loves me back. Now let me repeat myself: stop looking! Let God blindside you with the man He has set aside for you. Just go on in life and focus on yourself and build that relationship with Christ. Enjoy your family, enjoy your friends, enjoy yourself. Let a boy come after all of that. I'm not saying to forget about boys for years—still go on dates and have fun, but do not just date someone to have someone. Why waste your time when you have all the time in the world with the right one later on. I'm also not saying you will find your dream boy in high school or as soon as you pray over a list of things you want in a man, but I am saying that there is always a time and a place.

There will always be a time where you will meet the man of your dreams and a place where you two will continue to fall in love. Just wait for that time because when it comes, it's something wonderful and something that will be much more appreciated because you waited.

So young one, go out into this world and enjoy what life has to offer and let God bring the man he has set aside for you come right along and literally sweep you right off your feet. It's completely worth it in the end to wait, trust me. Don't let your friends stop you from finding yourself, seeking God and eventually finding the love of your life. So stop looking because the love you deserve will come when you stop looking.