Finding Peace When Life Doesn't Follow Your Timeline

By Mary R. Dittman, M.B.A.

"What if it never happens for me?"

That question haunted me for years.

At 29, I wondered:

"What if I'm 35 and still single?"

Then I turned 35.

So I wondered:

"What if I'm 40 and still single?"

Then I turned 40.

Then 45.

And every time I crossed another milestone, I found myself wrestling with the same fear:

What if the life I imagined never becomes my reality?

For many women, that fear centers around marriage and family.

Not because we're weak.

Not because we're desperate.

But because we've always wanted those things.

We assumed they would happen.

And when they don't, we're forced to confront a difficult possibility:

What if God's plan looks different than mine?

Fear Loves Unanswered Questions

Fear thrives in uncertainty.

It constantly asks:

"What if I'm alone forever?"

"What if everyone else gets their happy ending except me?"

"What if I never get what I've prayed for?"

For year...