Sometimes it can be so frustrating to watch all of your friends pairing off and getting boyfriends—especially when a school dance or other big event comes along.

Even though the man who will one day sweep you off your feet isn’t in your life today, it is important to remember that he is out there somewhere and you can be praying for him. The odds are in your favor, most people aren’t called to celibacy. Chances are you probably will get married even if it takes awhile.

 The years spent waiting for your future husband don’t have to be wasted. On Wednesday we talked about how those years can be put to good use. But there’s another thing I want to mention before the week is out.

Every day you spend waiting is a day you can spend praying. I seriously began praying for the man I would marry when I was in college. Maybe it was the swarm of unattractive and immature guys around me that prompted me to pray for the man I would call mine. But I think it was something more than that.

I regularly prayed that the man God would have for me would have certain character qualities—patience, kindness, gentleness, godliness, etc…And I also prayed for his purity and that the Lord would be drawing him into a deeper relationship with Himself.

But there’s a period of months that still stands out distinctly in my mind. During that time I was prompted to pray that God would show my future husband that the relationship he was in was harmful and destructive. I wrote out a series of prayers in my journal asking God to give this man—whom I didn’t know—strength and resolve to end the relationship. I felt so strongly that this is what I should be praying that I prayed these prayers every night—and I wrote about them and dated them in my journal.

Years later when I began dating my husband the topic of past relationships came up. He only had one—during that very same period of months. It was destructive and he ended the relationship right around the time my burden to pray those prayers stopped. (My old journals serve as a written testimony in case there are any skeptics out there.)

I will never forget the look of amazement on Michael’s face when I told him about my old journals and those prayers. He was stunned and overcome with emotion all at the same time. The fact that God could be prompting my heart to pray about specific circumstances in his life when I didn’t even know him was truly an amazing thing.

So, take some time (it doesn’t have to be every day) and pray for your future husband. Ask God to build traits of godliness in him and make him a strong leader. Pray that God will give him boldness—especially when it comes to pursuing you when the time is right. Don’t be afraid to pray for his sexual purity and protection even from pure relationships with the wrong girls.

You may be amazed at what God will do. Keep a written record of your prayers with a date next to them so that someday you can have a written testimony of what God did in your love story long before you even knew the man you would marry.

What are some things you can (or do) pray for your future husband? Do you do anything special like keep a journal of letters to him? What are some ways you can take your longing for a relationship and turn it into something productive?