Party of One: Truth, Longing, and the Subtle Art of Singleness

by Joy Beth Smith

Overview

“This book is bold and strong and unapologetic. Unflinching, even. Joy Beth doesn’t back down from those hard conversations that need to be happening, not just in our churches but in our small groups, our social circles, our relationships.” —Mandy Hale, creator of The Single Woman and New York Times bestselling author

Did you enter adulthood thinking marriage would naturally find you, only to end up at a second-cousin’s wedding, dodging yet another bouquet the night before you turned thirty? Maybe you’ve started wondering, is this the best the single life has to offer? Joy Beth Smith says it’s not. The single life doesn’t have to be the runner-up version of God’s best. It doesn’t have to leave you constantly waiting for “real life” to begin. Party of One offers a trade: let go of the tired lies weighing you down and turn toward truth. Understand that:

• You don’t have to be married to be wise. You don’t have to be a mother to have supernatural love. You don’t have to own a home to be hospitable.
• Singleness is not meant to be pitied, shamed, fixed, or even ignored. It is to be celebrated.
• God doesn’t promise you a husband, but he does promise comfort, intimacy, and satisfaction.

With humor, self-awareness, and been-there perspective, Party of One delves into the insecurities and struggles of singleness and encourages you to find the good, the true, and the beautiful, to dive headfirst into community, and to stop pressing pause on a life you never expected.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780718094058
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	02/06/2018
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Joy Beth Smith is a managing editor with Christianity Today and winner of the Evangelical Press Association's Higher Goals in Christian Journalism Award. She’s been published in the Washington Post, Salt Lake Tribune, Virginian Pilot, and Christ and Pop Culture. After earning her MA degree in English Lit, Joy Beth had a brief stint as a teacher, but now she happily resides in the Chicagoland area, where she no longer has to give anyone permission to go to the bathroom.

Table of Contents

Foreword xiii

Part I Unfulfilled Promises

1 God Doesn't Owe You a Husband 3

2 Singleness Isn't Seasonal 17

3 Marriage Can't be the Greatest Source of Joy 31

4 Jesus Might Not Meet All Your Needs 45

5 Sorry, God Might Not Give You Your Heart's Desires 59

Part II Sex and Other Stumbling Blocks

6 What Is Sexuality? (and was Jesus Sexual?) 81

7 Masturbation, Porn, and Other Big-Ticket Items 99

8 Sexuality Isn't a Science 121

Part III Hopeless Dating with Hopes for Marriage

9 Bad Dating Advice Abounds 141

10 Dating is a Cesspool, and Other Lessons 157

11 Maybe I Am Too Intimidating 169

12 Don't Spend Your Singleness Preparing for Marriage 183

13 Don't Wait for Marriage 199

Conclusion 211

Acknowledgments 215

About the Author 219

Notes 221

Editorial Reviews

★ 12/11/2017
Smith, managing editor of Christianity Today, skillfully addresses singleness from the perspective of an evangelical woman. She is open and conversational as she tackles sexuality, masturbation, and sexual exploration by posing thoughtful, intelligent questions: “What if you knew that, for whatever reason, God in his infinite glory and wisdom has seen fit for you to live a single life? How would that change your day to day?” She structures her ideas and resolutions around three topics: unfulfilled promises of the marital state, such as marriage being a fix-all for problems; sex and other stumbling blocks to intimacy; and pressures to find the perfect match while dating. Smith blends serious discussion with comical asides and personal observations: “Attraction can develop over time, so it’s okay to date someone you’re not attracted to. Be content where you are, and then God will bring your spouse.” Theologically sound and emotionally reassuring, Smith’s approachable book will be of great help to young Christian women who embrace their singleness. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly