by Staff Writer Jennifer Grimes

I have to make a confession . . . though, really, it is more like a declaration.

I’ve never been on a date before. And I’m 17.

There’s more.

I’ve never been kissed either. Not ever. Not even a peck on the cheek.

Now, this excludes family members, especially elderly great-aunts. I’m only referring to real kisses, like the ones between Prince Charming and the princess.

Some people think my little declaration is a really big deal, but I’m not that worried about it. See, my thought is that one day, eventually, it’ll happen. I’m just hoping it’s as good as I hope it will be.

Just so you know, I’m not giving you this free info so you can tell your friends about how you heard of a seventeen-year-old who had never been kissed. (I know of some virgin lips even older than mine.) There’s a lesson to be learned here, and it is one that I’m still learning.

This lesson goes by a name called patience, and quite often it makes me groan. Patience is most likely the hardest trait I’ve ever tried to acquire. I’m one of those toe-tapping, sighing, fingernail-clicking types of people. I can hardly keep myself from squirming at any given moment.

Patience is not my strong suit.

I know that there are plenty of teens just like me who are waiting for a relationship to start, or for a first kiss to happen, or for God’s plans to be revealed, and it’s often hard to be patient when we want something, especially when we want something now. But God gives us the strength to be patient. Psalm 27:14 (NLT) says, “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” I am confident that God will not ignore our patience as we wait for His timing and direction.

If you didn’t realize it, this patience thing isn’t just about dating. It’s about plenty of things, like graduating from high school, moving to college, and living our dreams. God has a plan for your life and for mine, and He will see it through to the end as long as we trust in Him. Don’t let this life stuff get in the way of your relationship with Christ; He should be first in your life. Luke 12:31 (NLT) says, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.”

God won’t forget about you or ignore you. He will see you patiently waiting and He will give you everything you need. So keep on tapping those toes.

Jennifer Grimes, 17, lives in Texas. Besides writing, she enjoys hanging out with her family, reading good books, eating chocolate, and sending snail-mail letters. She has recently adopted a stray kitten and learned to crochet. Most importantly, she has devoted her life to Christ and strives every day to serve God boldly.