Thriving While You Wait: A Christian Guide of 28 Ways You Can Prepare for Marriage Now

Preparing for Marriage Starts Now

If you missed part 1, check it out here. In the first post, I talked about understanding what being content is all about and then finding unique ways to cultivate contentment while you’re still single and praying for a spouse.

I know your heart might be whispering prayers for a husband, and maybe some days those prayers feel more like groans. I get it—waiting is not easy. But here’s the thing no one tells us enough: marriage doesn’t suddenly turn you into a new woman. It doesn’t heal your old wounds, rewrite your insecurities, or magically create the peace you’ve been chasing.

On the contrary, marriage magnifies what’s already there. The good, the messy, the healed, and the hurting — everything comes out.

Marriage doesn’t suddenly turn you into a new woman. It doesn’t heal your old wounds, rewrite your insecurities, or magically create the peace you’ve been chasing. On the contrary, marriage magnifies what’s already there. The good,… Share on X

And that’s why this season matters so much. Your single years aren’t wasted years; they are preparation ground. They’re where you build the habits, healing, and confidence that carry into any and every future role God has for you — wife, mother, businesswoman, ministry leader, whatever He has planned.

Think of it like a garden: you don’t plant weeds today and expect roses to bloom tomorrow. What you plant and tend to now — your emotional health, your faith, your finances, taking care of your body — will flourish later.

So instead of letting this season slip away while you scroll through wedding reels and roll your eyes for the umpteenth time, I want to challenge you: flip the script.

• What if this wasn’t the season of lack, but the season of becoming?
• What if instead of just praying for “the one,” you started asking God to make you ready for the life He’s calling you into—whatever that looks like?

Your single years aren’t wasted years; they are preparation ground. They’re where you build the habits, healing, and confidence that carry into any and every future role God has for you — wife, mother, businesswoman, ministry… Share on X

This isn’t about panic-prepping for some invisible deadline. This is about becoming the best, healthiest, most grounded version of you so that whether marriage comes next year or five years from now, you’re already thriving.

Sis, your preparation starts today — not because you’re desperate, but because you’re worth it.

So what might preparation look like now? Here are a few strategies you can use to start preparing mentally, physically, spiritually, and financially for the next season of life God plans to catapult you into.

Mental Preparation (Emotional Maturity & Healing)

1. Start therapy or inner healing.
   → Work through childhood wounds such as rejection, grief, inadequacy, or fear of abandonment. Marriage will not make those wounds disappear. On the contrary, the moment your husband starts to not fulfill your needs in one way or another, those wounds will get triggered and even get bigger.
2. Read books on emotional intelligence.
   → Start with Boundaries by Henry Cloud & John Townsend or Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero.
3. Journal your emotional triggers.
   → Notice your reactions when you’re disappointed or lonely. Where do those emotions come from? What thoughts are fueling or exacerbating them?
4. Dismantle romantic fantasies.
   → Marriage isn’t a rom-com. Prepare for real love, not perfection. Witty banter may not always come. Sparks may not always fly. But you can choose to intentionally love the person you have in front of you.
5. Practice hard conversations.
   → Are you conflict/confrontation avoidant? You need to learn how to speak up, disagree kindly, and receive correction now. This is one skill you’ll need in marriage. Practice with your family, friends, church family, etc.
6. Evaluate your identity.
   → Who are you outside of relationships? Who are you outside of daughter, sister, girlfriend, or wife? Learn to root your worth in Christ, not a marital title.
7. Limit content that stirs discontent.
   → If wedding reels or couples content leaves you drained, mute it for a while. There is absolutely nothing wrong with protecting your peace for a season as you learn to work through those feelings of envy, jealousy, or discontent.

Work through childhood wounds such as rejection, grief, inadequacy, or fear of abandonment. Marriage will not make those wounds disappear. On the contrary, the moment your husband starts to not fulfill your needs in one way or… Share on X

Physical Preparation (Health, Confidence, Energy)

1. Move your body consistently.
   → This isn’t about getting a curvier peach (that’s derriere for you classy ladies!) or appealing to the male gaze. Exercising should not just be about attracting a man — exercise is for you. Energy, confidence, good health, and longevity matter in caring for your temple.
2. Create a self-care rhythm.
   → Skincare, rest, hydration, massages, regular doctor’s and dentist’s appointments — steward your temple now.
3. Meal plan and prep.
   → Start small. Practice discipline and consistency so all of your money doesn’t go to UberEats or Doordash. Learning to nourish yourself now is good practice for nourishing others later.
4. Get rest—quality and quantity.
   → Remember, sleep affects your mood, metabolism, and clarity. It’s important for you to develop good sleep hygiene now so that your rest actually reenergizes and regenerates you.
5. Declutter and organize.
   → Clear out old things that no longer serve you. Make room — physically and symbolically — for new things.
6. Dress in a way that honors God and flatters you.
   → Confidence and modesty are not opposites. Modesty is not about dressing like a nun. Modesty is about a heart posture that doesn’t seek to draw attention to oneself. Learn to embrace your style, your body, and your beauty and dress in a way that makes you feel good now.
7. Say ‘no’ to comparison.
   → You don’t have to be someone else’s size, shape, or style. Just be healthy, whole, and you.

Modesty is not about dressing like a nun. Modesty is about a heart posture that doesn't seek to draw attention to oneself. Learn to embrace your style, your body, and your beauty, and dress in a way that makes you feel good now. Share on X

Spiritual Preparation (Faith, Discernment, Devotion)

1. Deepen your prayer life.
   → Pray over your desires, your future husband, and your future challenges. Pray at all times. In your car, at work, in your closet, in the bathroom, you get the picture. God never gets tired of your prayers.
2. Read Proverbs 31 and Titus 2.
   → Highlight the traits of a wise and godly woman. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what you’re missing and help to grow them in you.
3. Memorize what the Bible has to say about identity.
   → Sis, this is super important! You need to know who you are in Christ before someone else tries to define you. If you don’t know that now, you will become a piece of clay in the wrong man’s hand. Do yourself a favor and do the work now.
4. Ask God to align your desires with His will.
   → The closer you walk with God, the easier it is to get your prayers answered. Why? Because you start to pray for what God already wants for you. Aligning your desires with God’s will helps you avoid the trap of idolizing marriage and trust His timing.
5. Practice submission—first to God.
   → Submission in marriage begins with surrender to the Lord now. Are you submitting to the authority figures God has currently placed in your life? If not, now’s your time to practice.
6. Fast for wisdom and direction.
   → Set aside time to seek clarity and peace about this season. Remember, you can ask God for wisdom and trust that He will answer you. You just need to listen.
7. Stay plugged into spiritual community.
   → Iron sharpens iron. Don’t walk alone.

You need to know who you are in Christ before someone else tries to define you. If you don't know that now, you will become a piece of clay in the wrong man's hand. Do yourself a favor and do the work now. Share on X

Financial Preparation (Wisdom, Stability, Stewardship)

1. Create a monthly budget.
   → Use tools like EveryDollar, YNAB, or a simple spreadsheet to track your income and spending.
2. Build an emergency fund.
   → Aim for $500, then $1000, then 3–6 months of expenses if possible.
3. Tithe and give regularly.
   → Build the muscle of generosity now. Remember, you CANNOT outgive God! I know paying tithe may feel impossible when you have 3 bills that are due, but I promise that if you put God to the test in this way, He will come through for you in ways you can’t even begin to imagine.
4. Learn to live within your means.
   → Don’t wait on a man to help you “get your money right.” If your expenses exceed your income, you’re doing it wrong.
5. Study investing basics.
   → Read Smart Women Finish Rich or follow Christian finance creators.
6. Set short and long-term financial goals.
   → Saving for a car? Paying off debt? Building a business? Set a timeline and strategy with small, realistic, achievable goals. When you accomplish the little goals, it will give you confidence that you can achieve the bigger ones.
7. Avoid financial codependency.
   → Your future husband is a partner, not a rescuer. Don’t wait for a man to get your finances in order. Be wise and responsible now.

Final Words: You Don’t Have to Choose

Sis, you can love your life today and still hope for more tomorrow. You can laugh with friends on Friday and pray for a husband on Saturday. You can explore your city, serve your church, build your brand, and prepare your heart—all while waiting on God.

And guess what? He’s not offended by your desire for marriage. He put it there.

Sis, do yourself a favor.

Don’t shrink. Don’t sit still. Live. Thrive. Prepare.

Share this post with your sister-friend who needs this reminder. And drop a comment below. What’s ONE thing you’re going to start doing this week to thrive in this season?