One of the strangest juxtapositions in my life occurs every day at the office. Not only do I manage the Faith and Singles section of Crosswalk.com, but also the Home School and Parenting pages. As a single woman, editing articles about potty training and interacting with authors who have produced nine kids has been an education, to say the least, and sometimes stretches me personally.

Today was one of those days.

I was reading through an article for one of our Home School newsletters and, ironically, found it full of wisdom for singles. Yes! You heard me right-singles.

The author of the article in question is Jenefer Igarashi, who works for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. Jenefer describes being at the grocery store, scrunched between her children, searching for the best price on boys' underwear. Read on:

I look down and realize that my oldest son has two different shoes on-a yellow rubber boot and a brown sandal. My youngest daughter is pulling long, stretchy strands of gum out of her hair and sticking them to the back of her sister's shirt, who-at the realization-begins protesting (wide-eyed and grossed out) way too loudly. In the meantime, the wet 2-year-old on my hip begins sneezing uncontrollably on account of his weird habit of winding locks of my unbrushed hair around his finger and shoving the ends up his nose. And when I look up at my oldest daughter with my much used "Could you help me, please?!!" stare, I realize that she's standing there, frozen-dead asleep-eyes open, but snoring. And that's when "She" walks by. The woman with the perfect hair, with the stunning, unwrinkled (Taco Bell-sauce-free) suit. She strolls by with an easy step without tripping over children or dragging along stragglers by the collar. She has perfect nails, matching shoes, diamond earrings, and lightly holds the keys to her two-seater BMW in her clutter-free hand. She does not have baby wipes or subtraction flash cards poking out of the top of her bag. She is not in a hurry; she is not frantically searching to get what she came for and then get out before the "screamer" goes off. She seems so free. And on my worst days, I abandon all that I know to be true and follow her in my mind by jumping onto the "What If" bus. I know where the "What If" bus goes. It travels from "I Could Have Been" to "If Only," stopping just long enough to tour the supposed highlights of glamorous possibilities that were forsaken when I signed up for Christ and then said "I do" to the man that my Heavenly Father brought me. The "What If" bus takes me to prestigious colleges, to journalism school, to quiet libraries, to an exciting job in a plush office at a top-selling magazine or major newspaper in a busy high rise, or to hot, sandy beaches where my tummy isn't squishy, or "oollgey googelly" (as my 5-year-old coined it). The "What If" bus promises to be a tantalizing tour, but when I get back from my little trip, I am irritated, impatient, discontent, and sour. It always brings emptiness.

Isn't it amazing to learn that the very moms and wives we singles sometimes envy are, in turn, envying us?

I just spent the weekend with two dear single friends, discussing this very issue. Would life really be better and more fulfilling if we had husbands to serve and kids to love? Which brings more glory to God: writing a book or changing a diaper? Can we love God more on our own, without distraction, or with a man to lead us? I tried to explain to one of these ladies that I have heard my married friends repeatedly express their disappointment in their husbands - that men often can't love their wives the way the wives desire. But she still insisted life would be incomplete without a man to hold.

Read on as Jenefer makes the point better than I could:

The prince of this world encourages us to covet, to become discontent, and to believe the grass is greener on the other side by using subtle strokes of "If Only." - What I fail to remember, when I climb those steps on the "What If" bus, is that I don't know the "ins and outs" of the lives of those women whom I envision as "free." Are they happy? Do they lie in bed every night giggling with glee to be where they are in life? Is their life even what I imagine it to be? Probably not.

Of course not! You and I know that. What amazes me is that there are women who think we have it better, that our lives are more interesting.

Jenefer is right. Satan has done a number on all women, leading both singles and married women to feel discontent. There are no easy answers. It's truly a case of "both/and"-we all are blessed in our own ways - and we each have our unique pains and struggles. I guess we all just need to remember that the grass isn't greener on one side-it is green (and brown) on both sides of the fence.

I wanted to take a moment to welcome you to Never Alone. What a wonderful name-and so true! In our singleness, we aren't alone. I particularly love the verses in Hosea where the Lord says, "In that coming day, you will call me -my husband' instead of 'my master.'" And "I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion" (Hosea 2:16, 19, NLT).

Now I admit, I have days when I would rather have a more "concrete" expression of God's affection. Of course I still hope to walk alongside a man who loves the Lord passionately-and I would be thrilled to lavish a mother's love on my own child or someone else's. But I am equally thrilled at all the Lord is doing in my life and how He loves me in a way no man ever could.

In the last year, the roller coaster of emotion that accompanies my singleness has mellowed into a ride over rolling hills and around gentle bends. On this road, I am learning that "contentment" is not an expletive and "singleness" is not a disease.

How will our stories end? Only the Lord knows. But let's encourage and uplift one another along the way. The task of being a single mom is especially challenging. We need each other-and good resources, like this magazine. Finally, take a moment to drink in the fact that you are a precious child of the King. Revel in His love and His great delight in you.

Janet Chismar is a senior editor at Crosswalk.com in Nashville and a regular contributor to CCM Magazine. She previously worked for Family Therapy News and the University of Maryland. Janet began her career as a reporter in Hudson, Ohio.