A new survey on loneliness suggests that religious people may be more likely to be lonely than those without a faith. Trevor Barnes considers whether the church’s focus on the family can alienate those who live alone.

A few years ago, I met someone that I thought might be the one. I use the word ‘might’ because though we got on well together, I never had any peace about committing to a future with him. It was difficult to face the truth and it meant I kept the relationship going longer than I should have. Eventually, I faced reality and went through the hurt and disappointment of another relationship not working out.

Woman Alive reported on the largest ever survey of single Christians in the UK, conducted by Christian Connection.

Christian single parents are people living in a broken world who have to face the consequences of the brokenness, for themselves and their children. The majority are unwilling divorcees having to deal with a Christian spouse’s wrong choices and actions. Others are widowed or were unmarried. But the reality of Christian single parenting is the same for all – it is a hard task. We are not ‘Super dad’ or ‘Super mum’, but weak and frail human beings with unique needs and desires, like everyone else.

I have been praying on a fairly regular basis (for a while) for God to answer my prayer for a husband. And so far, to date, that hasn’t happened yet.

I’m in my late twenties. So, it hasn’t been an eternity, but I frequently am tempted—especially when I’m carrying something heavy or reaching over my head for the top shelf in the kitchen—to either steal a child’s magic eight ball or ask Siri, “When is God going to answer my prayer? Can’t He see that I need a husband? Doesn’t God say He meets needs?”

It was my first (and only) date with Holly Bond. A smart, attractive, successful woman from my church. The date wasn’t meant to have a romantic overture, and I think we both knew that. Holly and I had been friends for a while, and we got along well, so it only seemed natural to go out to dinner at least once.

The findings from a recent survey by Christian Connection was featured in an article in the July/August edition of the Evangelical Alliance idea magazine.

Sometimes I wish I was someone else.

Sometimes I wish I had a little more bravado. Sometimes I wish I laughed at things other people found funny. I wish I was more spontaneous. I wish I was unpredictable. Surprising. I wish I had that edge. Whatever that edge maybe.