A Single Voice

By Kristen M Oaks

Kristen Oaks was single until she was fifty-three years old, when she married the widowed Dallin Oaks. Her life was not what she expected: she didn't expect to get married in her fifties and she didn't expect to marry a general authority. Yet she remained faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ regardless of her circumstances.

She wrote this book to advise and inspire the single women of the Church.

Here are some points of the book that I found helpful:

1. It validated the feelings of loneliness, sadness, and longing for a family in a family-oriented church.
2. Remaining single is not an emergency--we don't have to marry someone wrong for ourselves just to be married. We will be ok, and can build a successful life.
3. Singleness isn't a sign that there is something wrong with us, maybe it means we haven't found someone equal to ourselves yet. In our religion, we believe that there will be an opportunity to marry in the next life if not in this life.
4. God might not save us from our trials in life. We may not get all of the things we long for in life. There are many with unresolved problems in life: remaining single, being childless, having a child with severe disabilities and living with a chronic illness are some examples. Though our trials remain, God will not forsake us.
5. People might make insensitive comments because they don't understand why we are single. We need not lose perspective because of well-meaning people who have it wrong, but learn to move on.
6. She gave advice about dating and self-improvement.