By Leann Long
Springtown, MO--The Christian community in Springtown, Missouri, is outraged over a community member's unwillingness to do anything possible to get married as soon as possible.
Having still not met a man she wants to marry at the ripe age of 22, Carrie Webster refuses to force herself to fall in love with any of the available Christian men she knows. Even though several of the men interested in marrying Webster are virgins and many more are born-again virgins, she still refuses to consider any of them, claiming she is seeking a man who can satisfy deeper issues, such as challenging her spiritually and intellectually.
Adding to Carrie's peculiar life choices is her complacency in being single. Webster's former Sunday School teacher, baffled at how someone from her church could be so defiant, doesn't know what to make of Webster's rebellious behavior. "Not only is she being ridiculously selective in choosing a mate," said Mrs. Linda Mae McGlashan, "something that really doesn't require much thought, but she is also fine with not getting married for several more years!"
Webster attributes part of her contentment to remain single to her successful career, which she claims is "very fulfilling."
Not being tied down with a husband or family has allowed her to travel frequently with her company and meet interesting people from around the world. According to Webster, her globe-spanning trips have given her the opportunity to build relations with and witness to many individuals.
"Being single so long has given me time to discover my own passions and interests and build a career," she said.
The entire community is perplexed by Webster's choice to actually pursue a career after graduating from college, as young Christian women in the Midwest typically attend a small liberal arts or religious college for the sole purpose of finding a husband.
Testament University graduate Tracy Bolles met her husband the day she moved into the dorms as a freshmen and says she felt as though her life's mission was complete. "He was a tall basketball player at a Christian university-more than I ever dreamed I would find in a man."
Bolles did complete an undergraduate degree in public relations but said she has no interest in that field. She reports, instead, "utter contentment" as the wife of a former college basketball star.
Not all Midwest girls are as lucky as Bolles, unfortunately. Wheaton, IL native Jenny Stream did not meet her husband until her sophomore year of college. "I stuck out like a sore thumb my freshmen year because I was not in a serious, Christ-centered relationship," Stream said. "It took me a while to find a guy who was called into ministry."
Stream is not alone in wanting to marry someone who is called into ministry. According to a recent study conducted on college campuses throughout the Midwest, South and Southwest, 95% of all young Christian woman feel called to be pastor's wives.
With so many girls finding true love by the age of 19, what is Webster's problem? Sociologists from a nearby Lutheran college placed the blame on her family, but Sandy Webster is flabbergasted and ashamed of her daughter's behavior and choices.
"I am ready to pour thousands of dollars into a 20-minute wedding ceremony," Sandy said, tears streaming down her face. "But Carrie insists on rebelling. I'm utterly appalled by her selfish actions. She should have already given me a couple of grandchildren by now, yet she is more concerned with establishing a life and identity of her own. I don't understand why she can't just sacrifice all of her personal goals and choose one of the local Christian men to spend the rest of her life with. Why can't she just live her life exactly like I want her to-the way a Christian woman should."
The entire Christian community in Springfield has publicly committed itself to praying daily that God will lower Webster's standards so that she can settle down-and so that her days as successful career woman can come to an end. Although her parent's and church community acknowledge that waiting until she is older to marry will give her more time to develop as an individual and, thus lower her chances of getting divorced, they want her to select a husband now because that is what young Christian women do.
Carrie's father, Steve Webster, wishes he still had the power to ground his daughter for the controversy she has created-however, he fears that grounding will only exacerbate the problem.
"Having a job that makes her happy and gives her the freedom to follow her dreams is not part of God's plan and is no way for a Christian girl to live her life!" Webster said.