Marriage is not the upgrade — and singleness is not the consolation prize.

In this episode of An Epiphany with Tiffany, Tiffany sits down with author and speaker Bob Wheatley to reframe how the church views singleness.

Bob shares the heart behind his book Single Minded, written not from the rearview mirror of marriage but from the middle of his own journey. He speaks candidly about loneliness, hope deferred, cultural pressure, and the tension between desiring marriage and embracing the present season.

This conversation covers:

• The “Pauline advantage” of singleness • Why marriage and singleness are both 10 out of 10 • The subtle ways the church pities singles • The emotional weight of holiday questions • The “Tale of Two Horses” analogy • What it means to invite God into Friday night loneliness • Why singles don’t need to be fixed — they need to be unleashed

If you’ve ever felt behind, overlooked, or heartsick… this episode will remind you that your season is not lesser. It is intentional.

🎧 Bob is generously offering a FREE audiobook copy of Single Minded to listeners:

https://app.helloaudio.fm/feed/20df5db5-0ccb-44e2-8fff-1bb4ac70c5bc/signup

Connect with Bob: Website: https://bobwheatley.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bob_wheatley/

In this episode of An Epiphany with Tiffany, I’m joined by Melissa Gendreau, founder of Forward Path with Melissa, for an honest and grounding conversation about feeling “behind” in life — especially when it comes to singleness, marriage, and purpose.

Melissa shares insights from her background as a licensed therapist turned Christian life purpose and marriage coach, helping us unpack comparison, insecurity, all-or-nothing thinking, and the pressure of timelines that don’t actually come from God.

We talk about why the word “should” can quietly create shame, how social media distorts our sense of progress, and why singleness isn’t a waiting room but a meaningful season of growth. This conversation also explores the difference between therapy and coaching, the role of grief in faith, and why marriage doesn’t fix insecurity — it magnifies it.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Why hasn’t this happened for me yet?” or felt stuck between trusting God and grieving unmet expectations, this episode is for you.

My hope is that this conversation helps you release shame, embrace growth, and move forward with humble confidence — right where you are.

• Feeling behind in singleness, marriage, and life milestones

• Why the word “should” can be harmful

• Comparison and the pressure of timelines

• The gift and growth opportunities of singleness

• Black-and-white thinking versus living in nuance

• Why marriage doesn’t fix insecurity

• Therapy vs. coaching and when each is helpful

• Faith, grief, and trusting God with unmet expectations

• Practical wisdom for singles navigating insecurity and emotional maturity

• Your timeline is not broken — it’s just different

• Singleness is not a waiting room; it’s a formative season

• Insecurity and immaturity don’t disappear with marriage

• Growth requires honesty, not self-punishment

• You can hold grief and faith at the same time

Melissa Gendreau is the founder of Forward Path with Melissa and a former licensed therapist who now serves as a Christian life purpose and marriage coach. She helps individuals and couples build humble confidence, strengthen relationships, and move forward with clarity, faith, and intention.

Website: MelissaGendreau.com Social Media: @ForwardPathWithMelissa

If this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with a friend and leaving a rating or review — it helps the show reach more people.

You can connect with me on Instagram, TikTok, and Threads at @AnEpiphanyWithTiffany.

Until next time — I’m Tiffany, and I hope you just had an Epiphany. <3

Welcome to An Epiphany with Tiffany. I'm your host, Tiffany Kelly, and this podcast is for Christian singles who love Jesus, but feel caught in the tension of faith, desire, and real life.

If you've ever wondered, “Am I behind? Did I miss my chance? What does a full, God-honoring life look like if I'm still single?”—then you're in the right place.

Around here, we talk about the whole experience of singleness: faith and church culture, friendships and community, purpose and calling, emotional health, identity, and yes, dating disappointment. But also, we talk about hope.

Through honest stories, heartfelt conversations, and practical, Christ-centered encouragement, my goal is to help you feel seen, heal from harmful messages, and live a grounded, joyful, Jesus-focused life right now—not just one day if your relationship status changes.

New episodes of An Epiphany with Tiffany drop regularly, and you can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts.

To stay connected and get resources like my free 7-day devotional sampler, visit: 👉 anepiphanywithtiffany.com

You can also follow me on Instagram: 👉 @anepiphanywithtiffany

Hit follow or subscribe so you don't miss an episode. And who knows—you might just have an epiphany of your own.

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Support the Show: If this podcast encourages you, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts and share this trailer with a friend navigating singleness and faith.