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Genette Jackson says she has a great life as a single woman. She enjoys her work and gets to travel. Most important, she's reached a place of contentment while she waits for that special someone.

"Society's underlying message seems to be that something is wrong with you if you don't have a man," said Jackson, who lives in Brentwood. "People don't support you if you aren't dating or, if you are dating, aren't getting married."

Jackson will team up with Bladensburg resident Elizabeth Brown to teach a 13-week course called "Every Single Woman's Battle" at the District Heights Church of Christ.

Brown created the proposal for the class, and a church elder asked Jackson to serve as a co-teacher.

"I've been a part of singles ministries," Jackson said, "and this is an opportunity to talk about the challenges and our desire to remain pure for the Lord."

Jackson said most parents and church leaders seem unwilling to discuss issues relating to single women.

"Parents don't talk about it," she said. "And in the church, more is needed to help single women. We need to talk about and encourage accountability. We often face pressure to conform to society's ways of doing things in addition to dealing with our own emotional and physical needs."

Although people typically think singleness is a challenge for men, women have additional difficulties because of their emotions, Jackson said. Women, she said, have to learn how to handle emotional attachments and not let their desire for relationship lead them into difficult entanglements.

"We desire to have someone, even when we know it's not healthy," she said. "And some of us reach a point where we say, ‘I don't want to be a bridesmaid anymore.'

"We begin to feel anxious about wanting [to be married]. You have to get that thinking under control or you'll make mistakes you regret."

Through the course, women will gain the tools as well as accountability partners to help them manage common pitfalls.

For instance, sex outside of marriage isn't a good idea, despite society's permissive attitudes, Jackson said.

"God's word always holds true and He still desires certain things for us," she said. "As humans we change all the time, but He never changes, and that is where our hope lies."

And on a practical note, slipping out of bounds just isn't worth the guilt and consequences, she added.

"Once a woman crosses the line, she often creates a different kind of connection that's hard to break," Jackson said.

The key to enjoying life before marriage, Jackson said, is understanding your purpose. Singleness is an optimal time to grow spiritually, develop personal interests or mentor others.

"It's about loving ourselves," she said. "Once you understand who you are and your purpose, you'll live your life differently."

The classes are open to women who have never been married as well as those who are single again because of divorce or the death of a spouse. Brown, who has attended the church for at least 20 years, is a widow.

"Either way, you're a female without a partner, and if you desire to be married, there is commonality," Brown said.

Brown launched the class because she found that young women couldn't seem to maintain meaningful relationships. She also noticed and read statistics about the number of children born out of wedlock.

"I wanted to let young women know there is another way," she said. "Women are compassionate and driven by their desires for love, affection and attention.

"They don't seem to be able to find that in relationships, and they want more. I want to show them how they can have that in a different way."