What if singleness isn’t just for a season…? Is it better to settle or stay single? What do you do with the crippling 3am loneliness? These are just some of the questions Esther Bentley has faced, and come out the other side with some pretty thoughtful answers.

We jokingly called Esther “the professional single,” not because she’s given up on love, but because she’s doing inspiring job of building a full, free, genuinely joyful life as a single woman. She’s wrestled honestly with the hard questions and emerged with some wisdom worth listening to.

Esther is warm, funny, and deeply compassionate. A midwife and emergency nurse who’s worked around the world, she’s delivered babies, cared for people in crisis, and flown into remote communities — all while painting, cooking, exploring the world and being the world’s best aunt to her much-loved nieces and nephews. 

In this conversation, we unpack:

• What it looks like to take the risk of staying single instead of settling
• The power of reframing the single narrative that the world offers
• How to make the most of the gift of availability
• Where to find comfort when you don’t have a partner
• How to shed the dread around age milestones like 30 and 40
• Tips for travelling the world (and staying safe) as a single woman
• What it looks like when God meets you in the depths of grief and loss

We loved this chat with Esther, and if you’ve ever felt stuck wrestling with the big questions, lonely, questioned your path, or wondered what a good single life could actually look like, this one is for you.

Pull up a chair and listen to Episode 3 of The Leftovers Table.