Dating apps are proving to be harder to navigate than even a lot of relationships are. There’s a culture to them, a science to them, and in a world where we have so much access at our fingertips to begin with dating apps, especially having multiple apps set up all at once, can be overwhelming, confusing, and even really irritating when we can’t seem to get it right.
Relationships start with excitement, with joy and with anticipation. We feel the opportunity for love, for covering, and for connection. But often after excitement comes an opportunity for disappointment, and it's here in this place that if we can lean in and not run away or become accusatory we can truly grow.
Sin kills us! Resisting it yourself, and encouraging others to do the same, is a good idea and I would even say is a GOD idea! However, in a world that is driven by political correctness, it can be tempting to partner with this spirit and join in its polarizing effects by treating those in sin as if their behavior is “totally okay.” Or, on the other side of the coin, you may find yourself trying to create a culture of righteousness and in doing so shame the people that you love.
If someone doesn’t like you, it’s okay. It’s not who you are, it’s just one guy. It doesn’t mean that no one will ever like you, or that you're unlovable, or not enough. Those are all lies from the enemy. Even if you’ve lost a few games or a few guys, that doesn’t mean you’re unlovable either. It just means you haven’t found the right one yet.
If you want to be truly successful in life, aside from serving Jesus, the single most effective thing you can do is to choose your closest friends wisely.
We often talk about boundaries in dating. But we leave out why we don’t like boundaries (AT ALL!) and the purpose behind them... This is a conversation about why there’s so much skepticism surrounding boundaries in dating and how those same boundaries fuel the Kingdom calling that is on your relationship. Because yes. There is a Kingdom calling on your relationship and Jesus is waiting on you to see it, especially now, as you date.
I’d propose that numerous people have been seduced by things that masquerade as love but are just cheap imitations of the real thing. In fact, I have a growing concern that many within the Church associate God’s love with a version that looks noble on the outside but leads people into deep vortexes of emptiness and bondage.
Our friends are blessings (and sometimes seasons) as we mature throughout life. The people that God puts in our lives are meant to bring us closer to Christ by offering compassion, fellowship, humble correction, and forgiveness. If we want to truly maintain and strengthen our friendships, we need to have an open heart and mind on how to love them better as life goes on.
Choosing counseling takes humility as it exercises the belief that there is always room for growth and improvement. It’s showing yourself and your significant other that you’re willing to grow as an individual while also growing together- this kind of mindset helps build a steadier foundation of trust for your future marriage. The number of sessions you choose to invest in prior to the wedding date are up to you and your counselor, but we recommend anywhere from 5-10 and definitely incorporate counseling into your normal married life routine!
Here’s the thing: Jesus doesn’t say that “life abundantly” starts when we get married….he says it starts when we enter relationship with Him. For the believer in Christ, life abundantly is happening right here, right now, in this very moment – no matter what your relationship status.
Don’t be afraid to let go of something that you know deep down isn’t right, even if it’s something that looks like what you thought you wanted. Step back, heal your heart, and trust that real love is worth the journey to wholeness.
Screen Time Management: Control how long your teen can spend on TikTok each day. In addition, TikTok has partnered with top creators to make short videos that appear right in the app and encourage users to keep tabs on their screen time. These fun videos use the upbeat tone our users love while offering a suggestion to take a break and do something offline, like read a book.