Dating ...(Instagram)

Dating, I'm always fascinated with this word as it has become the buzz word for teenagers and/or older singles who are looking to mingle ;) I'll share my personal journey later but here's what I believe: (1) I believe that God has already determined our spouses (yes, He's that specific) so we don't have to guess, but we do have the power to choose ...(2) Finding God's BEST way of doing things saves time, heartache, and energy. When we've heard ONE way for so long it can falsely pose as the truth. When the truth comes along, it's often rejected as a lie.

You see, dating has been one of those things that society has encouraged for years, to the point where parents encourage it as early as 12 years old. But what does God say? I submit I Corinthians &:32, 24. The scriptures describes the responsibilities of single people ...their focus should be on pleasing the Lord. Here's what happens when we expose our children to dating: we teach them early on how to rely on their flesh. Now, I'm not condemning crushing to hell...please hear the heart of this: what I am saying is, we are encouraging our children to partake in an overly-sexualized culture. Harmless? They may never have sex, but when they break up, their intimate moments (holding hands, kissing, etc.) leads to soul ties that they can not emotionally handle. On to the next...and the cycle continues. They end up attached, distracted, and heart broken..fighting to find their identity in another girl or boy, rather than Jesus.

Here's what I suggest: encouraged friendship, always. The relationships your children should have with their peers should remain as a brother or sister ...thereby, they can learn how to resist temptation and encourage intimate relationship with Jesus rather than each other. Why have adult-like titles for someone who may or may not be your spouse? Ever heard of the dating game? That's what it ends up being, when we guess or "try the market". God's message to us? Trust Him in ALL things. I encourage teens to stay focused on the things of the Lord and enjoy life as a single youthful person! Don't grow up too fast. If you're crushing, keep it classy and remain friends. 

Pursuing Truth, D.