Wayne,
Your letter touched a chord in my heart and I have been thinking about it most of the morning. I'm answering you on the loop because I'm not sure it would be appropiate for me to answer you personnelly and yet I'm feeling like I really need to say this to you about the dating you want to do. You see, my husband and I have two children, 11 yb and 13 yg. We were impressed by God a long time ago that instead of dating we were to encourage courtship. What this means is that romance waits until a time when two people and their parents are impressed by God that it time for these two young people to come together and marry because it is His will for them to be together and because their joining will help them better serve in His plan for their lives. I realize that this is probably very strange thinking to you but it allows young men and women to grow stronger in the power of Lord and to know Him better because their focus is not on the worldly thinking of "hmm, shes/hes cute, think I'm in love" but their eyes are focused on the God. They can be secure in the knowledge that when the time is right, God will bring their mate to them. The big thing I'm concerned about in dating is that it encourges dallying in romance with no real purpose. You will probably not marry this person so why take the time to get to know them, maybe mess around (or at least think about it) in ways you shouldn't and then go through breaking up and move on to the next one. Then the pattern repeats. With this kind of doing, your heart never learns to be really true and your mind never learns to work out problems because it learns to think it can just move on when the going gets rough.
Think of this way, Wayne, you want the person you marry to pure in body and heart. While you may both be pure in body, dating encourges you to not be pure in heart. Do this, cut a heart out of paper. Rip off a piece for your 1st love. Rip off a piece for the next, and the next, and the next. Now look at what's left. This is what you have left of a pure and whole heart to give to your future wife. Is this what you really want? What God wants?
Think long and hard, Wayne. Instead of wondering about the words to say to Melissa be praying about your reasoning in wanting to date this girl. Do you feel that she could be your future wife? Are you interested because you think she might be? Or are you just looking for a date? Why?
This is long and full of heavy thinking, but I'm praying you read it and think about it. I know it's not what most people think anymore. But I wanted you to know the otherside of the coin and maybe you might give it some thought. I'll be praying for you both.
And guys, I'm sorry, I never meant to be anything more than a lurker on this list and I know this topic has nothing to do with RR but I couldn't stop thinking about it and then suddenly the words were there. I sort of feel like I'm invading male territory but it has been helpful and interesting.
Thank you for your wise words, Blessed Sparrow. Your advice has a lot to do with being above reproach in our Christian walk, which is a requirement for Royal Ranger commanders. Therefore, I believe your words of wisdom are quite on topic, and your heartfelt comments are welcome.
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Michael Paul Johnson aka Soaring Golden Eagle
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
http://eBible.org/mpj
Rocky Mountain Outpost 207 New Creation Church
Jesus Christ is Lord! If Jesus came back today, would you be READY?
