Daring to Date Differently

Introduction

We live in a society that constantly attempts to impress upon us the idea that dating someone is meant to be a casual affair. That it is more of a way to achieve instant gratification than to pursue a life-long commitment with someone that you truly love. That physical attraction is synonymous to love. That marriage is not something to look forward to, but rather an inconvenience or a piece of paper. That by vowing to love one person faithfully, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, ‘til death do you part, you are choosing to be tied down and cannot enjoy any sense of freedom. That we should do whatever feels right, whatever might possibly fill the void(s) that we have in our hearts.

I am here to tell you that all of those things that society tries to impress upon us are lies. Here is the truth: Dating is meant to be a way for you to evaluate whether or not you should marry the individual that you are dating. Love is so much more than physical attraction . Marriage is a beautiful gift from God that acts as a symbol of the kind of relationship that He desires to have with you: bound by an intimate, unconditional, unending love . Marriage allows you and your spouse to enjoy love the way God intended: freely, fiercely, and fully. Finally, there is only one way to fill the void in your heart that doesn’t seem to go away despite any of your futile efforts, and that is by having a personal relationship with God (See “The Best Decision That You Will Ever Make” for more information). Before we go any further, I need to tell you a few things. First, you are important. You are enough. You are valuable. You are chosen . You are forgiven . You are fearfully and wonderfully made . You are wanted. You are special . You are redeemed . You have a purpose in life . You are a child of the King, and you can do anything . But most importantly, you are loved more than you can even imagine, by someone who died so that they could have a personal relationship with you . That person’s name is Jesus.

The purpose of this book is to provide you with Biblical-based truths written in love about the realities of dating in a world that never ceases to try to lure you into settling for less than what God has for you. I have learned most of these things from the three and a half years Christian, my husband, and I dated. While I am married now, and you may be questioning whether my opinion is relatable or relevant because I am no longer in the dating scene, I finished writing this book while we were still dating and before I turned 20. This book came from the bottom of my heart, from my passion to help other couples navigate the dating world by sharing things that I wish Christian and I knew ahead of time. In fact, many of the chapters were written as Christian and I faced challenges and sought the Lord to resolve them. Whether you have just begun dating or have dated for years, I believe that this book can be extremely beneficial in helping you both have a happy, successful relationship that is centered around God. Or perhaps you are single. If that is the case, then I believe that by reading this book, you may be saved from potential heartbreaks. I want to challenge you and encourage you to dare to date differently than the rest of the world and to relentlessly pursue God side-by-side.

I want you to know that I am praying for you as you embark on this journey. To the couples reading this, I pray that your relationship with each other strengthens and that by becoming closer to each other, you each become closer to Christ. I pray that as you grow closer to Christ, you begin to see Him working in other areas of your life. I pray that you learn more about yourselves and each other than you ever have before. To all of you, I pray that the Lord directs your steps and that you are open to whatever He tells you while reading this book. I pray that God uses this book to impact your life in a radical way and that you share what you learn with other teens that you come in contact with. Finally, I pray that the Holy Spirit puts a burning desire in your heart to take a stand for purity and to pursue Christ with all that you are. I am excited to see God move in your lives and I cannot wait to go on this journey with you. I’ll be here every step of the way.

Love, Haleigh