For years my thoughts on dating have been to find a girl I like and find attractive. Become friends, start dating and probably end up married. And I feel there are many people out there like that. Even my sister told me that’s what she thought of dating.

But recently another perspective came to mind. Something that heavily involves God.

So I re-thought my model to include God. And I also removed the end goal of marriage, because marriage is the start of a life-long commitment, not the end of dating.

Part One
It’s important to be good friends before starting to think about dating, and that might take two weeks, or three years. But eventually you will both get to a stage when you like each other and want to start dating.

Part Two
This is where God comes into things, not that he hasn’t been involved in Part One. When you start a relationship, agree together to start it with the goal of getting to know God better.

Whether this is through reading the Bible together, serving together, ministering together, or all of the above. But do this with the objective of getting to know God better. And I promise you that as you get to know God better you will get to know each other better. Why else do you think so many relationships start at Bridal Col… sorry, Bible College?

Part Three
As you guys get to know each other better you may both feel that marriage is on the horizon, that’s cool. Keep going strong for God together for the rest of your lives.

However, if you feel as though the other person isn’t right, that’s ok, marriage was never the goal. God was, and he always is, whether you’re together or not.

In all relationships the glory and thanks should go to God. And if what this world says about dating gets in the way, just remember to keep the focus on God.