Life Tip Tuesday

Growing up in a Christian home, I was taught all the things that could go wrong in a relationship and all the things I needed to protect myself from. As complicated and scary as it sounded, I was perfectly fine with avoiding dating well into my late teens. Many of the horror stories I heard from my older friends and coworkers at the time only reinforced that idea.

However, as I got older and began to build a life independent from my parents, I began to want to find a partner. I had a lot of doubts. What if I don’t find the right guy? Where would I even meet him? Although I went to church and was active in a small group of young adults at the time, there weren’t any eligible bachelors I was interested in. Most young men seemed to leave for college or military training soon after graduating high school, so our group was surprisingly female-dominated.

The college I went to also provided few options. Many of my fellow students were much older than me or simply wouldn’t have been compatible even on a friendship-level. I also refused to try dating apps. I didn’t feel comfortable starting out a relationship like that with a complete stranger who could easily be pretending to be someone he was not.

In spite of my lack of opportunities to meet people, I began to have a feeling around 19 years old. I had a feeling I would meet my future husband soon. Around that time, I started hanging out with an old friend and her friend group. Slowly, one of the young men in that group began to grow on me.

At first, I thought of him as a bit childish and immature but with a good heart. The more we hung out with that group, however, the more I began to appreciate and realize his maturity in other areas that I struggled in. I loved his sense of humor and how he made me laugh.

We became friends and I eventually acknowledged my feelings for him. But that’s a story for next time!

Takeaways for Today:

• It can be hard to find a good partner in today’s world, but good people are still out there

• Don’t settle just because of limited options; the right one is worth the wait

• It’s ok to stay single, whether forever or just a season of life

• Stay open-minded, you might meet your future partner in the place you least expect

• Starting a relationship out as a friendship first is a great way to get to know someone without the pressures and expectations that come with dating