Marry is a funny thing. So, I figured it was time to write a post specifically for those who are in serious dating relationships, or want to learn principles for dating when they meet that special someone. Note: The above podcast episode is based on a previously written blog post. So, feel free to listen above or read on below. Either way, we hope it blesses you!
Selena and I are happy to share that we just purchased a home! Like marriage, this web page a home is a Dating decision with huge consequences. Oddly, I see quite a few parallels between the two. After all, both require serious commitment, investment, time, and energy. For the past year, long before we started looking for a house, we started keeping a list of non-negotiables. This was HUGE for us. When it came time to start searching, we knew what we were looking for, so eliminating options was very straightforward.
While dating, you must both understand the non-negotiables in your relationship and agree on them. The list is actually quite short in my opinion: faith. If you disagree on faith, you will disagree on most important things. Check out Habakkuk 2. Will you ever be perfect?
The goal is count the cost of marriage and make sure you understand the weight of dating. Do you understand what lifetime commitment really means? And do you understand the true definition of love? You will never be fully ready for marriage — no amount of how-tos or tips will prepare you — marry you can count the cost.
We could have never found the right house without a team of advisors: our realtor, our mortgage broker, the title specialists, the inspectors, underwriters, and an appraiser. Each person assisting us and thank God they were all honest, hard working people!
They poked dating prodded at the home and paperwork with a common goal in mind: getting us into a solid home within our means. This guarded us from getting fixated on the external qualities of the home whilst missing bigger underlying problems.
5 things to consider when dating toward marriage
Then this is just as cruciallisten! See Proverbs and Note: the source of your counsel is just as important as the counsel itself. Make sure dating get Bible-based advice. Once we found a home we liked, we had to look closer.
Surface attributes bedrooms, baths, price, layout, etc can be quickly confirmed, but we had to check the structure of the house before pursuing further. The most costly issues in home purchases involve its foundation, wiring, and structure.
Thus, we got a home inspection. Nobody wants a house that will collapse or burn down! Your marriage must have a strong foundation, and the only strong foundation is Christ. He is our only true standard of love and only he provides guidance for loving and being loved when one side of marry relationship is unloveable. Attraction may bring you and your future spouse together, but only love will keep you together.
Christ is the only foundation for love. The paint.
Is color important? Perhaps, but it is purely external. In fact, our house looks like a smurf…no joke. We decided to view the home because it met our non-negotiable requirements. We would have never found it if we were overly concerned with external qualities.
When dating and considering a marriage, emphasize what matters most and be marry everywhere else. When Selena and I were dating, I fell in love with her personality, her love for Christ, and her ability to see beauty in almost anything. She is not a body with a soul, but a soul with a body. Those things can and will change.
But the deeper qualities — faith, personality, sense of humor, etc — will endure for a lifetime.
Should you date to marry?
That single statement cemented the entire just click for source of dating relationship. We both knew the end game was a lifelong commitment to each other. Everything we did was within this context. Love, by definition, is enduring. Love marry no condition or expiration date.
If you more info date or are dating, let it be with their soul in mind and marriage in view. Those who do can expect unique interactions, behind-the-scenes access, and random benefits like freebies, discount codes, and exclusive content.
More than anything, you become a tangible part of our mission of pointing couples to Christ and commissioning marriages for the gospel. Become a partner today. Become a Fierce Marriage Partner Today.
Ryan Frederick is passionate about helping men treasure Christ most and love their families well. He and his wife, Selena, created Fierce Marriage with one simple mission: to point couples to Christ and commission marriages for the gospel. Together, their writing reaches millions of monthly readers around the world with the transformational message of the gospel.
View all articles by Ryan Frederick. By Ryan Frederick Ryan Frederick is passionate about helping men treasure Christ most and love their families well.
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