Dating
Dating at any age can be challenging, much less in middle age when there are so many more complications in life! Here are a few nuggets I’ve picked up as I stumble through this season. To easily see all the dating posts at once, go to “Topics” at the right and select “Dating”.
21st Century Imperfect Princess
On Irresistibly Fish: Taboo Topics: Singleness, Meet Alexa O S Russell aka “Is there space for Bridget Jones at church?”
Gleaning the Nuggets 
Hi stumbled across your blog and noticed this topic which we are all aware can be such a trap for young Christians. Wanted to know what you thought about it from a biblical or scriptural point of view. Does it form part of our Christian life and hows should it differ from the way the world or non believer would view it. Should differ somehow?
Well…first let me say that I don’t claim to be a dating or biblical expert, far from it. So, this is only IMHO…my nuggets…
I don’t know that there’s a lot of scripture specifically addressing how to find a mate in today’s society. Things are quite different…we don’t rely on others to choose for us, we chose for ourselves. So, at some point we have to venture into the process.
I believed for a long time that God would miraculously bring someone to me without my doing anything…the “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” idea. I think that does happen sometimes but for most of us, we have to push fear aside, step out in faith, and take a risk. Even if God does bring someone into our lives in an unexpected way, we still have to take the risk of getting to know them, which is what dating is all about. The highly respected, Christian Drs Cloud & Townsend (see my post on their book “Boundaries” at https://gleaningthenuggets.com/2011/08/24/building-beautiful-boundaries) believe in dating since it is being in relationship and God is all about relationship.
In order to do that successfully as Christians we have to cultivate the fruits of the Spirit, especially self control, peace, forbearance, joy. With the Spirit operating in our lives we can stay pure while dating like-minded believers. And along the way, God uses those relationships to mature us.
At least that’s the way I see it at this point in my life 🙂 All I know is what I know now. Thanks for your comment 🙂
Thanks for sharing. I have a strong conviction that as Christians we’ve been called to live a life of separation in the sense that in the way we live our lives should show that we are different from the world and the way they do things.
I agree with you completely. However, personally, I am not convicted that dating is one of the things we must separate ourselves from. The way dating is done must be different but not going out and meeting people. If you are, then you are doing the right thing by separating yourself 🙂 We all have different calls for the various seasons of our lives.
I see that you are overseas doing missionary work and that’s fabulous! I pray the Lord blesses you mightily, keeps you safe, and fills you with more and more joy 🙂