Kristin is a sweet online friend that I have the honor of knowing. You can go here to read a post that she just wrote recently. I told her that I would post a few tips on courtship for her, as she is going through that season of life right now! Her sister, Jaime, another online friend, wrote this post for her sister.
I've already posted our courtship story, so I won't rehash that :-) I like lists, so maybe I'll just do this by listing a few things that helped us through our courtship. I hope this helps you Kristin!! I also want to say that I was really blessed by reading your sweet story.
1. This is such an exciting time of life, but it is also filled with many temptations - physical and spiritual. Make a habit of committing every decision to prayer. Pray alone, and pray together. I know you two are already doing this!!
2. Talk, talk, talk!! We had a sort of long distance relationship, and we used our weeks to talk about anything and everything we could think of. We only saw each other on the weekends. This was such a blessing because we still talk about anything and everything.
3. We read a Christian book together - actually we read it simultaneously and discussed it on the weekends.
4. This one you've already done: become best friends. I can truly say that my husband is my very best friend. He's the one that I can "let my hair down with." I covet time with him - I just love being with him!!
5. Here's one I wish we had done: minister to others together. We occasionally helped out with church functions etc, but I wish we could have found a ministry to participate in together. I've seen other courting couples do this, and it is a wonderful foundation to build a relationship on.
6. Be mindful of others. I taught Sunday School for many years before I met my husband to be! I knew that all my former students were watching to see how we handled ourselves. You can be such a blessing in this way.
7. Courtship is a wonderful preparation for marriage. We had focused on knowing each other's hearts. The honeymoon I shared with my husband was so unbelievably amazing. Everything was fresh and new. We had just spent a wonderful day in the presence of all of our friends and family. We had waited. We had hoped. And now we were together!! I can't describe how "right" it was.
And now I must go and spend some time with this man I've been talking about. I wish you the best, Kristin. I'm sure I could think of more to say if I sat here longer, but maybe there will be other opportunities!!
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4 comments:
Thanks for the great tips! I'll certainly keep them in mind in the event that God has courtship and marriage in mind for me!
Great post! Very helpful. I'll remember it for the years to come...;-)
One of the most important things about considering a marriage partner is the approval of your parents. I was older when I met my true love!!! I was 36 years old from Indiana, he was 38 and came from Texas!!! We soon fell in love but Dad didn't approve because, although Mark was a Christian and preparing to be a minister, he had been divorced. I had been "good" all my life...never smoke, drank, partied etc. Mark had lived a wild life before becoming a Christian.
In respect to my dad we dated for five years and were then prepared to break off our relationship if he did not approve of our marriage. The first two times Mark asked Dad if he could marry me Dad said "NO". So the last time Mark asked we had already decided if he said "NO" again, we would break up.
But THAT time Dad said, "I don't want to stand in the way of God's will." He also said he would walk me down the aisle and give me away.
Mark and I enjoyed a beautiful wedding, the loving, close relationship with my parents until Dad went to heaven four years ago.
I AM SO GLAD WE WAITED. It strengthened our marriage and gave it stability. Also, God gave us the grace to remain sexually pure until our marriage.
I thank Him for that!!
I enjoyed this post. I have been married for 38 years. I know I am old enough to be your mother. I agree with everything that you have said on this post but just want to add my experience if I may? Over the years I have found that the more "we" loved the Lord.....the more "we" loved each other. I know it sounds too simple, but that has been my experience.
Carol
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