11 Dating Tips for Christian Teens

Nice article Chris. I kind of came to the same conclusion.

Good Job Chris!!! I have to agree, I (thus far) have never dated anyone, but these will be good for me to remember!! 🙂 🙂

This is awesome, thanks Chris! 🙂

Great article Chris! Thank you for the part about stalking. It made me laugh, because it sooooo needed to be said. 🙂

That’t ’bout right!! It’s a grand adventure!!!! 🙂 🙂

Good thoughts!! I appreciate how your perspective boils down to honouring, respecting, and caring for others (and yourself, really) in the day-to-day workings of the whole dating scene, but without getting tied up in rules. Thanks!

I’m only 14, but yea, as you say, 5 years later…

Yeah 3 months is almost….. that’s cool…. see if I brought a boyfriend home at 16 I think my parents would kinda kill me 🙂 Well, I think group dates are ok then but I can’t have a serious boyfriend until 18….. but if he cares enough (then he’s awesome) and won’t mind waiting!!!! Besides I don’t know any boys mature enough now anyways (not saying there aren’t just that I don’t know any)

Lol, same here (because I’m only 14). 🙂

Yes Ma’am I know! You too! We all deserve someone special!

Hold up your only 14 and a freshman in college??? (That’s in your profile)

I fixed it. *facedesk*

lol ok that makes a whole lot more sense!!!

I checked it out! your an amazing writer! God has definitely gifted you in that!

no, no prob

🙂 thanks for not leaving me hanging!

Another very good article. 🙂

This is SO GOOD, Christopher! Thanks for the careful thought and heart you put into this!! -Dad

thank you!! You are so sweet!!!

Trent, i just read you blog post on “Land of the Free home of the Brave…” that was Amazing!!! is it ok if i share it with a friend???

Yea lol…

Hey Al Ive! Actually you can undo bumping a post up or down. Just click the boost arrow again and it will undo it. =)

Grace, I laughed so hard when i saw that….
“So does checking their social networking everyday count as stalking?” That is to funny to be true *wipes happy tears from eyes* Oh my word….. 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

ur Welcome!!!

That’s a very good question. I’d like an answer to that as well. But they may not feel comfortable with answering, so if they don’t I wouldn’t push it. 🙂

actually also just caring enough to ask that is awesome!

Ok sorry that didn’t come out rite not sure where the cussing thing came from maybe a previous conversation… What I was trying to ask was what are some specific ways that you feel respected in front of guys and what best to say and do to make u feel respected. What kind of compliments do u think are best? Your hair looks epic, nice shoes cool hat sweet car u r very nice… Generic compliments or specific straight up ones… Sorry for all the questions it probably sounds like I never interact girls lol I am trying to counteract the negative and demeaning things I hear about girls so often with some positive input 🙂 I do try to be a gentlemen at all times especially around girls so just looking for some great ideas. Thanks!!!

yeah that sounds good except for the ma’am thing… that would be appropriate for my mother or grandmother 🙂

specific compliments ummm… i think for me personally compliments about my personality rather than my physical appearance are more flattering and suitable for being friends and feeling respected. Definitely when you start dating a girl physical appearance compliments (you look amazing, wow how long did it take for you to get your hair looking that great, etc.) are awesome but saying things like “i really appreciate how no matter what you are always patient and kind” and stuff stick with us. If you go for the physical appearance compliments when friends (i guess it depends on your relationship) then it kinda feels like we’re just being used for our body and that ur flirting with us and it can make things infinitely awkward (for both sides)

Straight up. I’m all so weird though. I don’t like beating around the bush. some girls positively swoon when you compliment there shoes. (and if she has a thing for you… watch out for the puddle affect…. It happens….)

Ok. Now can i reverse the question??? What are you guys opinions??? same question only for you guys…..

For me, compliments about my personality mean a lot. Way more than compliments about my looks

I definitely know some girls like that but not all of em. Some would actually rather you not mention their looks at all haha. Knowing your loved is defintely something nice to know though.

Lol. I have curly hair, so that epic comment really had me going there for a sec. 😀

O ya totally get n the show please!! Everyone’s welcome long comments rock!! Well short ones do to so… Lol

In this day an age, he at least needs to be able to do algebra, and preferably teach it. It’s not, like, a make or break the deal thing, but it would be so helpful.
And as for ‘get n the show’ Jess, I think people would say of me I’m not a very normal girl–the things I would tell you I look for in guys aren’t answers you’ll get from a lot of girls, I’d wager. Like I said in my earlier comment, I’ve put a lot of thought into it.
So, a itsy bitsy intro: I’m 18–which means to my parents I’m old enough to court, which is what I’d be doing when I get into that kind of relationship. But I have never been in a relationship.
Books like Sacred Marriage and Boy Meets Girl or I Kissed Dating Goodbye are great when it comes to what you’re looking for in a relationship. But not necessarily when it comes to qualities you’re looking for in a spouse. That kind of thing can only come from you, and hopefully, a biblical perspective.
Now, I will tell you first hand, when it comes to girl/boy friendships, I’ve never had much experience. Which makes it difficult no to look at any guy who comes along as ‘future spouse’ material. Which makes it difficult to keep your head on straight and your emotions intact. So, I have as of yet not looked close enough to the guys I do know to see the qualities I’m telling you that I’m looking for. A walking contradiction, I know. Be that as it may, I’ve never gotten close enough to a guy in a friendship to know him beyond conversations that usually aren’t about faith. You might know their personality, but not what biblical virtues they possess/God’s enabled them to have. You know what I mean?
Also, a lot of times, what I’ve seen in myself and think but don’t know a lot of other girls do is I/they don’t get picky. We think there’s so few prospects out there, we don’t look so critically at the guys who come along. Being really critical isn’t so good, especially on the poor guy’s part, but knowing what you’re looking for in a future spouse is important.
So, what I look for in a guy if I could keep my head on straight when I’m around him long enough to notice:
A Christian.
Mature faith.
Able to lead me in my faith(boys, take this one seriously. There are some strong Christian women out there, and if we’re to take the “man is the head of the woman as Christ is the head of the church”/man is the spiritual leader of the family seriously[not everyone takes it as seriously as my parents], this is pretty serious stuff. this is a responsibility given to my husband by God and His Son Christ. Not to scare you or anything ;D )
I would look for selflessness, which can be a lot of things. A servant’s heart is one of them, not that I’m expecting him to do dishes every night. Being a servant is also what my dad does; dealing with not so pleasant people[of which my mom can be one sometimes, but can’t we all? ;)] and working really hard for long hours each day to provide for his family.
Thoughtful/considerate. They come hand in hand. Be considerate of her feelings. Guard her emotions even if having fun would be more fun. In other words, don’t flirt with her. It hurts, because I’ll fall for him even if he’s not interested in me; when you choose another, let’s just put it this way: it hurts. Besides the flirting thing, watch the sarcasm and comments your making: think before you speak. You don’t have to overanalyze, just be considerate. The other parts that make up being thoughtful and considerate really come when you start a relationship with someone, so, I can’t say much more than that, because this comment is getting too long already.
I would say not into violence–for instance, I know this guy who really likes watching Game of Thrones. He’s always talking about swords, dragons, and telling stories about which dog he knows tore up the other dog down the street. Or how chickens tear snakes apart when you throw the live snake in their pen. Shooting chipmunks en masse with a beebee gun(I know I spelled that wrong; *wry face). So, yeah, typical teenage. This guy is 21. Still, it’s not really something I would want in my future husband; this is the kind of stuff he’d be teaching my son. *angry face*.
And hopefully he has some of the same convictions as I and my family. Like girls dressing modestly; a few other really controversial subjects I won’t bring up here; and things like what movies to watch and not to watch, what’s appropriate and not appropriate, etc.
Something that I should have listed before the last three I just mentioned, is I really hope he desires to serve God. Not only loves God and attends church, which are good things. But wants to either go into ministry, or be a pastor, or something like that. That’s for me, personally, not any of the other girls, although I’m sure there’s some out there who feel the same way.
So, yeah, that’s my take on it. Hope it wasn’t too much for you, thanks for letting me join the conversation. 😀 God bless!

that is awesome.

Wow Sadie… Yeah!!! You go girl!

Wow. That took me awhile to go through! I guess I didn’t expect math to be such a big deal to so many people!! Really good stuff Sadie, that definitely made me think. Good job for the high standards it’s really sad for me when I see so many girls get tired of waiting and just go for the closet loser! Keep it up!

Thanks Awesome! 😀 You too! Keep strong in the Lord and wait on Him. 🙂

Thanks Trent! 😀
God bless you too!

Compliments! Ahem! Well, here goes…. I’ll try not to seem as if I’m asking to be buttered up…. XD Anyway! The best kind of compliments are compliments about my character. I do like compliments about my looks and personality–but my looks and personality can change, and they are surface stuff. The compliments that really make me glow are about my character. Complimenting girls’ characters also shows that you care about character…which suggests that you have a good character! XD But, of course, make sure that your compliments are sincere.
Boy, I’m beginning to feel like I’m pretending to be a love expert…. What about you guys? What kind of compliments do you think are the best?

Hey guys thanks for your comments! It’s good to get advice like this from each other.

Two things I would encourage you all to do:
1. Interact with peers and teenagers in your community on both casual and formal settings as much as possible.

2. Get involved with a ministry. Doesn’t have to be formal–maybe start a kid’s clubs in your back yard, or at the local park, or host a community barbecue or something along these lines. Be creative and have fun!

Pursue God in this way, and forget about romance. That sounds tough, but romance really isn’t that important. It’s good and awesome, but it will happen when it’s supposed to happen. I promise.

Hope this helps! God bless!

Hey, Jess. I will take a stab at answering your questions. I know I am jumping on kinda late, here, but I have been putting a lot of thought into it.

First, what makes me feel respected: The first thing that comes to mind is that I love it when a guy respects my opinion. Even if we have different takes on something, I will respect you for yours, and really appreciate it if you do the same for me.

Now for your other question…. The “littlest” things are often really the biggest. Here are some things I notice:

-A willingness to admit that he is wrong.

-A control over his own feelings; good EQ. Slow to anger, bearing under mistreatment/misunderstanding.

-Good sportsmanship, and a gracious treatment of someone who is being a poor sport.

-A quickness to help, to volunteer.

-A good work ethic. Finishing a job thoroughly and well.

-A great relationship with his family. Treating siblings with respect.

-Respect for those older and in authority outside your family, and a heart for little kids in general.

-A man of strong convictions.

-A man of his word.

So these are some things that matter to me. In fact, as I look at them they really strike me as practical evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit in a life surrendered to God.

Cos that is really the biggest thing. A heart tuned to God. A heart for the gospel. And a heart earnestly searching after truth.

Naturally, it is important that I and whoever I may marry share the same convictions. Also, as God has given me certain talents and passions, I hope that someday I may work in a husband/wife team with a man who possesses similar passions and talents.

Thanks for asking and giving me a chance to think through all this. I hope that this is helpful. 🙂

God bless.

This was great, Sadie. This was encouraging for me to read, as a girl, and helped me to solidify my own thoughts on the subject. All the best. 🙂

😀 Love your comment Heidi!
Yeah, the part about romance is about right. I’m not one of those girls–I can enjoy most types of movie genres, but I’m not obsessed with any one in particular–and I completely agree that obsession isn’t good. From personal experience, it’s extremely difficult to pursue God and His will for your life when you’re obsessed with something other than Him.

Thanks, Heidi! I’m glad it helped! God bless you!

The part about not stalking hit me. It is so true that it just increases the one-sided fantasy that is obviously not healthy. I will definitely apply these things in the future.

Great article. It has had me thinking for a while. My mom is always telling me to guard my heart and be careful which is great advice accept that I am not dating anyone. And I’m seeing my friends starting to pair off. I remember when I was little and seeing other 15 and 16 year-old’s dating and now that I’m there, I’ve realized that it isn’t for me right now. There are some days where I think oh I’ll never have anyone, but I always have to remind myself that God does have a godly man for me. This post made me smile as it came right when I needed it. Funny how that works.

I’m curious. I see in the comments a lot about what girls are looking for but what is it that a man finds attractive? I saw the whole thing about compliments but what else? It’s kinda late but just curious…

Thanks, Sadie! Yes, balance is important in any area of life – I love how you put it. 🙂 It is amazing how, when God is put first, everything else seems to fall into place.

Absolutely! Your last sentence reminds me of Romans 8:28, “For we know all things work together for good for those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.” I also love how the following verses lead up to “If God is for us, who can be against us.”
Anyway, might have gone a little off topic there……… Some great thoughts going around on this article’s comment section. Loving the conversation here!

The part about taking courtship too far and no bounds whatsoever is absolutely true. I loved how you put this!

Thanks Genesis! Yes, I agree! It also depends on the personality of the individuals and how well they knew each other before dating and how quickly they want to get married. 🙂

Good words! 🙂

Btw, Awesome ;), I hopped over to your blog, and I really enjoyed perusing some of your posts. I see that we live in the same state. You wouldn’t happen to live _kind of_ in the northern corner? By any chance? (If you feel uncomfortable answering my question, I understand. 😉 )

God bless you too! Thanks for sharing!

Not a problem, Chris, you’re welcome. I’m glad you found it interesting.
The indirectness of Scripture in this particular area leaves me wondering what God’s purpose was in not laying down at least some specific guidelines. My guess is He desired us to “lean not on our own understanding,” and to “acknowledge Him in all our ways.” But until His return, we may never know His exact aim in leaving us hanging. 😉
I would also say to trust Him in the spontaneity and strive toward godly intent.
Romance and formulas may not be a great mix, I agree with you there, however, from personal experience, it may be difficult to remind yourself to trust God in everything, including the risk you’re taking when investing emotions in another person.
Some people may disagree with you about boundaries; they may find them to be too confining, or feel too restricted. I am not one of these people, having grown up to trust rules to keep you in the “paths of righteousness”, and not let your heart and desires run away with you. Like a few of the comments below mentioned, balance is important. So, yeah, makes sense.
The way you describe self-control sounds much the way I associate free will, not in the issue of doctrine and salvation, but a person’s will to obey or not to obey the commands God has given us. Either way, I catch what you’re getting at.
Thanks for the conversation!
God bless!

Sweet! I don’t live quite as far north as I thought I did (now that I look at a map, lol). Maybe we will cross paths some year…. 😉 All the best.

I guess some specific things I would look for would be
1. A living, growing and developing relationship with Jesus.
2. The ability to intract well with her family.
3. I would really like it if she’s maybe just a little shorter than me. 🙂 lol I’m not a very big person so… Actually at my brothers wedding I was a groomsmen and I was the shortest person in the whole bridal party, even my bridesmaid took off her heels is she wouldn’t be as taller… Lol
4. Hopefully I would hope she had the same convictions as me on a lot of stuff. Like I hope she enjoys loud music and air guitar…
5. A real desire to try to bring healing to the broken all around us and far away from us. We all need healing at some point in our lives and some times more desperately than other times.
6. As u can guess the numbers don’t mean the importance or significance of the item 🙂 and I’m not judging here cuz if know this is a touchy subject. But I see a lot of Christians who talk really spirtual and all that and then go home and watch totally wrong stuff on TV. That is a big deal for me. In psalm 101.3 part of it says I will set no wicked thing before my eyes. That’s pretty much what I try to use as a guide and filter.
So there’s probabley a whole lot more but I can’t think of anything rlse rite now so have a great day!

Ya well I had to do a little under the hood and stuff to get it to run again but it looks like… well it looks like I rolled it so it looks pretty bad… so I got some band aid magnet things and I thought it made it all better… but that’s just me 🙂

Jess, that’s really awesome! Thank you so much for sharing!
I realize during the conversation we have mentioned a relationship with Jesus but never really defined what we looked for in that. A relationship can just be a prayer a day and reading the Bible but not seeking His will or striving to learn to be more like Him. Great point for number one, thanks for bringing that to my attention!
I get the part about familial relationships(that sounded so formal, lol 😉 It is a big deal how a person interacts with the people they live with every day; it can give some good insight to their character.
I am laughing so hard at this!!!!! When it comes to being short, I know how you feel: I’m 5’1″. Your whole story is so funny!
I mentioned convictions earlier. Having similar convictions can be really important, because it will really impact a bunch of different areas of your life together–especially the raising of children, I think.
What’s air guitar? 🙂
I am really surprised at number 5. I love it, and know how it feels to try to live with that desire. It’s so hard, especially when you have no idea how to help others so far away whom God has given you a real burden for.
I know what you mean. I like that you had a Bible verse to back that up, too, good choice! My family has similar convictions when it comes to TV. One of the things I’m curious about when you mention these kinds of convictions is what kind of things would you avoid? I know my family has completely different things we try to avoid in movies than another serious Christian family does. The fact that you have a filter is really important. Many Christians put that way lower on their priority list.
Thanks again, I really enjoyed reading this!
God bless!

I’m glad that ur ok!!! I was going to be concerned, that u were writing from a hospital room!

Lol ya I like to turn it up a bit… 🙂 ya if u wanna share it go rite ahead… U can pay me by credit card or cash LOL jk 🙂

Ok. I figured not, anyway. Good talking to you!

Is it really? I’ve always felt that free will is part of what makes us special to God.

i think compliments about who i am and what im trying to do are really nice. how i look isnt that big of a deal, but really postive input goes a long way. when i was like 14 or so i really had a hard time with trying to be cool and be 14… just how i was. anyway this girl who was really pretty and seemed like she always had it together mentioned that she thought i always looked really cool. that did a lot for me at that point in time… now if she told me that i’d be like ok… awkard… but you know just to know that someone thinks im doing something right is always a plus 🙂

I consider that to be strictly a matter of opinion. Air guitar is a form of art, to be treated with all due respect…I hope you know I’m kidding! But seriously, there is even like some sort of air guitar competition thing where the best guitar playing imitator wins. (Not kidding! I couldn’t believe it either.)

But just see how far we have fallen, from dating tips for Christian teens, to epic Afros, to air guitar. (I have to remind myself that this IS a teen blog;)

I know, and fwy, Jess Jessie, I was only kidding. Thanks for joining the conversation, Mallory. Btw, I love your name.
That thing about air guitar is a little much, I think–the competitions and stuff.
I know! Reading where some of the comments on this blog start to rabbit trail reminds me of actually being in a room full of teenagers. It’s hysterical. 😉
Thanks for the info on air guitar, glad you joined in the convo.

Wait…. this is a rabbit trail? Then me in with a group of teens must be… like… a Hippo trail because we get so far of topic….

LOL. And I mean that sincerely. Very funny, Rachel. 🙂

You are 18 and have not tasted the meaning of being married and saying that one will be fine with or without getting married is too fast a conclusion in my humble opinion. Ask married Christians who are working in the vineyard of God and they will tell you how well God uses their marriage as tools in their ministries. We need to realize that ALL things assigned to us are tools for God’s kingdom to expand, marriage included. To LIVE is Christ and to die is gain, Paul said. He did not say only to work, to minister, but to LIVE. Meaning, all about our lives. To start with, without marriages of our parents, we would not be born. The Book of Genesis made it clear that we shall be fruitful and multiply on earth by the mean of marriage. Yes, there will be those who are not called to be married like Paul and Peter. But remember Abraham and Sarah who gave birth to nations. Rmember Jacob and the 12 tribes of Israel. Remember Ruth and Boaz whose marriage is a lesson to people of many genarations. Remember Issac and Rebecca, the Biblical example of a godly marriage. Marriage is not only a human choice but also a divine will. Let us dedicate our lives to Christ and allow Him to lead us. Be it to singleness or to marriage.

I loved this article because it shares the opposite opinion to what you see in High School these days. Dating really is something to take seriously, but not many people see it that way. So many of these things are overlooked by teenagers these days and its nice to see that I’m not the only person who thinks these are important to consider.

I saw the first line of your comment and was like, “She doesn’t get it at all!” Then I read the rest…

I appreciate the appreciation for my humor @mimeforJESUS 😀

Some teens just don’t seem to get that point, do they???

Who is Awesome?? Did Awesome change names?

YES!!! Listen up bros!

Yes, MFJ,
Rachel S. used to be called Awesome Sauce .

Thank you for saying that Trent… I didn’t even see this comment until just now…..

Hey Anna, thank you for telling us (to some people, it’s embarrassing). It shows boldness, which is awesome! 🙂

For over a year, I had a crush on a senior. Her name is Lauren. I was devastated when she went off to college! I thought the love of my life was gone forever.

That was 2 years ago, when I was 14. So, not much older then you are now.

A year and a half later, I met a girl named Sabrina. She’s always been a great friend to me. The two of us like each other and we both knew it (but yet neither of us said anything except subtle hints here and there. Including the “winky face” and “heart” emoticon).

So, I decided I wanted to tell her. But I wasn’t sure how. What is love anyway? So I read the Bible and read a Christian book on it.

Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love never fails.

So, it seems like Love is an action: sacrifice. Not a feeling: attraction.

I was forced to ask myself, Am I patient?
To be honest, if I were to say yes and ask her to date me, that would be a contradiction.

Am I kind?
True kindness is not about flirting. It’s about truly helping someone when you don’t feel like it. Would I want to serve my future wife when she’s old an wrinkled? That’s true kindness.

Do I envy?
Do I envy how she looks? Or even further, do I lust? Do I wish I could “have” her? Love does not envy?

Am I forgiving?
Love keeps no record of wrongs, so would I forgive my wife for not doing the dishes, for snoring?

Would I love her even when she’s 50? 80? 90?

Something I try to do is, when I see a girl that’s really attractive, I try to think, what would she look like in 50 years? Would most/all of her attractive traits be gone? “Man looks at the outward appearance, but Go looks at the heart.”

So what is love?
Christ shows his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

So, I would like to humbly suggest something radical: Love is sacrifice. Not a feeling. And if we really love that special guy or girl, we’ll be patient enough to wait. 🙂

God bless you!
– Trent

Can I just say, I’m glad you replied to this and not me. Because I would have been…. less understanding. Bravo.

Well, as you can see, I was in the same boat. So I get where she’s coming from.

I’m glad you agree. 🙂 It’s a very hard thing to do (believe me, I know) but I trust God’s timing.

P.S. Thank you! 🙂

lol. I know the feeling. My dad just started talking about girls to me in Books-A-Million. (Aka… BAM! ) loi. But honestly, the reason they probably do that is because that’s the only real time they have with us. The rest of the time we’re on our phones, computers, video games, or where your siblings can hear by putting their ear to the wall from their bedroom. So, other then a car ride, that’s all they really have.

As far as getting help outside of the home, I suggest a same-gender mentor, that you can meet a minimum of 2 hours every other week (which is about what I do). It’s like having a friend that’s as wise as your parents.

Haha, I wasn’t! I’m Aussie, man, so it was night-time here! 😛

Ditto :).

Yep. 🙂

Hey, this is irrelevant, but, what is the ip address for Tindell’s server? Just wondering… : )

Um… See the above comment.

I believe that in the twelfth line of the comment three comments above this one, the name “Tindell” is mentioned, and the eighth line includes this character’s minecraft server. I was simply asking Anna what the server’s minecraft server ip address was.

Loi?

Laughing on Inside

Triple ditto! 🙂

exactly bro!

“Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7

Promise me you will NOT tell Tindell about how I feel. Promise??? If you told him that I love him, it will be awkward every Sunday that I see him and he might feel uncomfortable around me. Say “I promise I will not tell Tindell about what you have shared with Trustworthy people.” P.S. it is a faction server and pretty new.

Yeah, I don’t think Tindell will want random people on. Even if it was just Skitterson seeing it. Sorry Skitterson. it IS kind of a private server.

Yeah, I’m fine with that.

Thanks for understanding. I just think it might be invasive. It can be a weird server sometimes. It is mostly ravines and the top building level is the flat area. Very tricky 🙂

🙂

🙂

Sounds fun : )

Lol :). Good question. Just by observation, I feel like teen boy/girl relationships are tricky because, hey, we’re teens… I mean, the typical relationship probably won’t last long, it’s mostly about “me” and what I can get out of it, and then there’s the whole “drama” aspect – getting in messy situations with friends because you don’t have as much time for them anymore, always trying to please your significant other, and then when the relationship ends, having to deal with the breakup and heartache and all that fun stuff :). I don’t think all relationships are like this (I know quite a few godly couples who married as teens), but most of the time teen relationships are just…messy :). (See “Jordan’s Messyges”, Blimey Cow :)).

Yeah, they’re pretty good :). Especially when Jordan can’t keep a straight face and starts laughing till he cries :).

It’s too bad that you can’t tell me the address. Hey! I’ve got an idea. Don’t try it if you don’t want to, but if you sent the address, then delete it from this site, only the user you replied to or those following you would get an email or notification, I think. ,’: /

Yep. Sarcasm is his strong suit :). It just makes me laugh.

Yeah. But there is the small chance of it showing up to everyone who uses “Disqus Digests” under “top conversations on the Rebelution” (I think). The only was to share that infoinfo privately is to do it via email or download an online game with Private Chat.

I’m really sorry Skitterson. just really don’t think he wants it to be for other people. There are many faction servers. You could just google “minecraft faction server IPs”

Okay 🙂

Ahhhhhhh!!!!! Blimey Coo… Wait, I’ve already raved about this before. No need to repeat myself. 😛

Yes. I like those parts. 🙂

Hehe, I know. 🙂 They are so often relevant!

I wonder if Blimey Cow knows about The Rebelution, or that they have a stack of fans here?

Hey Anna,
I can relate to you. From the time I was 6 to almost 16 there was a guy from church I really liked. However, when we got older I realized we had different views on various things in life and Biblical theological preferences. Because I never told him how I felt, it was easy to continue life without things being awkward – we’re still good friends today, and he is now happily in a relationship with a wonderful young lady. I know that you may want to tell Tindell how you feel, but I know it would be much wiser not too. I’m only 20, but I know that from the time I was a younger teenager until now, I have changed in so many ways. I know more what I believe about various theological doctrines (which is really important to know before getting involved with guys!), which the type of guys I get along better with, how I want to serve God, and what God has called me to do with my life. Have you ever wondered if maybe God had someone else in mind? Getting involved a lot emotionally with a guy before you’ve really developed who you are (as in becoming a young adult) can be really distracting and prevent you from spending your maximum time and energy serving him.
I dated a guy a couple years ago for about 6 months. I figured, since I was a young adult now, I could let the guy know how I felt. I also figured that since we both liked each other, there was no reason why not to date.
The thing was, neither of us were ready for marriage, so we really weren’t ready to date. Which means that telling each other how we felt was a terrible idea. When you know that someone you like likes you, emotions start moving fast. It became harder to wait and we started ignoring some of our boundaries – you never know how hard it is to keep them until everything about you is screaming to ignore them.
In the end, we broke up. Even though we care a lot for each other, I still don’t believe we’re meant to be together. The next year was really awkward and difficult, but now we’re goodays friends and we’re content with that.

What I’ve learned from hindsight (I made a lot of mistakes that I regret) is that I need to first concentrate on preparing myself for marriage instead of focusing on who I’ll marry. Spare yourself so much pain and don’t go revealing your feelings. If you’re not ready for marriage, you have no right to “claim” him. Let Tindell focus on what God would have him do, and you focus on God’s plans for you. If God wants you guys to be together, it will happen – but for now, concentrate on doing the things God wants you to do NOW.

Do the hard things 🙂

Exactly, Amanda!

Anna, I have actually also been in a very similar boat. The guy I liked from age 14 to 16 & 1/2 was 6 years older. We talked a lot, and had a great friendship. I thank God I never did tell him how I felt, as now, even when he’s dating another lady, we can have easy conversation when we run into each other. I would urge you, just as Trent and Amanda have, not to tell him how you feel. I completely understand you not wanting to turn away, if there’s a possibility it is God’s doing. So I would also urge you to pray. Pray that God would reveal His will to you.
And, while you wait for God’s will, Amanda’s right, let Tindell focus on what God would have him be doing right now, and you need to too. 🙂
Anyway, thanks for being so open on here, I hope we were able to help you, Anna. 🙂 Know that I will definitely be praying for you.
God bless!

Everyone has such good advise that I would never have thought of on my own. I thank you guys for your prayers and support. Sadie, your story is very similar to mine, and it has been helpful to know how you dealt with it.

Jorden But I have a condition…

Doctor Antibiotic. It will fix everything. *Starts writing on notepad*

Jorden I’m allergic to antibiotics…

Doctor Ohhhh…. Uhhh… Hmmm… I’ll proscribe you an antibiotic. *Continues writing on notepad*

Jorden No! I can’t take antibiotics! You’ve gone to medical school for 8 years. Can’t you come up with something besides antibiotics?

Doctor No! *Throws notepad* Why do you limit me so! You must have a mental illness! *Gasps* I’ll proscribe you an antibiotic!

Yep! 🙂

The main guy who does most of the talking is Jordan, and Jordan’s older brother who does the filming and script writing and sometimes shows up in the videos is Josh :).

Ha! I’m reading this just after a guy asked me for my number this weekend. In my defense, I am way too young to date and . . . . I don’t have a number to give. 😛

I’m glad to be able to help, Anna. 🙂

Great to see that you are looking for counsel and listening/considering advice Anna 🙂 I know it’s hard, but talking as someone who’s now almost 21 (yikes!) and has had some regrets that I made in past dating relationships, I simply want to urge you to think longterm – If nothing ever came out of all this, what could be the consequences, regrets, and reliefs 10 years from now? Like Sadie said, it is such a blessing to have not said anything and not have awkward feelings talking to a guy that you once liked. Also, I find most guys want (and need) to be leaders in relationships. If they’re not asking, then they’re not ready for the huge responsibility – this I learned the hard way, and yes, I do have regrets.
Just be careful. What may seem great now could lead to a lot of pain and discomfort in later years.

Hey Anna, I think you and I go to the same church. Was the Super Bowl party called “Dodge Bowl” and the Student Ministry “Remedy”?

Okay. 🙂 Probbably just an irregular coincidence: Dodge Ball and Superbowl party at the same time. 🙂 Wow.

Cool! My church did the same thing a few years ago. They actually bought an empty mall for the new building! Probably overkill at the time, but the church is definitely growing. 🙂

That’s so neat! In a huge step of faith, our church bought an old abandoned restaurant building a few years ago, and it took about 18 months to make the space usable as a church building. Now we have a beautiful auditorium and a sweet kitchen. xD Plus, our congregation has almost doubled 😀

Wow, it’s interesting to look back at the discussions I didn’t join in the beginning, but I would totally jump in on now…

That’s funny : loi!! Love it!!

A great article! Personally I met my boyfriend online. I was just surfing the net and came across one interesting site https://kovla.com/datings/us/bracken And when we started chatting I liked him but I couldn’t trust him. So it took me a whole year to realize that his intentions were serious just like my ones. After a year of chatting we finally met and now I’m happy with him. We’ve been dating for 2 years for now. That’s why I think that it should pass some time before dating someone. Just to make sure it’s that person whom you need, and whose thoughts and intentions coincide with yours.

Thank you, Gabrielle! Yes, I’m new here 🙂

Oh, that’s a good idea!
Loi 🙂

Dear Anna,

I know I am 3 months late to this conversation, but I just thought that my story might possibly help you if are still struggling with the situation with Tindell.

When I was in my young teens, I was very “lovestruck” with my best friend’s brother. Let’s call him Matt. He was 8 years older, and it felt difficult for me to control those feelings because our families were close and spent so much time together. I didn’t want to consider any other guys without comparing them to him; and I often dreamed of how he might finally like me back.

One day, I heard from his sister why he liked me as a friend but not as a potential spouse. It hurt, but I tried to move on. As God would have it, I met Josephine soon – a slightly older girl from another church who sounded exactly like whom Matt was looking for (according to the criteria I heard from his sister). Determined to act as a good friend, I set Josephine up with Matt. They hit it off and married within 12 months.

Soon after Matt married, his cousin Titus dropped by my house one day. Titus was one of the most outstanding young men in our church, widely considered one of the most eligible Christian men in our community. But since he was 10 years older than I, I just never really thought about him that way.

Long story short: he asked me out, we fell in love, he proposed, and we were married the year after I finished college. As of now, we have been blissfully married for more than two years, and I have loved him more each day we spend together. He is an absolutely amazing husband.

The funny thing? Titus says that he had always loved me, but he never made a move because he thought Matt was pursuing me. Then when I so publicly introduced Matt to someone else, Titus realized that I was actually available and stepped up to pursue me. And I’m so glad he did 🙂

Whether or not Tindell is God’s chosen one for you…let Him do His magic. He makes all things beautiful in His time 🙂

-A former rebelutionary

Thanks for this comment, Olivia. That’s one of the things I really like about this article too.

I really needed to see this. I swear sometimes it’s like you guys know exactly what I need to hear. I just went through a nasty break up, am still going through it. Last Sunday I ended my 10 and a half month relationship with a wonderful guy. But God was pulling us in two different ways and it wasn’t working for us anymore . It’s still really hard and painful sometimes. But I pray every night for wisdom and strength. I guess I always sort of knew what I wanted in a guy but now with this list I know what I need to do when I find him. 🙂

Wow, Raisinette, (love the name btw!) that is an awesome story!

Praise be to God. May He write your love story just as beautifully 🙂

Wow! I am new here and this is my first time posting a comment although I read some articles here. Thank you so much for this! This is worth to read! I so love the number 2 and number 4. Hihi Keep inspiring others through your passion in writing! God bless! 🙂

Congratulations on your first comment, Jamaica! =)

I have no doubt He will!

Oh, well I saw everyone welcoming you a month and a half ago or so, and I assumed you were new!

I don’t remember… But it was from the first while that I was here. I might have you mixed up with somebody else. I didn’t know names very well at the time!

welcome to the Rebelution! glad you’re here!

But, that was longer than three months ago. Weird.

Thanks for This! Some really good points made! I’ve been home educated all my life as well 🙂 love it! Bless you!

Thank you!!

You might also check this http://goo.gl/6uTgzP 5 Important Tips If You’re Considering Christian Online Dating

Very good article.

Me and my boyfriend have been together for a while and I really want to get us purity/promise rings. I’ve found some nice ones online, but I’d really rather go to a shop to get them so we can get them sized and just have the experience of it. I’ve tried looking online for some places, but only find places with promise rings that lack the religious aspect, which is what is most important to us. If anyone knows any places, I’d really appreciate some suggestions.
-Chicago

I will try to follow these tips I’ve had many problems with women obsessed I just want a normal . these days I saw an ebook that seems to have been written in my life link: http://theobsessionformulareviews.com/ Jonas Castellanos

Thank you so much for this!
I’m a fairly young teenager and I have only had one boyfriend (it was an online relationship), but I have had many young men interested in me. The most recent one is actually one of my best friends. We have known each other for about 6 months, and we’ve been talking a lot for the past couple months. I’ve been interested in him for awhile, but I didn’t think he returned my feelings, so I tried to keep it quiet. But, on Friday night, he told me that he returns my feelings. Neither of us can date right now, and he’s moving away soon, so this it really hard for us. We are both Christians, so we are trying to put God first in this, and seek His will regarding this. I don’t know what God has in store for us, but no matter what happens, He will work things out for our good and His glory. It can be really hard to wait on the Lord and trust that He knows what He is doing, but if we do wait, it will be so worth it!
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Again, thank you so much for this post! ^_^

This is a lot to think about.

Hey Charity, I know this is a month late, but thanks for the comment! I’m glad it blessed you!

You are certainly on the right track by putting Christ first! There is no relationship worth pursuing more than your relationship with Christ!

And remember: You’re young. You’ve got plenty of time. I know it’s hard sometimes, especially if things don’t work out.

May God fill you with wisdom and vision for what He’s calling you to. God bless!

Mostly because there is a lot to keep in mind, and I’m not old enough.

Thanks for the good tips!! This is something that most teens need to hear.
I’m going thru a hard time right now – was in a relationship with an amazing Christian guy and we decided to end it, thinking that we aren’t dating Biblically since we aren’t ready for marriage yet. We’re both young, in our sophomore year of highschool, and hope to get back together at some point, when we’re older and ready/able to think about it in regards to marriage. Its hard to know what to do though, and hard to go through this, as he means a lot to me. This was an encouragement 🙂

This is my first time here and it won’t be the last. I am married, been married for almost ten years and I wish I knew some of these things earlier. I was looking for an answer to a youth meeting I will be attending and saw this. God bless you

Great post, Christopher! Dating is itself a tough task in one’s life. Every person wants to make his/her date memorable. There is one more thing to know for a healthy relationship that you should trust each other. In relationship, trust is the major factor which can make or break your relationships. For more Dating tips visit our website.

Haha, I know the feeling. You are most welcome, Bethany!

Still a good article 10 years later. I’m 19 and haven’t dated anyone yet at all. But God hasn’t brought anyone into my life yet so definitely going to come back to this.

I’m curious how many of you are married now that it’s been 6-10 years.