Dating & Relationship Advice

There is often a seasonal flavour to dating. Summer dates bring with them a delicious sense of freedom from being outdoors, winter dates give the cosy sensation of being inside on a cold day or embracing the chill. But how about times of year with variable temperatures and hours of daylight? Here are five ideas for dates you can try during the ‘in-between’ seasons, including some great Autumn date ideas.

After the first meet ups with someone new have gone well you might start thinking about introducing your date to friends – or even start double or group dating. It can be rather daunting for everyone involved! You both want to make a good impression on your friends and get the valued ‘seal of approval’ all round. I gave my now-husband a baptism of fire after we got together – the cast of the musical tour I was performing in desperately wanted to meet him and surrounded him at stage door very early on in our relationship. For my introverted husband this was completely out of his comfort zone, but he knew how much it meant to me. He totally embraced the occasion and came through with flying colours! Meeting the people who matter to you won’t always be so intense – thankfully! – but how can you make introducing your partner to friends or going on double dates as fun and relaxing as possible?

If love knocked on your door, would you fling the door open and welcome it in with open arms, would you peer at it suspiciously through the letterbox, or somewhere in between? I ask because I know from experience that looking for love and being ready for love are two different things. We may be dating online, sending messages and meeting for coffee, but we may be doing so with walls of steel around our heart. So how do you unlock your heart and prepare for love?

It might sound negative to talk about dating after divorce – or even divorce – on a Christian dating site but the reality is that many of us know the pain of divorce yet truly desire a marriage which is ‘till death us do part’. I’ve travelled this road. Married in my mid-twenties, I found myself alone in my forties when my husband left me for someone else he had become involved with. I then spent several years as a single person before meeting and marrying a lovely man who had been through his own difficult divorce before we met. Here’s what I found helpful to consider about dating after divorce along the way:

Making decisions in a relationship can lead to arguments – but it doesn’t have to be that way! In the early stages of getting to know someone, some decisions could be as simple as what to do on a date or which restaurant to eat at. Then, as the relationship progresses, you’re likely to have to decide on bigger issues such as when to take the relationship to the next level, meeting each other’s family and friends and even whether or when to get married. Whatever place you’re at in your connection with someone, here are three principles to abide by when making decisions.

Dating can be hard but one of the best bits, in my opinion, is sharing the ups and downs with other single friends. It makes the whole process more fun, less lonely and it keeps you accountable. Being able to support friends and be supported is a gift. It can be challenging however when you’re not going through the same ups and downs at the same time. How do we enjoy the journey together – celebrating, sympathising and everything in between – when everyone’s journey is different? How do you grow deeper and healthier friendships as you share your dating experiences?

Shared interests matter. Sometimes looking for a good match online can feel like searching for a tiny fish in a very big pond. Having faith in common is a given, but ideally you’d like to meet someone who shares – or at least appreciates – your hobbies and concerns too. It can feel a bit risky to add your likes to your profile – will there be anyone else who appreciates bird spotting or paddleboarding? But couples who’ve met through Christian Connection tell us time and time again how important it was to see favourite music, films and places, among other things. It was also a great way to break the ice in a first message.

Not so long ago, Going On A Date used to be a simple matter of choosing which café, pub, restaurant or film to go to. The list of options was limited, even if the company was the main attraction so it didn’t matter too much. While I love doing all these things, what strikes me these days is how much more opportunity there is to have varied and original experiences involving trying something new with no shortage of fun or quirky date ideas.
Meeting up is happening again and there’s lots to try and interesting things to invite someone to join you at. The good news is that the hospitality industry is super-keen to encourage business so there might be special deals on offer too. Here are six fun date ideas to try.