Dating & Relationship Advice

Dating can be exciting and fun but if our journey to a happy, healthy relationship includes some unexpected bumps in the road or takes longer than we’d hoped, we can become disillusioned or downhearted. Here are four truths that will help you to continue to date with your head held high, with your self-esteem intact, with hope in your heart and with the certainty that God is on your side.

Meeting up for a date can be exciting just because you’re getting to spend time with someone interesting with romantic potential. But you shouldn’t feel pressure to make every occasion an extravaganza. Sometimes what you need are relaxing date ideas. As well as creating space for conversation to develop – or opportunities for comfortable silences – taking your time in a low key setting can help to deepen your connection too.

“Couples don’t need to have anything in common,” said a male character in a novel I read recently. “The man can go to his club in the evenings while the woman knits or watches television.” Contrast this with a real-life couple I read about who made a vow they would only have interests or friends or pastimes they both enjoyed. If one of them didn’t like whatever it was, the other would immediately give it up in case it interfered with their love. The first example gave me a good laugh and the second gave me claustrophobia. It also got me wondering: is having the same tastes as your partner relevant when it comes to relationships? What should you do about dating with different interests?

Prayer should be a key part of the life of a Christian, but sometimes we wrongly think we should only be praying about serious things or more ‘spiritual’ things, like world peace and salvation. However, the Bible talks about praying without continually, and praying about everything. And everything includes singleness and dating!

How can dating stay fresh? Instead of getting stuck in a rut, whether going on first dates or keeping dating alive in a long term relationship, look for date ideas with imagination. Doing the same old things, going to the same places, ordering the same takeaways, going on the same walks can be an easy habit to fall into – even if meeting someone for the first time and relying on an ‘old favourite’ instead of a new idea – but maybe it’s time to mix it up a bit! Give your dating life a refresh with some simple changes.

Have you ever been on a date and thought afterwards, “I wish I didn’t talk so much about my cat”, or “Why did I wear these shoes, my feet are killing me!”? Going on a date can be nerve-racking, I know, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are 7 foolproof ways to make sure your date goes well.

Dating can feel daunting under the best of circumstances but it can feel even more challenging if we’ve been single for a long time. So how can you find the courage to open your heart to the possibility of a partnership after many months or years without one, or after never trying at all?

There’s only so much “It’ll happen at the right time”, “You just haven’t met the one”, “Don’t give up”, or “God’s timing is perfect” you can take before it starts to get old! The worst is “Why are you still single, you’re such a good catch?” – the most infuriating question that used to sting me when I got asked, kicking me when I was down. How can you remain godly in your search for a Christian, staying true to what the Bible says about looking for a Christian partner, without compromising when you want to pack it all in, throw in the towel and stop the feelings of loneliness?