Someone called remarriage “the triumph of hope over experience”. I see it as the triumph of hope AND experience. A tangible sign of grace in the possibility of being granted new chances, especially if the thought of dating after loss seems overwhelming. As CS Lewis said of his own late marriage, “I never expected to have in my sixties the happiness that passed me by in my twenties.” But considering dating, starting a new relationship, and eventually creating a new marriage after a divorce or bereavement has its complications, and here are some issues worth reflecting on.

How do we set ourselves up for dating success rather than dating disasters? How do we ensure that we make good choices in relationships and avoid hurting ourselves and others? For me, the key lies in healthy boundaries. There are many types of boundaries we can set with ourselves and others to ensure we stay emotionally and physically safe and avoid pain and hurt. But how do boundaries apply to dating and relationships?

Have you ever heard the saying “do your best and let God do the rest”? It is a popular saying and one that I think can be applied to dating. Sometimes we erroneously expect God to do all the work for us, and whilst God obviously leads and guides us, usually, when it comes to dating, we have some work to do ourselves. It might be as big as deciding to try something you haven’t tried before, or as small as saying yes to an invite to hang out with friends. But, whatever it may be, a single Christian seeking a relationship would need to take some definite steps.

If you’ve been single in church for a while, you may have noticed that a lot of churches don’t really know what to do with single people. Perhaps you’ve struggled to relate to a sermon, or sat patiently through a 10 minute anecdote about the preacher’s happy family. Maybe you’ve started attending a new church and no one has come to say hello. Maybe you’re just wondering where you fit in. It’s no new fact that many churches tend to focus on couples and families, and single people report feeling overlooked, misunderstood and even unwelcome. The good news is that change is possible – and it can start with us! As an individual, here are a few things you can do to help your church become more single friendly, better welcome and include single people.

When Pam first joined Christian Connection she had just one goal: “I was actually looking for friends at the time. I was newly saved.. and I was looking to change my friendship circle around to find more likeminded people. I came across Christian Connection…” And, soon after joining, she spotted James’s profile! Now her story is one of a changed life: “I wanted a friend now I’ve got a husband and a child and everything else included.”

Some days the idea of a casual coffee or sedate walk just isn’t going to make the cut for a date. Whether you’re naturally high energy or just fancy trying something different, embracing an energetic date idea or two can give you something to bond over and maybe find a new shared interest. If you enjoy an adrenaline-packed experience or are just feeling bored of the usual routine, doing something active together could be a great change, and it doesn’t have to be expensive – or risky!

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.

When Emma joined Christian Connection she was looking for friends in a new area, and Sam was one of the first people she connected with. “I’d done the dating in church environment, and it hadn’t worked out for me,” Sam said, “So I decided to try online dating. Christian connection seemed like one of the […]