We’ve all been there. You’re at a social gathering with old friends, a family reunion, or making small talk with strangers at a party. Someone asks about your love life, and then in comes the dreaded question: “Why are you still single?” Is it ever ok to ask someone that? With the exception of a deep conversation with someone you trust, the answer is no! It’s inappropriate and incredibly awkward. So how could you respond when someone drops this social no-no without warning? Here are seven suggestions…

So, you’ve been dating someone for what you consider a good amount of time, and you really like them. You know that you would like to explore the possibility of marriage with them, but you’re worried about bringing it up, for fear of sounding too keen, or too pushy perhaps. Don’t panic, you’re not alone! The marriage conversation is one that any serious Christian relationship is likely to have at some point, but it can be difficult to know when to bring it up. So, when exactly you should you begin?

There’s nothing like a global pandemic to get us thinking about what we really want out of life and for many of us, one of the top priorities is to find love. I know from experience that it’s all too easy to abandon our boundaries and let go of healthy relationship practices when we start to feel a sense of urgency, especially faced with post-pandemic dating. So how do we balance the passionate pursuit of a partner with the patience that’s required in order to find the right match?

Lent is a time where we typically give up something in order to focus more fully on God and spend time with Him, so that we can grow as Christians. Sometimes it’s food that we love (chocolate!), time spent on gaming, or something else that matters to us. We give up these things so we can focus our attention on God and listen to what He has to say – but it’s not always the most obvious things we’d benefit from laying down. If you’re single during Lent, here are a few suggestions for things you might not have thought of giving up during this time…

As an online dating newbie a few years back I can well remember the mixture of emotions that followed upon posting my first online profile. There was the initial flurry of excitement at reaching out and trying something which I knew had huge potential to help me meet a life-partner. But there was also the uncertainty and hesitancy summed up by the thought, “What if nobody seems interested?” Well, someone was interested and we’ve now been married for six years! But in the time leading up to this connection, sometimes that nagging feeling would come back to haunt me and so it was important to find ways of dealing with it and getting past it. If you’re wondering how to get beyond that feeling and move forward, read on…

“Although we were both a little nervous, we could immediately see joy, kindness and love in each other…” When Anne Marjorie and Matthew first met on Christian Connection they didn’t know they’d be sending us their story and wedding photos a couple of years later! Read about their first date, a botanical gardens proposal and why they agree “having each other as our best friend is the best thing we’ve both had!!”

I have a love/hate relationship with Valentine’s Day. When I was a kid there was nothing more exciting than turning up to school on February 14th and wondering if there was an anonymous card or chocolates on my desk (this only happened once… and it turned out to be my friend playing a prank) My enthusiasm started to wane when I was 19 and finally had a boyfriend to spend the day with. I opened the door and he was standing there holding a single long-stemmed red rose. I found the whole thing so cheesy and inauthentic that the rest of the night was a disaster. Over the years I’ve come to realise that typical romantic gestures and occasions like Valentine’s Day aren’t really for me. I don’t like love hearts and candlelit dinners. God help the man who brings me roses. But I do like being single on Valentine’s Day. And here’s why…

Before I met my husband, I was saving myself for someone special. My parents had told me to make a wise choice when choosing a life partner and instilled in me only to go out with someone who I could actually see a future with. I don’t think I really appreciated all that meant until now, five years on, and it’s interesting to reflect on things I wish I knew before I got married. I started thinking about new relationships and what advice I would give someone looking now for the best chance of a long-lasting relationship and marriage.