I'm alive!! Sorry I have been MIA for the last 2 weeks.....I had a long travel schedule and guests in town, but I have missed blogging so badly and am verrrrrry excited about this post! .....
I pose the question, are you single and ready to mingle? If so, there is something you HAVE got to see! If you are married or in a relationship, I think it will be helpful to you as well!
I was raised in a pretty Catholic family...FYI my aunt is a nun...and after the sacrament of Confirmation I was allowed to explore my own faith and follow the spiritual path that was right for me. I explored different religions and organizations in college, went back to the Catholic church after college because I didn't know where else to go, and then for the last 4 years I have found myself as a spiritual being but not really practicing by attending church services because I haven't found anything that fit...until now. My main beliefs center around compassion for all, and I do believe in God. So what does all this have to do with being single and ready to mingle?
My dear friend started working for a church about 3 months ago in Alpharetta, Ga called North Point Community Church. I can not sing the praises for this church anymore! I attended service there 6 weeks ago when I was visiting, and I loved it. It is a modern church that applies the message to our everyday life. Each month they pick a theme or series and the last month's theme was: New Rules of Sex, Love and Dating. Yes, I did just say church and sex together :)
Although this church is comprised of mostly married folks, the pastor thought it was important to address these issues because he has seen so many marriages go down a rocky path....and it can all be fixed before you get married by following these rules. No really, we can stop it before it starts! Many of us have our own issues, but we think 'when I find the right person everything will be ok.' It isn't the institution of marriage that is the problem, it is that real people bring real problems to the marriage. I have seen a lot of rocky marriages in the last 5 years, and I feel thankful I am privy to these messages as I walk down the path of single-hood.
I watched the first 3 discussions online since I live 1,000 miles away, but I was able to see the last one in person this past Sunday....and it all clicked. I posted the link below that will take you to all 4 discussions and I encourage any and all to watch. I put a summary of what each is about in case you have to pick and choose which to watch. My guess is if you watch one....you will want to watch them all. :) My favorite is number 4 but I think it is because I watched them all and it came full circle in number 4.
http://www.northpoint.org/messages/the-new-rules-for-love-sex-and-dating
1. The Right Person Myth:
When I meet the right person, everything will be all right. This way of thinking creates trouble in our dating lives and sets us up for trouble in marriage. In this message, Andy challenges us to ask ourselves Am I the person the person I'm looking for is looking for? And he previews a list of behaviors that will lead to success in dating and marriage.
2. Gentleman's Club: EVERY MAN SHOULD WATCH THIS-JUST SAY'N :)
Are the Bible's teachings about women relevant? In this message, Andy explains that the Bible's teachings about honoring women were extremely counter-cultural in the first century. They remain so today. So Christian men especially need to transform their thinking. And there are two simple steps to start with.
3. Designer Sex:
Culture convinces us - and sometimes we convince ourselves - that sex is only physical. But if that is true, why is the pain of sexual sin so deep? Because sex is not just physical. It was designed by God to be so much more. In this message, Andy addresses common myths about sex outside of marriage and has two specific challenges going forward.
4. If I were you:
You can say, "I do." But can you follow through? A promise - even a promise as big as a wedding vow - doesn't mean anything without preparation to back it up. In this message, Andy has a "to do" list that will prepare you to one day say "I do" and mean it.
As I mentioned before, these messages are from a church, even if you are not the most 'churchy' of folks I encourage you to watch because the message is strong and real and you can definitely tailor it to what ever you believe. For example: Maybe you aren't saving yourself for marriage, but you can still apply the 3rd discussion on sex....and respect your body and understand that sex is more than just physical, etc.
Let's be honest, the dating world is really screwy these days. It is almost like it doesn't exist. Men don't call and ask women on dates. If they do, it is by text message or it is to invite her to a group outing where he doesn't pick her up. Most 'dating' really is 'hooking up' these days. Women are treated as a commodities, and many women dress and act like such. I assume there are mostly women reading this, so I say:
*** As Andy says, 'become the person the person you are looking for is looking for.'
1. Let's class it up ladies- If we wear short tight dresses and act inappropriate we are only attracting body snatchers
2. Demand respect from the opposite sex- We will be treated the way we allow someone to treat us
3. Respect your body- When we meet the man of our dreams we want to have something left to give
Questions and comments are welcomed! Have a great Tuesday! It's a long weekend ahead, so I know you all will have a wee bit of free time to watch at least some of these. I promise you won't be disappointed!
~Quita
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