Preparing for Marriage

Are you dating to marry? Are you preparing to marry? Preparing for marriage is a big step in someone’s life. What does preparing to marry look like? I can answer that question in one simple word. Dating. What is dating? Dating is men and women going on many dates with a variety of people. It is not simply about picking a person and dating that person. Going on dates should be fun and planned. They should be with a pair of people who pay for the date. You should want to be on the date. If you don’t feel comfortable going on a date with a certain person, say no, but be open and willing to get to know new people. Dating is about picking up skills and developing qualities that help you become the person you want to marry.

What attracts you to someone? Attraction is a crazy thing. The first thing that comes to mind for me is physical attraction. Generally, a person looks at someone and thinks whether or not they are cute. If they are cute, typically that creates a sense of attraction. It creates a want to get to know them. This is where dating should start. Ask that guy/girl out. Take the time to have a planned, paired, and paid for date. Do this over again until you find the person you want to go on more dates with.

Emotional attraction usually comes after you have spent some time with this person. Maybe you have been on several dates with this person you’ve become emotionally attracted to. It is usually the actions of this person that makes you emotionally attracted to them. In dating to marry you should be yourself. Act normal and prepare to spend the rest of your life acting normal with that person. If you are not yourself, you create a false sense of security for you significant other. This is all fine and dandy until your true self shows, then your significant other realizes you’re not the person he/she fell in love with. Very quickly after that the relationship could end.

This shows how important it is to be yourself. Spend time in group settings, one on one, and usual or even unusual situations. This gives each person the opportunities to act normal in different settings. Then that emotional attraction will be built on truth and love. This should be the basis of every strong relationship.

After both of these attractions form, you are physically and emotionally attracted to your significant other. You may be courting and are seriously dating each other. Sexual attraction begins to form at this point. Now, men and women have sacred powers of procreation. All of these powers and practices should be saved until after the couple is married, however the feelings of attraction will form before that, and they should. You will exchange kisses and hugs. Hand holding, and arms around one another. This is normal for a relationship as it prepares to marriage.

This form of formal dating is called courtship. I believe a relationship should progress from dating to courtship once the beginnings of these attractions start to form. The man in the relationship should preside, provide, and protect. Once he is capable of doing all of these things through the practice you’ve done together in dating, you can judge whether or not you’re ready for the next step.

You’ll exchange I love you’s and you will begin to picture your future together. From this point on you will begin to wonder about marriage. And this is where we will pick back up next week! Stay tuned!