Marraige & "Relations"

Ok so here is the post i talked about last week...

Lately i have had many conversations with some young adults about sex before marriage. It has continued to remind me about how in our culture sex is almost a "normal" part of dating relationships. Many of these people were trying to figure out how i could date someone for so long (my wife) without ever having sex while we were dating.

The key i shared with them was that the desire was there, that is a natural part of how we are made. But the standard i had was that my emotional connection with Kim was because of our friendship and care for each other, not the physical lines we were going to. I did not want to share something in a setting it was not meant to be shared. However after being married 7 years the intimacy & emotional support in our marriage is stronger because of that.

I love sharing life with teens & young adults. I love seeing them wrestle with life questions & be open to what God has for them. I love seeing them wrestle with what culture says & what God's standard says. I love being there for them to help direct & guide.

I can't make the decision for them, but i can help them hear God's voice so they can live a life that is unimaginable outside of God's standard.

I do believe that as a follower of Christ it is a privelage when people trust you enough to share openly with you thier struggles & questions to truly want another perspective and thoughts. I also believe that when they share those with you we cannot tell them what to do. We can only point them to Christ and offer the alternative. Sometimes they make a decision outside of God's standard & we need to be there with as much love & care for them as before.

People are looking for sources of hope & life, we have to be those in all situations.