5 Paths to the Love of your Life
Edited by Alex Chediak
Countercultural dating? Courtship? Betrothal? Guided dating? Sometimes it seems there are as many models for moving from friends to lovers as couples in relationship. When it comes to premarital relationships, God doesn’t give us a tidy little practice to follow, but rather general principles to apply – principles like love, purity and honor. Yet somewhere along the line, principles have to translate into practice.
Here’s where a helpful book I recently read comes into play. It’s called Defining Your Dating Style: 5 Paths to the Love of Your Life, edited by Alex Chediak. The title is a little troublesome in the sense that our goal is to discern God’s style for our relationships. But the emphasis on your dating style is helpful in the sense that all of us need to do the hard work of figuring out how to apply God’s principles in the unique circumstances of our real relationships.
While I don’t agree with everything presented in the book, that’s kind of the point. Think of considering 5 different relationship models as spiritual exercise – an opportunity to stretch your discernment muscles and emerge with stronger convictions on how God is calling you pursue relationship with the opposite sex. If you feel lost in the dating/courtship debate, buy the book. Read it critically. And then talk with someone else about your thoughts and reactions. May God give us wisdom to apply his principles in every area of life!
