So I have been reading the book Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris. I had seen it in Barnes and Nobles every time I went and was intrigued by the adorable cover, so when it popped up on my recommended list on Amazon, I saw it as a sign that I needed to purchase it. So my plan is to blog about the three different parts.
Before I get into part 1 let me set this up for you. The whole book is about why courtship is a good idea to choose instead of dating. Now, I nor my friends have ever chosen this method and I'm not sure I ever will go for it, but it is a very interesting idea and you can still learn a lot nonetheless.
ok Part 1 is entitled: Rethinking Romance
A point he makes about dating/courtship is that the main point of it should be to glorify God...
"Living to glorify God means doing everything...for Him, His way, to point to His greatness, and reflect His goodness."
He then gives five characteristics that are essential to a successful, God glorifying relationship:
1. Joyful obedience to God's word
2. The selfless desire to do what's best for the other person
"Sincere Christlike love for the guy or girl you're in a relationship with is the natural outgrowth of love for God. The two are so closely intertwined that it's difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins--they weave in and out of each other. This is why when Jesus asked to name the greatest commandment he gave two: to love God and to love others. They can't be separated. When we serve others we're serving our Lord (Matthew 25:40). Jesus laid his life down for us to show us what love is, and he calls us to follow His example (1 John 3:16). The Word tells us to humble ourselves, to consider others better than ourselves, and to look to their interests first (Philippians 2:3-4)."
3. The humble embrace of community
4. A commitment to guard the sacredness of sex
5. A deep satisfaction in God
"God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him."
Some other awesome quotes I got from this part:
"We can each rest in the knowledge that God is sovereign over our life's situation. No matter where we are today or what mistakes we've made in the past, He has given us everything we need to glorify Him right now."
"Wisdom is simply the ownership of insight."
"Patience is important not only in waiting for the right time to start a relationship, but alse in allowing it to unfold at a healthy pace."
"Wisdom enables romance to really soar. It anchors it, disciplines it, and brings it to its highest potential. Again the tension is good."
"The evil in our desire typically does not lie in what we want, but in that we want it too much."
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
"Remember God is interested in the journey, not just the destination. It's a mistake to view the process of deciding how, when, and with whom we begin a relationship as something to "get through" so we can move on to courtship and marriage. God is in no rush. his interest in all this is not limited to getting us married--He wants to use this process, and all the questions and uncertainties it involves, to refine us, sanctify us, and increase our faith. Our responsibility is to love Him, stude His word, deepen our relationship with Him, and to learn to evaluate our choices in light of biblical wisom. If we're doing these things, we can make our decisions in the confidence that we aren't somehow missing God's will."
This next quote came from the book Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
"Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one's side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seemig prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and music; Perhaps...perhaps...love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden hearted rose slipping from it's green sheath."
He then goes to write...
"Perhaps after all our worries and questions, we'll discover that all along God had the right thing at the right time for us. Perhaps His plan is more wonderful than anything we could create by ourselves--whether it comes with "pomp and blare" or quietly, "like an old friend....
Perhaps...perhaps we should entrust our questions of How? and Who? and When? into His tender care."
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