For years, we've heard about the "gift of singleness" and how we should appreciate our single years, but we can't help but long for someone to love and grow old with. But does God really promise us a spouse?

Married and Miserable vs Single and Sexless

You've probably heard about "the gift of singleness", but the term has been tossed around so much, it's likely that you've lost some of the real meaning of the term. Here's a re-focusing on what "the gift of singleness" really is.

Sometimes we can get a little too excited about our new beau and unintentionally overlook the warning signs/red flags that show that they might not be as worthy of the pedestal that we've placed them on as we think. Here are some unromantic questions and advice that need to be considered for various stages of a Christian dating relationship.

As a young person, what sense of obligation do you feel you have for your family? Esther: There's not a defined expectation, but things kind of come up in conversation like, “how are things going…you're still going to be a clinical psychologist, right?” My family has dreams and hopes for me, but they keep it “undercover.” Sometimes it comes out. They still want me to go out and make a lot of money.

it's just what the title says, from my new friend John Shore over at crosswalk.com

Before I started dating my girlfriend, I thought she was some special Christian. Me on the other hand, I wasn't put together like that. “God was still working on me” as they say. The problem though was that I felt like I had to put on a bit of a show whenever we were together so that I could show I could play the holy act. But eventually, I had to be honest and let her know that I couldn't keep up with her. Turns out she wasn't as super a Christian as I had thought. Sometimes we can be the same way with God. But it doesn't have to be. He knows everything we've done, everything we struggle with, and yet He loves us.

Many students today are asking the same question. Although they deeply desire the security and joy of a lifelong relationship, they fear marriage. One new bride said in a Newsweek article:

Maybe you’ve noticed it too. That a lot of people unconsciously date (and oftentimes marry) people like their parent of the opposite sex. Even if one or both of your parents wasn’t around for whatever reason, this still applies to you. Some way, somehow, you have an impression of marriage and relationships. Even the absence of a parent can influence how you view marriage and relationships. And if you are, you should be thinking about what traits you like and dislike about those people, to help you make better decisions about whom you will and will not date.

Just flipping the channel to BET can send you on trip in the sexual area. Let the video stars tell it, everybody is having sex and nobody's doing it the old-fashioned way: after marriage.