Totally abnormal Robo
I was a child raised with sexual abuse and so I was promiscuous in Jr. High and High School. I look back 30 years ago and I can see that for me it was a screwed up way of searching for love and validation from a Male.
I married for love but obviously a big part leading up to my marriage was premarital sex..."normal" for me. Who would have guessed I would marry a habitual cheater and be divorced 20 years later.
I found myself back on the dating scene looking for validation and love from a man instead of tearing the walls down around this prodigal daughters heart and returning to the arms of Jesus and letting Him love me.
A few more relationships...things falling apart...finally having a head on collision with the floor at Jesus' feet. At the end of myself.
I have been celibate for a very long time, but lust of the flesh is a daily battle. I'm not worried as much about the physical barrier...I struggle most with control of the mental barrier.
I want to wait until marriage because that's the way God intended it and for once in my life, I want to feel that it really is my choice and not because I need love and validation from someone else, but because I love myself and Jesus loves me and validates me. It is a struggle though.
I've know many couples who waited and I've never seen any marriage that works better. There's no baggage of past sexual encounters to wonder about in the back of your mind or compare your spouse to...and nothing to resent or fight about. Marriage is hard enough work without adding more.
Great topic Robo.