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I’m not engaged. Nor do I plan to meet with a government official to marry. I want something different. In light of your parent’s out of pocket costs and family size it’s understandable if they won’t bear the expense. My daughter is an only child.

Have you ever done the rituals or did you read that somewhere? I have. Hence the question. :-)

I came online in my twenties and after two decades of interaction, meetings, and amazing stories and disclosures. I’ve learned not to read more into the sliver I’m shown, not to take things personal, and never forget I’m talking to a stranger. A familiar moniker doesn’t alter that. I remember...

It was addressing the role choices play in our habits. When we realize something isn’t beneficial we must choose a different road. Instead of repeating our mistakes or increasing our pain. She’s pointing out the pattern so we’ll spot the same in our lives.

I was oblivious to the issue until I returned to God. My circle was really large and we spent a lot of time together. In a lot of ways, we were in our own world, Since I’ve started interacting with Christians I’ve heard things that surprise and shock every now and then. The Lord addressed the...

I don’t randomly solicit advice. I have a small group of people who’ve proven their discernment and wisdom in specific areas of their lives. No one bats a hundred all the time. I look for constancy and an ability to admit mistakes. I filter their words through my spirit and seek the Lord’s...

I love sink or swim environments. I thrived in finance for a reason. But God had different plans. When I moved over to real estate a conversation with my boss changed the trajectory of my life. I was sprinting up the ladder and in line for another promotion. But a casual comment about her...

Marriage isn’t a pressing concern. If I desired children and heard the clock ticking I might feel differently. There are other considerations too. The ideal sounds good but the reality of sharing your life with someone isn’t a cakewalk. The absence of bother and comfort are big issues. The...

When I found my way back to the Lord I met an older woman at church and befriended her. She was really kind. But she had a critical spirit. The target was primarily her husband. The behavior often develops from a spirit of rejection which opens the door to criticism, bitterness, and a root of...

I really like this. :-) Contentment doesn’t mean complacency. As you demonstrated, it often leads to gratitude and a clearer understanding of how much God has done. Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts addresses the same by encouraging us to count the daily blessings we’ve received from Him.

I’ve exchanged handwritten letters with a partner and had daily correspondence by email with an old friend. I suspect my enjoyment of epistolary literature was an influence. But I don’t do it anymore. I know some use letter writing as a form of ministry and I think that’s nice. They’re...

In the early days on the Internet this was very common and the extremes were popular too. It wasn’t odd to see people pair up with someone across the country or overseas. Long distance wasn’t cheap or free. But after awhile reality set in. Distance took a toll and the novelty of exoticness wore...

Having raised a child, I’m aware of the importance of stability and a healthy environment and the impact its omission has on everyone involved. While I never married, I was very fastidious about the people I allowed in our life and home for the reasons you’ve shared and others too. I’ve also...

I think people have abortions for many reasons. Some for convenience. Others for the absence of financial or other support. And some due to harm forced upon them. In our culture many are swift to give advice. But few come alongside to help the person put their words in action. They don’t want...

I’m not advocating homosexuality. And if my response leads you to that conclusion because my vernacular doesn’t meet your approval or mirror your own. I can’t help you. I’ve answered you once and won’t go around the mulberry bush. You’ve reached this conclusion of your own volition. Swaying...

Nevertheless, your assumption was wrong. Quoting scripture doesn’t alter that. You could have asked what I meant instead. :-)

My fiancé and I would pay for it. I would cover expenses for my daughter. She wasn’t groomed for marriage per se. But she did receive instruction at an early age about proper suitors (gentlemen) and what that implied. This was well before puberty. And her lessons on character began even earlier...

There was no justification of sin in my response. The bible says a just man sins seven times daily. Acknowledging the reality of our behavior in light of our beliefs isn’t wrong. We ask for forgiveness for a reason.

I don’t believe you can separate the spiritual elements from martial arts, yoga, and the like. Some feel otherwise. And I don’t entertain references to the practice either. Because it diminishes your conviction and after awhile its not so bad. My familiarity with Buddhist and Hindu teachings...

Jerry Bridges wrote a wonderful book that’s worth reading if you’re ministering on difficult subjects. It’s called Respectable Sins. Here’s a summary: Have Christians become so preoccupied with the major sins of our society that we have lost sight of our need to deal with our own more subtle...