Tag Archives: God-centered relationships

This Sunday’s Nuggets of Wisdom (2/1/2026)

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YouVersion Bible App Daily Devotional

It is often very easy to be caught up in the ways of the world that we fail to see the change, and yet other people can notice that we are slowly drifting apart from our faith because the world now governs our choices, even in our relationships with others. I stumbled upon one quotation on Facebook that says, “People will not remember you for your achievements, but for how you made them feel.” My prayer is that pride won’t take root in any of us, especially when we are surrounded by the comforts and conveniences this world offers, and we are at the peak of our successes. May we not depart from the reminder that it was God who made it all happen; we are merely receiving His grace.

CTTO

I was also never given the opportunity to raise my own family, but the set of rules above would’ve been among the templates for our moral compass, along with the Bible. 🙂

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up”. – Deuteronomy 6:6-7

P.S.



I am praying I won’t end up as someone na hindi marunong mag-regulate ng emotions at ibe-blame ang ibang tao as their triggers at sa mga responses nila. And yes, I know kung ano ang pakiramdam na walking on eggshells ka. Na hindi mo alam kung may nagawa ka bang masama o may nasabi kang hindi maganda bakit bigla na lang naging ganito ang treatment sa’yo ng tao. And kailangan mo pag-isipan ng maigi ang mga sasabihin mo kasi hindi mo alam ano ang makaka-trigger ng galit nila. And yes, it is also best to live with someone for at least a year, doon mo talaga mate-test ang totoong character ng isang tao. So if I retreat, that is because I am avoiding conversations that will affect my peace of mind and not because I am being dramatic. I also avoid conversations na puro gossip at buhay ng ibang tao ang pinaguusapan, and I have very low tolerance for energy vampires, those who complain often without any proposed solutions, and those who make an argument out of everything. And yes, Bipolar Disorder runs in families. Btw, until now hindi ko pa din ma-pronounce ng maayos surname ni Dok. Minsan nagiging Dr. Kangaroo. Peace, Dok. Sana hindi nya ito mabasa. lol Pero andami kong natutunan kay Doc Kilimanguru kaya really thankful na nag-pop up sya sa newsfeed ko. 😀

P.P.S.

To quote the late Emman Atienza, “Be a little kind to everyone.” Sabi naman ni Jesus, “love one another as I have loved you” and “love your enemies.” Worth it ba isakripisyo ang mental health para lang mahalin ang mga taong mahirap mahalin? Napakahirap na every day lagi kang fight or flight mode noh. Hindi mo alam kung kakayanin ba ng katawan mo ang cortisol na niri-release nya dahil palagi kang defensive. Napakahirap talaga, Lord. Pramis. Pero huhugot at huhugot pa din ng lakas from You hangga’t kaya. And if you have survived something like this for how many years or most of your life, that is definitely God’s saving grace through Jesus Christ when you accepted Him as your Lord and Savior. Because honestly, we just couldn’t survive on our own. ❤

What You Need To Know About Sigma Females And INTJs

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I’ll be very busy this week preparing for my trip back to Bicol next week, so I might not be able to post a new article here on my blog for a while. I thought I’d share with you a couple of articles about “Sigma Females” and the “INTJs.” These two personality types closely define who I am. And hopefully, too, these articles will help you understand why I’m a unicorn, the mythical creature. 🦄😅

If you’re dating a woman or are interested in dating a girl, try to find out if she is in either or both of these categories. Because our types are rare (the rarest actually according to research) BUT not easy to handle. Study her first, and ask yourself if she’s worth pursuing. This might just save you from a painful heartbreak later on. 👍

Identifying An INTJ

“INTJ: Personality Type, Characteristics And More”

“The Philosophy of Why INTJs are So Attractive (And How to Leverage It)”

About INTJ – ‘The Mastermind’

“INTJ Personality Type: The Architect”

“Dating an INTJ Female”

“How To Spot An INTJ Female”

I discovered I’m an INTJ during the volunteers’ training I attended in church back in 2014. The organizers included the personality test to identify what are our strengths and weaknesses that could either help or impede in performing our duties as volunteers.

I’m not surprised I scored 90% in introversion. 😅
For the NTJ parts of the test, I have almost median scores. I am assuming I might also be an INFJ or an ISTP depending on the circumstances I’m in.

Who Is A Sigma Female?

“The SIGMA FEMALE | 0.1% The Rarest Female on Earth”

“Sigma Female Personality Traits Explained”

“Sigma Woman: An Independent and Mysterious Personality”

Myers-Briggs Personality Test

“Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): A Beginner’s Guide”

“Myers-Briggs Definition”

“Myers-Briggs Official Website”

“Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in Medical Education: A Narrative Review and Analysis”

“How good is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator for predicting leadership-related behaviors?”

While these articles can help you understand Sigma females and INTJs a bit more, I would still recommend being friends with someone for a long time before pursuing a romantic relationship with him or her. It’s best to know a person based on how you two get along – that is, great chemistry. And if God is at the center of it, the bond will be unbreakable. ♥️

Here’s a great article on Christian dating: “The Golden Rule In Christian Dating.”

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” – Ecclesiastes 4:12

Dance The Bachata While Waiting

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Ater 1 week of hibernating, I can no longer dismiss the “tugging” to come back on WordPress. This will break my yearly tradition of hibernating here for my birthday prayer and fasting, but I believe God has planned this all along.

I also stumbled upon this Youtube video today, and I also felt the “tugging” to share it here. I have a hunch a lot of single people out there need to watch this, especially since December (and February) is usually the month where a lot of single people feel depressed for not having a special someone to spend the holidays with aside from their families.

I hope this video will remind you to appreciate this season of waiting for the right love to come along – God’s best for you. Because if I can give a message to my younger self, it would be this: “don’t be young and reckless.”

This video is about an hour long, you might want to set aside time for this so you can watch it without any distractions. 🙂

While waiting for your special someone, you might want to learn a new dance routine – Bachata. What is Bachata?

“Bachata is a genre of popular song and dance of the Dominican Republic performed with guitars and percussion.” – Merriam Webster

Who knows, you might dance this in the future with your God-given special someone on your wedding day or honeymoon. 😉 I chose “Bailando Bachata” because the beat and melody can also be a perfect addition to your Zumba sessions at home.

Bachata – Couple

You can dance the Bachata as a pair or as a group. I am currently practicing a few Bachata steps though I am no longer new to dancing because I’ve been dancing since grade school. You may read more of my dancing experience here: “When Grace And Aura Captivate You.”

Bachata – Group

The poet in me also loves the English translation of the lyrics of “Bailando Bachata,” but methinks it’s too sensual for my blog. Though I find it similar to “The Song of Solomon” in the Bible. ❤️

Enjoy dancing (while waiting and praying), my loves! 💃🎶🕺

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.” – Song of Solomon 8:6

Love In The Eyes Of An Empath| 3rd Year Wedding Anniversary Special

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As the title goes, this post is in line with our celebration for our 3rd year wedding anniversary. I can only praise God for taking good care of our marriage and for our happy union now – we owe it all to Him. 🙂 ❤

For a change though, I’ve decided to make this a creative write-up. Here it goes. ❤ 😉

Dear love,

It was a beautiful friendship. Now, it is a thriving marriage.

At first, nothing could go wrong, you thought. Because “love” is all in the air. And yet, you saw visions of them – hatred, bitterness, hurt, and anger. Then, it became a reality. Ah, they brought you pain. So much pain. So you asked, “God, where do I go?” His answer was simple, “Me. Come to me.”

Then, everything vanished. You were carried in His arms. You knew you will walk out that dreary stretch with all your might. Could it be that you have fallen along the way? Yes, but He picked you up. Amazing, isn’t it? The footprints always remain a single pair. It must be true. It is, in fact, true.

Now, you saw that familiar face, again. You can see his gaze, perturbing. That look, yes, that look. You saw the pain. It emanates from the windows of his soul, the eyes. You felt the pain. So this is how it is to love. To love with all your soul – all bare, all naked, all vulnerable.

Can things change? You hoped it in your heart. No, you prayed it with all your heart. There might still be a chance. But that’s the thing with love. It always gives chances. Even if you thought the opposite is true.

I’m glad he’s back. And so we’re back. Here we are fighting together and not against each other. But something really has changed. No, it’s not something. A lot of things have changed. You counted the days that turned into weeks and then months. And now? 2 years of changed lives and changed hearts.

You are more than glad you called out to Him for help. You knew you cannot do it on your own. That familiar gaze would’ve come from a stranger. A stranger who knew so much about you. A stranger made by circumstances.

He finally arrives home, you look at him. There he is with his tired look. He smiled faintly, greeted you with a kiss. But his usual banter is nowhere to be seen. You decide to tell him then later. Give him a tight hug, a sweet kiss, then prepare dinner.

He is trying the best that he could to be the best man. Don’t forget the little and big things which he knows you’ll love even if it’s too much of a hassle for him. When all is at rest, he’s back to his usual self. Ah yes, the perfect time to lie beside him, tease him, tell him what you wanted to tell him, stare at his face, and wonder if the circles under his eyes are getting bigger.

So you smiled at him which was returned right away and then more teasing. A few words are enough. That is not so hard to do. To focus more on someone is to focus less on the self. You read the emotions, you read the actions. It’s not hard to tell. You know what to do, you know what to say, and when to do all of them.

Funny how a pause is so important in everything. You look at him, you pause. He says something, you pause. He does something, you pause. Those pauses are so much more than just mere pauses. They speak volume to you who feels everything.

If there is but one thing that marriage teaches you about life, it is this – take a pause. When you pause, you loosen up. You detach from your emotions. Then, everything comes to a standstill.

It’s just like a time machine. It allows you to reorganize everything and make sure you’ll do everything right this time. Except in our world, you don’t need a time machine. Why? Because your choices will allow you to control time.

Time. You must love time and for what it does whether it’s to heal, to be free, to fight, or to reunite. See time as your best friend, not your enemy. It is only when you pause that you stop the time. You pause because you want to cherish the moments you want and can keep.

Love and time. They make a relationship grow. Yes, so much have changed. But only because we chose to allow time in letting things grow. And only because we have love to keep things growing.

About love, it’s not so hard to find actually. All you need to do is just look up and say, “God, I am ready for You.”

Make sure though that you really are ready. Because it is only love that will keep you together when everything seems falling apart. And when you do finally have love, whatever comes in your relationship, be assured that it will always have a happy ending. 🙂

A loving empath always,

Blog Signature

If you love poetry reading, you can try watching my version of this lyric poem below. Enjoy! ☺❤

P.S.

I am currently finishing drafts one by one and once done, I plan to set the date when each article will go live. A thought came in though. What if one of these days I’ll find out my days here in this world are numbered? Will it be okay if my social media accounts still be “active” because of my scheduled posts on WordPress even if I’ve long been gone? I have drafted a whole year worth of articles. I hope you guys won’t find it creepy. 😀

Anyway, speaking of those numbered days, I randomly shot a question to hubby dear last week. I asked him what he will do if there’s an emergency here at home i.e. I slipped on the bathroom floor and was knocked unconscious, there was a fire, etc. and he needs to rush me to the hospital. He just answered that he’ll decide when it’s already happening. So I told him that sometimes a little preparation will help align your emotions to what can possibly happen (the dreaded events) and prevent a lot of hassle.

I continued by telling him that if he finds me unconscious on the floor, he must check my pulse, then get 3 important things: keys, wallet, and cellphone. He must also lock the door after carrying me out. Then once downstairs, ask for help from the guard then book a Grab car or taxi if the ambulance from a nearby hospital will take too long to fetch me.

My husband finds this absurd. Haha Yup, I know you will find this absurd, too. 😀 And I realized I am beginning to sound a lot like my Mom these days. (Love you, Mom!) But I know these “absurd” thoughts never popped up for no reason. They will also serve their purpose in God’s time. Well, it’s just an afterthought, anyway. A long one. 😉

How It Is To Live w/ Bipolar Disorder

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Tin Ginete

HOPE

Yes. I think I have it.

Although I wasn’t diagnosed, I believe I have a Bipolar Disorder II with Hypomania. It is mild but it still is a medical condition. Here is a link re bipolar disorder to help you understand better: http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic449381.files/Adobe_Acrobat_Format/WLecture_10_-_Bipolar_Disorder.pdf.

The news re Robin Williams’ death saddened me and reminded me of what I went through battling depression. The reason I took Special Education now is for me to understand myself more. Because the moment you realized you are different than others, you will seek for ways to help yourself and you want to help others too who may be going through the same thing.

Most of you think I am naturally gifted with those “talents.” The truth is that they are skills I acquired to help me combat depression without the medications. Doing art, playing the guitar, photography, dancing, writing and all my other hobbies all helped me take my mind off those depressive thoughts – they sidetrack all feelings of anxiety, paranoia, and fear.

I attempted to commit suicide twice. The one suicide incident wherein I was almost successful doing it was in 2012 after a very stressful and violent breakup.

BUT it was also on that same year when I got SAVED. I was introduced to the faith on January 2012 and made my altar call during the Singles’ Getaway last September 2012. I created this blog on October 2012, which now became my “megaphone” for my faith and my spiritual journey.

If I have been vocal about my faith in all social networking sites, it is not because I seek for attention nor for popularity but because I intend to share the FAITH that saved me from committing the greatest sin that one could ever do while alive. And I also hope to encourage those who are on the verge of losing hope as well to not give up.

Cry your heart out. Belt it out. Drop down on your knees, repent, pray aloud, cry His Name aloud, seek for His Grace BUT NEVER GIVE UP.

Because God did not give up on you and me. He sent His son Jesus Christ into this world to suffer the pain for us, to save us from our sins – to give us HOPE.

NO ONE and NOTHING else can save you from what you are going through EXCEPT our GOD. The moment you surrender your life to Him, you will feel His presence in your every breathing moment. You will feel the Holy Spirit in you. God will give you opportunities to create a new life and a chance to redeem yourself.

God used the skills I acquired and my circumstances to make me better and stronger so I can serve Him, serve others, and spread the Good News. God surrounded me with people who helped in bringing me closer to Him, and who will remind me of Him every now and then. Because of God, I don’t look back to my past with pain and regret. I see my past as God opening the doors to a new life – spiritually restored and healed.

Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition. There is no cure. But there are ways to manage it if you don’t want to take any medications. Although this has to be decided upon the assessment of a medical professional. Seek help if it is too much to bear. I sought help from my spiritual family, and I always have this Bible verse to remind me every time I have those depressive episodes. This Bible verse is what gives my life purpose and meaning:

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” – John 15:4

If it wasn’t for my faith, I’ve long been gone. This testimony will speak how it really means to be BORN AGAIN through the Cross and through God’s love. ❤️🙏

“For it is by Grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” – Ephesians 2:8

FIREPROOF: How To Make Any Relationship Last

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This is an all-time favorite of mine. I have seen this movie for countless of times already and I’ve been crying over it for countless of times as well. 😀

It is not your typical romantic, fairy tale kind of movie. In fact, the movie is just too realistic to dismiss that you’ll find yourself relating to every single part of it.

But in general, this is a movie on relationships and how God makes all the difference when He is at the center of it.

More tissue rolls, please. 😉

 

A Seasoned Life: My Past vs My Present

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@ Dads (Kamayan)

@ Dads (Kamayan)

Life is like a drink.

Sometimes it is too sweet, but sometimes it becomes too sour. Sometimes it is bland and sometimes it just has the perfect blend.

I grew up with a lot of fears. I grew up knowing too well what my weaknesses are. I grew up with a lot of insecurities.

I got out of that world. A hunger crept within me. I explored, soared – I am enjoying every single bit of it. That was my notion of “freedom.”

Danger was lurking the moment I stepped out and spread my wings. I soared high unwary of failures. I held on to what this world offers. I made a lot of mistakes, far too many I lost track of what is good and what is right.

Then I fell.

I felt an excruciating pain. A pain from a wound that is nowhere visible. I sobbed, sprawled in the bathroom floor, on my bed, in a corner. Endless gruelling fits of flowing tears that continued for days, weeks, months and years.

Then I surrendered.

I surrendered to His love. It was because of His love that I was saved. I repented and I accepted – my faith as my fate. That I am His daughter and that He is my Father and my Master. Obedience and service to Him who made what I have now and where I am now possible.

Did I ever think that I would be where I am now? No. I had no idea. But I had felt it. It was far too strong to dismiss. To heed to the calling of being where I truly belong – in His refuge.

My drink now? I must say it’s the four seasons fruit drink – a combination of different flavors. Not too sweet nor too sour, just the right flavor. I am just happy I am ending this year with just the right attitude, the right faith and the right spirit.

Now, let’s drink to that and be merry, shall we? 😉

Heart to Heart

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"Bible Heart"

“Bible Heart”

And I said:

“So he is a flirt. And you fell for his charms. Are you willing to sacrifice your happiness when he flirts with other girls even when you are already a couple? How long are you willing to take it further when you two got married and you found out his mistress is having his baby – and she is not the only one?

Complicated, it is. Is this the kind of life you wanted for yourself and your future children?”

SILENCE.

So I continued:

“When an inner voice tells you that something is not quite right and when you ask yourself where did you go wrong, that inner voice is the Holy Spirit telling you to REPENT for your sins.

You just cannot go on sinning and then keep on asking God to forgive you. That is not the way things go. That is not what the CROSS meant and why Jesus died for us.

Believe me. I went through the same thing.”

So what now?

“SURRENDER it all to God. Cut him loose. Pray for him. Pray for yourself. Talk to God.”

What if he asks for another chance? Should I give in?

“NO. It is not your battle anymore but God’s. His chances are with God and not with you. You cannot change him. Let God change him for who and how He wants him to be.”

I don’t think I can let him go just like that. I love him.

“Ask God if that is the kind of love that He wants you to have. If you don’t feel right about it, when you are constantly hurt, then ask God to lead you. God would never want to see us crying, to see us broken. He would not send His son, Jesus Christ, to this world and let Him die on the cross if He doesn’t love us.

On the other hand, God wants to protect us from anything evil, from anything that would break us apart, from anything that is unholy. He knows you can get out of that situation. He gave us CHOICES. And as cliché as this may sound, our choices define our destiny in life.

You need not ask yourself if you are going to choose him or Him. It should ALWAYS be Him. Above everything else.”

What are the promises I will feel better afterwards, that I can move on from this and that my life will change for good?

“That is why God taught us things such as FAITH and TRUST. They are the only two things that we can offer to Him in return. Seek Him more.

Life as a Christian, no matter how devoted you are, will never be that smooth sailing. Never forget that there is that other side of the coin, always – the good, the evil; the strong, the weak; etc.

But then again, you have your CHOICES, your FAITH and your TRUST in Him. You should never worry.”

So I thought to myself:

“We may have our battered hearts but never should our souls be tormented. They were meant to be pure, to be holy – untainted.”

So the reader said:

“But we are never perfect. Even the Christians.”

Then I guess you need to read the article again. 😉

“A Valentine to My Future Wife” (Reblogged from The Ministry of Leslie Ludy: Set Apart Girl – Returning To Christ-Centered Femininity)

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I loved this article after I read it. Indeed, nothing is more admirable in a man than him being a man of God. It is just fair that we, women, should also do the same. Everything is made possible through and with Christ and with Him alone. Do read the article to find out. 🙂
A VALENTINE TO MY FUTURE WIFE
by Anonymous Warrior Poet
I have been single now for many years, and with each passing Valentine’s Day, I get more excited – excited for all God is doing and has in store for my future. Several years ago I realized that I did not want a great marriage; I want a marriage that surpasses anything the world has yet seen (perhaps better stated, I am going to give Eric and Leslie Ludy competition for the best marriage award). It was while I was still in high school that I began to read books on marriage and relationships – not because I was at a place to be married, but because I wanted God to begin forming me into a noble and heroic godly man and husband, before I got married.
Growing up, I heard many friends say that they would begin learning the basics of masculinity and what it means to be a husband after they said, “I do.” But why wait? Why not allow Jesus to begin the formation of our married lives in this season of waiting? Why not start training for epic masculinity or femininity at this very moment?

What better time to be proven faithful to your future spouse than when you are single! Singleness is a grand time when Jesus can spill and spend our lives at home, in our community, and around the world without the commitments and ties of marriage and family. It is during the single years that we have full opportunity, without distraction, to pursue the endless depths of intimacy, devotion, and one-ness with our Savior.

As a brother in Christ, I offer this challenge to you: Will you allow Jesus to strip you of everything that is not of Him and transform you into a true woman of God? Will you throw yourself at His feet and allow Him to do in you what you have failed to accomplish in your own strength and ability? Would you completely surrender and depend upon Him for life and godliness? May this year be a set-apart season surpassing all others!

This is my great desire as well – for Jesus to take this year to a whole new level. I fully expect this year to be a year of depth, enriched intimacy with Jesus, increased fortification in every area of weakness, expansion in my prayer life, being built strong and valiant, intensification of holiness, and a year where He pours my life out on behalf of others unlike ever before.

As a brother in Christ, let me encourage you to hold ever tighter to Jesus. Stand firm and delight yourself in Him! Allow Jesus to be your heart’s single desire and fulfillment. Do not get anxious or concerned that there will never be a godly guy for you. I know that we as godly men are almost as rare to sight as penguins in the Bahamas, but we do exist, and we are fighting on your behalf. But don’t search us out. Rather, aggressively go after Jesus, and if He intends you to be married, He will draw one of us out (perhaps out of seeming nothingness) to woo your heart and sweep you off your feet.

The following is a love letter I wrote my future wife, whomever and wherever she is, in anticipation of this coming Valentine’s Day. May it encourage and exhort you to remember what you are waiting for, and why…

My dear love,

I can hardly believe it is time for Valentine’s again. It seems with each passing year my love for you increases – but then so does my patience as I wait for Jesus to bring you into my life. I long to hold you in my arms, to caress your tender hands, to make you smile, and hear you laugh. I long to move forward into the future Jesus is scripting for us; to partake, with you by my side, all the adventures, discoveries, pains, joys, victories, and triumphs. But I want you to know, sweet love, I am patiently waiting.

This is my time to wait. A time for Jesus to shape me into the man you need and deserve. As I think about the man I ought to be, I know I am desperately lacking in so many areas. I long to move further down the frontier of godly masculinity unto “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). I want to be a man of such fullness! I recognize that Jesus will be stripping, forming, and shaping me into such a man throughout my entire life, but my desire is to be as far as possible down that path when you arrive into my life.

If I may steal a phrase I read by C.T. Studd, I want no “namby-pamby-milksop-softie” sort of manhood. I want the genuine thing. I want to be both warrior and poet – a man of tenderness, love, and a soft heart while still being a man of steel, strength, nobility, and honor. Oh, that you may see me as a man – a man as he ought to be. I pray every ounce of weak and paltry imitation would flee so I may be a true man of God for thee.

My dearest love, I may not yet know the loveliness of your name nor the beauty of your face, but it already takes my breath away. As I wait expectantly for God to bring you into my life, in His perfect timing, know that you are continually upheld in prayer. I pray that Jesus would be the most important thing in your life – that not even I would be able to turn your gaze from Him. I pray that you will allow Him to shape you into a woman of pure godliness, without a hint of distraction, worldliness, or impurity. I pray He takes you deeper into absolute surrender and complete dependency upon Him, where the only explanation for your life is Jesus.

Oh, that He might form and craft you into the most radiant and captivating of set-apart women, even now. I know His work in your life will never be over, but my deep prayer and longing before we meet is that you would crave and go after the fullness of Jesus yourself. I know the world is yelling in your face to lower your standards, to throw off your elegance and grace, to allure the men around you, and a host of other absurdities, but please, oh, please, do not heed their voices. I wish I could stand in front of you to take the blunt of the criticism and attack, but because I am not there, hide yourself ever more in Jesus. Cling to Him all the tighter. May each difficult “pressing” of life only press you deeper into Him. And know, my dear love, that I am standing in prayer beside you. I am fighting and lifting you up in the spiritual realm on a daily basis.

Please be patient, dear one. I know how it can be a struggle to wait in seeming endlessness, but the time is not afar off when He will draw us together and enable me to sweep you off your feet. Use this time to fall ever more in love with our Jesus. Dive deep and drink of His richness. Be consumed and passionately intimate with Him. And know, for however long it takes, that I am patiently and prayerfully waiting.

Now and forever yours,

Your future husband*

(Original article can be found here: http://www.setapartgirl.com/magazine/article/01-1-11/valentine-my-future-wife)

Dating Defined

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Before the “love month” ends, I thought I might post something related to matters of the heart which I normally don’t do. Thus, this article. 🙂

If you are to ask me about my thoughts on dating, I believe I have quite a set of ideas that are mostly not in tune with everyone’s ideas on dating. First, let’s define “dating.” The notion of dating is relative. Some of us view it as 2 persons going out together either to watch a movie, have dinner, etc., all leaning towards a romantic inclination – a relationship. Others simply define it as a casual hanging out similar to how they hang out with their friends.

I don’t believe in friendly dates like between a girl and a boy who do not know each other completely because yes, it may not be explicitly implied but the attraction is there since they both agreed to go out together for starters and yes, they are open to the notion that they would end up as a couple after some time. Again, because the attraction is there. You would not go out with someone you are not attracted to, would you?  😀 It is impossible to say let’s go out, let’s just have fun, just enjoy the time being together, etc. and only that.

There will be expectations. That’s a given. Expectations not regarding the person per se but more on how the date would end up. Like would you still go out with that person? Do you enjoy hanging out with that person? So friendly dates, for me, are a no-no, romantic dates would be better after you have been friends for a long time and have spent time together along with a group of friends. Intentions in romantic dates are laid out clear in the open, no room for wrong assumptions either on both parties.

This is another reason why I simply don’t go about dating any guy I like on friendly dates. Why? Because they are all automatically commoditized when you date one from the other thinking that because it did not work out with this one, I’ll just move on to the next.  Exactly the same as buying something from the market. It is definitely not a good way to start a relationship. Now, you most probably would wonder how, then, will I find out who is the right guy for me. Well, I may partly be a cynic at some point but I still believe in fate and faith (God’s plans), patience and waiting (God’s time). Who knows, I might find him while I am dating with my friends and within my circle of friends. 😀

How about the notion of love at first sight, then? Like I have never seen the guy before, never been friends with him and yet I fell in love with him at first sight? Tough question. Which would lead to another tough discussion I opt to stay away from – the definition of love. 😀

Nah, let’s just leave it all to the element of surprise. God’s wonders work in amazing ways, anyway. 🙂