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I’m loving these bougainvillea that are bringing

I’m loving these bougainvillea that are bringing lots of color to our side yard. We planted them last year during our big backyard project, and it’s so fun to see their first bloom out my kitchen window. Isn’t it a wonder that God made simple things so beautiful?

Preaching to myself over here as I try to get out

Preaching to myself over here as I try to get out of my own way and write my dang book. This is not new for me- my own negative thoughts were my worst enemy when I was proactively dating.

Are you sabotaging your dating life before it even gets going? We can’t know exactly how it will all pan out. You won’t be able to date perfectly, whatever that means. How about we give it a try anyway? Little actions make a difference. They really do. Say hi to someone new today. Smile. Make eye contact. Wear the cute earrings just because they make you happy. Pray again. Give an encouraging word. It all adds up.

This is called tragic irony- the person who thinks

This is called tragic irony- the person who thinks she’s trusting God so completely that she… stops praying. 🤔 My old mindset toward getting married left it all up to God. I had to passively wait until the guy God had picked for me arrived on scene. When that kept not happening, I found myself very frustrated in my prayer life. God seemed silent and unresponsive. Though I knew the truth of the Gospel- that Jesus had met my deepest need for a savior and loved me deeply- the lack of action in my dating life seemed to amplify the lie that God had forgotten me. Waking up to the idea that I had an active role to play in getting married actually motivated me to pray boldly and join with the Lord in what he was doing. It was really cool! Highly recommend.

Does this resonate with you? I’d love to hear in the comments! And know that I’m praying boldly for you and your dating life today, and my newest blog post has some examples of bold dating prayers. {link in my bio}

Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

You get to decide how you want to date! That is bo

You get to decide how you want to date! That is both a freeing and scary realization, I know. This advice can be applied to a lot of situations, but here’s the main thing I want you to consider:

What’s a pain point in your dating life right now? Is there anything you can tweak to make it better?

Are you interacting with zero new men most weeks? What’s one event or activity you can try where there will be men?

Would you rather go on an active date instead of sitting at a coffee shop or restaurant? Suggest a hike, bowling, or walking around downtown.

Do you hate texting for days with someone you’ve never met in person? Tell guys you’re talking with that you’d love to meet in person sooner rather than later.

Did the guy suggest dinner for a first date, but that feels like a long time to spend with someone you’re meeting for the first time? “I can’t do dinner this week, but I have time on Thursday to grab coffee if that works for you!”

Have you been on a few dates with a guy and you’re not sure how you feel and you really don’t know what’s he’s thinking? Bring it up! See where the conversation leads.

You have agency in dating that can be utilized in a gracious, helpful way.

When Valentine’s Day brings out all of the emoti

When Valentine’s Day brings out all of the emotions. 🥴😀🤣😑 I have always loved Valentine’s Day, though the end of the day was often rough for me when I was single. The loneliness hit a little harder. I didn’t need a big to-do, but I wanted someone to decide to be chill with, if that makes sense. If that’s where you’re at, I’m praying for you tonight! And maybe think about where you might meet new people this week. If you want to. Maybe. 😬 P.S. Those are pictures of my daughter, Savannah, who is now 7. 😭 I’m fine. It’s fine.

I spent many years deeply desiring a relationship,

I spent many years deeply desiring a relationship, but it would have been hard to guess that if you were looking at my day to day life. Is there anything written in your planner or on your calendar that is a part of your dating process? Does your wardrobe know you want to get married? Do you invest any time or money into your future dreams for marriage? There are many ways to answer those questions, and I have some ideas for related posts this month. But for now I want to get you thinking! How do you translate your hope for a good marriage into tangible things in your life today?

A friend is grieving after a break-up and wonderin

A friend is grieving after a break-up and wondering if she’s ready to start dating again. She asked me what I thought, and I suggested changing up the question she’s asking herself. “Am I ready to start dating again?” is kinda vague and weighty. What if she asked, “Am I willing to meet some new people this month?” She hasn’t gotten back to me yet to tell me if that’s helpful or not, but I thought it was pretty good and figured I’d share. 😂😬 How does that different question sit with you?

Let’s find people you know who know people you d

Let’s find people you know who know people you don’t know! 🤪Is that clear enough? 😂

Sometimes when you’re stuck, it helps to let som

Sometimes when you’re stuck, it helps to let someone tell you what to do. 😊 If your dating life needs a jump start, let me big sister you for a minute and tell you to try meeting 3 new people a week until Thanksgiving, and then take an intentional dating break for the month of December. Let me know if you give it a try!

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