What does dating have to do with whom you choose to marry? Most people don’t date people whose company they don’t enjoy. If you enjoy someone’s company, it’s very likely infatuation or even love might enter the relationship. Once that happens, after an emotional tie forms, you might think religion doesn’t matter. When our emotions stifle the messages our brains try to send, we leave ourselves vulnerable to making bad decisions that can destroy our lives and those of our children.

Long before we start to date, we should consider the kind of marriage we want to have. If you have a vibrant faith or adhere strongly to a religion, it is probably an important part of who you are. You will probably want to raise your children in your faith, worship with your spouse, and maybe have devotions as a family. Your faith may determine how you want to spend your money and your time. It may determine how you expect to spend the holidays you normally celebrate. But if you are dating someone who does not share your faith, and you fall in love, your road will not be a smooth one. If you are a Christian, you would be wise to limit your dating to Christians. It will lessen your chances of marrying a man who does not share your values and beliefs. It will lessen your chances of having God’s best in your marriage. Your parents may have told you that. Your church may have told you that. But when we are young, we don’t always listen. After all, we reason, it’s just a date. I’m not going to marry him (or her).

http://wannabwriter.hubpages.com/hub/when-a-christian-marries-a-non-christian

Connie’s comments: I am gathering comments from all of you , even stories. I know in many movies, love overpowers faith, but in reality faith and love go together.

In my caregiving business, I have interviewed many couple who were together for over 50 yrs and they told me that they respect each other and love each other that divorce is not an option, even when they belong to two different churches. In most cases the other partner converts to the faith of the spouse.

Knowing the person each day and loving that person with all of his/her persona, takes many trial and error until we discover ourselves in the process. A complete person takes the challenge, applies what to be learned from a given situation and let love prevail in the end. Loving ourselves first before we can truly love another. For happiness is the sum of acceptance, love, forgiveness and positive intention.

I still choose the intricacies of being in love, finding love and even losing love, for at the end the journey one takes in the process of finding love is memory that can be savored in a lifetime.

Love begets love, faith begets faith.