RESET - DATING

Hey Guys,

Thanks for joining us last night.  A BIG thanks to Austin for filling in for Ian again.  Give a shout out to Ian when you get a moment to let him know we hope he gets better.  Another BIG BIG thanks to Tracy for giving us a female perspective on dating!  

I think we can all relate to the message last night on some level.  I was a text book example of how not to date when I was in middle school and high school.  Tracy made a great point about getting confused in the dating process.  I was really guilty of becoming someone I wasn't just to impress the person I was dating at the time.  I was so convinced that those people wouldn't like me if they really knew what I was like.  The problem is, that they never got to know the real me, who was pretty awesome if I do say so myself!  

Maybe you are there right now.  Maybe you are in a relationship and you are pretending to be someone that you aren't.  Let me just say that if someone rejects you for who you really are, they don't deserve to be with you!  God has made you the person He wants you to be for a reason.  When we pretend we are someone else, it works counter purpose to God's plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11).  God is molding you into the person that you will become.  Don't derail or cheapen that plan by becoming something that you aren't.

Tracy also reminded us that having a plan, ie road map, when we get into a relationship is a really good idea. You may be thinking, "Man, I'm not even thinking about dating so I don't need to think about those things." If this sounds like you, you couldn't be further from the truth.  This is the perfect time to think about the type of person you should be looking for, physical boundaries, and even if you should be dating at this stage in life.  What better time to make a plan!?  When I was dating my wife, I earned a nickname that I am pretty fond of to this day.  The name..."Man of Steel".  Not bad right?  You can totally call me that if you feel like it by the way.  I was called that because I had a plan for dating that I absolutely would not deviate from.  (I was also called "turtle slow" but I would much rather the first nickname).  

Even though Jenn and I still laugh about that name, she appreciated how much care I took to preserve a good relationship that wouldn't be ruined by going too far physically or even emotionally.  Back to you!  Take great care in your dating relationships.  You may not think it but they will effect your future relationships.  How great would it be if each person that you ever dated could look your future spouse in the eye and say, "Wow, you are a lucky person to be marrying ________!"  It can happen if you do relationships God's way.  

One last thing, if you didn't get a leather bracelet last night, come next week and we'll have more.  Don't forget, that bracelet is a reminder to live a life that is "Reset".  It is reset because you have given it to Jesus and that means a new start.  It isn't an excuse to make mistakes on purpose, but it does allow you to start over when you've messed things up.  God is in the second chance business.  How are you going to honor His sacrifice for you?  What will your life look like as a result of encountering amazing grace?