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Here's an article that I wrote for Watching for the Morning. It's a quarterly newsletter that a lady named Candace sends out. I encourage all of you young women to subscribe to it by emailing her with your address at candace714@ntelos.net. She is very conservative and believes in courtship - some of you may, too. Some of the things I don't agree with, but it's still a good, encouraging newsletter. And if you like to write, I'm sure she's always looking for articles and things for it. It's a great opportunity to get your work out. Right now it goes out to seven different countries.

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Loving Your Future Husband Now

A lot of young women don’t realize that you can start loving your husband before you even meet. A lot of young women don’t realize that you can start loving your future husband before you even know who he is. A lot of young women go about their years believing that they can’t start loving their husband until they know who he is, and as a result, they miss out on the truth that you can start loving your future husband even now.

Paul explains what love truly is in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. The first thing he says in these verses is that love is patient [vs. 4]. I find it so meaningful that he puts this phrase first: “Love is patient.” That is such a deep statement! Especially in our society today, where so many teenagers rush into love; and it is so often a cheap, superficial love that ends with a broken heart. So how can we be patient in love for our future husbands? Well, by not only saving ourselves physically for him, but also emotionally. We need to be careful not to get caught up in a guy. We need to be careful to not give our hearts away to any guy other than our future husband. When we become emotionally attached to a guy, we often give our hearts away to him – and other guys – and that leaves our hearts scarred, used, and broken. However, if you’re patient, you will have a pure, whole heart to give to the guy that God has set apart specifically for you. What a gift that would be!

Paul goes on to say that love is kind [vs. 4]. And in verse 5, he says that love is not rude. How are you treating the guys around you? It doesn’t matter if the guy is your future husband or not, we should be treating every guy as if he were married. If he’s not your future husband, he most likely will be some other woman’s. We need to be kind to everyone and show them the love of Christ by extending His kindness to them.

Love does not envy or boast. It is not proud [vs. 4]. Love does not envy some other woman because of her husband or close male friend. We like to tell ourselves that we would never do this, but most of us have probably done it to some extent at some time in our lives – even by feeling a little twinge of jealousy or bitterness because we think we see the “perfect, happy couple” and wonder why God hasn’t blessed us with that. This all goes back to the first statement of love – love is patient. When we wait on God, He will give us a man in His will and timing. This brings us to Paul’s next point. When God does give us a man, we must never boast about ourselves or be prideful because God has finally given us the “perfect” man to love. That is clearly not in God’s will for love. Love does not envy or boast, and it is not proud.

Love is not self-seeking [vs. 5]. Basically, love is not selfish. If you’re one of those girls who write out a “wish list” for your future husband – all the things you’re looking for in him – then this verse is saying to you: “Be careful!” If you want your future husband to be a godly man, then you need to be a godly woman. If you’re asking for your future husband to follow God wholeheartedly, then you also need to follow God wholeheartedly. Be careful not to be selfish or self-seeking in what you’re looking for in your future husband.

Love is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs [vs. 5]. This goes for all relationships. Love does not get angered easily. It holds no grudges. If you are easily angered with a friend, with a potential husband, with God – search your heart. Love is not easily angered. It also holds no grudges. It doesn’t bring up things of the past that are over with and forgiven. It doesn’t hold grudges against a guy in your past. Love moves on and starts anew in God.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth [vs. 6]. Real love is not of this world. The cheap, superficial, twisted love that this world offers is not true love. Love does not delight in the lies that this world throws out at you about love. Instead, it rejoices with the truth of true love that only comes from God.

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres [vs. 7].

And most importantly, as you go about your life, waiting for God to send the “right one” your way – always remember that love never fails.

Molly that was really good! I loved how you broke everything down! You are truly gifted.. =]

molly if i would've had the endurance to read the whole thing i would've

That is why I want to stay pure until marriage.I want to stay pure emotionally and espcially physically.On my wedding night I want to give him all of my heart,soul and body.

GREAT article Molly!! And thanks for the e-mail! I'll definitely sign up for those! I'm always up for new input from other people's view of life and Scripture.

Thanks, guys! I'm glad you liked it.
And yeah, sign up for them!

That WAS good. I enjoyed reading it. Not too long, not too short and it still got the point across.

Thank you, Karah!