My LoveLife Revealed...

If you follow me on Twitter, you were probably bombarded with witty Tweets on relationships this past Saturday. CRU @ UF hosted Mark Driscoll's LoveLife Conference on Saturday, Feb. 5th, and let me tell you, it was way worth the endless supply of witty comments. Mark's insights gave me a lot to think about...

@PastorMark: "The average guy plays 2.5 hrs of video games a day. That's not sin. Neither is eating your lawn mower. It's just stupid." #obvi

@PastorMark: "Two things make a man sexy: a Bible and a job."#lovelifetips

@PastorMark: "Don't get in a serious dating relationship until you're in a season when you're ready to be married."

Wow. Talk about the truth behind this statement. Personally, I am in a season where many of my friends are in serious relationships, talking about marriage, getting engaged, and are planning their weddings. Talk about a time shock! I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I'll be 20-years-old this year! When Mark said this, it resonated inside of me. Just because many of my friends are in this stage in my life does not mean that I am in that stage yet. And that's perfectly ok.

@PastorMark: "If you're dating more than one girl, you're a player. Which is the Greek word for douche bag." #sorryboys

@PastorMark: "Ultimately, marriage is about friendship."

That statement is so, so true. It's far too easy to get caught up in the butterflies, spontaneity, and romantic dates, but on the day that you hit rock bottom by reaching the end of your rope, only your deepest, truest friend can be there to help. Excuse my brutal honesty here, but someone you use just for steamy make-out sessions won't be there to hold your hand when you find out that your Mom has cancer. That guy just using you to fulfill his cravings won't care when you find out that you didn't get into the school of your dreams. But your best friend will be there. He'll be the one by your side in the thick of the battle. A statement I heard once in a movie has just stuck inside my head & I plan on keeping it there, "Love is friendship on fire." I don't know about you, but when I think about the scope and sequence of my life, I know that I don't want to marry someone simply to check it off the proverbial bucket list. I want to marry my best friend...someone I know that I can't go another sixty years without.

@PastorMark: "Intimacy is more than a physical collision, it's a heart connection." #songofsolomon

A close friend once wisely told me, "Emily, you'll know he's not the right guy for you when you know that you can live without him. If, however, you know that you can't live a day without him by your side, then he's the man for you." Please hear me on this, I am by no means saying that a man replaces Jesus being by your side. If you are a Christ-follower, you can hold true to the promise that Jesus Christ will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). He will most definitely be there in your weakest and darkest moments. This post is just some girl-to-girl advice when it comes to this whole relationships thing (and for you guys reading, you can take these words to heart too!). Intimacy with a guy (or for your guy-readers, a girl) is so much more than sex. To truly have an intimate relationship, you have to be connected on every level--emotionally, spiritually, mentally, relationally, and physically. It's all about oneness.

@MyLoveLife: God is good and He can be TRUSTED. #insidescoop

I've heard it said that timing is everything, and I would have to agree. God's timing is perfect. My God is a good God and He can be trusted. He can be trusted in every area of my life...including my love life. Trust isn't a word that allows room for choice. It doesn't let one pick and choose different areas to work on or avoid. Trust is a hanging on word. I'm choosing to hang onto the very God who created my heart and the desires that come with it. And that, my friends is my LoveLife revealed.