waiting and dating waiting and dating Myles Munroe © Copyright 2004 - Myles Munroe All rights reserved. This book is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request. Unless other- wise identified, Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. © Copyright 1973,1978,1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Please note that Destiny Image's publishing style capitalizes certain pronouns in Scripture that refer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may differ from some Bible publishers' styles. Take note that the name satan and related names are not capitalized. We choose not to acknowledge him, even to the point of violating grammatical rules. Destiny Image Publishers, Inc. ® P.O. Box 310 Shippensburg, PA 17257-0310 "Speaking to the Purposes of God for This Generation and for the Generations to Come" Bahamas Faith Ministry P.O. Box N9583 Nassau, Bahamas ISBN 0-7684-2157-8 For Worldwide Distribution Printed in the U.S.A. This book and all other Destiny Image, Revival Press, MercyPlace, Fresh Bread, Destiny Image Fiction, and Treasure House books are available at Christian bookstores and distributors worldwide. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 / 09 08 07 06 05 04 For a U.S. bookstore nearest you, call 1-800-722-6774. For more information on foreign distributors, call 717-532-3040. Or reach us on the Internet: www.destinyimage.com Dedication To Charisa, my beloved daughter: You have made father- hood a pleasure, and I know that the principles in this book could only be credible because of your commitment and dedica- tion to the values and moral standards your mom and I laid down for you. To Chairo, my precious son: You have taught me the art of being a father by demanding from me the things a father needs to give his son. This book is not only dedicated to you but to your children and their children after them. May you continue to be an example of the values and standards we showed and taught you through our marriage relationship. To every single unmarried person who desires the best in relationships: May the principles on these pages serve as a roadmap on your journey through the emotional seasons of interpersonal relationships. To every parent who wants to help their children make wise decisions and keep themselves pure until marriage. Acknowledgments No accomplishment in life is without the cooperative effort of many gifted people who willingly and passionately dedicate themselves to excellence and quality. This book is no different. All we are on this human journey to eternity is the sum total of what we have learned from those who have shared their thoughts with us. I am eternally gratefully to the many teachers through the years who have given me the information, inspiration, and revelations to help me successfully navigate the uncertain waters of life. Thank you all for making me who I have become. First, this book is the result of my own experience through the passage of youth to adulthood, and the successful transition to married life as a 25-year-old virgin. In this regard I would like to thank my dad, Matthias Munroe, and my beloved mother, Louise Munroe, who laid an excellent foundation in the Word of God for all of their 11 children. These principles taught me wise judgment and kept me from the many mistakes others have made. Secondly, I wish to thank my beautiful, beloved wife, Ruth, for providing the opportunity for me to test the principles in this book through our own courtship relationship, and for helping me prove that God's way is sill the right and best way to all successful relationships. Thirdly, my precious daughter and son, Charisa and Chairo, allowed me to transmit these principles to their generation. 7 Thank you for granting me the time to spend so many hours serving others and writing these books. Thanks also to Don Milam and Lisa M. Ott, who helped guide this project to its finish, who kept up with my hectic travel schedule while making sure I stayed on my publishing schedule. Thank you for your commitment and constant support. Table of Contents chapter one Preparing to Date 11 chapter two Friendship-Building: The Purpose of Dating 31 chapter three Myths of Mate-Finding 55 chapter four Discerning the Right Life Partner 75 chapter five Engagement: Preparing to Marry 97 chapter six Engagement: Redeeming the Time 121 chapter Reflections 143 9