Lessons learned from taking the field trip instead of just accepting wisdom from the Word of God ~
The boundaries God has graciously provided in his Word regarding intimacy are there to protect the vulnerability of women; and choosing to cross them or "double cross them" will ultimately destroy the respesct and love that might have otherwise been the greatest blessing in a relationship.
Until we are married, Sisters, men are our brothers. So in my humble opinion the safest response -- and one which leaves no margin for misinterpretation by anyone -- is that if it's acceptable physical contact from your brother, it's acceptable in the dating relationship. Look forward to all other moments of passion, great or small, as gifts of marital bonding.
I've blown this one again myself by lowering the bar "just a little". This is one of the more difficult "tests" of spiritual maturity and it should be up to the gentle-man in the relationship to put a woman at ease about matters of intimacy during courtship. How they handle this holiness assignment may tell you a great deal about how they will handle other matters of spiritual maturity in their household. Experience has taught me that no matter how "compatible" everything else is, unless and until you can trust the man you love to be the spiritual leader in the home you hope to build together, eventually it all falls apart. Men can tell when a woman has lost respect, and security in intimacy is a foundation stone of respect for a woman.
Hope this saves someone from certain heartache . . .
The boundaries God has graciously provided in his Word regarding intimacy are there to protect the vulnerability of women; and choosing to cross them or "double cross them" will ultimately destroy the respesct and love that might have otherwise been the greatest blessing in a relationship.
Until we are married, Sisters, men are our brothers. So in my humble opinion the safest response -- and one which leaves no margin for misinterpretation by anyone -- is that if it's acceptable physical contact from your brother, it's acceptable in the dating relationship. Look forward to all other moments of passion, great or small, as gifts of marital bonding.
I've blown this one again myself by lowering the bar "just a little". This is one of the more difficult "tests" of spiritual maturity and it should be up to the gentle-man in the relationship to put a woman at ease about matters of intimacy during courtship. How they handle this holiness assignment may tell you a great deal about how they will handle other matters of spiritual maturity in their household. Experience has taught me that no matter how "compatible" everything else is, unless and until you can trust the man you love to be the spiritual leader in the home you hope to build together, eventually it all falls apart. Men can tell when a woman has lost respect, and security in intimacy is a foundation stone of respect for a woman.
Hope this saves someone from certain heartache . . .
