To live a God-centered life is to put Jesus first, above all else.  Christianity brings us so many gifts, and one of those gifts is the knowledge of how to keep the love of Jesus at the center of our lives. 

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6.33

The happiest Christian dating couples view their romantic involvement as a way to demonstrate their commitment to Christ. Tim Tebow of Denver Broncos fame says, ““It’s attractive when girls have faith. That is a big thing for me.”  For true Christians, a relationship without faith at its core cannot succeed.

While we may not marry the first person we date, or even the first person we fall in love with, Christian dating involves the search for the person that Christ has intended for us.

Look at the happiest married couples, and you will find a man and a woman who share a commitment to living as Christ taught.  Concerns about liking the same foods or cheering the same football teams are eclipsed by shared worship and shared faith.

For many Christian dating couples, dealing with passion and sexual desire is a great challenge. This is when respect for the Lord leads to mutual respect, one of the pillars of an enduring relationship.

Women and men alike must also respect the power of sexual temptation. The desire to give way to passion can seem irresistible at times for some individuals.  For Christian dating couples, resisting this temptation is as an act of worship, and a gesture of respect in a greater sense for the Lord.

Premarital sex is actually a sin against each other. This is why Paul writes in I Corinthians 7:2:

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife and every woman have her own husband.  

God clearly blesses the physical union after holy marriage.

Showing respect for each other by resisting temptation is a part of your God-centered life.  Remember the words of James:

But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

As simple as this may sound, putting God above all else will bring you the needed strength to resist temptation and show respect during Christian dating, or after marriage.  For couples working together to discover the path to enduring love, family, and salvation, it is the only Christian dating advice that makes sense.

Photo via blackwomen333

A reader writes, “I’ve been dating a wonderful man from my church for almost two months. We were friends for several years first. I am 19; he is 23. We get along well and enjoy the same activities. We are successfully employed, and debt-free. Our families are friends. At church services, people often comment “You two are so perfect for each other!” and offer Christian dating advice. We are both virgins: no sex until we are married. We believe God brought us together, and we want to get married soon. Is this crazy?”

Crazy? No. Infatuation? Perhaps. Falling in love feels magical. Staying in love through all of life’s ups and downs can feel like a prison sentence, if one chooses the wrong person. In terms of Christian dating, choosing wisely is vital to future happiness. Let’s consider some Christian dating advice most couples can live with.

What Does it Mean to Fall in Love?

Professor Arthur Aron from State University of New York at Stonybrook explains the dynamics of falling in love. “Usually, we fall in love with a person that we find attractive and appropriate for us, but also someone who demonstrates that they are attracted to us. This creates a situation where a great opportunity is open to us for self-expansion….we feel a surge of exhilaration! Contrary to [beliefs], most people fall in love with someone that they have known for a while. People only report falling in love quickly about forty percent of the time.”

Well, our reader did say she has known her special someone for years. Does this mean marriage now is right, after only two months of Christian dating? The Professor concludes, “…two important characteristics, kindness and intelligence, are extremely important in the process of falling in love. These two attributes are things that people learn about someone from knowing them over time. Intelligence is important. But kindness is the strongest indicator for a successful long-term relationship.”

Our couple certainly seems to display kindness and intelligence towards each other, their families and their communities. So far, so good! After all, even when you search for a mate through a Christian dating website, you can’t always be sure of the other individual’s kindness and intelligence at the outset.

But there are a few more items to consider in determining if this is love or lust:

• The couple are virgins. This is admirable, but can affect the decision making process when affections are intense. The spark of new love mellows over time. Remember, you are committing to the person, not the temporary feelings many Christian daters experience.
• Our reader describes only her own feelings. Is her guy ready, or is she pushing to make it so? More thoughtful investigation is needed.
• Our reader wonders if her feelings are “crazy”. Self-doubt may signal the need for greater reflection. Prayer is vital at this stage. If the couple can pray together on the matter, all the better.
• It sounds as though this couple is influenced by what others in the congregation think. This is a poor foundation for a successful marriage.

Mature Christian dating couples and married couples will almost unanimously give this sound, Christian dating advice: “Wait and get to know each other better.” Six months to one year is not unreasonable, and provides enough time to view your loved one’s behaviors and actions across a wide variety of circumstances. “He/She completely changed after I married him/her!” is a common complaint. Did the person really change, or was too little effort spent getting to know each other?

The decision to end Christian dating and move on to marriage is not to be taken lightly. Eliminate the noise of other people’s opinions, life circumstances, and sexual tension. Dig deep and ask God to reach your heart with the right decision, so that you can expect a long, happy life with the one you love.

Photo via jcoterhals

What’s wrong with one-on-one Christian dating? Nothing, unless reckless behavior rides along.

The truth is, every adult longs for companionship, along with finding trust, respect, and other important qualities in a mate. It is natural and normal to seek love. When God created Eve as Adam’s perfect partner, he exclaimed “It is not good for man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18)

But what God intended and what goes on in the dating world today are vastly different. Today, for most people, dating is a casual affair having very little to do with finding your “one and only.” Sexual activities figure prominently among those who date, and very little thought is given to the consequences, emotionally and physically. TV shows glorify the polyamorous lifestyle, and critics of Christian principles ask, “How can you get to know someone if ten of your friends are always tagging along?”

These modern cultural attitudes may lead you to ask yourself, “Is group dating the right thing to do, or am I somehow missing out?”

While the Bible does not specifically address the topic of Christian dating, it does discuss personal relationships and what God expects of us. Isn’t Christian dating a personal relationship? It sure is. But if you simply want to fun with new people, or learn more about how to love and the type of partner you may want one day, dating is the wrong venue.

Dating requires that your emotions become involved. Even if you approach Christian dating casually – just “hanging out with a friend” – someone is bound to get hurt. Even worse, if sexual relations take place in the heat of passion, both parties will experience shame, guilt and unnecessary distress, knowing God’s commandments have been broken.

Think about Christian dating this way: group dates are really not “dates”. They are social opportunities, where you can test out the world out adult Christian dating, and prepare yourself to find the right companion. In answer to the critics mentioned above, it is difficult to get to truly know someone with a group tagging along. Therefore, if you have enough interest in another person to consider him or her as a life partner, a one-on-one date is fine. Simply behave responsibly. If you can’t trust yourself or the other person to do so, you are probably not ready for Christian dating.

Photo via Dominikfoto

Let this be our prayer…
As we go our way…
Lead us to a place…
Guide us with your grace…
To a place where we’ll be safe.

(David Foster, “The Prayer”)

As a Christian, you already recognize there are few deeper expressions of Christ’s love than the power of prayer.

As half of a romantic couple, then, what could be a more powerful expression of your love for Christ and each other than to join together in prayer?

Society tells us that marriage is a lifetime journey. As Christians, marriage is a lifetime journey in Faith.  Marriage was ordained by God as a holy union, “”held in honor among all….”Hebrews 13:4.

As we begin to date in a serious manner, seeking a partner for life, so many questions arise…and the answers may be equally as difficult. One question, however, has a clear and certain answer.

“Should we pray together as a couple?”

Yes, yes, and yes.

Prayer should already be part of your life every day as a committed Christian. All that will change is the focus of those prayers, from “me”, to “we”.

The minister and life coach Jewel Diamond Taylor wrote “The Marriage Prayer” to deepen the relationship and faith in Christ between husband and wife.  Many of my dating Christian friends have adapted this prayer, using this version:

“Thank you Lord for teaching us how to make You the center of our relationship.  Humble us to grow beyond our ego, pride and past hurts.  Help us to establish and grow the love of Christ in us to show each other kindness, trust, patience, forgiveness and divine love. Help me Lord to honor the qualities of my partner.  Teach us how to pray for each other.  Empower me with courage to speak up for anything out of order in our relationship.  Soften my tongue and heart where it has become like stone.  Strengthen my flesh and self-esteem where it has become weak.

Whenever we lose the gratitude for each other, guide us in ways to relight the candle of friendship that can burn out from stress and time.  Bless us to not only see, but also honor, one another.  Help us to not only listen, but also hear, each other.  Bless us to not only cherish one another, but also nourish each other’s dreams and spiritual gifts.  We surrender our relationship and our personal power struggles to You.  Teach us to be less controlling and more collaborative in our decisions and problem solving skills. Quicken our minds so we may know how to please, protect and provide for each other.   Bless our love to grow stronger, wiser, peaceful and committed. Bring into our circle of friends examples of healthy committed marriages.  Let our family and friends see Christ through our example.

Thank you, Lord, for covering us with your grace, mercy and favor.  Today is a new day that I choose to love, respect and serve my partner.  Give us the wisdom, patience, love and faith not to give up on each other.”

Amen.

Ask, and it shall be given you; Seek, and ye shall find, Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Matthew 7:7

Photo via More Good Foundation

Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

An ongoing debate related to Christian dating is whether kissing before marriage is permissible.  One would be hard-pressed to disagree that passionate kissing is sexual, and can inflame the desires of the couple who already feel an attraction. Certainly, the Christ-centered couple will avoid sexual intercourse, or any form of extreme sexual arousal.

But what about passionate kissing among Christians who are dating?  This conversation goes beyond the simple peck on the cheek which signifies affection or the innocent kiss between a mother and child.

Some believe that the Bible prohibits all sexual activity outside of the sanctity of marriage.  Any romantically oriented physical activity—which can include handholding or hugging—is a sin. While no one specific scripture specifically states kissing should be avoided, the Christ-centered couple understands the Bible’s intent. When you think about it, no specific scripture declares, “You shall not break into your neighbor’s house” and yet we know this is wrong. However, Galatians 5:19-21 clearly expresses that “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness” are works of the flesh that will prevent Christians from inheriting the kingdom of God. The reasonable Christian does not need to read precisely specific admonitions to get the point.

Dating with Respect and Glory to God

For Christians, “dating” is no casual activity or merely a way to fill a lonely Saturday night. Dating is part of the process of choosing a lifetime marriage partner.

Kissing generally precedes sexual foreplay for married partners. Kissing can be the “spark” which sets off a fire. And make no mistake about it; exploring sexuality with someone of the opposite sex is, indeed, playing with fire. Passions, once aroused, can overwhelm our good senses, and even our deepest Christian faith.

Waiting Until Marriage

Therefore, many Christian couples who are serious about a future together choose not to kiss until marriage. Of course, God has provided each of us with consciences which, if we allow them, will do the heavy lifting for us, so these sensitive decisions are far easier.

The key is to do what is right for you. This means spending time praying about it, specifically asking for help to deal with the temptations you naturally feel, and thinking it through. Most importantly, you and your romantic partner must agree to what degree romantic physical contact will suit you both.  This is a real test. If you are against kissing prior to marriage, and your partner staunchly believes “A kiss is just a kiss”, then kissing may not your most seriousproblem in achieving a successful marriage.

Photo via Alex Multey

Throughout our life, there will be times when we need spiritual help for our human needs. These needs may be at times when we feel weak, tempted, afraid, or full of sorrow. What better way to reconnect and strengthen your faith and relationship with the Lord than through the book of His Word? We’ve found 50 bloggers who are striving to just the same. Find Biblically-based guidance that is powerful, real, and timeless for teaching, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

Photo by Savio Sebastian

1. Bible Verses God’s Word: The purpose of this blog is to edify and equip you in your faith in Jesus Christ. Articles and bible verses are quoted directly from the New American Standard Bible with personal commentary from the author.
2. Christian Daily Devotions: Start your day with a new bible verse, prayer, psalm, or poem to get your mind realigned with the Lord’s goodness.
3. Grace For Your Day: Pastor Jonathan Pate shares two minute devotional videos exploring God’s amazing grace on a day to day basis.
4. A Moment with God: Lisa Phelps is a pastor’s wife, worship leader, church secretary, and a small group leader. Lisa shares truths from God’s Word and encourages others with help from the Bible’s teachings.
5. Faithful Devotions: Faithful Devotions is part of the Faithful Bloggers Network, a community for Christian bloggers. Its purpose is to provide a common ground for encouraging and strengthening your relationship with Him.
6. Inspirations from Phather Phil: Phil Malmstrom is an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ message of hope and love to lighten your spirit, and to make you think about what faith really means in your life.
7. Get Up With God: Get Up With God Ministries is a non-denominational non-profit organization dedicated to spreading God’s word with daily doses of the Bible.
8. A Fruitful Life: Reverend Rosalind P. Denson, Ph. D. is the Associate Pastor at West Side Missionary Baptist Church and a Licensed Professional Counselor. Rosalind established A Fruitful Life to provide encouragement, information, and inspiration for the Body of Christ.
9. My Favourite Verses: Find Bible verses and devotions to God for applying to daily life and uncovering your life’s true purpose.
10. Blue Letter Bible: The Blue Letter Bible Blog offers free tools and resources for online Bible study and reference. It is updated every weekday and provides articles and commentaries on theology and doctrine.
11. Accessing Grace: Christy is a full-time stay at home mom who participates in Bible studies and accountability groups at her church. Accessing Grace came out of a heart’s desire to serve God by uplifting and challenging your spirit.
12. Nemo’s Daily Dabbles: Nemo shares her thoughts on getting to know the Living God through His Word, The Bible. Nemo’s Daily Dabbles are influenced by the scriptures which she uses for prayer and guidance.
13. Power Verses: Mel Alarilla is a Christian striving to be of service to God and His flocks. Mel created Power Verses to share the Gospel and its message to unbelievers who are still groping in the dark.
14. Daily Gospel: Read daily prayers and meditations from the Late Breaking Catholic. This community blog is an excellent source for scripture readings and weekly prayer topics for your exploration.
15. The Daily Bible Plan: Kevin Griggs uses his “through-the-bible” reading plan to take you through a journey of selected Scripture passages that cover the entire Bible within a year. Kevin’s hope is for his readers follow along with the daily reading plan and become inspired by the Word of God.
16. Sword of Goliath: The Blue Butterfly explores passages from the Bible while connecting each verse to its underlying meaning and significance. The topics and verses serve to help you reflect ways in which the Lord is calling you in your own life.
17. My Daily Walk in His Grace: Tracy is a blogger from Cape Town, South Africa. She established My Daily Walk in His Grace blog to provide encouraging and positive reflections of the Scripture.
18. Bible Devotions: ThinkOnIt Bible Devotions blog is a non-profit organization with a mission to stir up passion for God’s Word. The author, Elizabeth Marks, provides commentary, practical challenge questions, and closing prayers for daily renewal from God’s Word.
19. 365 Days of Peace: Join this blogger’s quest for finding peace with the power of God’s word. The project is a search through the New International Version of the Bible for 365 verses that serve as reminders for us not to worry.
20. A Light for My Path: Doctor Shorb of the Christian Counseling and Educational Services shares articles and weekly devotionals. His devotionals explore a variety of topics including prayer, love, Christian life, faith, God’s protection and provision, salvation, and more!
21. A Word Fitly Spoken: Dana Rongione is a Christian author and speaker from Greenville, South Carolina. A Word Fitly Spoken is currently read in over 15 different countries, allowing Dana to spread the message throughout the world with her devotionals that encourage and uplift the weak and weary Christian.
22. Ain’ta That Good News: Pastor Yolanda Lehman shares her irrefutable passion for the Lord with her blog, Ain’ta That Good News, a daily online Christian devotion that makes good news easy to read and fun to share!
23. Stray Thoughts: Barbara is an ordinary Christian woman devoted to sharing her knowledge from the teachings of God. Barbara writes about the Scripture’s wisdoms and reveals her favorite Christian books.
24. Bible Journal Online: Shawn Dally is a young Christian being molded by God to be the man He wants him to be. The Bible Journal Online is a devotional blog that breaks down Scripture under the leading and conviction of the Holy Spirit.
25. Basic Bible Knowledge: If you are searching for ways to increase your knowledge about the Bible, this blog is the place to be! Kent is the senior pastor of McDougal Chapel in Canada who shares his beliefs and philosophies of ministry.
26. Galatians 419: Allen White is a Christ-follower, husband, father, writer, and pastor. Allen established Galatians 419 to provide daily encouragement in your Christian walk until, as the Apostle Paul wrote, “Christ is formed in you”.
27. Bible Study: Join this Christian adult Sunday school group as they explore weekly topics on musings of the Bible. The group’s instructor has taught lessons of the Bible for over 50 years.
28. Been Thinking About: Mart De Haan has served at RBC ministries for over 30 years and is the current President. Mart discusses the life-changing message of the Bible and how to apply biblical truth to everyday life.
29. Daily Mass Readings: Steve Smith posts enlightening and helpful words from the Holy Scripture for the daily Mass of the Roman Catholic Church.
30. Our Daily Journey with God: Our Daily Journey is designed to give you a deep, biblical, interactive devotional experience. Daily posts consist of real-life issues to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus and help you shine brighter for Him.
31. Daily Grace: Daily Grace is a short concise daily devotional developed to encourage, exhort, and increase reading and understanding of God’s word.
32. Deacon John 1987: Deacon John Giglio Jr. of the Brooklyn Diocese provides Catholic prayers, daily readings, and resources to help you form a closer relationship with God.
33. God n Me: God n Me is a bi-weekly blog written by Dena Netherton that encourages readers to see the glory of Jesus Christ in small, daily things, and to seek greater intimacy with Him.
34. Daily Devotionals: Dr. Stacy L. Spencer is the senior pastor of New Direction Christian Church. He posts his daily devotionals of wisdom and encouragement from his time spent each day with the Lord.    
35. Encourage 365: Visit this blog each day to find a new inspiration from the Bible. Kelly is a Christian wife, mother, and teacher who is writing for 365 days to provide encouragement and happiness from passages of the Bible.
36. A Great God & Good Coffee: Grab a cup of Joe and join blogger and follower of Jesus Erick Reinstedt as he reflects and talks about God and His glory, His testimony, and Biblical teachings.
37. Faith Imagined: Alisa Hope Wagner has a God-given passion to write and she loves to write about what the Holy Spirit is currently teaching her. Alisa’s blog, Faith Imagined: Communicating the Attainable God, is her way of using her talents to spread His word.
38. Saints of the Faith: This blog is only one part of the collection of the 24 Catholic blogs of Faith of the Fathers written by Ginny, Emmy, and Steve. Saints of the Faith teaches you how to live in obedience to God’s Word and the Teachings of the Church.
39. He Knows My Name: Sharon is a ministry assistant and the wife of a children’s pastor who is passionate about Christ. Sharon’s blog, He Knows My Name features daily Bible verses and passages to increase your knowledge and study of the Word of God.
40. GraceWalk: Get in the habit of daily Bible reading with GraceWalk! This blog is written by a dedicated bi-vocational minister, musician, and father.
41. Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength: Daniel shares his thoughts on general Christianity, apologetics, theology, doctrine and Christian philosophy.
42. Here I Blog: Mark is a deacon, men’s ministry co-leader, youth minister and Sunday school teacher. Here I Blog is Mark’s expression of his passion for understanding the Gospel’s lessons and teachings for everyday life.
43. Internet Café Devotions: Grab a steaming hot cup of something and sit on down with Lori Macmath! Lori hopes to inspire all women to develop a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ though the daily interaction of God’s Word.
44. The Christian Journey: Christopher’s blog, The Christian Journey is a collection of Bible teachings and devotional writings designed to challenge your faith and to draw you into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.
45. Meditations From Zion: Follow Irm Brown and her journey through the New Testament as she picks apart eight to fifteen lines each day! Irm’s personal mission is to inspire meaningful change, build faith in God and connect people with resources that make a difference in their lives.
46. Scripture Zealot: Join Jeff as he journeys through the New Testament where he plans to grow in his faith and get to know God better through his revelations in the Scripture.
47. The Passionate Follower’s Journal: Carey has been a Pastor for over 20 years and is the father of five. He believes that the Bible IS God’s word, that in it God has said what He means, and that our job is to put it to practice in our lives.
48. One Year Bible Blog: Mike is a Christian who has discovered that reading and studying the Bible every day is life-transforming. Take 15 minutes of your day to explore readings from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs to strengthen your relationship with God through his Word, the Bible.
49. Chelle’s Blog: Chelle refers to herself as a reformed rebel learning to walk with the Lord. Her blog features various topics centered on developing further as Christians with power and guidance from passages of the Scripture.
50. Soul Journaler: Andy Pierson shares his thoughts on the inerrant Word of God, salvation, and Jesus Christ who is the only atonement for sin. Andy is pursuing a seminary degree so he can better serve Christ and others. His blog is especially for those with nutty schedules who wish to make meaningful contact with the Lord.

Are you in a faraway place? Has it been a few weeks since you’ve rolled out of bed for Church?  Maybe you feel disconnected?  Or perhaps you are seeking an intimate relationship with God?  Reconstruct your life today by taking a moment to indulge yourself in our top 100 Christian Lifestyle Resources.  From blogs written especially for parents to real life testimonies on missionary outreach efforts, you will find guidance from experts and every day, normal people who are also on the path to righteousness.

Women & Christianity

• Radical Womanhood: Blogger and author Carolyn McCulley reaches out to feminists about the radicalness of being a biblical woman living in a modern world.
• Girl Talk Home: A mother and her three daughters ‘girl talk’ about biblical womanhood.
• We Used 2 B U: Ladies, this blog is the ultimate Christian Help Resource! If you need advice or tools for building your faith, make We Used 2 Be U your number one go-to blog.
• Christian Women Friends: Christian Women Friends is a place for women of all denominations to connect with one another to find encouragement, inspiration, and spiritual growth.
• National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs: Members of NACWE post daily about various topics on being a Christian business woman.
• Prudy Chick: This prudy chick has grew up in church but is only beginning to learn what it means to be a Christian—join her on the incredible journey.
• Christianity in High Heels: A single Christian girl is traveling through life in high heels all while keeping faith in God; read about her love for Jesus among other related topics.
• Ragamuffin Diva: This creative and uniquely written blog is primarily for the spunky and spontaneous woman; posts range from Jesus to art but the sole purpose is to give readers the resources they need to truly amplify their grace in God.

Parenting

• From Dates to Diapers and Beyond: Christine, the proud mother of seven youngsters (all ages 10 and under) shares about life with little ones.  She says that trusting in the Lord is what gives her the strength she needs each day, to do what He has called her to do.
• Joyful Mothering: Joyful Mothering is bound and determined to encourage, challenge, and motivate you in the discipleship and nurturing of your children.
• Christian Homeschoolers Taking a Stand: Parents, find your biblical homeschooling resources all right here and consult with other Christian homeschoolers on curriculum options.
• Messiah Mom: This blogger is a wise mother whose honesty plays a huge part in her posts on faith in Christ.
• Ramblings of a Christian Mom: Savannah chats about the Bible, Christian books, and Christian living.  Engaging in her posts will humble you and strengthen your spirituality.

Reading/Writing

• Challies:  Pastor, author and book reviewer Tim Challies uses his blog as an online journal. Challies refers to the blog as “commentary on the contemporary church and its interaction with the culture around us.”
• Crossway: Crossway blog helps bring men, women, and children to Christ as their Lord and Savior by assisting them in growing in knowledge and understanding of the Christian life.
• Real Live Preacher: Gordon Atkinson, writer and former pastor, writes honestly about himself as he showcases his latest books.
• Moore to the Point: Dr. Moore explains his own questions using biblical verse and his sometimes controversial posts make his Christian blog one of the most entertaining blogs on the web.
• Ed Stetzer – The LifeWay Research Blog:  The LifeWay Research team includes Christ followers who are studying church, culture, and ministry. Their intriguing and resourceful blog offers insight on multiple topics that will influence your Christian lifestyle.
• Intervarsity Emerging Scholars Blog: This blog seeks to identify, encourage, and equip the next generation of Christian scholars.
• Rachel Held Evans: Rachel is an award-winning author, a speaker, and a blogger.  Her blog focuses on guiding the spiritual direction of Christians everywhere.
• God With Us: Finding Joy: This creative, Canadian fiction writer is uplifting and influential. Her blog features book reviews on Mondays, devotional thoughts on Wednesdays, as well as findings, friends, and funnies on Fridays. Enjoy!
• In Light of the Gospel: This blog from pastor, author and teacher James Grant specializes in theology, the Bible, the church, and culture.  Grant encourages all aspiring writers as well as publicly known writers to send him books for review.
• Miscellanies: This is an intellectual blog full of posts to ponder by Tony Reinke, the Nebraska native and author of Lit! A Christian Guide to Reading Books.
• Lutheran Writer: This blog, devoted to learning and experimenting, welcomes Lutheran writers who want others to learn about their talents and interests.
• The Reader’s Cove: If book reviews and Christian fiction resources is what you’re seeking, Reader’s Cove is where you absolutely need to be.    This blog is perfect for readers, authors, publishers, and sellers!

Social Issues and Controversy

• Titus One Nine: Blogger Rev. Canon Dr. Kendall Harmon examines current issues facing the church and the nation.
• Rethinking Youth Ministry: Pastors Brian Kirk and Jacob Thorne offer both theory and practical ideas for rethinking the way the church does ministry by, for and with youth.
• The Church Mouse: The Church Mouse can’t speak, so he blogs! When nobody else is around, the rodent addresses events happening in the world today and explores the biblical context for such happenings.
• Blog Compassion: This Christian blog on child poverty seeks to rescue those who suffer from impoverishment.  Join the cause by becoming an advocate today and in Jesus’s name you can save a life!
• Brian McLaren: Brian McLaren is a speaker, author, networker, and pastor whose purpose is to help you grow with Christ and grow in the Christian community.
• Mark D. Roberts: This thoughtful blog presents daily reflections for the Christian who wants to further develop their faith but doesn’t know where or how to start.
• Think Christian:  This collaborative Christian blog discusses what it means to be a Christian in today’s society while reminding its readers to exercise faith in every aspect of their life.
• Christian Science in Massachusetts: Ken Girard, the media and government lawmaking liaison for Christian Science in Massachusetts, took a ‘hands-on’ approach when considering his religion.  Read his story and gain insight to how his life dramatically changed for the better.
• A Churchless Faith: This is a compelling blog which scrutinizes the overlap of faith and contemporary culture.
• Anarchist Reverend: Shannon T.L. Kearns writes about taking the path less traveled as a Christian and his aspirations for the future.
• BIC Ventures:  Bic Adventures provides a heap of knowledge on biblical worldviews and ethical Christian business practices for entrepreneurs.
• Cindy By The Sea: Cindy shares her perception on social issues with her readers because she believes doing so will not only glorify God but will also allow the larger picture to unfold.

Spiritual Inspiration

• Beliefnet: Feeling down on your faith? This community of bloggers will pamper you with daily pick-me-ups that will without a doubt leave you feeling inspired and closer to your Lord.
• Get Religion: Get inspired by information and opinions on mainstream religious news.  Journalists Terry Mattingly and Douglas LeBlanc dive into real world issues and stir up questions regarding insufficient coverage.
• The High Calling: An exhilarating blog jammed packed with everyday conversations about work, life, and God.
• The Gospel Coalition:  Renew your faith in the gospel of Christ by checking out The Gospel Coalition.  This fellowship of evangelical churches provides multiple resources, blogs, and videos that will expose you to biblical truth.
• Dan Kimball: Get a taste of ‘Vintage Faith’ at Dan Kimball’s blog. Kimball speaks about anything and everything pertaining to Christianity.
• The Resurgence: Dedicated to Christian folks from all backgrounds, this resource is the crème of the crop for inspiration and motivation to share a personal relationship with God.
• Emergent Village: A growing network of inspired Christians connect to chat about abstract yet meaningful thoughts.
• A Holy Experience: Writer, mother, and farmer’s wife Ann Voskamp enlightens you with beautiful photos that will make drop to your knees and thank the Lord.
• Jesus Needs New PR: Matthew Paul Turner isn’t preaching to the choir here, instead, he aims to directly impact his readers by tying in current events that touch all of our lives and teach on the Holy Spirit.
• Take Your Vitamin Z: Take your Vitamin Z blog exists to encourage Christians on a day to day basis.  Zach Nielsen’s posts focus on current events and how those occurrences can inspire you to build up your faith.
• More Than Dodgeball: High school pastor Joshua Griffin blogs about the significance of youth ministry.
• Clayton King: A divinely inspired resource for students of the Bible and anyone interested in learning more about God’s message.
• Best Christian Blog of The Week: This blog features a brand new Christian Lifestyle blog every week for you to dabble in for inspiration and each resource within the domain will most definitely enrich a person’s growth in Christ.
• Divine Endings: Divine Endings is your absolute best source on the web for ‘Making Christian Connections’ via social networking!
• Highly Favored: Highly Favored is committed to helping Christians deepen their relationship with God.  Read inspirational posts, words of encouragement, and tips that will help you strengthen your faith.
• Marketplace Christianity: Dive into the Gospel to learn about core biblical principles that will simply bring honor to God.
• The Lazy Christian: This blog will not make you feel as if you are a lousy Christian!  Instead, The Lazy Christian will nonchalantly assist you in doing the ‘Christiany’ things you’re supposed to do.
• Walk As He Did:  Walk As He Did concentrates on guiding the spiritual direction of Christians by challenging them to obtain new levels of Faith.

Leadership

• A Leader’s Journey: Scott Cochrane’s A Leader’s Journey touches on nearly every aspect of leadership while constantly reminding readers about the underlying value in following Christ.
• Church Planting for the Rest of Us: This blog is devoted to equipping church leaders with a biblical vision and practical resources.
• Jon Acuff: Author of Stuff Christians Like, Jon Acuff, discusses reflections on leadership and life for young adults.
• Justin Rizzo: This influential blog is ideal for worship leaders and those aspiring to become worship leaders.
• Michael Hyatt: The Chairman of the largest Christian publishing company in the world brings fourth insightful yet relevant content for leaders to put to work in their professional and personal lives.
• Perry Noble: A senior pastor from South Carolina shares his thoughts on leadership in the Christian arena.
• Kyria’s Gifted For Leadership: This blog’s goal is to give church leaders that extra edge when preaching God’s word.
• Church Leaders: Free leadership tips for those holding leadership positions and those who choose to lead by example.

Missionary Blogs

• Christian Century: What’s your mission? This resource is helpful for those Christians looking  to give back.
• Live Say Haiti: An up close and personal five year glance at the lives of a large family living, working, and learning in Port au Prince, Haiti.
• Boston Faith & Justice Network: BFJN’s director Ryan Scott McDonnel blogs about his travels throughout India.
• Missionary Blogs: Check out what God is doing first hand in the lives of over 500 missionaries.
• Missionary Confidential: This is an evangelical Christian blog in which analyzes the facets of missionary life.
• Ali Rae: Ali and her husband live on board the world’s largest non-governmental hospital ship to bring hope and healing to the forgotten poor in West Africa.

Relationships and Dating

• Boundless: Boundless acts as your navigational guide as you mature in Christ as a foundation for marriage and family.
• TransChristians: This blog is designed to encourage transgender Christians of all shades.
• Christian Gays: Gay and Christian? Yes it is Possible! This blog supports homosexuality as an orientation based on Scripture alone.
• Dating Advice for Christian Singles: All the Christian dating advice and relationship advice for Christian singles and couples that you never knew existed!
• Men’s Christian Dating Blog: This blog is solely dedicated to Christian guys who had issues with dating the girls they wanted, or any girls at all.
• Sex Tips for Christian Girls: Just because you’ve committed Adultery, doesn’t make you a bigger sinner than the rest; this blog reflects on real live scenarios that the bible strays away from.
• The Relationship Manager:  Rachelle Miller, an experienced family attorney, practical Bible teacher, and a passionate relationship educator/counselor is passionate about preparing couples for marriage and helping married couples thrive.
• Ally Spotts: This 20-something Christian chats about everything from sex, trust, and relationships.
• Christian Dating Blog: A collection of ideas and opinions regarding Christian dating.
• Christian Partner for Life: Your complete guide for advice and guidance to Christians of faith on online dating.
• Senior Match U.S.: Senior Match U.S. is all about Christian Senior Dating, the blog provides a clean environment for users and it is free from junk and uselessness.
• I Waved Dating Hello: 26-year-old Joel is using his love life as a science experiment, read up on his newest findings.

Daily Resources

• Christian Post: Daily Christian news, politics, and editorials from all over the world.
• Christian Personal Finance: Learn tid-bits on how to make, save, grown, and give money (not necessarily in that order)!
• Christian Today: An online newspaper which serves to provide direct and current news information to the general Christian public.
• Gather Little By Little: A personal finance blog with a Christian Prospective that focuses on topics related to growing wealth using common sense biblical practices and by gathering money, little by little.
• Scriptorium Daily: Engaging key issues in cultures, theology, philosophy, art, and politics from a reasonable, rational Christian perspective.
• The Daily Bible Verse: The Daily Bible Verse is a Christian ministry which delivers a verse from the Holy Bible each day.
• The Worship Community: A grassroots community of worship leaders, artists, singers, musicians, and technicians from all over the world.
• Worship Matters: Get your worship on! Here you’ll find resources for leading worship from Bob Kauflin.
• Christian Daily Resources: Christian Daily Resources is a Christian Online Ministry dedicated to sharing God’s word.
• The Christian Dollar: A blog geared toward Christians wanting to better themselves in the area of finance.

Technology/Media/Social networking

• Blog Talk Radio: Active Christian Media for Christ followers to tune into any time of the day!
• Tall Skinny Kiwi: This blog is composed by a tall, skinny, travelling entrepreneur and father of five who loves to blog.  It’s everything spiritual and religious which collides with new media in today’s society.
• Christian Web Trends: Christian Web Trends hope to help Christian individuals and organizations make better use of communications technology in their churches, schools, ministries, businesses, and personal lives.
• Church Communications Pro: Journalist, web-designer, and communication director of Quail Springs Baptist Church Cory Miller helps Christians understand effective means of communication.
• Faithful Bloggers: A community of Christian bloggers unite! Stop by to connect about anything and everything Christ related.
• Share Faith: Share Faith provides technology solutions and communication tools that’ll enable them to communicate the gospel adequately.
• Shaun in the City: Techie-humanitarian Shaun uses social media and a pinch of courage to make the world a better place, learn how to follow in his footsteps and the footsteps of Jesus.
• The Twurch of England: The Twurch of England is a twitter aggregator for the Church of England, it presents a live feed of tweets from people and organizations that represent the Church of England.
• Christian Projector Media Blog: This blog’s mission is to increase the effectiveness of reaching people through Church Media Ministries.  You can find a wealth of shared experience and expertise all in this one spot!

In the entire world, there is nothing as complex as human relationships. There are almost no reliable rules, guidelines, or sets expectations to make them more manageable, they can work in an infinite numbers of ways, they all have problems, no two are the same, and no single one is exactly the same from day to day. Thank goodness the Internet has arrived with plenty of quizzes and articles to help you get some perspective, and figure out whether its time to start a new relationship, or end one.

• CollegeCandy- Help yourself get a handle on the classic conundrum of whether or not to sustain a high school relationship with this article from College Candy.
• PsychCentral- If you aren’t a fan of all the anecdotal relationship advice out there, Psych Central can lend you some perspective and knowledge from a more clinical standpoint.
• StayTeen- Use the five points laid out in this article from Stayteen.org to evaluate whether your relationship is sound or maybe it’s time to look for someone new.
• DivineCaroline- On the cusp of starting a committed relationship? This article will give you some factors to consider when you evaluate whether or not your man is boyfriend material.
• Gurl- Catching your boyfriend cheating on you is a heart-wrenching situation. For help figuring out how to move forward, try this article from Gurl.com as well as perusing their message boards.
• VideoJug- Have the girl in mind but not quite sure you’re borfriend material at this point? Use the written and video resources on VideoJug.com to remake yourself in the image of her dream guy.
• Boundless- If your relationship is feeling a little to ambiguous for comfort, this test from boundless.org is designed to DTR (define the relationship), and can help you put a name to the situation.
• InventorSpot- Don’t let a bad relationship sneak up on you. Keep these five signs mind and you’ll be right on top of whether your girlfriend is turning your relationship into a loathsome quagmire.
• TheFrisky- It can be confusing trying to figure out what guys are on the lookout for, here is a resource from TheFrisky.com detailing what several guys are looking for in candidate for a committed relationship.
• StevePavlina- One of the problems with beginning a long-distance relationship is that it can be so difficult to know when to end it. Check out Steve Pavlina’s blog for some opinions about when to seriously consider terminating the deal.
• Datingish- Every once in awhile it becomes painfully obvious to someone that they are the problem. Check out this blog for advice on whether it’s time to end the relationship for your partner’s sake.
• RomanceClass- RomanceClass.com supplies a whole page of links containing advice on how and when to perform a clean, painless breakup.
• QuizFarm- Have a sneaking suspicion that you are a poor boyfriend? Well sense you’re probably not very well qualified to judge yourself, use this quiz from QuizFarm.
• SafeSpace- If you’re not exactly sure how your relationship makes you feel, it might be a good idea to stop by TheSafeSpace.org and take this healthy relationship quiz.
• Shanghaishiok- Have a Chinese girlfriend who just needs to go? Stop by this online community for a guide on how to dump a girl who is distinctly Chinese.
• TheDeliciousLife- Some distinctions are very hard to make but extremely important nonetheless, among them is the ability to tell the difference between a great husband and a great boyfriend. Stop by the thedeliciouslife.com blog and educate yourself.
• Twoofus- If you are in need of a way to diagnose your relationship, stop by twoofus.org and look over the symptoms of a healthy and unhealthy relationship.
• Quizmoz- Love is a mystery…but luckily you can get a few hints at how to detect the presence of that mystery by taking this quiz on whether or not your boyfriend is in love with you.
• GirlsTeachGuys- If you’re a guy with need of some insight into the opposite sex, stop by girlsteachguys.com and figure out what is going on with your partner.
• Puff- Being friends with benefits is among the most complex of relationships, use this article to help sort out what your ambiguous feelings mean and how you should act on them.

It’s no secret that being physically appealing is an important part of attracting people and developing romantic relationships. People perceive fitness as an indication of disciple, self-esteem, organization and a wide variety of other important characteristics. Unfortunately any single person giving advice about how to become and stay fit is usually not sufficient. What works for one person may flounder another for any variety of reasons including schedule, diet proclivities, pre-existing health conditions, discipline etc… Luckily the web contains an enormous variety of resources that people aspiring for rapid fitness can tap into in order to start finding the right track.

• Nutritional Data- No matter how you slice it, your weight is determined by the number of calories that you burn subtracted from the number of calories that you take it in. Nutritional Data is a resource for determining the caloric values of your favorite foods, as well as developing an appreciation for the notion that not all calories are created equal.
• Military Fitness- A tremendous provider of workouts of all types, as well as valuable nutritional information and a wide variety of other information, Military Fitness keeps it basic while still being wedded to the latest scientific principles.
• ExRx- Every bit as stylish and every but as effective as a prescription from a competent doctor, Exercise Prescription packs its information into very dense doses, providing its readers with definitive answers on workouts, nutrition, weight loss and everything else involving exercise.
• Health- Like any good blog, this one is a great resource for many of the intangibles that go into its subject. Once you’ve got your workout planned, fitness.health.com can help you ascertain how many pairs of shoes you’ll need.
• Nutrition Over Easy- Monica Reinagel, a registered dietician and attendee of culinary school, is dedicated to the providing of simple and scientifically sounds culinary advice with an aim at making the world of dieting simpler and saner.
• Fitsugar- If you are looking to immerse yourself in an online fitness community, Fitsugar would be a good site to try. Containing blogs and resources for all facets of fitness, fashion and food, this is a good destination for someone looking to casually browse the world of fitness.
• Dr. McDougall’s- When it’s time to get scientific about your diet but not get lost in technical minutiae, visit Dr. McDougall’s for in depth articles that maintain their practicality. This site also features a vibrant forum.
• FitCeleb- If you like your fitness blog with a hearty dollop of fashion on top of it, Fitceleb is a fitness blog with an eye towards the latest fashions and trends in celebrity culture.
• Male Pattern Fitness- “A blog, about meat, muscle, and the minds of men.” This unapologetically masculine fitness blog features sizeable archives dating back to 2005 and links to 313 sports blogs.
• Health Castle- Dedicated to the achievement of “simply, better health,” HealthCastle.com is a well organized resource containing advice on eating, cooking, supplements, and even comprehensive comparative analysis of dozens of the top brands of potato chips.
• Nutrition Unplugged- For those of us tired of blowing in the capricious winds of dietary fashion, anchor yourself to NutritionUnplugged.com for a site that which keeps it basic in the name of “fad-free healthy eating.”
• Natural Physiques- Many people need to feel like they are taking an aggressive stance against their love handles and puny arms. These people should considering visiting NaturalPhysiques.com for access to a myriad of articles based around altering your body without exploiting the confusing world of supplementation.
• Arthur Devany- The encroachment of age is a constant threat to physical fitness and overall health. Arthur Devany’s blog details his opinions and approaches to maintaining and increasing fitness as an elderly person.
• Diets in Review- Before embarking on the massive lifestyle commitment that is a diet, stop by this site to see what your predecessors thought of it. Also contains a blog with advice on everything from vitamins to dancing your way to health.
• Daily Spark- If your interested in regularly expanding your fitness knowledge, the DailySpark is an online community that is free to join and provides its members with daily knowledge and insights into the world of nutrition and fitness.
• Diet Blog- Use this site to gain fitness and dietary knowledge in all areas, even going as far as the emotional and psychological end of the spectrum. A great resource for adding depth to ones dietary knowledge.
• Beginner Triathlete- For those looking to seriously invest themselves in an aggressive brand of fitness, beginnertriathlete.com provides the resources and knowledge to start down the road to becoming a tri-athlete.
• LA Fitness Blog- For people who consider themselves to possess west coast sensibilities, the LA fitness blog can provide exercise and nutritional information with an undertone of Los Angeles.
• Diet- If in need of a one-stop location for nutritional and exercise information, the sheer mass of data provided by diet.com, its forum and blogs is difficult to beat.
• Spry Living- With an eye more on getting fit by developing a healthy lifestyle than violently banishing fat and toxins from your body, SpryLiving.com supplies its readers with specialized content which strives for quality over quantity.
• Fitness4Her- If you’re a woman who wants to turn the reins governing her fitness over to a professional, Fitness4her.com is a subscription site that will provide professional guidance in many areas of health and nutrition.
• 3FatChicks- Three fat chicks are embarking on a diet, and you’re welcome to join. In keeping with the title of this page, 3fatchicks.com is an online community featuring blogs and a forum to garner knowledge and interact with everyone else who is along for the ride.
• Let’s Run- If you enjoy an informative, spirited forum discussion and are engaged or looking to become engaged in the world of running, the forum at Letsrun.com is a necessary stop.
• The Facts About Fitness- In need of a strong set of fitness opinions to follow? Christian Finn’s website promises to deliver the bottom line on losing fat and gaining muscle.
• Calorie Lab- If you are a calorie counter, and agonize over how many calories are in a sirloin steak or 7 brown M&Ms, make the calorieslab.com a regular stop.