There's something pretty amazing about being in love, isn't there? The butterflies in your stomach. The dreamy gazes. No wonder so many of us are so in love with being in love. But if you look around-in the media, at school, in life-we've taken what God created and twisted it, morphed it and configured it into something it was never meant to be-an obsession. When romantic relationships become an obsession, balance goes out the window. We miss out on opportunities and experiences we might otherwise have had. And sometimes we even forget who we are. There's got to be healthier way to do this. There's got to be another way than being so lovesick.
Week One (February 3rd)
There is nothing quite like the experience of falling in love. Nothing. In fact, some people are willing to do just about anything for the feeling of being in love, for the knowledge that someone values them, finds them significant and worthwhile. Some people are even willing to give up who they are as an individual, give up their identity, just for the sake of a relationship. This week we are going to talk to students about the both the fun and wonderful parts of dating and also the danger of sacrificing who they are and who they are designed to be for the sake of romance.
Week Two (February 10th)
"Don't put all of your eggs in one basket!" We've all heard the phrase before, some of us have probably even used it a time or two, but when it comes to dating, it can be pretty hard to actually put into practice. We live in a culture where marketing, events and entertainment are driven by romantic relationships, where people are profiled based on relationship status, and where love and romance are a part of our daily conversations. For many students it just seems normal, almost expected to devote all of their time, energy and affection to acquiring or maintaining a dating relationship. This week we're going to talk to students about finding balance as they learn to fit dating into the many other, equally important, areas of life.
Week Three (February 17th)
High school reunions can be either something we eagerly look forward to, or anxiously dread. The reasons for our excitement or our hesitation are usually the same-the people. We're concerned about who we will encounter from our past and the lasting impression they had on us-for better or for worse-and the lasting impression we had on them. And no relationship has the ability to leave an impression, for better or worse, than a dating relationship. Dating relationships just have a lot of potential to do great good, or harm in the mark they leave. So this week we are going to help students explore dating from the perspective of the one they date. We want to challenge students this week to think about their own responsibility, regardless of where they may have been in the past, to always consider what they can do in the future to make someone's story better, and to treat them in a way that will be beneficial and positive in the long run.
