Experiencing High School to the Fullest

It makes me sad to think about all the people who go through high school dreading everyday, not reaching out to people and making friends, and avoiding the opportunities high school has to offer. High school is such an enjoyable time of life that causes you to find out who you're going to be, what friends you'll have, your interests, and even just to have fun in the midst of learning new things that will allow you to move on and begin life full of even more opportunities. 

Specifically, high school students struggle a great amount with relationships, both as friends and as "special friends". Personally, I have only had one dating relationship with a boy and am still continuing in that relationship. We met in school our freshman year, got to know each other during sophomore year, and became an official couple the summer before our junior year. Our story is complicated, but beautiful. Both he and I desire God first in every aspect of our lives, especially in our dating/marriage relationships. We sought God together in deciding what was best for us during each season of life. Don't get me wrong, it was very difficult knowing we liked one another but not becoming a serious couple. But having a period of time where we stayed just as friends and actually getting to know one another without the distraction of being a couple was very beneficial and life-giving part of our story. Through it, we have been able to become best friends and see things we like in one another and become comfortable around each other. The night before we became an official couple, without knowing that we would actually be official the next day, I prayed that if God wanted us together, that my now boyfriend would make the first move and bring up the conversation, otherwise I would start the conversation with the idea that we would decide to go all in or not at all. That next day when we went and spent time in Portland, something was holding me back from starting the conversation when an opportunity arose. Sure enough, he started the conversation before I even needed to. What an answer to prayer!!! Later on I learned that he had prayed about asking me to date him the same night I had. So to sum it up, God worked in both of us and brought us together beautifully in His will and timing! Now we are together and loving one another more and more day by day.

All this to say, my first point and advice to you is: put God first! Not only in dating, but friendships and all other areas of your life. Bring all your cares to the Lord and surrender them, trusting that whatever He has in store is with your best interest at heart. Make sure your relationship with God is solid and your first priority before entering into a dating relationship and keep pursuing Him no matter what. And when you're dating someone, pursue God together! Pray for one another, send each other verses, have conversations about Him, etc. God will most definitely and gladly bless that. 

Now, when you date in high school, it can be a very complicated thing. You want to spend all your time with that other person. It can become very easy to be distracted by them...distracted from other people, school work, opportunities, God, you name it. But I cannot express enough how important it is to make sure that friendships are not pushed to the side, that school work still stays important, and most importantly that your relationship with Jesus Christ is your first priority and still growing. Yes I say all these things, but they are easier said than done. I have struggled with this very much. Even though this is true, it is so life giving when I make time for other friends and work well in school on top of investing a healthy amount into my significant other. I cannot stress enough that Jesus needs to be first in both people's lives! I have noticed that when I am not putting Jesus first in my life and seeking Him, my relationship with my boyfriend starts to not go very well. I get annoyed, I have a poor attitude, etc. But when Jesus is on the throne of my heart and on the throne of my boyfriends heart, we are both individually joyful and our relationship with each other is a huge blessing to enjoy that is given by God. Unfortunately, some relationships simply don't last. If that's the case and you didn't invest in your friendships, school, family, and God, you may very well feel empty. There is so much more to life than boys, especially in high school. They are a huge blessing, but they cannot be our everything. They cannot fulfill. Only God can. 

So if you do date in high school, great! But I encourage you to pray about where you're at in life, what your relationship with God is like, if you're ready for a relationship like that, etc. Make sure you date a guy that loves the Lord more than he loves you. Date a guy that desires the same things you do, especially when it comes to your spiritual lives. Date a guy that spends time with and pursues the Lord and is respectful and encouraging of your own spiritual needs and spiritual walk. Become friends before you date. I cannot say enough how wonderful a relationship like that is. Put Jesus first! Significant others are blessings, not fulfillment or everything that is important in life.  

Also, one of the best dates ever is going to your favorite coffee shop and just sitting and talking about what God is doing in your life and just how great God is. It is so life giving, fun, and brings joy! Proof again that Jesus needs to be first!