Are Christian Dating Sites Playing God?

There use to be Blackplanet and Myspace. Now there is Match.com, Zoosk and Facebook for online hookups. These sites are definite no nos for the Christian single. If you sign on these cyber meat markets looking for love you're in for a
deep serious headache!

Christian singles no longer have to waste their time on worldly matchmaking sites now they have E- Harmony and Christian Cafe among many others to cipher through to find their soul mate. A single Christian gal can discuss scripture and produce small talk in her pajamas without feeling a man's eyes on her every move. She can check out her suitor's profile without feeling forward, she can send him a wink without appearing overly flirtatious. Online dating is fun and super comfortable!

But my question is...are we playing God when we take matters into our own hands (women) and click and choose whoever strikes our eye? Are we impatient or are we practical? You tell me.

Skeptics of online dating,
Believe or not

In the last year 17% of couples who married met on a dating site.

1 in 5 singles have dated someone they met on a dating site.

1 in 5 singles are currently in a committed relationship with someone they met on a dating site.

More then 120,000 marriages that occur a year are thanks to online dating.

Whether we like it or not it's here to stay!
Dating online is growing more and more popular, it might even take the place of standard dating. Imagine primping for a blind date via Skype.
hey it could happen!

But then there is the factor that there are always more women than men, in church, on retreats, attending conferences, on dating sites...In the WORLD!

Registering on a dating site can become addicting and time consuming.

Online dating can raise your hopes of finding  a mate then burst them like a hot air balloon when potential sweethearts are dishonest.

Online dating is nontraditional and computer operated.
You are waiting for an icebreaker to pop into your mailbox instead of allowing the natural biochemical attraction to take place.

In biblical days a woman was betrothed (pledged to marry) her husband before she was able to meet him over a cup of coffee. Sarah (Sarai) was
betrothed to Abram (Abraham) before she knew his name and look at what God blessed them with, descendants more numerous than the grains of sand!

But in 2010 soon to be 2011 are we taking courtship into our own hands or are Christian dating sites a futuristic act of God?

If you know any online dating success stories/ horror stories please share.

Your opinion is very valuable :)

Christian Sites I Recommend

• eharmony.com
• christian cafe.com
• christian singles.com

While riding on the train heading to New Brunswick yesterday I had time to read some very heart wrenching letters. I said to myself if only I knew the pain was this deep I would have...what? What could I have done? I don't know maybe Love More.

Yes. I would have showed more love. Riding on the train to my audition tears stained my cheeks as I thought, How many women are suffering? How many are in pain? How many are out there hurting from the sting of a poisonous relationship? We have to do better.

When you say to yourself, "I can do better." Mean it.

When you say, "I deserve more!" Believe it.

When you proclaim, "I'm not going to dwell on the past. I'm going to live my life to the fullest." Do it.

On the journey don't forget to
Cherish every moment, every smiling face is a gift from God, a stranger's compliment may be an angel' s visitation, your family, your friends are tokens of God's love, love them generously, you never know when they have to say Goodbye. Live an enormous life, whatever you have been aching to do, instead of taking a "sick day", take a "adventure day" off work and experience it.

Women live the life you're afraid to live. Step out on faith and live. Life is too short to sit down and hold back.

And Ant Tash you were always Superwoman to me.

As November Leaves Fall

As November Leaves Fall...

Autumn has always been my favorite time of year, in New York especially. All of the trees lined up sporting a vast selection of harvest colors, purple, orange, cranberry red, golden yellow and coco brown.

When I think of fall many things come to mind. Fall is a time of promotion, children are promoted to the next grade, students enhance their knowledge at a higher level. Fall is a time of gathering, we gather pumpkins and pick apples. Fall is a time of thanksgiving, fall is a time to acknowledge our loved ones and cherish hearty moments spent preparing an abundant fest.

For my family fall is watching Charlie Brown hunt for the Great Pumpkin, baking sweet potato pie and banana pudding and deciding who would lick the spoon. Fall is writing vacation lists for the next year. Fall is twisting to Sam Cooke and sipping cinnamon sprinkled eggnog. Fall is picking partners for Taboo and screaming at the television during a game of Scene It. Fall is random car trips to Central avenue and shopping at Cross County near Yonkers Raceway. For me fall was curling up with a good book on Aunt Tash's red sofa and the nostalgic sounds of the Metro North zipping by in autumn dusk. Fall was sitting around chatting past midnight with my favorite people in the world, the girls, my mom and my aunts.

But this fall winter intruded without warning and it knocked me off my feet. I wasn't prepared for winter to overlap fall. It is not a good feeling.
As the leaves blow past my window I ask God, 'where did autumn go? Why can't she return to me?'
As December makes his entry, twenty ten is drawing to close and I can't remember the beginning. As the leaves slip out of the grasp of their woody owners, life has slipped away from me. A dear life that watched me grow. A life that encouraged me. My number one cheerleader. A life that always saw the best in me. A life that had the ability to make me laugh till my stomach ached. A life that was apart of my biggest dreams was carried away by the November wind. This bright spirit is present with the Lord but away from me. Fall is gone. Winter has arrived and the weather is brutal, bitter and cold.
                                                                    

But winter is not triumphant.

Although there will always be silence where her voice should be, winter is brief and life will renew itself.

Until then I wrap myself in God's warmth, his word is my daily furnace, his promises are my hearth. Never will the righteous be forsaken.

Even though, the winter storm blows inside me I can't crumble, my mind doesn't scatter, my bones will not rattle. My heart still pumps. My blood still flows warm... And although the leaves have fallen I AM ALIVE!

I am alive and I am grateful.

Yet I don't understand I will still trust him.

Though the days are short and the December nights are long, March will come forth and I will see the sun in all it's glory shine on me

Then I will understand why winter had to come.

The Bible says, Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

That day will come when the mysteries of life will be revealed. I am looking forward to that glorious day!

I don't understand why winter had to come and take my colorful aunt away. The world is not as vibrant without her splash of vivacity. She was a gust of fresh air, a scent of amber and honeydew, a breathtaking orchard, a hummingbird in flight leaving this finite world behind.

Dear aunt, I don't understand why you had to depart so sudden or so soon but I latch on to the hope that in a moment I will "Get It".

For now... I bundle up in the comfort of my best friend, Jesus, who soothes my shivering and blankets me with gentle peace during this bare season. I am thankful to have shared twenty four autumns with Aunt Tash.