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Series Description
Let’s
be honest. There are more than a few areas in life where a crash course would
be helpful. And dating is certainly one of those areas. For a lot of students,
dating is something they just fall into—they are old enough to do it, so they
do. But just because they are the right age and in the right stage of life,
doesn’t mean they know how to go about it. They need to learn the
basics. They need to understand the fundamentals. They need a crash course on
dating, and we want to give it to them. So the question we want to be answering
these next couple of weeks is, if we could pick the top three things we want
students to know as they prepare for this season of life where dating plays
such a huge role, what would those three things be? What do we look for? How do
we know when it is time to end it—and then how do we go about ending it? And
what do we do when we find ourselves with a single status? These are the
basics. Our way of beginning at square one. And the hope is, with the right
start, their time spent dating now will set the course for their future
relationships in the right direction.
Session
One: Fairest 1 of All?
Bottom Line: The reality of what is inside a person trumps what we see on the outside.
When it comes to the basics of dating, there aren’t very many things we will hear that are totally new to us. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t important. That being said, at one point or another we have all heard phrases like, “don’t judge a book by its cover”, and “looks can be deceiving”. But oftentimes, such insights and similar warnings don’t keep us from making foolish choices when it comes to what we see on the outside of a person versus what we will find on the inside. Appearances can be deceiving—but also convincing. It is easy to be distracted and fall for what we see while missing the reality of what exists on the inside. But if we want to be set up with the most success in our future relationships than taking the time to discover what lies beneath the surface of another person is key—and develops our own character in the process.
Bottom Line: The reality of what is inside a person trumps what we see on the outside.
When it comes to the basics of dating, there aren’t very many things we will hear that are totally new to us. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t important. That being said, at one point or another we have all heard phrases like, “don’t judge a book by its cover”, and “looks can be deceiving”. But oftentimes, such insights and similar warnings don’t keep us from making foolish choices when it comes to what we see on the outside of a person versus what we will find on the inside. Appearances can be deceiving—but also convincing. It is easy to be distracted and fall for what we see while missing the reality of what exists on the inside. But if we want to be set up with the most success in our future relationships than taking the time to discover what lies beneath the surface of another person is key—and develops our own character in the process.
Session
Two: Not 2 Be
Bottom Line: Breaking up, done at the right time, and the right way, doesn’t have to break either person involved.
Breaking up is hard to do. But unfortunately, it is something most of us will have to do—or have done to us. And while that isn’t the most encouraging thing we could ever hear, it is a reality. How do we know when the time is right to make the break? What can we do to make this not so pleasant experience better? And then once we decide it has to be done, how exactly should it be done? Breaking up may never be an enjoyable thing, but it can be a dignified and respectable thing—when the timing and the method is right. When this happens we can leave a relationship knowing we treated the other person in a way that honors them and leaves as few wounds as possible.
Bottom Line: Breaking up, done at the right time, and the right way, doesn’t have to break either person involved.
Breaking up is hard to do. But unfortunately, it is something most of us will have to do—or have done to us. And while that isn’t the most encouraging thing we could ever hear, it is a reality. How do we know when the time is right to make the break? What can we do to make this not so pleasant experience better? And then once we decide it has to be done, how exactly should it be done? Breaking up may never be an enjoyable thing, but it can be a dignified and respectable thing—when the timing and the method is right. When this happens we can leave a relationship knowing we treated the other person in a way that honors them and leaves as few wounds as possible.
Session
Three: 3rd Wheel
Bottom Line: Single isn’t second rate, and relationship status isn’t the point.
Though it is a message we may hear more subtly as adults, as teenagers it is a lot more loud and clear: Single is second rate. If you really want to matter, if you really want to be someone, then the key is to be in a relationship. Not exactly a great message—and not exactly accurate either. What if, when it comes to relationships, we are putting the emphasis on the wrong thing? What if the point isn’t our relationship status at all? What if in our attempt to fit into the culture we are compromising the things that matter the most? And what if God has something different, something better in mind? Relationships may feel like the whole world—but what if God is calling our attention to a different way of living?
Bottom Line: Single isn’t second rate, and relationship status isn’t the point.
Though it is a message we may hear more subtly as adults, as teenagers it is a lot more loud and clear: Single is second rate. If you really want to matter, if you really want to be someone, then the key is to be in a relationship. Not exactly a great message—and not exactly accurate either. What if, when it comes to relationships, we are putting the emphasis on the wrong thing? What if the point isn’t our relationship status at all? What if in our attempt to fit into the culture we are compromising the things that matter the most? And what if God has something different, something better in mind? Relationships may feel like the whole world—but what if God is calling our attention to a different way of living?
Parent Cue: The Parent Cue is designed to cue parents to talk about faith with their child. The “Be a Student of What They are Learning” section provides a way for you to give parents info about this series and how you will unpack it over the course of the three weeks. In addition to the summary of each session, there are questions that both parents and students can use to interact with one another. Also, the Parent Cue provides a “Be a Student of Your Student” section to help parents connect with where their students are developmentally. See the Parent Cue document in your series downloads for more information.
click on this link to go to the Parent Cue Parent Cue April 2012
Get connected to a wider community of parents at www.orangeparents.org.
©2012 Orange. All Rights Reserved.
hvarvell@wordalive.org
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