WHEN SHOULD I START A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP? by Precious C Philip

A teenager, or teen, is a person who falls within the ages of 13 to 19 years old. A lot of teenagers today are not just keeping boyfriends and girlfriends, many are actively engaging in sexual and non-sexual activities. But as a child of God, should you join them? 

As a Christian teenager, you have no business having a boyfriend or a girlfriend at this stage of your life - unless you want to marry now (which is not advisable). Getting married should not be on your mind now, so relationship should not be on your mind. Your focus right now should be on your studies and in discovering God's purpose for creating you. Face your studies and avoid distractions that can stop you from finishing your school education and fulfilling God's good plan for your life. 

You can have both male and female friends, but a romantic relationship with the opposite sex at this stage is unadvisable. You need to understand why mature Christians start a relationship with the opposite sex. It is because they have marriage in view. They are ready to marry.

As a teen girl, grasp the truth that no guy within the ages of 15 - 25 is planning to settle down yet (those who marry within that age bracket are very few). So, many of them (from age 25 down) enter into a romantic relationship because their sexual passion is driving them, in simple terms, they want to have sex. They're not looking for a girl to shower true love and marry, but who to satisfy their sexual desires even though they may come to you under the guise of "I LOVE YOU". This is why they often demand for nudes, non-sexual fun, or sex, and when they get you pregnant, they quickly deny the pregnancy and run away, or ask you to abort it. 

As a girl, yes you may have feelings of wanting a boy to hug you, touch you, kiss you, and show you love, not necessarily have sex with you; but the reality is, no teenage boy is willing to give that to you without involving sex because that is what (men) naturally want. Moreover, the moment you start engaging in non-sexual activities with a boy (kissing, smooching, fondling), sooner than later, you'll crave for sex and have it. "Do not stir up or arouse love until the time is right."Song of Solomon 8:4

Sweetheart, you don't need a boyfriend at this stage - to avoid unwanted pregnancy, abortion, STDs, heartbreaks, soul ties, unpleasant memories... Many mature ladies who're finding it hard to marry today or even to love and trust a man messed up badly when they were teenagers. You want to avoid this and have a beautiful relationship when you're ready - that will lead to marriage. Moreover, going through childbirth as a teenager is not a sweet experience. Having a child and becoming a mother as a teen is not a fun experience, ask those who have walked that path and will be honest with you. The ridicule, the shame, the rejection, the mockery, the suffering, is second to none. Be wise, my darling. 

As a teen boy, you need to start now to build self-control and discipline yourself to possess your sexual passion, if you want to be great in life. Uncontrolled sexual passion can truncate your glorious destiny. It can make you a father when you're not prepared and give you plenty baby mamas with the heavy task of parenting. The moment you impregnate a girl, your glorious future is affected. When you deny the pregnancy and run away, you come under a terrible curse that will affect your progress in life. And if you finance an abortion, you become a murderer, and a man with blood-stained hands is a man with no peace, prosperity, and progress in life, except Jesus intervenes. 

If you'll be very sincere with yourself, you'll observe that what is driving you to get a girlfriend at this age is the urge to have sex or to quench your sensual desires. You must manage your sexual urge, otherwise, even as an adult, you'll be sleeping around. Many men have lost their lives through immoral sex, and some have had their destinies destroyed through sex with demons and satanic agents in human form. 

Consider all these and take a decision today to possess your sexual passion as a teenage boy and to control your emotions and feelings as a teenage girl. You need the word of God and the help of the Holy Spirit to do this. 

Many girls have dropped out of school because they got pregnant and their right to education was taken away from them. Many women are being tormented by spiritual husbands who're preventing them from getting married, from having children, or having sex with their husband because of sex they had with someone possessed by a demon. Don't let this be your portion, God's daughter. 

You have a great destiny and a divine purpose to fulfill. Remember Queen Esther who kept herself. Remember Mary the Mother of Jesus. If you want to be a woman of impact in future, keep yourself and avoid romantic relationship with a boy until you're ready to marry and God brings to you the right man He has prepared for you. 

A teen girl who honors God with her body will be honored by God. 

A lot of young boys have become fathers too early, and this has affected their progress because they need to provide for the child and her mother. Some men are living with guilt because of the innocent babies they killed through abortion. Some others are having terrible nightmares and dealing with spiritual wife because of wrong sex. Don't let this happen to you, it is not a pleasant experience.

Let the story of young Joseph who had self-control motivate you to stay chaste and avoid romantic relationships until you're ready for marriage. Remember the ugly experience of Samson who had no self-control. 

A teen boy with good control over his sexual passion has a good future.

You shall fulfil your destiny and marry right as you embrace sexual purity and avoid romantic relationships at this stage of your life in the Name of Jesus.