Wanting to spend a lot of time with our romantic partner is a natural part of the bonding stage of the relationship. But there’s an important difference between bonding and merging to create a healthy relationship. Understanding bonding When we bond with someone, we grow in affection for them. We find out more about them and we learn to trust them, because they have earned our trust. In turn, they learn to trust us. This happens gradually – by spending quality time together, by engaging in fun activities, and by trying out each other’s hobbies and passions. In healthy relationships, both peop ..read more

Here are some of the stories recently shared with Christian Connection from couples who #MetOnCC. What stories have most encouraged you? Angelique and Jamie on their wedding day Angelique and Jamie “Jamie sent me a heart first… we were living in 2 different states and I was hesitant because of the distance but there was an undeniable instant attraction to each others personalities, values and common interests. Our faith was central to our connection. We became official before we even met in person. 2 weeks after that we met in person and the connection and chemistry followed through. What f ..read more

When I was dating my now-husband, we wouldn’t have been able to communicate at all during our courtship without our phones, as I was away on tour the majority of the time. Our phones enabled us to continue our relationship through constant communication. But it’s important to have a healthy balance with our devices for our own wellbeing, and good phone etiquette when interacting with others. Here are some suggestions for good phone etiquette. Clear Communication ahead of a date If you have exchanged numbers prior to meeting, it is useful to be able to communicate should you run late, get lost ..read more

Here are just a few of the reasons why you can trust Christian Connection if you’re a single Christian looking for love. We’ve been around a long time These days it can seem like new dating apps are popping up all the time! Christian Connection is one of the longest established Christian online dating sites, founded in the UK in August 2000. That means we’re coming up to a quarter of a century of helping people find love! When you join Christian Connection, you can be reassured our years of experience will help make your dating journey as smooth as possible – and we’re here to help every step ..read more

I’ve identified four first date red flags to pay attention to but before I share them, it’s important to say that knowing the warning signs is only half the battle. The other half is being willing to heed them, rather than overlook them or drive right past them. I can think of many occasions when I spotted a red flag but ignored it or excused it with an apparently rational explanation. Why? Because I really wanted the date or relationship to work out, above all else and at any cost. I was dating with a deep craving for love, affection and connection. I had left my powers of discernment at hom ..read more

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16. This is a verse we often remember at Easter. Sacrifice Love is sacrificial. We need to learn to love like Christ. Love is not selfish, in fact in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 we learn that: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protec ..read more

Here are some of the stories recently shared with Christian Connection from people who found love through the site or app. What stories have most encouraged you? Charlie and Ruth Following on from their comment above, Charlie and Ruth explained how their individual dating journeys eventually led them to each other, and how they were both proactive and patient along the way. “Some people say the right person will come along just when you don’t expect it, as if nobody has to lift a finger. It’s not true and we thank God for sites like Christian Connection that provide an opportunity to do somet ..read more

Here’s a four question, pre-dating checklist to work through before your next date. Have you built healthy foundations? For me, this is the most important question of all. If we have healthy foundations of self-love, self-care, self-esteem and self-worth and if we have a reasonable understanding of our relationship fears and patterns – the things that make us behave as we do in romantic situations – then we can create a virtuous circle. We can enjoy dating and stay hopeful about our romantic future, even if we don’t want to see the individual again. We can come away from a date thinking, “Tha ..read more

One of my biggest fears when dating was silence. Conversations that can dry up and fizzle into nothing. I still am nervous around awkward silences with some people and when dating I wanted to find someone I could really talk with. Communication is more than just talking though, it’s understanding the other person and learning how they communicate and educating yourself on the different styles, as much as learning their love languages. How one person hears, communicates, gets their voice across and feels valued is very different from how another person does the same thing. My husband and I are ..read more

Because there’s a chance you’re both nervous, keep it relaxed, easy and low key. Planning for a short first date is smart. You can always leave some flexibility in your schedule so you can extend if things are going well. If you can’t, don’t worry – a second date may well be on the cards! But first, let’s focus on some simple first date ideas that can get things started. Try a different drink! Hot chocolate, tea, smoothies, bubble tea, milkshake – the beverage world is your oyster! Rather than suggest the standard table for two in a chain coffee shop, have a think about something more adventu ..read more