Quotable Trifecta!!

Some new articles I found...

Far from being the answer to all your dreams and fantasies, marriage is a crucible for making you more like Christ.

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Then, regarding "Pulling a Ruth:"

So while it may appear to some from my first articles that I pursued Steve and took the lead in our relationship, the reality is that I was responding to all the strong cues he was giving me. When it came time for my ultimatum ("call this what it is, or no more access to me"), what I was really doing was asking a version of the question that used to be asked by a woman's dad: "What are your intentions for my daughter?"

I was in essence asking him, "What are your intentions for me?"

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And, a bit of a new take on The Friend Zone:

It has only been in the last few seconds of history that [opposite-sex friendships have] really been much of an issue. Historically, opposite-sex relationships have been reserved for guys and girls intent on marriage, or at the very least some kind of romantic (or sexual) pursuit. I can't think of a single Scriptural example of male-female pals. Male-female relationships in Scripture led to either (positively) marriage or (negatively) extra-marital sex, and of course the occasional battle.

And...

Please don't misunderstand me, emotional friendship is very different than masculine chivalry...Her need for chivalry is something God uses to help her realize her need for a spouse. Your "being there" for her too much might serve to keep her from realizing her need more quickly — kind of a twist on the old saying, "If the milk is free, why buy the cow?" If you're doing for her most everything she needs a spouse for, what incentive are you giving her to pursue a relationship? In other words, by your "being there" so much for her, you might be enabling her lack of interest in a serious relationship.