Christian Dating Questions Every Girl Is Asking 💍 Plus takeaways from TPUSA's Young Women's Leadership Summit.

This week, I had the privilege of interviewing bestselling author on dating, marriage, and relationships Gary Thomas, who answered so many burning questions I hear from unmarried girls (Should I marry young? What if my boyfriend is pressuring me to get physical? What are dating red flags? What qualities are important?) and so many more. Keep scrolling for the full interview, but I'd love to share my main takeaway and a few notes here:

Gary shared three main reasons young people (mistakenly) date:

• Infatuation – It typically lasts only 12–18 months, causing us to idealize the other person.
• Sexual chemistry – While important, physical intimacy makes up less than 1% of a lifetime together.
• Dating compatibility – It may tell you you'll enjoy vacationing together, but it doesn't predict lifelong faithfulness.

Instead, Gary encouraged us to ask, "Will this person help me seek God's Kingdom?" (Matthew 6:33). Two people pursuing Christ together (and not chasing feelings) is what builds a lasting marriage.

Here's another tip:

Gary advises that couples give themselves time to truly know each other's character before making lifelong promises.

Gary also shared two common myths about dating—check out the full video below to hear what they are!

💬 From the Field

Last week, I had the joy of hosting my second booth at the Southern Baptist Convention. But first, I flew to Texas to attend Turning Point U.S.A.'s H.E.R. Women's Leadership Summit, which featured over twenty Christian conservative female speakers. I took pages of notes, but here are a few of the quotes and takeaways that I just had to share:

Erika Kirk

Erika shared the vision of TPUSA and Charlie Kirk's mission to preserve the heart of American Christian values. When a protestor in the audience stood up and began yelling, without hesitation, Erika responded with:

Alex Clark

Dana Loesch

Leigh-Allyn Baker

Savannah Hernandez

Dr. Kathy Koch

Michele Bachmann

Allie Beth Stuckey

Sarah Hernandez

Kristan Hawkins

Wow—what a lineup. I encourage every young woman to attend this annual event packed with the most encouraging messages! You can watch all the main stage 2026 WLS H.E.R. speakers here!

👯 Inside The MentHer Collective (TMC)

This week in TMC, we were blessed to have Dr. Gary Thomas, international speaker and bestselling author of more than twenty books on dating, relationships, and more. There was so much excitement around Gary's interview, that I've decided to share our interview for you and your girls to enjoy! Gary answered many common questions on dating—God's way. Join us inside The MentHer Collective soon!

What's On My Shelf 📙

Since this week's pearl of wisdom was from my friend Gary Thomas, I had to share a favorite book by Gary—Sacred Search—which I read before meeting my now-husband. It truly changed how I approached dating in the best ways. It teaches girls to become more like Christ and seek a spiritually enriching marriage centered on holiness vs. happiness. This is a great gift for any single or dating girls in your life!