Young Christians tempted to touch

Dear Pastor,

What advice can you give as a marriage counsellor to a young couple? I am 20 years old and my boyfriend is 22.

We love each other and he wants us to get married. I will graduate from university in two years, and so will he. We are Christians, and it is hard not to touch what we shouldn't touch. So tell me, Pastor, what kind of advice would you give to a couple in our situation?

A.C.

Dear A.C.,

First of all, I am glad to know that both of you love each other, because that is where it should begin.

I would think that love is the first criterion, but remember, it is not the only criterion, because love cannot stand on its own. It cannot pay bills. Both persons should have similar educational standards. I am also glad that both of you are in university. The couple should communicate well. The couple should respect each other.

They should also learn to live within their means. Some marriage counsellors even say that they should live below their means. Learning to manage money is essential. They should have similar ambitions. The couple should learn to be flexible. The couple should respect the parents of each spouse. The couple should control their anger. They should also make time to have fun. They should seek to be independent, but also endeavour to be interdependent. They should try not to be overly jealous. They should put God first in their lives all the time and in everything they do. That is how I see it.

Pastor