November 7, 1998, Charlotte, NC! (My mom wrote this review for our homeschool newsletter. I will write one myself soon ;o) If you want to know the content of the lectures, read I Kissed Dating Good-Bye. Josh followed and developed much of the material in the book. To me, the most exciting part of the day was realizing that at least half of the people there were not the usual homeschool crowd. Many church buses filled the parking lots and you could see the crowd moving in large groups--groups much larger than even some homeschool families. It was evident to me that there was quite an outreach to people who may have never considered not dating during their single years. Josh presented the option of being single for God as a very practical and reasonable option. The lectures were unapologetically biblical. The truth revealed how far the dating crowd in this country is from what God intended. Josh spoke of the marriage bed and keeping it holy, as presented in Hebrews. He took this concept out of the usual context of marriage and urged singles to guard their future marriage bed now. Though Josh pointed out the harsh consequences of a wrong lifestyle, he was quick to acknowledge the pain and disappointment that people often feel. He spoke compassionately and frankly as he offered forgiveness and a clean start to those who had already made mistakes. People of all ages poured out of the aisles to repent and begin again. Counselors met with them and prayed and encouraged them as they sought to live a life that is pleasing to God and good for themselves and others. The day was a special time of healing and worship. It really gave me another look at the generation that God is calling out and raising up "for such a time as this." If you have not read I Kissed Dating Good-Bye you should. The principles that are discussed are also helpful to marriage in the broader spectrum. Read a copy before you hand it to your teen. I also picked up a copy of Douglas Wilson's book, Reforming Marriage at the conference. Every person who is married or considering it should read this book as well. The two books should give your family plenty to talk about! We all can benefit by learning more about healthy relationships and true love.
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