The apostle Paul wrote that when he was a child he spoke and acted like a child, but when he became a man he put away childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11). The bottom line is that we all need to grow up and get past magical thinking. That kind of approach—believing love happens by osmosis and can be sustained in the midst of bad choices—is, well, naïve and childish at best. Sure Snow White and her prince didn’t gather information on each other before falling in love and living happily ever after—but their story is a fairy tale!

If we checked on the real-life results of a Rapunzel or Cinderella story, we’d probably find they had a very different ending. The truth of the matter is that you can’t rely on just chemistry or even spiritual inklings alone to choose a life partner who will help you achieve marital success and satisfaction.

Unless you hear from on high so clearly that “you know, that you know, that you know” it’s the voice of God saying, “My child, this is the one!” you’d better not move without gathering information. And remember, God will always confirm His word to you with accompanying signs through His Word, your circumstances, or people.

Too many women have said, “He changed” after they said “I do.” In retrospect, he was always the person he’d revealed but the woman was so happy to finally have someone’s attention that she didn’t pay attention to the facts and warning signs.

Excerpt From: Michelle McKinney Hammond. “The Real Deal on Love and Men.”

Available at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, iBooks, Googleplay and others. For more information, visit: www.MichelleHammond.com

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