A friend recently asked me for advice on a new relationship he had begun with a girl he was interested in. I have been extremely happily married for almost 20 years now. So I thought about it for a bit, and came up with a few ideas about new or developing Christian romantic relationships. Hopefully they'll be useful for you or someone you know:
1) Hear their autobiography. There's nothing less interesting than someone who keeps steering a conversation back to themselves. Take a genuine interest in the potential "one" by asking about their interests.
2) Keep it pure - I can't tell you how many times I've been asked by other Christian dudes, "How far is too far?" Ask yourself what you'd be cool with your future wife or husband having done physically with a guy/girl besides you, and go from there. Here's a good rule of thumb for guys: "Treat younger women as sisters, with absolute purity" (1 Timothy 5:2).
3) Be yourself. Sure it's natural to maybe put on an extra layer of deodorant on those first few dates, but don't put a front on. You want her falling in love with you, after all, not some airbrushed version of you. Ephesians 2:10 says "We are God's workmanship." Be who He made you to be.
4) Initiate conversations about Jesus. This way you can hear their heart and they can hear yours. The ultimate secret of a loving, long-lasting union is a love built on a mutual love for Jesus. "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). Of course you want to be physically attracted to a potential future spouse, but don't let their looks be what you fall in love with. Fall in love with their love for the Savior.
5) Don't let distance deter you. Is this a long distance relationship? So what? This will present challenges but hey, it's not that easy finding "the one" these days. When my wife Anna and I started seeing each other, I would regularly drive 20 hours a week to spend time with her! When it's love the time flies.
6) Find opportunities to serve "the last, lost and least" together. You can tell SO much about a person based on their passion for being the hands and feet of Jesus and how they treat people that can't do anything for them.
7) When you start to feel close enough, pray together. This will build a spiritual intimacy that goes deeper than just conversations.
And if "the one" ISN'T currently on the radar? There's nothing wrong with that! Too many romantic relationships crumble because someone was in a hurry to not be alone anymore. "Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:14).