In these challenging times, preparing for marriage requires careful consideration and adherence to godly principles, especially as the church faces division and the selection of potential mates has become limited. If you choose to pursue marriage despite the present distress, prioritizing your relationship with God remains paramount. Dating, as a crucial part of the marriage process, involves exploring the personalities of various individuals to find a compatible partner. How you approach dating significantly impacts the success of your future marriage, much like practice determines performance in athletics. Without proper preparation and a clear vision, the desired goal of a successful marriage remains an empty dream unless channeled into an intelligent plan and action. Marriage marks the beginning of a whole new life, leaving the familiarity of home to unite with another person until death. God intends this union to be permanent, and while young people often assume their marriage will be wonderful, understanding the causes of success or failure is essential. To create a successful union, couples must blend different backgrounds, beliefs, goals, and emotional structures. Finding someone with shared values, family backgrounds, and interests eases this blending process. Observing a prospective mate in various situations—when tired, hungry, stressed, or tempted—reveals their character, whether they exhibit selfishness, disrespect, laziness, or responsibility. Interactive activities like sports or hiking provide insight into their competitive spirit, teamwork, perseverance, and capacity to achieve goals, unlike passive outings such as movies. Religion holds critical importance in marriage preparation. God instructs that marriage must be only with another within the church, as differing outlooks on life can create significant challenges. Marrying outside the church often leads to struggles over teaching children, financial decisions, and moral differences, frequently resulting in divorce or unhappiness. Ethnic and cultural similarities also facilitate the blending of personalities, reducing potential distress for future children who might struggle with acceptance in mixed-race families. Dating pitfalls, such as going steady too early, limit exposure to diverse personalities and increase temptations for physical involvement. Sex, a gift from God for married couples, binds husband and wife when used within marriage, but outside it, results in guilt, shame, and lifelong regret. Foreplay and physical intimacy should be reserved for marriage, as mental and emotional traits, rather than physical attributes, determine long-term compatibility. If the mind and attitude of a potential mate are right, the physical aspects of marriage will follow suit. Patience and faith in God are vital in these times of scarce marital prospects due to the scattered church. God understands the plight of youth today and is preparing His Son's bride for marriage. Enjoying youth carefully through travel and education, while avoiding premature emotional and sexual entanglements, positions one to receive God's guidance. Trusting Him first ensures that He will provide a suitable partner at the right time, whether in a place of safety or at the beginning of the Millennium under better conditions. God remains the ultimate answer to the deepest longings for marriage, promising to fulfill dreams for those who remain faithful and patient.