I was saved when I was 17 years old. I was baptized on October 11, 2015, and I gave my life over to the Lord. It was a very special moment for me and in the time I have spent with Jesus I have learned a lot, especially about love. If there is one thing that I wished I could have done sooner, it would be praying for my future husband.

I had been in a few "relationships" (I use that term loosely) before I met my current boyfriend who brought me to church and to God. I never went on dates with these guys, held hands, or kissed them. We hardly even talked in person. We would sit next to each other on the bus, walk to class together, and meet in the hallways all in silence. The minute we were apart, we would start texting. Over text messages, I felt much more comfortable and frankly vulnerable; I was easily charmed. Being the young naive girl I was, I revealed some of my innermost thoughts and feelings to these boys who did not have my best interests at heart. I never considered my future with these guys, much less possible marriage, but I shared so many intimate thoughts with them. I let myself be pressured into sharing things that I should have been saving for someone more serious, and I hope to help some of you younger girls avoid the mistakes I made.

As a Christian, dating is a way to look at people as possible spouses. Every relationship will end either in heartbreak, or marriage, so it is important to look at every significant other as a potential life partner. There is one crucial piece of advice I can give you; pray for your future husband.

Pray first, that he is a Godly man who will lead you in the Lord's path. It is so important that the man you spend your life with keeps God in the center of your relationship, only then can you grow closer to each other. Pray that he has a passion for Jesus Christ, because that means that he will treasure you as the gift that you are. Great scriptures to look to are 2 Peter 3:18 and Proverbs 4:23. They will help you pray that your future husband has a heart for Jesus and he will protect that. Ephesians 5:25-29 is a great example of the kind of man you want for a husband. Pray that he will treat you the way God treats his church and you will be blessed.

Pray for his safety and his health in every aspect. His physical, mental, and emotional health are important. You want someone who is connected with Jesus through his body and soul. Our bodies are our tools for Christ to use in his work according to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. Pray that your future husband will take great care of his body in all ways, and that Christ will keep him secure. Your bodies are important temples to maintain, use Romans 12:1-2 to ask God that he use both of your bodies as instruments for His work.

Pray that your husband will love you in the deepest way. Ask God to instill a love in your husband for Him, and also for you. If you want a lasting relationship, and a marriage built on true love, build it on the rock of all creation. Build your love on the Lord, and a love that He creates between the two of you is a love that no man can separate. Colossians 3:19 and Ecclesiastes 9:9 are great verses that demonstrate the way a man should love his wife, and this is the love you should pray that your husband has for you.

Pray for his purity and that he will resist temptation. Ask God to protect his heart, thoughts, and eyes from temptations. The world is filled with evil and while he may not be able to avoid them all, pray that when he comes into contact Jesus will draw him near and protect him from falling in. There is also sexual temptation everywhere in the media, and in social culture. Pray that your future husband is rooted in Jesus enough to resist those urges and save himself for you and your marriage. Ephesians 5:3-5 states the importance of remaining sexually pure and Song of Songs 7:10 shows the place sexual purity has in a marriage. Read these verses and pray over them to protect your husband's virtue as well as your own.

It is also important that you pray over the way that you should treat your husband. Pray that you return his love, that you treat him with respect, kindness, and grace. In order to have a healthy relationship, it is important that you also pray for yourself and your heart. It is a two-way street and you not only have to pray for your future husband's heart but also your own. Use Proverbs 31:10-12 to see an example of a noble wife and to pray that you can be her.

I know sometimes when you're young it is easy to be blindsided by love and fall into relationships with the wrong guy, I've done it. Maybe you aren't thinking about marriage yet, or you think you have found the man you are going to marry. Whatever the case, praying for your future husband is crucial. Building that relationship with God as the foundation before it even exists is going to make it stronger than anything. You never know what the Lord has in store for your life. You are a child of God, and he will never leave you or forsake you. Trust in Him that he will send you the right man in His time. In the meantime, praying for him is a great way to build a connection before you even meet.