***BACK IN THE DATING GAME**

Are you widowed and considering dating again?

May I ask you a few questions?

1. Are you lonely?

2. Are you a single parent now and looking for someone to take care of your children?

3. Do you need for someone to take care of you financially?

4. Do do long for someone to hug and kiss you?

5. Are you looking for romance?

If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions then read on.

Six months after I became widowed I continued to be in grief. Each day as I drove home from work the tears flowed naturally from my eyes. I did not care if anyone saw me crying. Tears were sweet to me. As I approached my home it intensified. Even though my sister and her three children were staying with me I still felt alone. Quite often I would lock my self in my home office and cried. I cried until my eyes were swollen. No one knew the grief, sorrow, and loneliness that plagued me day and night. I was now a needy woman. I longed to be touched and hugged by a man. I was madly in love with my late husband. Even though we were married for 29 years and dated for four years, our love for each other matured into a love that was much deeper than "puppy love." I deeply missed that love and affection!

I longed for that love again..so I decided to start dating . My relationship with God was somewhat strained. I wondered why God did not healed my husband when he had the heart attack? I accepted the Lord when I was nine years of age. I loved and served Him all my life. The same could be said of my late husband. He accepted the Lord when he was 17. My late husband loved the Lord with all his heart soul and mind. He served Him as a minister for over 30 years, ever so faithful. I just could not understand why God took him home so young.

I never turned my back on God though. I guess I was just angry. I started dating a man of God who was very kind to me. How ever he was not interested in dating or getting married because of health problems. Even though I was aware of this , I allowed my self to fall in love with this man. Amazingly I was so happy. I was in love again. I no longer grieved. The dates I had with my new love kept my mind off my grief. Little did I know that allowing my self to fall in love without first experiencing healing would set me back time. During our dating , I grew spiritually weak.

We came to teh conclusion that it was not God's will for us to continue dating so we decided to stop dating. To my surprise I was back at square one. I started grieving again. I missed my late husband so.. badly. Tears were my daily drink. I once again had the need for love and companionship. I went on fasting for a mate. I also sowed a monetary seed to a christian tv station hoping that God would send me the mate of my dreams. I had all confindence that God would honor my effort.

Shortly after a friend introduced me to a man who professed to be a child of God. He was ready for marriage. I was inlove again! We got engaged three months after dating. Because of my neediness, I ignored all red flags that were waving high and low. My spiritual life went downhill. God is good and he never leave His children alone. During this trying time in my life, I attended a 13 weeks bible teaching at my church entitled "before you say I do". That course rescused me.

Even though I was married for over 29 years, I learned a lot. Each week I would examined my self and lined it up with the teaching I received. Little did I know that during this teaching period I was also being healed. I was now becoming a stronger woman. I knew that breaking off the enagagement was the right thing to do. And that was exactly what I did! It was very hard for me to do though because I was still in love with my fiancee. One great truth I learned was that God's partner for me will build me spiritually and not tear me down.
I am presently in the process of writing a book. If you would love to have your story in my book please email me at tassel_d@yahoo.com

Tell me about your dating after the death of your love one.