That time I joined Tinder

A few weeks ago I did what any girl looking for a relationship full of meaning and substance would do:  I joined Tinder.  Yes, I joined Tinder.  It took 3 seconds to download the app and three hours the night before pacing my room, going for a contemplative run and google searching "should a Christian girl join Tinder?"

 Commonly known as a superficial dating app purely judging a person based on appearance, age and job description (but don't we do that all the time already?).  It is also known as a way to meet up and get done some business without actually getting to know the person. Based on your extensive knowledge of the three facts you know about him or her, you and your semi shallow ambitions are fully equipped to know if this is dating material.   Simply swipe left if it's a no and swipe right if it's a yes. If both people swipe right or hit "like", you both will virtually come together and tinder announces "It's a match!"  Then the both of you have the opportunity to chat.  About what?  "Hey, you're cute, what do you do?" Awkward start to a conversation when you only know physical appearance, age, institution of study, and possibly a  rough idea of occupation. I've got some great material and I could make a whole blog post dedicated to the Tinder pick lines I've gotten.  My personal favorite: "Hey, so let's cut the small talk and start with what's really important.  What's your favorite Spice Girls song?"

Despite my  hesitation at first, I was hearing stories of Tinder success and that there are some pretty cool guys out in Tinder.  Rewind a few weeks ago  where I was getting frustrated with my nonexistent dating life.  I was starting to feel like a hamster on this wheel of working, sleeping, back to work with maybe a bike ride or run thrown in.  It wasn't a bad wheel to be on, and I was pretty happy to be on it. It was just hard because there are only twenty four hours in a day and nothing seemed to happening as far as dating was going. I heard somewhere if you want change in your life YOU have to be the one to take some initiative and make it happen.  No one prays that they will get a college degree without applying to school, studying and working hard.  It takes both prayer and work on the person's part to make it.  I could also pray every night I would know how to play the violin, but wouldn't that be foolish  if I never took lessons?   I also heard and believe that the things in your heart that you want to see happen God cares about so much.  In his perfect timing and knowing the desires of your heart, he will give us our desires.  (Ecclesiastes 3:11 "He has made everything beautiful in its time.  Also, he has put eternity in man's heart, yet so that he can not find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."  Luke 11:11-13  "What father among you, if a his son asks for a fish will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg will he give him a scorpion?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!") There was some tension in my heart between taking initiative for things I want to see happen and knowing God's got my back and cares more about my love life than I do.  Even after prayer and waiting on the Lord, I didn't feel led one way or another.  I believe God gives us free will about some things as well and sensed this was one those things.  I mean, it's probably the only time in my life I can do something like this anyway.  This was my thought process as I nervously and excitedly hit "download". 

So with a few weeks of Tinder experience under my belt, I would say I'm no longer a newbie.  It is honestly kind of fun.  After a while it's like eating ice cream for dinner every night.  Awesome at first, then gets a little mundane until eventually the awe factor wears off. You get sick of it at some point and want the salad you never thought you'd ask for.   

I did go on an awesome Tinder date.  Great Christian guy and character.  It was both our first time doing any type of online dating.  Nothing really happened from it, but it was fun to meet someone new and just go on a date! I think we can learn a lot from these experiences but it takes some wisdom at the same time.  

Stay tuned for more adventures in my still non existent, but slightly more interesting dating world.