Those who are very young when they marry have three strikes against them. --PROFESSOR MARCIA LASSWELL. 

Are you ready for marriage? Hold your answer until you know whether you are qualified to go into it. First know that there is nothing like trial marriage. When God instituted first marriage between our first parents, Adam and Eve in garden of Eden, he did not tell them to try it first, and dump it afterward. It was for life; and nothing would break it excerpt adultery, or perhaps death. (Genesis 2: 18, 23, 24; Matthew 19: 3  9) So know that this union is for life, and that you will even go through tribulations in course of marriage. -- 1 Corinthians 7: 28.

Now how do you answer following questions:

Do I have great expectations?

That is first major problem. Because you are not going to see that wonderland that you expected after honeymoon. The scales will fall from your eyes. Consider these life experiences.

We thought that we could come and go, do as we pleased, . . . but it isnt that way.

Many teenagers get married to play house. . . . but thats not way it is.

After I got married I found out that great thrill of sex wears off very soon and then we started having real problems.

So do not have great romantic expectations. Childhood marriages -- physical immaturity, may blur your vision and understanding of married life.

Am I ready for my roles?

Some people enter marriage without even knowing their roles in family. The husband fails to provide material support, and wife neglects her housekeeping role.

 Most marriage failures are courtship failures -- PAUL H. LANDIS 

And thats true. A good courtship makes a good marriage. But problem is that some do not even know purpose of courtship, and when to begin it.

Most courtships are no less than crushes -- an infatuated love for a favorite teacher, pop star or some other celeb. And this starts earlier in girls than in boys.

These daydreamers, however, end up sick and depressed. Because truth is that they may never get to meet such one in person, all their life. Even when they do, there is little chance that love they crave for such idols will be returned. In most cases those idols are not even aware of your love.

So be real about your date. And this would involve asking yourself some personal questions that will help you to find out if you are not deceiving yourself. These questions are: How well do I really know this person? Am I blinded to his personal flaws? Is person perfect? Have I fallen in love with an image? Would I ever get to meet this person in my life?

If answers you get make you think that you are on wrong road, put your automobile in reverse, fast. Do things that will keep you busy. Stop romanticizing. Seek help from your parents, or friends.

Then someday, you will find real love, and your right date. But before you start seeing each other, you have to be warned of dark side of dating.

The Dangers of Dating

Do not date for fun. Dating should start when you are ready for marriage. In fact it is part of process of getting right marriage mate.

Teenagers and others who dated for fun of it, have ended up committing sexual immorality before knowing it. It normally starts with holding hands, an innocent kiss, then fondling with intimate body parts, and finally, sex.

Then one day relationship breaks up, leaving couples to suffer emotional trauma. Some end up in hospital beds, or psychiatric homes, some commit abortions while others commit suicide. Others live for life with a wounded conscience. Would you want that to happen to you? Of course not.

Dating itself is not wrong. But it is wrong to date for wrong reason. The following questions will help you to have a successful courtship.

Why am I dating?

It is okay if you are dating with marriage in view. But it is wrong when you are just flirting around with a member of opposite sex, just to get attention.

Would dating help me to grow emotionally?

Limiting yourself to be boy-girl relationship will hinder your social and emotional development. This will help your maturity and better prepare you to select a mate.