A Letter to My Daughter

Tom Stein on the Seven L's of Husband-Hunting

Dear Emily, Your mother's father used to say, "Marry in haste, repent in leisure." Perhaps he was too cynical, but his saying contains wisdom. Your generation takes a rather leisurely approach to marriage, but most will one day "fall in love" and ponder whether to marry.

A Christian parent prays first for the salvation of his children, then for his children to find godly spouses. I suppose we pray this way because we know the abundant opportunities and formidable obstacles of marriage. If you marry in haste, you may indeed repent for the rest of your life. You should marry a Christian man. This is necessary, but not sufficient. A man may profess faith in Jesus but live a godless life. Setting aside external appearances and internal butterflies, what should you seek? I offer you seven questions.

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Tom Stein is the Associate Pastor of Chapel Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Beaver, Pennsylvania, and an instructor in the adult degree program at Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. He has previously served churches in Minnesota and Indiana. He has been married to his wife Beth Ann for 33 years, and they have three adult children.

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