Dating Tips for a Long Distance Relationship
Long distance relationships have always been with us. However, in recent years, global online dating services and increased ease of travel helped make long distance relationships much more prevalent. In fact, according to dating experts on the topic, there are an estimated 1 to 2 million couples presently in long distance dating relationships.
Many single men and single women feel dating in a long distance relationship is a losing proposition. However, there many dating couples who have experienced tremendous romantic and successful long distance relationships. As a matter of fact, I currently have a friend who met a guy through an online Christian dating service, and they have been in a long distance relationship for the past two years. He lives in New Hampshire while she calls New Jersey her home. The great news here is that these Christian singles are getting married this June. 
Long Distance Relationship Keys
What was it that made my friend’s long distance relationship successful? After looking over much of the research on the subject and speaking with her, the following dating tips appear to be key:
- Before entering a long distance dating relationship, the couple should have a frank discussion on expectations for the relationship. Is there a possibility of this being a serious relationship culminating in marriage? Is there a possibility that one party will relocate? Don’t be afraid to bring up these topics now, because it could save you lots of stress, anxiety, confusion and conflict later.
- Set the ground rules of this long distance relationship together. That means communicating how often you will be meeting and contacting each other, and whether or not there will be dating of other people. One of the ground rules should also include the understanding that the dating couple will assess the long distance relationship at agreed upon intervals.
- Practice creative ways of sharing your heart with each other on a regular basis. Web cams, e-mail, telephone, text messages, digital cameras and snail mail, to name a few ways of keeping in touch, provide many romantic possibilities for keeping the long distance relationship healthy and fun. Enjoying regular communication also builds emotional and spiritual intimacy and trust.
- Pray daily for your long distance relationship and your dating partner. This is by far the most important thing you can do. Ask the Lord Jesus to mold you both into the people He wants you be, and surrender your long distance relationship to His will (Proverbs. 3:5-6). This will bring you great peace and assurance.
Overall, if you follow these dating tips, your long distance relationship will be a blessed and exciting experience even if the dating relationship ends.
Are you a single Christian who has been or is in a long distance relationship? Help others by sharing your long distant relationship experiences and insights.
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These do work. I am going through a long distance relationship right now. I thought I’d never find him, but I didn’t have too. God brought us together by using my aunt and yes it’s only been awhile (5 months) but I know we are going to make it. I have never been so blessed to have this wonderful man of God! Just pray for me and him as we continue. Yes, It’s not easy. It is hard. Very hard. And all the pain and tears that we go through are worth it. When I last saw him( 2 days ago) was the first time I saw him in 2 whole months. And when we were together, everything felt right. Just pray for the both of us.
Thanks Katie, we put a lot of thoght into our articles. Hop your Long Distance Dating Relationships works out long term!
Really God is the perfect matchmaker. A long distance relationship is workable by much prayer, committment, love and trust. Communication too is paramount. As pointed out, you must know why the two of you have linked up. Whether its for marriage of just mere friendship.
Once that is established, put your whole heart to it because a “double-minded man wavers in his ways”. It takes the grace of God and the hand of God really for the two of you to work it out. But it is worth it! Much glory awaits on the otherside …..
A long distance relationship works well for a godly couple
I’m in a long distance thing right now. And right know everything is going so wrong. My parents are not letting talk to him. I know they care for me but i really really love him so much. I’m only 15 and i know im young but love can come at any age. He’s so perfect and he literaly will do anything for me. We talk everyday. My parents think he’s a older pervert. I just really want them to take the time to listen to what he has to say about us.
I pray every night that god will help me and him get though the chaos. I love him so much.
Hey I just found the site and this has really helped my heart. Long distance relationships are probably the hardest yet most rewarding relationships. Its like living in complete faith and trust, where you can truely have the mental connection that lasts …and I’m right there with the tears and the pain… But seeing him again is like a holiday. Its hard though due to that hes in another country and the time change is almost unbearrable with our work scheduels…. Prayer from friends and family is the only thing that is making it work.. Thank you for the page and keep praying for us…
I recently ended my long distance dating relationship of 1 year. My boyfriend was deployed for the second half of our relationship, which made it a long distance dating relationship.. Throughout his deployment he only communicated with me about once a month. I tried to be as understanding as possible and never complained about that. Even then, I would still send letters weekly (through the internet), and emails. He never wrote me one letter.
After he came backhe did not call so this when I ended the relationship. When I talked to him about ending the relationship he said he sort of agreed. I feel I had to end it because my needs were going unmet and my boyfriend was only doing the bare minimum to keep me happy. I also knew I didnt want to be treated like a doormat.
Anyway I was just wondering if you all think I gave up on my long distance/short relationship too soon, or if this guy is a just being a jerk and ending it was the right choice?
I was actually wondering if it would be a good idea to add a section on free dating site for people who are willing to take part in long-distance relationships.
If it is meant to be, God will make it happen.
Long distance dating relationship needs extra patience and more love…i am currently involved with someone in a long distance dating relationship who is millions away from me .i’m here in the philly and he is in san diego serving the us navy. up to this moment we try so hard to keep the magic glowing: we email almost everyday and talk anything under the sun. its so amazing how i can feel his love for me and i pray that it goes a long way though love makes no promises everyday i hold on to the feeling of happiness knowing that someone at the end of the rainbow loves me. im sooo happy and wherever this long distance dating relationship may take us i have prepared myself for consequences that love has it’s pain and sorrows but i need to be ready to face reality that some good things don’t always have happy endings…but for now I let the love overflow and appreciate every second of this long distance dating relationship.
if i only knew it will be this hard to be in a long distance relationship… i wouldn’t have started it..
fair warning to everyone…
a normal relationship needs a lot of work…
you need to exert 100 more time when it’s long distance…
am i making sense?
or did just happen to be with the wrong guy?
Yes I am involed in a long distance relationship that is now ending. We started out long distnace then were together one year. The he moved away again. He has the means to see me but says he is too busy and flying me there is too costly. He only flew me in once and I had to wait tow hours for him to pick me up from the airport. He has been gone for almost 9 months and I have only seen him four times and two were job related reasons. He wants me to move to where he is but I feel that since he hasn’t really showed much desire to see me, it would not e fair to me. I am praying because I want to do the right thing. He claims he loves me but I dont really understand this whole thing.
I’ve been with my long distance boyfriend for a year and 5 months so far. We’ve visited each other afew times during..and it has helped us so much. We are always there for each other and willing to talk to one another when something is going wrong whether in our relationship or outside of it. We care for each other ALOT. And we love each other alot. Don’t get me wrong there has been hard times during it…but we are so strong together even being so far apart. =]He makes me so happy. Thank you God!
Yep this is pretty much exactly what you need to do to have a successful Long Distance Relationship. I’ve been in my long distance dating relationship over half a year now. You will never be 100% sure if you relationship will work or not, but if you don’t follow every single one of those rules, you will have a much lower chance I think. Thanks and peace
Hello everyone,
I have been in a long distance relationship for half a year. He lives in Belgium and I live in Fl, USA. We meet online through my cousin. She sent him a picture and he liked me, then he did same. After that we meet in person. He came to Miami for a month and we felt in love with each other. Now we are planning to get married soon. He is moving here in two months. It takes effort and trust but I think that if you apply the same rules to a long distance it can work. Just make sure that you and that person want the same things and have the same values. Never put pressure into the relationship and get creative!!! =) Best of luck for everyone out there!!!!
In regard to long distance relationships, my girlfriend and I have been dating for nine months, and to say the least, it has been the most rewarding nine months of my life. When we started dating, I had no intention of it lasting this long, but now consider myself so blessed that God has put someone so special in my life. Well the “glory days” are now coming to an end as we part for college: New York for her, and Texas for me. I know that this is going to be such a trying experience for both of us, seeing each other only once every four months. But with God at the center of this relationship, we know that whatever happens is for His glory. For the most part it has been very encouraging to read all of these posts. I ask for continued prayerful support for our long distance relationship, as well as everyone else in the same boat as us. Thanks again.
Currently I am in a distance relationship. I live in florida but my boyfriend lives in ecuador. And I haven’t seen him in about 4 or 5 months.[since the day we started dating]and I probably won’t see him for another 5 months. But with these tips and prayer we have been sticking through it. And I am even making plans to move to ecuador to be with him in the future. That is if everything still works out for us. But I know god has a plan. And if he wants us to be together he will make it happen. So just please keep us in your prayers. And thanks again.
Long distance relationships require more attention than a regular in-town relationship. I had a long distance relationship before and it took more work than any other relationship.
For all of you in that long distance relationship, keep your head up and keep working on the relationship.
I have been in a long-distance relationship for 2 1/2 years. We manage to see each other as much as we can, but being college students it’s pretty difficult to scrape up the airfare and the time. We’re very good about keeping the communication going by letters and phone calls, but it does get old and Ive been feeling so terribly worn out lately. I thank God every day for giving me a wonderful man who loves me and would do anything for me, but I have a horrible time trying to manage my emotions and not slip into a depression of sorts. I love him dearly, but the pain and tears and heartache have left me emotionally and physically exhausted. I guess I’m just looking for some advice and/or encouragement….thanks for your prayers