22 Things You Should Do Before Saying I Do

Dear Diary,

Unlike many girls growing up, I didn’t think about getting married and having children. The thought didn’t cross my mind until long after college graduation. Heck, it was almost a decade later. Part of me focused on collage and career. I wanted to report the news and travel the world. Another part of me thought I would be disobeying God by having premarital sex. It’s easier to abstain if there’s no one to, well, fornicate with.

Although I wasn’t always riding the celibacy bandwagon, I did pursue a path to completion and contentment. As someone’s future wife, I want to come to the altar comfortable in my own skin, comfortable with my relationship with God and comfortable being vulnerable enough to let someone else lead me. Before I say I do, there are lots of things I must do. I’ve checked off almost everything on this list, but I continue to add items on a regular basis.

1. Read the Bible–from Genesis to Revelations and everything between.
2. Discover your purpose.
3. Form a personal relationship  with Jesus Christ.
4. Raise your self-esteem.
5. Fail at something.
6. Volunteer at a homeless shelter or senior citizens center.
7. Babysit a child for a weekend.
8. Get a passport. Get stamps.
9. Start a journal.
10. Go to therapy.
11. Get a makeover. Get a head shot.
12. Bake a cake.
13. Buy stock.
14. Dance in the rain.
15. Skip shaving.
16. Date yourself. Go to dinner & the movies solo.
17. Write a business plan.
18. Call off work & sleep all day.
19. Take a belly dancing class.
20. Write a poem.
21. Become a role model/Mentor a young person.
22. Write down what you want in a spouse. Then write what you can bring to the table. Are the lists equal?

Hey DFTM Fam–What would you add to the list?