Love & Relationships: Going the Distance

I once knew a guy who was on tour in China, and he fell in love with a girl there that he just knew he was going to marry.  At the time, he really couldn't speak any Chinese, and the girl could barely speak English.  They exchanged contact informations, and kept in contact through the internet.  That year, the guy enrolled himself into an advanced level Chinese class in college, skipping basics and intermediate class because he was determined to force himself to catch up.  He was studying for his P.H.D. at the time, so he was facing an immense amount of pressure already.  Within a year, he was fairly fluent.  Within two years, he had moved to China and married the girl of his dreams.Recently, another friend of mine moved to Taiwan to marry his fiance, and he made the move barely knowing any Chinese.  Huge sacrifice, but worth it to him.At this point, you're probably wondering, "well...maybe they didn't like America.  Maybe they didn't like their lives here."I can't say for sure, but I do know that both men had a lot of friends here.  Both had careers and excellent reputations for being amazing musicians.  They were extremely respected within the community, but they chose to make the sacrifice of leaving behind the familiar for love and adventure.httpv://youtu.be/gcMn_Eu-XTE"We Ae Never Ever Getting Back Together" - Taylor SwiftWhen I first heard this Taylor Swift song, I secretly wished some of my friends would be singing it loudly and proclaiming "they will never ever get back together" with their ex-es.  I hear way too many stories of break up, get back together, break up, get back together.  All that means is that if it ever gets to the point of marriage, divorce is never far off.  Heartbreak is never far off, and all that breaking up can lead to abandonment issues that leave really deep scars.So please...ladies and gents, set your aim higher.  Some people don't deserve you, especially the flakes that can't make sacrifices for you.One day when you finally settle on a guy/girl you want to marry, before you make the commitment, you should ask "How far will this person travel to be with me?"  The answer better be to the ends of the earth...or at least, in my friends' case, half way around the world.  Ask yourself that question too, how far will you travel to pursue him/her?  How compatible are you?  How do you settle your fights and arguments?  Is love the basis for your relationship or something else?John 8:32 says, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”Sometimes the truth is comforting, and sometimes it's a little hard to swallow.But when it comes to decisions that are life changing, choose wisely.The happiness of your future depends on your decisions made in the present.