A dating life that leads to a life-giving, lifelong marriage doesn't happen by accident. You need to know what you're doing. That's why I wrote this book to empower you to:

• Discern God's will for your dating life.
• Avoid heartbreak, rejection, and regret.
• Date with confidence and clarity.
• Win the war over sexual temptation.
• Let your marriage hopes inspire, instead of impede your dating life.

I believe you can accomplish all that and have a blast doing it. So let's dig in and learn how!

"Date Like You Know What You're Doing is a comprehensive guide to smart dating every Christian should read, study, and follow." —John Van Epp, Ph. D., author of How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk

"This is an extraordinary book. We've heard that singles should 'kiss dating goodbye.' Michael and Julie (his bride of nearly thirty years) urge rather that we should 'kiss dumb dating goodbye.'" —Mark Coppenger, Ph. D., author of If Christianity Is So Good, Why Are Christians So Bad?

"Most people fumble and stumble their way through their dating years. Michael Johnson to the rescue. The insights and wisdom in this book can help you avoid some of the bruises and scars, and point you in the direction of a strong, healthy relationship." —Bob Lepine, Author Love Like You Mean It and Build A Stronger Marriage

"It's insanely practical for scoping out and assessing potential dates and a future mate, as well as a great way to assess your own maturity and relationship potential." —Lisa Anderson, Author of The Dating Manifesto & Host of "The Boundless Show"

"Though the writing style is fun, this book is filled with enough 'zinger' nuggets of wisdom to transform your thinking about how to date." —Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Marriage and The Sacred Search

IS THIS BOOK FOR YOU?

I'll never forget when I was in my early 20s and my mom gave me a marriage book for Christmas. Not a dating book, like this one, but a marriage book. And I didn't even have a girlfriend!

"I get it, mom. You want grandkids."

Regardless, I read it over Christmas vacation, and within thirty days I was dating the woman I eventually married. And I'm really glad I did. (Both read that book and married that girl!)

But enough about me. How about you? Would you like to avoid heartbreak, rejection, and regret? Or beyond avoiding bad things, would you like to truly succeed in your dating life? And by "succeed," I don't just mean eventually get married, but do so with great memories to look back on and an amazing future to look forward to?

If you just answered that last question with a "Heck yeah," then this is the book for you.

Let's face it. Relationships are hard. And a dating relationship? It's like a long division problem you have to solve by hand. One wrong calculation and you're not coming up with the right answer. And discerning where you went wrong can be like trying to find a needle in a love shack … or love in a haystack … or whatever mixed metaphor you want to use.

SHOULD YOU READ THIS BOOK NOW?

In hindsight, I realize I was given an incredible opportunity that one Christmas. That was the moment I began preparing for the most important earthly relationship in my entire life. And since I read that book at a time when I didn't have love chemicals flooding my brain (inhibiting clear thinking), and I didn't have a relationship to defend (persuading me to ignore wise counsel), I actually internalized much of what that book had to offer. I drank in the wisdom as if I somehow knew it might come in handy.

And it did! Which is why after ten years of marriage, I sensed God asking me to go back and reread that book with the goal of figuring out how to trick other people into doing what my mom tricked me into doing. That led to the founding of our organization, Future Marriage University (FMU), and me writing this book for you.

Will you begin dating the person you'll end up marrying within thirty days of reading this book? Or are you already dating them? Or maybe you've met them, but haven't begun dating? Perhaps they're a friend you've known for years but have never seen in "that way." Or on the other hand, you may very much see them in "that way," but you've been friend-zoned. For now.

I don't know those answers. What I do know is that I'm praying for the day when ten years after your wedding you remember this book, and you praise God you read it now.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK

So, what's your dating story? Are you waiting for your dating life to begin? Are you enjoying the time of your dating life? Are you dating, but hating it? Or have you sworn off dating altogether?

Wherever you are in your journey, I'd like to empower you to grow spiritually and date wisely so you can marry well.

And don't be frightened by the "M-word." Marriage! Fear not! Unlike the book my mom gave me, this is a dating book, not a marriage book. However, as with any successful endeavor, you have to begin with the end in mind. The ultimate goal, if you will.

So what do you want to be the ultimate goal of your dating life?

How about this ultimate goal: a life-giving, lifelong marriage that blesses the world as much as it blesses the two of you.

If that's a mission you can accept and get excited about, then you want to keep reading!

A dating life that leads to a life-giving, lifelong marriage doesn't happen by accident. You need to know what you're doing. That's why I wrote this book to empower you to:

• Discern God's will for your dating life.
• Avoid heartbreak, rejection, and regret.
• Date with confidence and clarity.
• Win the war over sexual temptation.
• Let your marriage hopes to inspire your dating life.

Michael Johnson is the president and dean of Dating at Future Marriage University (FMU), a 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry co-founded with his wife, Julie. The mission of FMU is to empower students and young adults to grow spiritually and date wisely so they can marry well. To accomplish this, FMU offers love education (LoveEd for short) through classes, blog posts, videos, social media, and speaking engagements (and now this book). Michael has a blast sharing practical, Biblical truth on sex, dating, and relationships, to inspire and lead the wise individual to prepare for their future marriage like a successful career: intentionally, intelligently, and in advance. Michael and Julie have known marital bliss since 1993, raised five children together since 1995, and lived in the Nashville area since 2001. For more LoveEd resources, booking inquiries, or info about FMU, check out their website: FMUniversity.net