“Ruthie, about C. J. . . .” Ruthie rolled her eyes. “Not again, Mom. C. J.’s a nice guy. You just don’t know him.”

“Nice guys don’t put you down.” During that one evening C. J. called Ruthie a dork, made jokes about her curly hair, and commented that certain body parts were not what he considered perfect. “Is C. J. the type of guy you want to spend the rest of your life with? And if you have a daughter, do you want him criticizing your little girl for the way she looks?”

Barb watched her daughter’s expression soften. God, please let her see my point. “Think about what kind of qualities you want in your future husband. Why settle for less, even when you’re dating?” She squeezed Ruthie’s hand. “You are worth so much more than that.”

Ruthie twirled the ring on her thumb. “It would be nice to have a guy who compliments me instead of calling me names.”

How many of us had the qualities of our future husband in mind when deciding whether to date a guy? Some of us can look back on enough heartbreak to understand the importance of thinking ahead. What kind of man do I want to spend the rest of my life with?

If you have a young woman in your life (a daughter, niece, neighbor, or a girl you are mentoring), encourage her to begin thinking about what kind of man she hopes to marry. Commit to pray for and with her.