Skip to content
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Welcome to Blessed is She, where we love Jesus & you.

Free U.S. Standard Shipping On Orders $75+

Shipping FAQ Contact Live
Search
  • Content
  • Shop
  • Community
  • Experiences
  • About
Blessed Is She
Account Search Cart
  • Content Toggle menu
    • Devotions
      Devotions
    • Blog
      Blog
    • BIS Member Community
      BIS Member Community
    • Podcast
      Podcast
    • Free Resources
      Free Resources
  • Shop Toggle menu
    • By Category Toggle menu
      • Accessories
      • Apparel
      • Books & Studies
      • Cards & Booklets
      • Home & Wall Decor
      • Jewelry
      • Journals
      • Planners
      • Rosaries
      • Stickers
    • Featured Toggle menu
      • New
      • Best Sellers
      • Month of Mary 💙
      • Gifts for Mom 💕
      • Planners 📒
      • For Men
      • For Kids
      • Gifts
      • Sale
      • Start a Return
    • 2025-2026 PLANNERS
      2025-2026 PLANNERS
    • SHOP ALL
      SHOP ALL
  • Community Toggle menu
    • Blessed Brunches
    • Regional Groups
    • Small Group Studies
    • Blessed is She Membership Community
    • College Students
    • Retreat
  • Experiences Toggle menu
    October 10-11, 2025

    The New Retreat

    Join us as we let God bring our dry bones back to brand new and vibrant life.

    register
  • About Toggle menu
    • What's New
    • About Blessed is She
    • Staff + Writers
    • Support Blessed is She
Left
  • Content Toggle menu
    • Devotions
      Blog
      BIS Member Community
      Podcast
      Free Resources
  • Shop Toggle menu
    • By Category Toggle menu
      • Accessories
      • Apparel
      • Books & Studies
      • Cards & Booklets
      • Home & Wall Decor
      • Jewelry
      • Journals
      • Planners
      • Rosaries
      • Stickers
    • Featured Toggle menu
      • New
      • Best Sellers
      • Month of Mary 💙
      • Gifts for Mom 💕
      • Planners 📒
      • For Men
      • For Kids
      • Gifts
      • Sale
      • Start a Return
    • 2025-2026 PLANNERS
      SHOP ALL
  • Community Toggle menu
    • Blessed Brunches
    • Regional Groups
    • Small Group Studies
    • Blessed is She Membership Community
    • College Students
    • Retreat
  • Experiences Toggle menu
    October 10-11, 2025

    The New Retreat

    Join us as we let God bring our dry bones back to brand new and vibrant life.

    register
  • About Toggle menu
    • What's New
    • About Blessed is She
    • Staff + Writers
    • Support Blessed is She
Planners 📒
Catholic Academic Liturgical Planner // Mini Layout
Left Right Quick buy
Catholic Academic Liturgical Planner // Mini Layout
€56,95
Catholic Liturgical Academic Planner // Big Layout
Left Right Quick buy
Catholic Liturgical Academic Planner // Big Layout
€60,95
Litany of Humility Magnetic Bookmarks – Catholic Prayer-Inspired Page Markers for Bible, Journals & Devotionals
Left Right Quick buy
Litany of Humility Magnetic Bookmarks – Catholic Prayer-Inspired Page Markers for Bible, Journals & Devotionals
€15,95
Digital 2025 Catholic Liturgical Planner
Left Right Quick buy
Digital 2025 Catholic Liturgical Planner
€26,95
Planner Page Digital Download - Blessed Is She Digital Download
Left Right Quick buy
Planner Page Digital Download
€5,95
Academic Planner Accessory Bundle - Blessed Is She
Left Right Quick buy
Planner Accessory Bundle
€50,95
Planner Stickers - Blessed Is She Stickers
Left Right Quick buy
Catholic Planner Stickers
€15,95
Notepad // Pure In Heart - Blessed Is She Accessories
Left Right Quick buy
Notepad // Pure In Heart
€8,95
Magnetic Bookmarks // Pure In Heart - Blessed Is She Accessories
Left Right Quick buy
Magnetic Bookmarks // Pure In Heart
€15,95
Pure In Heart Lock Screens
Left Right Quick buy
Pure In Heart Lock Screens
€5,95
Shipping FAQ Contact Live
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
Our 2025-2026 Liturgical Planners are here ✨
Welcome, we're so glad you're here 💜

Dating and the Quest for Holiness

catholic dating

Dating and holiness are not two words that I often associate with each other. The modern, free-range dating of today’s world leaves us with precious few saintly examples to follow in this regard.

We know St. Gianna Molla met her husband relatively late in life, not marrying until the age of 32. Very little is known about the discernment of the famous married saints, Sts. Louis and Marie-Azélie Martin. And though our Blessed Mother seems like a rather lofty source for dating advice, I still cannot help but wonder about how exactly she met St. Joseph. We can speculate based on what we know about ancient Jewish culture, but ultimately their meeting was a result of divine grace fully at work in their lives. Obviously, Mary’s marriage to St. Joseph was unique in many ways. But there is undoubtedly much we can learn from Our Lady both about dating, sanctity, and the relation between the two.

The Harsh Reality of Modern Dating

As a single, 27-year-old woman who has lived in the modern dating world for nearly a decade, I have had my share of ill-fated romances. Relationships in my twenties have thus far proved to be many things, from the downright unholy disasters of my pre-conversion days, to good-willed discernment between two friends, to long-distance flirtatious phone buddies, to one particularly disastrous whirlwind similar to a dance led by a manipulative, controlling, and egotistical bear. These relationships have bloomed in various ways over the years with each one ultimately dying, some withering gently like a lily, others violently being plucked apart petal by petal, each time ultimately ending with, “He loves me not”.

And while most things tend to become simpler with practice, dating so far has not proved to be one of them. Though chastity has definitely become a lens by which I have gained additional clarity, the process of dating has by no means become easy. With the age and experience I have gained in this decade of life, I would expect that this process would become somewhat simpler, but the truth is that it seems to have gotten harder.

Dating and Waiting

Perhaps because in some way the stakes become higher as we age, especially in Catholic circles where marriage is the very obvious goal. Perhaps because the older we get, the more real the fears of loneliness and never having a family become. Not to mention the increasing awkwardness of being the single one at various functions, getting dinner with your parents (not your husband), and the general feeling that you are missing out in life.

For me personally, breakups have been especially challenging. This is due to a combination of character traits, which include an extreme aversion to conflict and the tendency to only see people's good qualities and potential. Or my optimism and sunny-disposition have actually proven to be foolish. Surely my Protestant boyfriend will come around to the Church, I said to myself. Even when he insisted on having us watch videos with titles such as “Girl Escapes Catholicism by the Grace of God”.

Trusting God in the Midst of Dating

I think ultimately it boils down to fear and distrust. My fears are manifestations of my distrust in God. If only I could have more faith in God’s love, plan, and unfailing power to correct the millions of ways I have failed!

If only I could live out what I know at some deep level of my heart, that the only time we are ever "missing out" is when we have turned our backs on God. That anytime we are united to Christ and living His will for us, there is no lack. Though the cross remains, in some mysterious way “our cup overflows”. That even though our life is not a reflection of our desperate petitions to God, He is still weaving together something beautiful from our lives. Even if we lack the perspective to see it now.

Dating and Holiness are Compatible

Though the landscape of modern dating may appear to be alien territory to our brothers and sisters who have gone before us, the ultimate goal of unity with Christ remains joyfully at the helm of all our worldly endeavors. We know that marriage is a beautiful gift and a calling from God. We pray that this gift may lead us ever closer to Christ and our eternal home with Him.

In the meantime, seeing marriage in this light should make dating a bit simpler. For any worthwhile relationship should bring us closer to Jesus, making us more fully alive in Him. Thus, like our Immaculate Mother, may we also have the courage to live out in our own way Mary’s fiat as we meditate on her holy words:

Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word.

Are you currently in the dating game? What's been great? What's been challenging?

Dating and the Quest for Holiness #BISblog //Click to tweet Twitter

Sarah Bluhm is a Catholic revert who relies constantly on the mercy of God and His grace to direct her life. A graduate student at Creighton University and Catholic school teacher, Sarah is happiest when visiting with good friends, drinking an early morning coffee, or basking in the beauty of nature.

Blessed is She - Blessed Is She
About Blessed is She
View other posts from the author

GET YOUR PLANNER
SAINTLY SOAP
TUNE IN WEEKLY 🎧
SUPPORT THE BIS MISSION
Share
  • Facebook Share on Facebook
  • Twitter Share on Twitter
  • Pinterest Pin it
July 27, 2018 — Blessed Is She
Tags: Author_BlessedIsShe BLOG dating LIVES single life vocation
Left Older Post Back to Blog Newer Post Right

Left What's New Right

View all
Cover of Abide in His Love Gospel of John study guide
Left Right Quick buy
Catholic Bible Study: The Gospel of John // Abide in His Love
€31,95
Saintly Soaps
Left Right Quick buy
Saintly Soaps
€15,95
Catholic Academic Liturgical Planner // Mini Layout
Left Right Quick buy
Catholic Academic Liturgical Planner // Mini Layout
€56,95
Catholic Liturgical Academic Planner // Big Layout
Left Right Quick buy
Catholic Liturgical Academic Planner // Big Layout
€60,95
Litany of Humility Magnetic Bookmarks – Catholic Prayer-Inspired Page Markers for Bible, Journals & Devotionals
Left Right Quick buy
Litany of Humility Magnetic Bookmarks – Catholic Prayer-Inspired Page Markers for Bible, Journals & Devotionals
€15,95
Hardcover Eucharist study guide with full-color pages
Left Right Quick buy
Gift // Study on the Eucharist
From €18,95
Immaculate Heart of Mary Stud Earrings
Left Right Quick buy
Immaculate Heart of Mary Stud Earrings
€31,95
Morning Joy Mug
Left Right Quick buy
Morning Joy Mug
€14,95
Catholic women's virtual mentorship program - The Well Overflow by Blessed is She
Quick buy
The Well // Overflow
€82,95
Litany of Humility Print Set (3-piece)
Left Right Quick buy
Litany of Humility Print Set (3-piece)
€15,95
Come Holy Spirit Print (11x14)
Left Right Quick buy
Come Holy Spirit Print (11x14)
€15,95
Chapstick Set
Left Right Quick buy
Jesus is the Balm Lip Balm // 3-pack
€12,95
Miraculous Medal Earrings // Silver
Left Right Quick buy
Miraculous Medal Earrings // Silver
€36,95
Morning Star 40oz water bottle
Left Right Quick buy
Morning Star 40oz water bottle
€29,95
Women's Gold Crucifix Necklace
Left Right Quick buy
Women's Gold Crucifix Necklace
€41,95
Gold Monstrance Locket
Left Right Quick buy
Monstrance Gold Locket
€43,95
Monstrance Silver Locket
Left Right Quick buy
Monstrance Silver Locket
€43,95
Hand-Lettered Hail Mary Poster (11x14)
Left Right Quick buy
Hand-Lettered Hail Mary Poster (11x14)
€15,95
catholic cross earrings
Left Right Quick buy
Dainty Cross Stud Earrings // Gold
€18,95
Silver Miraculous Medal for Men
Left Right Quick buy
Silver Miraculous Medal for Men
€15,95
Welcome to Blessed Is She

Blessed is She is a sisterhood of women who want to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ through their Catholic faith.

Blessed Is She
Quick links
  • Support BIS
  • Subscribe to the Devos
  • About Us
  • FAQ
  • Contact
  • Affiliates Program
  • Wholesale Login
Social
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Amazon
American Express Diners Club Discover JCB Klarna Maestro Mastercard PayPal Union Pay Venmo Visa
  • Privacy Policy
  • Shipping & Returns
  • Terms of Service
© 2025 Blessed Is She. Powered by Shopify
To Top