As the parent of one teenager and three more who will become teenagers, I’m always looking for tools to help as we coach our kids through dating/courting/finding a spouse. In Dating like Airplanes, Caleb Breakey issues an invitation to do dating differently. He honestly talks about how hard it can be to know how to do relationships the right way, in a God-honoring way. After walking through Scriptures, he challenges his readers to go into relationships with a purpose. Know why you’re in it. What do you hope to gain or learn from it?

This resonated with me. When my husband and I decided to move from being friends to dating/courting, we went into that season with the intention/purpose of deciding whether we would get married. Everything about our time together pointed to that. We even had a checklist of experiences we felt we needed to have as we walked that path. It gave clear purpose to what we were doing together  and where we were headed.

The focus of Dating like Airplanes is to show people how they can have a relationship that focuses on living the Golden Rule toward others, of living a lifestyle of giving and purity. In real terms, he suggests how to create an environment in your relationship that supports purity. He also explains how to celebrate your differences and take steps to become the person your future spouse will need. Sandwiched in between the chapters are vignettes from many others about their relationships, both what they did well and what they would avoid in the future.

This is a very approachable book. One that can serve as a big brother coming alongside with some helpful advice and perspective. You can read the first chapter here.