How to determine a serious lover?

I have the privilege of interviewing many single moms, and I noticed that ages 23-26 is the common age bracket where one becomes a mother but not a wife. A certain single mom asked me this question: "How to determine a serious lover?"


At first, I pretended to be an expert about the subject. In reality, I didn't know how to answer her. Grappling for words, I said, "well, sex is man's greatest interest in a woman, loving or even marrying her is just second." "If that's the case," she replied, "then it is really difficult to determine if the father of my child is serious with our relationship." "That's why," I added, "a long engagement period  (at least a year) is encouraged rather than engaging a sexual relationship with a man who's but a stranger to you."


I tried to explain to her that sex is supposed to be sacred, and marriage holy for they are God's. But, it seemed she wasn't interested about my thoughts, for she was bent to have her boyfriend marry her.

I believe that the single-mom phenomenon will continue to invade the marriage-first-before-pregnancy culture, because society as a whole is quite permissive about it. I think we, parents, have to help our daughters to bear a godly perspective about life, marriage and family.