7The vast majority of young people pass through the four key relational phases of singleness, dating, engagement, and marriage in their twenties, yet they are delaying marriage longer than any other generation. The average age an American woman has her first child is now younger than when she first marries. More children are growing up in fatherless homes. The CDC has reported a dramatic rise in sexually transmitted diseases. Studies show a similar trend in self-reported loneliness. As technological connectivity blocks the development of deep intimacy, addiction often replaces it. How can young people navigate these troubled waters? Like a sailor on turbulent seas, they need a North Star to guide them: they need the skill set to know how to journey through life and how to select the right people to journey alongside them. Charting a course through the four key relational phases they'll face, this book provides that navigational guidance, examining what should be pursued in each relational stage and how.