Setting up my profile on ChristianCafe.com should have been a relatively easy process. Essentially, I’m describing who I am. And I know me, so it should have been pretty simple. However, there are several fields accompanied by a drop down menu with a variety of options to select. Can we say overwhelming? Having never done this before, I felt way out of my league.
As I sat down to answer some of the questions, I struggled. My thought process went something like this: How much information is too much? Do I really want to tell people how much I weigh or my salary right away? Why don’t they have an option for liking all music instead of options that only exclude rap or country? Am I going to look arrogant for putting my intellect at “above average”? Is that even true?
Some of these questions came from my own insecurities. For instance, I have a hard time putting the range of how much I weigh on my profile. I’m not a skinny girl, but I’m not obese either. However, because of cruel words that are difficult to forget, it’s a sensitive subject for me. I chose not to put it on there, but I’m curious as to how many women would. Ladies, please let me know your thoughts. Men, is this a must-have piece of information when you’re looking at profiles? I’d love your perspective.
On the other hand, I really appreciate the way ChristianCafe.com handles the issue of faith. They allow you to choose your denomination, what your level of church involvement is and how important your faith is to you. Admittedly, these are some of the very first categories I look at when I look at a profile. I can handle denominational difference, but I’ve found that I’m wary of men who don’t list their faith as what defines them.
One thing I’ve realized in the process of filling out my profile is I value the option to talk to someone rather than let him get to know me “on paper.” And while I see a lot of benefits to the information ChristianCafe.com asks you to provide in your profile, other things (like salary, music tastes, the way a person dresses) seem a bit subjective. I feel like we lose some of the mystery in meeting someone face-to-face and engaging in conversation when seemingly all the information is already out in the open.
Aside from the drop down menu questions, there is an essay section where you can post as much or as little information as you want to. At first this section looked daunting, but I actually enjoyed filling it out. Also, I’ve found this a fun place where people can let their personality shine. I’ve read some amazing profiles highlighting a person’s love for the Lord and life. I’ve read others that were off putting in how they proclaimed their spirituality.
On a pet peeve note: I hate that text lingo creeps into people’s answers. This may sound horrible, but I have a hard time seeing anyone as credible when they write in their profile “I luv Jesus” or use an excessive amount of lol’s or smiley faces. It’s probably something I need to let go of, but it’s difficult.
So friends, there’s the dish. I’d love to hear from you. What information did you make public on your profile? When you met someone in person, did you think that what you already knew matched up to the person you were seeing? What do you look for when you view someone’s profile?
And thanks for the warm welcome last week. The honest opinions, support and advice offered encouraged me!
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