The True Love Waits ring is a piece of jewelry worn by some teenagers and college students - male and female - as a symbol of sexual purity. There are several different designs available meaning that there is a wide range to pick from.
What Is a True Love Waits Ring?
This ring is a symbol of a commitment to abstain from sexual intercourse before marriage. It is a commitment between a son or daughter and a parent or guardian. The son or daughter promises their parent to remain sexually pure until marriage. Often, the presentation of this ring occurs at a ring ceremony in a church. In some cases, all members of the family get matching rings; in others, only the teenager or college student gets a ring.
The first ring of this nature was created in April of 1993 as part of an international campaign to promote abstinence and purity among young adults. With the ring, there is generally a covenant card for the young adult to sign, pledging their abstinence until marriage.
The Purpose of the Ring
While it's a promise from the individual who wears the ring to remain pure until the "I do's" are said, the ring does more than that. Between the ceremony that may be held in front of a church full of young adults and the piece of jewelry that will make others ask, "What's that?" in class, it serves as a method of spreading abstinence and raising awareness.
In addition, the promise made is harder to forget when difficult situations present themselves. If a teen finds him or herself in a situation where they might be prone to forget the promise they made to their parents, all the ring has to do is catch the light and he or she will be reminded. It is a visual reminder of a pledge. Hopefully, that will give them the strength they need to extricate themselves from the situation.
The ring:
- States the beliefs of the wearer
- Ideally spreads the beliefs of the wearer
- Offers strength in difficult situations
Available Designs
Bob Siemon has a True Love Waits collection that consists of several types of True Love Waits rings, including those on chains. Even those who prefer not to wear jewelry on their hands can wear the rings on chains around their necks. Specially designed versions make the message easy to read. Here are a few available designs:
- Stackable Sterling Silver Rings: Each ring has one word: True, Love, and Waits. Each word is repeated around the ring so that even if they twist around on the finger, the message is readable.
- Sterling Silver Band: This one is similar to the stackable set, but caters to those who don't want to wear three rings. This one is perfect for males as well as females. It simply states, "True Love Waits" around the single ring.
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14K Gold Ring: This one, like the silver band, is great for young men or women. It, too, states that "True Love Waits" around the length of the ring. The only difference is that it's made of solid 14K gold rather than sterling silver.
- True Love Waits Circular Sterling Silver Pendant: This ring-shaped pendant has "True Love Waits" inscribed in cursive.
- True Love Waits Sterling Silver Ring Pendant: This one features three rings - one that says True, one that says Love, and one that says Waits. They look very similar to the stackable rings, but the font goes vertically rather than horizontally so the message is easy to see.
The Ceremony
Of course you don't have to have a ceremony, but it is an option. Having the ceremony may make those involved more likely to honor the promise involved. Visit Lifeway.com for more on how to conduct a ring ceremony, complete with sample prayers.
Other Ring Options
Not everyone who makes the pledge to wait wears the same type of ring. Not all of the rings even say "True Love Waits." Some individuals opt for plain bands in silver or gold. Others find other types of purity rings, like those at Samaritan Arts to say the same thing in a different way.
