Long distance can work, but it will be a LOT easier to develop a relationship with someone who is close to home...someone you can interact with regularly.
While conversation is fairly easy to accomplish in a long distance relationship, there are things that you just can't learn about a person by just talking to him/her.
Habits and ways of life(lifestyle) can't be witnessed through a telephone conversation. In person, you may some of these lifestyles/habits intolerable and unacceptable in a marriage.
chris
I think that good strong friendships can be built online, but if it is to go to another level of dating.....that needs to happen in person. You need to be able to spend time with each other in person and see what they are like day to day (vice versa).....and enjoy social interaction with them, meet their friends, family etc, see how they relate to God, so many things that are better face to face and some things that are only acheivable when face to face/in their company.
You would need to aslo experience challenging times with them - and see how you both react to it.....e.g. does he or she run off or avoid talking, or just start freaking out leaving you totally wide mouthed thinking ' but she said she never freaked out - that she was calm all the time'......but you know what I am getting at here. Important things like this you need to observe in person. When the storms of a relationship or marriage come - would you both be looking to God first and also be able to depend on each other? We can say things on the internet but would it happen in person.
We could be very blessed to make a great friend online and then meet them in person and they are exactly true to who they say they are........but sometimes this is not the case for some.......
But...having said all this........I have seen people that have met online, had the relationship online, then met up and they are happily married with kids etc.....
But in everything.....Pray Pray Pray.