Today two wonderful friends are becoming one.  Their relationship has been a great inspiration to me as well as others.  As excited as I am for their marriage, I wanted to take a better look at how God views marriage.

Eph. 5:23-32
For a husband is the head of wife as Christ is the head of his body, the church; he gave his life to be her Savior.  As the church submits to Christ, so you wives must submit to your husbands in everything.  And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church.  He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God's word.  He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a sport or wrinkle or any other blemish.  Instead, she will be holy and without fault.  In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies.  For a man is actually loving himself when he loves his wife.  No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body, which is the church.  And we are his body. 

What a beautiful passage!!  I think marriage is a tool that God gives us to make us more like Christ!  Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Marriage asked this question, "What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?"  Can we lay down our aspirations to love and serve our spouse?  Through marriage we can learn about unconditional love, respect, forgiveness, and honor.  We can see our flaws and grow from it.  We can develop a servant's heart and draw closer to God.  As a result, true happiness can be discovered which i believe to be one of God;s desires for designing the covenant of marriage!

What a great night:)

It is amazing to me how much joy one person can bring to another.  No matter how draining my day is, as soon as I hear his voice on the other line, my heart melts and true happiness fills me from head to toe!!!

Tonight was so special yet so simple.  It contained family, pizza, ice cream and great entertainment (my little nephew).  He was smiling from ear to ear for hours, dancing to music with me, getting tickled by my sis, playing golf with my brother and learning hand shakes from my dad.

 I am beyond thankful for the family I have been blessed with and for all the wonderful memories we share:)  God has truly blessed me!

This morning I went back to Matthew Chapter 13:14-15  You will listen and listen, yet never understand; and you will look and look, yet never perceive.  For this people's heart has grown callous; their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn back- and I would cure them.

I have to admit, this part brings me to tears.  We are being told that He wants us to SEEK Him, He wants us to open our hearts, ears and eyes to let Him in.  And if we take that chance-He will come into our lives and STAY there!!!!

How do I help those seek God?  How do I open their eyes?  I wrestle with these questions pretty often.  However, in class a couple weeks ago we brought up the idea that it is not up to us BUT if we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into the conversations, to lead us into Christ like LOVE, that we could be doing A LOT more than we think!

3 months from today:)

In EXACTLY 3 months I will be getting on a plane to start my newest adventure God has placed in my life!  My emotions were a bit different tonight then any other night.  I all of a sudden had a rush of fear.. this might be from allowing myself to watch movies that cause my mind to wonder, this might be because its becoming a reality that I will be missing two of my nephews births, or that I am going to miss my comfortable lifestyle with my friends and family.. HOWEVER... GOd is SO GOOD and knows exactly what I need.  After a refreshing talk with a friend, it brought me back to the readings I was meditating on earlier today.  2 Thessalonians 5 ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus....  Why allow negative feelings to consume you when He is placing BEAUTIFUL desires in your heart and soul?  The other passage I was meditating on this morning was Matthew 28.  Coming back to this passage tonight gave me great strength and appreciation for my reasoning to go overseas.  I have been given the greatest gift- salvation and in 3 months I have the opportunity to introduce others to Christ.!! So I am thankful to say the itsy bitsy bit of fear that was once in me, is LONG gone:)
Isaiah 41:13
For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you