National Day of Prayer

Today is National Day of Prayer…. I have included a link below to their website.  It provides some great information and history.  I’m so thankful to live in a country where I am free to confess my faith and pray publicly.  Check it out….

http://nationaldayofprayer.org/

I woke up today knowing that it was National Day of Prayer.  I committed to myself to be in constant prayer throughout the day (especially for those impacted by the recent tornadoes in the southeast).   I really did pray more than usual throughout the day; however, I failed at my commitment to be in constant prayer.   I hate to admit that out loud, but it’s true.  The morning began with a good start.  But, by the time my 2^nd class entered my classroom doors, I had forgotten about my commitment.  The day went by with a whirlwind of events, students asking questions, e-mails to answer, meetings to attend, lesson planning to accomplish, etc.   I started to blame my lack of commitment on all those things I just mentioned.  I even text Ryan asking him to pray patience over me.    I felt his prayers and it helped me to refocus on what matters most during the day- prayer.  Life happens, things come up, your attitude changes with circumstances that arise, fatigue sets in… it’s inevitable.  But, don’t you think Jesus felt all those things too?  He felt them all as he walked the path to give up his life for us.  The least I can do is pray to him.  Not only did he die for our sins but he died so we wouldn’t have to live apart from him any longer.  I GET to talk to the creator of the universe, I GET to pray to him.   Instead of beating myself up for slacking, I need to be thanking him for the chance to get to talk to him.  That change of thought will spur me on in my commitment to pray.  National Day of Prayer will come and go….. But really it’s not about one day on the calendar.  It’s about every day. 

Wedding Bliss

My family, Ryan, and I hosted a wedding shower for our very dear friends Andrew and Amy.  They are getting married this June and we wanted to celebrate their upcoming special day by fellowshipping with friends and showering them with gifts that will help get them off to a comfortable start.   Here are a few photos from the shower...

Words can’t express how excited I am for their wedding.  However, their wedding is enormously secondary to the excitement I have for the start of their marriage journey!  Here's why I'm excited...

Marriage is quite the “teacher”.  It teaches you a lot about life and even more about each other. I always heard that marriage was a reflection of Gods relationship with us but I never understood that concept until I said “I Do”.   It’s about choosing everyday to love someone despite what they did yesterday, today, or what they might do tomorrow. 

Ryan has taught me how to put my desires aside and do what is best for our marriage.  He has taught me how to enjoy every moment even if it wasn't exactly as I expected or planned for it to be, and he has taught me that devotion can break even the most stubborn (although I am still learning this).  Marriage forces you to be humbled and sacrificial.  And, it paints a more clear picture of Christ's love and grace for us with every passing day. 

I'm eager for Andrew and Amy's marriage journey to start because I'm confident that the Lord is going to grow them closer to one another and closer to Him through their union.  As they pack up and move states away, I can't wait to see how they rely on one another and start their own family under His provision and leading.  More than that, I can't wait to see how they bring people to Jesus through their marriage and ministry together.  There's nothing more beautiful than multiplying His kindgom for His glory through the act of love. 

Aren't they precious?

We love you Andrew and Amy and we can't wait to rejoice with y'all on your big day!