Eye Candy Will Make You Sick

Can I share something with you that troubles me? Okay, here goes....

Eye candy.

photo credit

Yes, that's right. Eye candy. Pinterest is all the rage right now and, I will admit, I am a fan. I love learning new tips and tricks to better my home, my health, and finding fun activities to try with my kiddo. But I get disturbed when I see tweens, teens, young ladies, and - yes - married women pin pictures of male celebrities onto their boards. ---- Mind you, I'm talking about Christian girls and women.

Remember when your Mom would say, "No more candy. It will give you a tummy ache"? We were taught from an early age that eating too much junk food was bad for us and could make us sick. It's definitely true! Too much candy = bad health. Too much junk food = low energy and an all-around BLEH-feeling! Now let's apply that spiritually.

Spiritually, ANY and all "junk food" makes us sick. It erodes our soul. It drains us of spiritual stamina. It puts our focus on earthly, carnal things instead of heavenly things. Keep in mind sin most always starts with the eyes. We see it. We want it. We take it. The Bible calls it the "lust of the eyes."  (1 John 2:16)

You may be thinking, "Okay I see what you're saying, but I'm just pinning a picture of a good looking guy! No harm, no foul."

I beg to differ.

If you are single, this harms your perception of marriage and devalues men in general. Think about it. Take a second and picture your future husband pinning pictures of ultra-"gorgeous" female celebrities onto his Pinterest board. Picture him gawking and drooling over the skinny, barely clad, airbrushed models that he tags as "sexy" and "delicious." Would it bother you? Intimidate you? Hurt you? Make you feel less than perfect? Likewise. If you fill up your eyes and your mind with "eye candy" you will have little room for good, healthy, Biblical precepts. Proverbs 31:10 asks the question, "Who can find a virtuous woman?"  In verse 12, it says that she (this virtuous woman) does her husband "good and not evil all the days of her life." Let me ask you. Is it virtuous to store up man candy, even while single? Is it doing your future husband good? Are you preparing yourself to be a noble and Godly wife while filing away images of "hot men" that you can (and no doubt will, as is tempting for us to do) compare him to? Think about it, girls. Be wise!

If you are married, this is a slap to your husband. In Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus talks about adultery and says some strong words. He said that if a man looks at a woman and lusts after her, he has already committed adultery in his heart. That goes for us, too! Wow...talk about serious! Proverbs 5:15 instructs husbands to "Drink waters out of thine own cistern..."  What does that mean? It means stick with your own wife. And in like manner WE should stick with our own husbands, not only physically by not committing literal adultery, but in every way! Bring your husband honor by regarding him as the only lover of your heart and the only "candy" your eyes indulge in. Build your house, ladies. Don't pluck it down by foolishly allowing your eyes to drink in the shirtless, seductive-posing Hollywood celebs that you are not married to.

It all goes back to purity. Purity is more than being physically abstinent. It's so much more! And, believe you me, impurity has a knack for knocking down a single young person, and utterly pulverizing a marriage.

Simply put: Eye candy will make you spiritually sick.

A Bride's Walk

To me, one of the grandest moments of a wedding ceremony is when the bride makes her entrance and begins walking down the aisle. The music swells, all heads turn, the crowd rises, the groom is full of emotion, and - THERE SHE IS!

Slowly, she begins walking down the aisle toward her groom; her beloved.

I remember my walk.

I had been choked with emotion listening as each song was played. The candles were lit during "Sunrise." Then "Great is Thy Faithfulness" began as our grandmothers and mothers were escorted to their seats. Then my groom and his groomsmen entered. After that, everyone was still as Grant's and my song began to play. As it ended, I took a breath. The processional was about to begin. I listened as the music began and watched as my friends and sisters made their way down the aisle. I remember being momentarily distracted by the timing and made a motion for the ring bearer to begin walking. Then, it hit me. It was time. This was it. I took my Dad's arm and made my way to the aisle, quickly pausing before we began our walk.

As I stood there, I searched for my groom's face. There he was....at the end of the aisle, waiting for me to join him. I gave the biggest smile I could muster and began to walk, keeping my eyes focused on him. Though the crowd stood to honor me, and though my uncle loudly blew the shofar horn, through all the commotion, I fixed my eyes on Grant knowing that if I could just keep looking to him, I would make it. A part of me was afraid. "I'm getting married. My whole life is about to dramatically change." A part of me wanted to burst into tears, thankful and grateful for all the blessings. A part of me wanted to run down the aisle towards him before he got cold feet and changed his mind! But I kept a steady walk and focused on his face, on his eyes.

Finally, we made it to the alter. As I looked at my groom, I saw a mixture of joy and awe. He gave me a small smile and nodded, telling me that he thought I looked gorgeous. Then, he took my hand and the ceremony began!

Obviously, the bride's walk is one of everyone's favorite parts of a wedding day.

As I began to think back, I couldn't help but think that our walk, as Christians, should be very similar to a bride's walk down the aisle.

I cannot say that every bride does what I did, which was focus in on my groom, but I do know that that is exactly what every Christian needs to do when walking through this life.

In this world, there is pain and trials. There is hardship. There are sometimes roads that are long and lonely. Sometimes the cross we carry is exceptionally heavy to bear. But, sisters, LOOK to JESUS.

When you are afraid, focus your eyes on Jesus.


When you are tired, fix your gaze upon His face.


When you are weary, keep walking steadily onward towards Him.


When you stumble, get back up and continue on.
      
Hebrews 12:1 says, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Then comes the best part that gives us hope....

Hebrews 12:2a - "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith...."

Looking unto Jesus. Looking unto Him.

As the bride of Jesus Christ, let us lay aside all the things that so easily hold us back and let us steady our eyes upon the beautiful face of our Master and walk towards Him. Sometimes, there will be the commotion of life that will threaten to deter us. Sometimes our own fears may tempt us to pause. But if we will keep our eyes focused on the throne and upon our beloved Bridegroom, and walk on, we will make it one day. And what a wonderful day it will be when we finally reach the "alter" of Heaven and be with our Beloved for all eternity! On that day, we won't be thinking much of the long walk down the aisle. We will only be basking in the love of our King!


Ephesians 4:1
"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called."
  

Ephesians 4:17
"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind."
  
Ephesians 5:8b
"....walk as children of light."
  

Purity of Heart and Mind

My first post of 2011. Sorry it has been a while, everyone.

Lately, I have been heavily thinking about mental purity. There have been plenty of books written, songs sung, and websites launched that encourages and promotes physical purity. And bravo! But here is a thought: What about the purity of the mind? What about the purity of the heart?

Of course, I am married and many may think that I am free from the "purity challenge." Quite the contrary. In fact, after marriage, purity of every kind is just as vital and important. Yes, I may be married and, therefore, "free" in my physical relationship with my husband, but discipline must still be practiced and self control is still just as important. I must be on guard against the enemy who would love nothing more than to  smear the mud of sin on my marriage, my family, my testimony and my relationship with my King.

You may be wondering what type of tactics Satan can (and will!) use to try to destroy your mental and emotional purity. Here is a small list of things to stay away from:

1. Romance novels. I worked several years at a library in my hometown before I married. I remember so well all the many women - young and old - who would walk in regularly and exchange one stack of romance novels for another. What I came to discover is that most of the women who walked in and began a conversation with us, workers, would never speak positively about their husband. It was not uncommon for them to gush over some celebrity and make jokes as to how they would love to be their wife. I remember picking up a romance novel one day to see what all the fuss was about and was horrified at the explicit, frank, and anti-God language and story lines. What an abomination in the eyes of a holy God! I would encourage every woman - young and old - to abstain from romance novels....even most under the Christian label, as those can (and will) sometimes lure your heart and your emotions to some fictional character instead of toward your husband (even your future one). They will breed resentment and disrespect, both of which are sin. GOD created your husband, your father, and your brothers and though they are far from perfect, God commands us to respect and honor them. Keep your heart pure and reserved for only one.

2. Relationships with boy-crazy friends. If you want to maintain (or build) mental and emotional purity, sometimes it is most wise to keep yourself from being drawn into conversations and close friendships with girls and women who talk constantly of the latest heart throb. It can be so tempting to jump in and agree in their physical appraisal of "this-or-that guy" and then suddenly find yourself talking non-stop about who YOU think is the most handsome hunk on the planet. Now, married ladies, I will say that there is nothing wrong with bragging on your husband. In fact, it is needed in today's society. But do be mindful of how you brag and what words you choose. Be aware of your sisters in Christ who are not married and seeking to keep their focus on Christ. Do not tempt them to be boy crazy or dwell on boyfriends before the Lord's timing.

3. Secular Magazines. Picture this.... you are standing in the check-out line. Your eyes glaze over the magazine rack. What do you see? I'll tell you. You see pictures of women in skin-clad clothes and bikinis, you see headlines that talk of the latest "do's-and-don'ts" of sexual flings, and you see their advice on how to sizzle when you dress, talk, walk, and even sleep! How do you think reading these things affect your mental purity? Where will it lead your mind? If you are single, do you think it would make you dwell on physical relationships and tempt you to be outwardly attractive using their advice? If you are are married, do you think you will find yourself curious to try their techniques and hungry for more info to "spice" up your life? If you are human, then it most certainly will and that is exactly what their agenda is. I would encourage you to keep away from Cosmo, Elle, Glamour, Seventeen, Maxim, Vogue and the like.

4. Immodest dress. Modesty vs. fashion has always been a struggle. When we have curves, there is a desire in us that wants to flaunt them in tight, revealing clothes. But what are our motives for doing this? It could be to attract attention from males but, in so doing, we often lead them into lust, which makes us a stumbling block and the object of their sin. Another reason could be so we can feel attractive and desirable, selfishly thinking of our own beauty instead of considering the needs of our brothers and the enormous amount of spiritual discipline it takes for them to remain pure. Ladies, choose your clothes wisely. Many of the every-day clothes that girls now wear to school and church were the same type of outfits worn by prostitutes in the 80's. Statistics have proved that immodest clothing is one of the top 5 reasons girls become sexually active at an early age; many of them going on to becoming unwed teen mothers. Honor God with your dress. Cover yourself. Adorn yourself in grace and holiness.

5. Movies and Music. Okay, this one is a tough one. I am a girly girl who LOVES a good love story. But lately, I have been challenged in this area. What kind of movies do we watch? In terms of purity, do we own movies that have sexual scenes in them? Do we enjoy movies that promote the sin of fornication and/or adultery? Do we find ourself drooling over the actors or wishing that our husband "was like that"? Those are some questions to ask and tell-tell signs that what we're watching is not of God. And what about the music we listen to? Where does it lead your heart and your mind? What do the lyrics speak of? Is it glorifying God? Or is it glorifying a sinful relationship? Ask yourself these questions and prayerfully consider what God would have you to do. I would reccomend cleaning out your movie and CD shelf and your iTunes library.

Those are just 5 areas that Satan is using to destroy the purity of heart and mind in today's world. There are so many more! I have to be on guard against them. For the sake of my intimacy with Christ, for the sake of my marriage, for the sake of my family and future family, and for the sake of my testimony as a Christian, I must be careful to remain pure, not just in body, but in mind and heart as well.

Ladies, be watchful. Be vigilant. Be aware of the movies you watch, the music you listen to, the clothes you wear, the friendships you have, and what you read and put into your mind and heart.

As a wise girl once wrote, "If we can take every thought captive in obedience to Christ (easier said than done; it takes lots of prayer and diversion) than we're on our way to emotional purity." Amen and amen.

Proverbs 4:23
"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

Philippians 4:7
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Romans 12:2
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

2 Corinthians 10:5
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

Wait! I'm a Bride??

The other day, as I was driving home from town, I thought back to my wedding day. I do that quiet often. Now that I am expecting and my clothes are beginning to get tight, sometimes I sneak a peak at my wedding dress hanging in my closet and wonder if I will ever fit into it again! But regardless if I will be able to zip it up or not, I will always love my wedding dress. The same goes for my wedding shoes (which were GORGEOUS, by the way!), my wedding veil, and my jewelry.

Here is a question:  Do you think I could forget my wedding attire?

Would you forget your wedding attire? Would you forget your wedding day?

Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? A BRIDE forgetting about her wedding day? A BRIDE forgetting about her wedding dress? Unheard of, right?

A few nights ago, I was reading my Bible and my eyes hit a verse that stopped me in my tracks.

Jeremiah 2:32
"Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire?

yet my people have forgotten me days without number."

Over and over, I read and re-read that verse and I asked myself, Could I forget my wedding attire? Could I forget what a beautiful day my wedding day was? Or how beautiful I felt? No. Not at all! Yet.... have I ever forgotten, for one moment, about my Lord?

A sobering thought. It is a scary one too. Here, the Bible plainly says that the people of God have forgotten Him. Yet, a bride does not forget what her wedding gown looks like. How can that be???

I have to admit, I was convicted when I read that verse. I have been guilty of forgetting about my Savior. Not a day goes by that I don't think about my wedding at some point. When I look at my handsome husband, sometimes I think back to the smile he had on his face when we shared our first kiss at the alter. When I struggle to zip up my jeans, I sometimes think back to how easy it was to zip up my gown on my wedding day. When I see a wedding show on TV or pass a bridal party in town, I remember my own day. But at the same time, I have gone a day and never remember the great love of Jesus Christ, and the sacrifice He made on my behalf. I have gone a day (even two!) without stopping to thank Him for all that He has done. I have spent a quiet evening alone and never once pause and just bask in His goodness. I have forgotten HIM!!!

That verse in Jeremiah spoke to me and humbled me greatly. Never again do I want to forget about my Master, my Savior. Never again do I want to forget about all that He has done. I challenge you as I challenge myself to REMEMBER our King. Remember His love. Remember His commands. Remember His faithfulness. Remember His might. Remember.....

Do not forget, even for one moment, that you are His! His people, His creation, His bride...

The Single-Hearted Virgins

Written by Thaysse Costa and found on the Set-Apart Girl website in their latest magazine, the following poem captures what should be the heart of every young woman.

I heard Him say, "Be single-hearted, My Bride"

The applause and shame of men despise.

Care not at all what they think and say,

Place thy eyes on Me: I will not delay.

Break at My feet alone thy spikenard jar,

I want thy heart from Me not afar.
Incline to Me thy intimate thoughts;
Embrace the narrow road that is rough -
For My love is far better than wine;
For thou art Mine, and I am thine.
Run to Me despite what thy enemies tell,
I have crushed them under My feet; they all fell.
My blood will cover thee in and out of need,
It will empower thee for multitudes to feed.
Examine My Word to find Me alone,
Each new day let me rule in thy hearts throne.
Be not afraid, I uphold thee in My right hand;
I am the One who will make thee stand.
My grace, love, and peace have already sufficed;
I AM thy Lover, thy LORD; I AM thy Christ.
Deny thy interests, give Me thy life;
I long to make thee a gracious wife.


The single-hearted virgins were bought with a price;
Their affection and interest are for the Risen Christ.
With undivided heart they delight in His name,
To be His and His alone they are not ashamed.
In Adullam's cave they have joined their King;
In being hunted and despised for His sake they rejoice and sing.
There they are made ready for the fight,
Being freshly anointed with the captain's might.
In pain and purging they cleave to the Spirit's Sword;
In the Lord's strength and grace they march forward.
The Lamb's righteousness is their cloak,
And only in the cross they dare to boast.
They become Mary sitting at Jesus' feet,
And following only where the Spirit leads.
With effectual fervent prayers they intercede;
Building up broken walls, standing for the least.
They do not indulge under a chapel's bell,
But spend themselves within an yard from hell.
In the bedrocks of unchangeable truth they stand
Immovable and shielded by the Almighty Hand.
And this is the single-hearted virgins' cry:
"Give the glory due to the Triune GOD on High!"

Warrior Bride

I am SUCH a girly girl. I will admit it.

I adore bubble baths, candles, fluffy pillows, weddings, flowers, and chocolate; I love shoes, old films, dresses and, the tell-tale sign of any girly girl - the color pink. I love being a girl, being a bride, and being a wife. Books, movies, music, letters, or a hug can move me to tears at the drop of a hat.

But I am also tough. I can roll up my sleeves and get dirty. I can fight for justice and I want to defend the weak. I'm a girl, but I can wage war.  ....and that is as it should be.

The Bible says that we, as Christians, are at war. This world is not a peaceful place, especially for a Child of the King. We are constantly battling Satan and his demons as we wrestle and push and fight to live out the Christian life in a world consumed with the lust of the flesh. We are continually at war with our own flesh, fighting to put it to death every moment of every day. And it is hard.

But we must FIGHT!! The Bible tells us, as Christians, to put on His heavenly armor and go to war with sin and self.

Ephesians 6:10-17
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

1 Timothy 6:12
"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses."

As a bride, we fight a lot of things. Stress, fatigue, distraction, irritability, and the occasional overwhelming urge to scream! With all the decisions to make, people to inform and direct, the things to buy, it is hard to keep our cool and remain calm, composed, and graceful. As Christians, it is much the same. We fight Satan and all the fruits of the darkness and of this world. It is hard to die and let Jesus live our lives through us. It is hard to remain kind, loving, longsuffering, patient, gentle, and meek. That is the war we are in! And, believe me, it is an intense war!

So, my words to you (and myself as well).......

BE WARRIOR BRIDES!!

Captured!

Photography.

Let me give a shameless plug to the wonderful husband-and-wife team that make up Word Photography. Andrew and Heather Word did our engagement pictures and will do our wedding next weekend. If you haven't seen our beautiful pictures that were taken in November, please feel free to go check them out here. They were taken on my family's beautiful campground which is also the location of our wedding.

For me, it's a strange feeling when you are told by a photography to "act natural" while they snap away with a camera. Walking, talking, laughing, content, etc. They are trying to capture the real you. A fake smile will not do. A pose is usually stiff and uncomfortable. So they say, "Just smile! Be happy! Act normal!" Why? Because they want you as you! Genuine. Authentic.

Now, I hope you know where I'm going....

Photographers watch, then snap, and capture who you really are. And likewise, the world is watching and clicking away with their "cameras" - observing us, testing us, critiquing us. They want to see if we truly are who we claim to be. They watch to see if we're really committed to the God we claim to "serve." They test us. They try us. They want to capture us; to see the real Christian.

Luke 14:1
And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.

The world is searching for truth. The world is searching for something real and geunine. The Christians declare that we have it!.....and yet so often, the Christians are entangled in the chains of sin; talking the talk, but failing to walk the walk. The lost see that. The world, full of God-haters and mockers, laugh at it. And Satan uses it to his advantage.

We are captured every day, through the lense of this world. What do they see? When they bring their camera up to their eye and snap, do they capture a genuine Christian, full of joy and honor and holiness? Do they see a happy man or woman of God, as giddy in Christ as two newlyweds on their wedding day? Do they see the Gospel demonstrated and lived out in their life? Do they see a real Christian? Or do they find that the snapshot they took is a posed picture; an act; A phony and hypocritical person with a fake smile, an artificial joy, and a conterfeit Christianity....

Let it not be so!

Next weekend, when our photographers take dozens of pictures of me and my groom, they will capture us as we are - as a bride and groom completely in love and altogether happy! But my prayer is also that they, along with the whole world watching us, will see the joy of Christ in our eyes and in our smiles....and in our life. And I pray that is your prayer too.

Luke 6:7And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.

Luke 20:20
And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

Colossians 2:8
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

It's a Change

With the wedding in less than three weeks, I am in the process of packing up my room. I've already boxed up half of my million books and most of my winter clothes. Now I'm on to the rest of my books, my movies, my music, my shoes, the rest of my clothes, and various other things. It's difficult, I will say, to go through years of pictures, school projects, AWANA awards, old Teddy bears and dolls and slowly pack up my memories and pieces of my life. It's quite a change.

Today, while I boxed up more of my belongings, I thought of how different my life will be one month from now. I will be a wife. I will have new responsibiities and obligations. It will be my duty to love and care for Grant, to meet his needs, to encourage him, follow him, and bring him honor with the way I live and keep his home. It's a change....but it's a beautiful one!

Life is full of changes. Birthdays, graduations, weddings, every phase of life has its share of newness. Every season brings about a new thing. Summer brings the heat and the excitement of family vacations, camp, and swimming pools! Autumn brings a chill in the air and colorful leaves. Winter brings the snow and the holidays. And then there's spring, where everything comes to life and is brand new. There are changes everywhere. So with spring in the air and my wedding two and half weeks away, I'm definitely thinking about change. But today, while packing and preparing to move, I thought of the biggest and most delightful change - salvation.

I've blogged about my testimony and the beautiful, redeeming love of our God throughout this blog, likening it to several areas of an engagement and a wedding, and it's funny how so much of the process is just like salvation. Having your man propose, getting engaged, sending out the invitations - there are so many reminders of God's goodness and grace...including packing up, moving, and beginning a new life with your husband/wife.

How? you may ask.

Well, just like my life will change when I say "I do" next month, my life changed years ago when I said "I do" to Jesus Christ. When I asked Jesus Christ to forgive me and come into my heart, my whole life changed. My desires changed. My responsibilities changed. My thoughts changed. I wasn't my own anymore, but belonged to Christ. I became His property. Every aspect of my life changed the day I was saved. And in like manner, every aspect of my life will change next month when I become Grant's wife. I will, then, have to follow him and obey him. My desires will be to please and make him happy instead of myself. My body will belong to him. My life will resolve around him and our life together. I will become his help meet, his companion....his wife. My home will be his home. I will leave my family and things that I am used to and am comfortable with, and will step out on faith and out of my comfort zone into a whole new world.

THAT is a change!

But it is a beautiful change! It is difficult to walk by faith and trust God. It is difficult to let Him grow you. He stretches you. He bends you.....but He doesn't break you. :) Change is hard. But change is good for us. It matures us. It helps us. It teaches us.

.....and change? Well, it SAVES us too!

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Love and Letters

Thinking on Thursday's post of love letters and missing my groom very much while he is away, I got to thinking of the first real love letter I received from my man. It was late autumn of 2008 and a sweet-smelling envelope came in the mail. Seeing it was from my beau, I curiously opened it and found myself in near shock at what I found and what I read. What I found was rose petals and what I read, I will never forget.

Later that day, I sent an email to my dear friend with a strange, yet gloriously beautiful thought. Here is what I wrote:

This morning, I received an absolutely beautiful, sweet, Godly and completely lovely letter from my gentleman "court-er." :) It wasn't an e-mail...it was one of those old fashioned, completely charming letters you get in your mailbox!...which I love, if you can't tell. And it was filled with all those sentiments we girls love so much, along with a Godly type of love and romance. Perfect. :) I read it and I sighed and smiled and did the whole "fluttering eye" thing, but then it was like God struck me with something. You know how we go through life "knowing" a lot of things, but then one day we are actually "hit" with it...and then we REALLY know it?... *hopes that makes sense* Anyway, I felt nearly convicted with this thought: as giddy and girlishly happy that I get when receiving a love note from my earthly suitor, how much more happy and in love I should be when I read the words of Christ?...who is my TRUE love, my heavenly Prince. It really made me think. I hate to admit this, but sometimes I have read my Bible out of obligation...and I never read a love letter that way! That really made me think. The other day when we were talking, you mentioned that marriage gives a whole new perspective on the love of Jesus...well, I'm beginning to see it in a new light. Falling in love here on earth is soooo amazing. It's so exciting and nerve wracking and scary and perfect all rolled into one big emotion! But it makes you feel like nothing can possibly beat that feeling. And then, you are reminded of God's love. How He loves you SO much more than any human being ever could. That really startled me today. And for some reason, I felt I needed to share that with you!

Pray for me. I know you are, but pray that no earthly romance will ever become more important...or even more exciting...than my relationship with Christ. Pray that no matter how in love I become here with Grant, I will always have Jesus as the supreme Lover of my soul. I'm praying the very same for you. :)
 
 
Looking back, I can see that at that moment, God began doing a bigger work in my life in drawing me closer to Him and viewing Him as the all-consuming, passionate Lover of my heart. I still have quite a ways to go in my pursuit of Him, but how thankful I am that it was on that day that the Lord revealed such a wonderful thing to me! I have enjoyed thinking back to over a year ago, when my first love letter from my groom greeted me. And along those same thoughts, I have also thought back to the first time I was given God's love letter (aka - The Bible!). Growing up in a Christian home, I can't tell you the first time I heard the gospel. Perhaps it was while I was still in the womb! But I can tell you about the first time it hit me and changed me. I was five years old and with my family in north Arkansas. I was trying to understand the concept of a God that was bigger than anything my imagination could come up with...bigger than time itself. And suddenly, while the preacher was preaching, God began to speak to my little heart. I suddenly knew I had to believe through faith that the Jesus I grew up singing about, reading about, and loving was GOD. THE God. And He loved and wanted me. No matter how I misbehaved, He wanted me. I remembered the verses I had been taught...

...That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

...And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

...For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
 
Needless to say, it didn't take long for the truth that was in my head to become truth that was in my heart and soul. It became faith. And since that day, Christ has drawn me closer to Him, showing me over and over and over again that He LOVES me! He shows me His love through the sunshine, through the wind, through the birds chirpping, the deer running, the flowers blooming, and all of creation singing! He tells me He loves me in the quiet moments...and in His indescribable love letter! He showers me with blessings and reminders that He is completely in love - with me! ....and how I long to shower HIM with the very same reminders.
 
Ladies....brides....fellow Christians....let this simple post and ALL of the world around you be a reminder of the King of Kings....and His love toward us.

The Best Dishes

Have I showed you all our china patterns yet?? No? Well now, I simply must! :)

Grant and I picked a very simple, yet elegant pattern from Noritake called "Stoneleigh."

Flatware? As a gift from my grandmother, we have "Tabora" from Reed and Barton.

Crystal glassware? "Paris" from Noritake.

Now, there you have it! :)

My faithful few readers must be thinking, "Okay, HOW is she going to liken this to something spiritual? I mean, it's dishes!" I appreciate your confidence! :) Actually, I was suprised when it hit me just yesterday afternoon while finalizing a few china issues. What is china for?? I mean, all you need is everyday dishes to get you through. When do you ever even use your wedding china??

Well, in my family, we get out the china dishes when there is a special occation. Thanksgiving, a birthday, Christmas, graduation, etc. We take them out and place them neatly on the table when there is some sort of celebration. It's the very best. Sometimes we do the same thing for company. We don't want our company to eat off of the broken and chipped dishes, we want them to have the best!

Now do you know where I'm going with this??

It may not be much, but while I was thinking about china and how beautiful it is, I had to think of how Heaven gave us its very best when Jesus, God in human flesh, came down to earth. With all my sin and all my shame, our Heavenly Father looked down and decided to send the best Heaven had to offer to redeem me from sin. He did the same for you too! And when He saved me, He didn't just forgive me of all I had ever done up to that point.... He kept on forgiving! He washes me clean every day. He loves me unconditionally. He doesn't have a limitted amount of love or pardon or grace.... He doesn't give me the "chipped and broken dishes" - He breaks out the china! He doesn't set His table with paper plates and throwaway cups. He sets His table with overwhelming mercy, unfathomable joy, unspeakable peace, indiscribable love - THE VERY BEST! He gives the best gifts. He gives a human race that scorns Him, ignores Him, and spits in His face His very life. And He gives His children, who stumble and who question Him, the best of all that He is!

....I will never be able to look at wedding china without thinking of God's "best dishes" too.

Luke 15:22
"But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:"

1 John 3:1
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:"

She's In Love

This is one of my new favorite songs. Every Christian girl should be labled as - "In Love." Not with material possessions, not with her current boyfriend, not with a TV show or movie or Hollywood celebrity, but with Jesus Christ; the ultimate Lover, Champion, Prince, and King. Girls, join with me to be a girl and young woman that inspires the men and boys around her to say, "She is in love!"

Toned

In the midst of all this hectic, crazy planning, and with the wedding a month and a half away, I've been trying (**key word there, TRYING**) to work out and get in tip-top-shape. And it.is.HARD.

While panting for breath and gulping water as my heart rate slowed back to normal, I got to thinking about all this toning and working out that I am doing. Here I am, a bride-to-be, working myself into the ground trying to eat right and excercise in the midst of my ever-crazy schedule. I'm trying all the tricks I can think of. I'm drinking lots of water. I'm trying to watch what I eat and how much I eat. I'm washing my face with honey and cinnamon. I'm using apple cider vinegar, baking soda, strawberries, milk, lemons, and a handful of other various kitchen products to better my skin, hair, face, teeth, and body. I'm working hard! Why? Because I want to look the best I can for my groom.

I can't help but wonder, "Why do we not work as hard toning our spiritual body?" Why is it that with my wedding day a month and a half away, I'm going and going, working hard with fierce determination. Yet Christ could come at any time. Am I in tip-top-shape in that area? Are there things in my life that are sloppy and disgusting in the eyes of God? Are there sins I haven't repented of? Are there things I haven't done? We tend to justify our spiritual laziness while we take every measure we possibly can to ensure that our physical body looks good for our wedding day. We tan or get our hair highlighted. We go to the Spa or join a fitness program at the gym. But yet....our spiritual body is in desperate need of a makeover! Far too easily do we, as Christians, turn into a spiritual couch potato. We don't excercise our mind and heart so we can be fit for the battle every day. We don't learn our weapon (the Bible). We don't strengthen our arms and reach out to the lost. We don't beautify our inner being so we can shine Christ's love... but we fly into hysterics with one wrinkle or gray hair!

As I try to tone my physical body so I can be pleasing to my husband, I am working hard to tone up my spiritual body so I can be pleasing to my Savior and Heavenly Bridegroom every day. My husband deserves a strong, fit wife who isn't lazy or sloppy. So how much more does my God deserve a clean, spiritually strong and able woman in His Kingdom who is ready and willing to serve? Fellow brides....and fellow Christians, tone up your body so you can be strong and healthy on earth. But also, tone up your spiritual body so you can be better used by the Lord.


Romans 6:12
"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof."

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

She Walks in Beauty

So I have been doing a bit of walking in my lovely white wedding shoes. I've been trying to break them in, so it won't be so awkward to walk on the wedding day. It's quite hard.

I've already posted about my wedding shoes and what they mean to me spiritually, but for those of you who haven't read that far back, I'll give you the Cliff Notes' version. ;) The Bible says to "walk in love" to "walk in peace" to "walk in wisdom" and to "walk in truth..." So when we Christians and brides slip on our wedding shoes, we should reflect on what we should walk in SPIRITUALLY as well.

I'm a fan of beautiful poetry and when I practice walking in my shoes to break them in, along with the spiritual fruits we should walk in, I also think of the great Byron poem, "She Walks In Beauty."


She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light.
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Lord Byron



While we brides try to break in our wedding shoes and while we Christians endevor to walk in Christ Jesus, let us also walk in the beauty of the Christian life. Just a little food for thought today! :)

Psalm 90:17
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us...

Job 40:10 
Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.

Showers of Blessings

Whew! It's been a while since I've written. Well since my last post, we have...

* Decided on the photography
* I have ordered the bridesmaids gifts
* I have recieved the flower girl gifts and the Wedding and Reception signs to put up!
* I have been working on the slideshow we will show of Grant and I
* We have bought the favors and the rest of the flowers
* AND I have had my first shower!

WHEW! Time is starting to fly by in a furry! Only 55 more days!

My first wedding shower was this past Saturday and, I must say, I was so blessed! It was given by my fiance's mom and he and I received so many beautiful gifts! I was stunned, as I walked into the house and saw all the food, the flowers, the friends, and so many gifts waiting.

As I was packing up the gifts and loading them into our suburban, I began to think on the meaning of a shower. Why is it called a "shower?" Why is a shower even given??
Of course, a shower is given out of love and it is when gifts are bestowed upon the person or couple to celebrate a wonderful time in life (i.e. wedding, baby, etc). It's an event where family and friends "shower" you with gifts....with little blessings. I thought on that for a while, and again when I got home and went through all the gifts again. Throughout this blog, I have tried to liken every phase of my engagement and wedding planning to some beautiful spiritual thing. Becoming engaged is a symbol of when we say "Yes" to our Heavenly Bridegroom, Christ Jesus. Sending out the invitations are a picture of Christ's invitation to us all to "Come!" and be saved. The wedding dress is a symbol of purity, the veil a symbol of modesty... on and on it goes. And a wedding shower? Well, I liken it to the "showers of blessings" that God rains down on us every day. Think about it...

Every day, He gives us the breath of life.

Every day, He offers the beauty of the world to us to enjoy.

Every day, He is there to guide our path.

Every day, He is there to lean on when the storms thunder around us.

Every day, He gives us an opportunity to love and serve Him better.

On and on it goes. He SHOWERS us with blessings of every kind. The other day, I felt overwhelmed as women and ladies surrounded me and I opened one present after another, exclaiming over them and feeling honored and so touched by their kindness and generosity. .....But how often do we exclaim over the gifts the Lord gives us? Do we daily sit in awe of the blessing stacked in our corner? Do we daily send a "thank you" to our Heavenly Father for one more day to live and love Him? Do we daily feel overwhelmed at His great love?

If you're like me, you fail many times in that department. But, if you're like me, you also have a passionate drive to try harder every day.

Join me in trying to remember those blessings that Jesus showers upon you as each new morning dawns. And brides? When you're opening up all those great wedding presents, remember the presents that Your Heavenly Bridegroom gives you every day.

Deuteronomy 28:2
And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

Ephesians 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

The Little "Napkin" Things

Okay, this week we have been to Hobby Lobby and have gotten the lilies for the bouquets. YAY! My dress is being altered and is nearly complete. HOORAY!! The invitations will be here within the week. WAHOOO! And I've designed napkins for the reception! WOW! Want a sneak peak? :) Okay!

I'm very pleased with them. It's not much. I mean, when you think about it, it's NAPKINS! People are going to use them and throw them away. But I spent a lot of time on them. I designed them.

That little bit of "nothing" has made my mind do a great deal of "something!" Posting pictures and going to all the trouble of making a blog post about napkins has made me think on the spiritual side of things. That's just like us and God. Let's think about it. Seeing my napkins may not be a big deal to you. In fact, my whole wedding planning process may not be a big deal to you. After all, it's my wedding, not yours, right? But it's a big deal to me. It's taking my time, my care, my ideas, my designing. It is very dear, very special, and very meaningful to me, because I'm like the creator of it (for lack of a better word). But it doesn't mean near as much to you. That is very much like how we are towards the things of Christ. There are so many "little" things God does for us that we toss aside like a throwaway napkin. They mean nothing to us.

Oh, but they should! God took great care in that one thing...whatever that one thing may be in your life.

Now, don't fret. I'm not saying you have to start caring about my napkin choices or any other little thing involved in my wedding. :) But I am offering a bit of encouragement to us all - let's not forget the "little" things of God. Let us see those things the way He sees them. When a small problem arises, let us view it through the lense of Heaven. When that unexpected phone call or visitor shows up, let us remember that The Creator orchestrates it all. Whatever "it" may be - big or small - let us remember that with God, nothing is meaningless. All the little things are special.

....Of course now, I'll probably be more apt to call them "the little napkin things."  ;)

Falling in Love With the Bridegroom

Alas!

Researching wedding traditions, trying to settle on wedding photography, ordering numerous wedding articles, and designing invitations and napkins, can make my head acquire a dull ache and my eyes a slight droop. It's a lot of thinking. I mean really!....

Do I want this verse on the napkins or this great quote?

Will these flowers be in season?

Do I want traditional wedding photography or more contemporary?

What about music??

Which picture should we put into the invitations?

And speaking of invitations, which ones are we going to go with??

It's enough to make you scream, "Somebody please get me a tylenol, a pillow, a warm cup of apple cider, and a relaxing afternoon away from this!"

I'm learning something though, with this whole wedding planning, most-stressful-time-of-a-girl's-life season: It's easy to get distracted and drift away from your First Love. A beautiful friend of my mine gave me a book not long after I became engaged. It's a simple wedding planner, from a Christian point of view...reminding the bride to take time to draw closer to Christ. Sadly, that's a hard thing to do! But I'm learning more and more - and in so many different ways! - that "this" and "that" really and truly does not fulfill. "This" and "that" does not give lasting happiness or contentment. It really is only Jesus. Of course, that's something I've always known....but it's so easy to "unintentionally" forget.

Over and over in His Word, Christ tells us to seek His face, to pursue Him, to follow after Him. As a bride, I'm learning that this is more beautiful than it ever was before. It's like He's saying, "My love, come away with Me," "My precious bride, don't ever let Me go!" or "My darling, keep falling more in love with Me!"

Now, if you are flesh and blood and very much a lady, when a gentleman speaks soft, tender words like that, you melt! When he takes you by the hand and makes promise after promise to love you, take care of you, cherish you, and never leave you, you fall more and more in love with him. If that is so, then how much more should we fall in love with Christ each day? As we open up His Word and hear all of His promises, see all of His love, and feel all of His passion for us, we should feel a burning desire to pour out our lives for Him forever. I know that when my earthly bridegroom demonstrates His love for me, I desire to demonstrate my love all the more towards him. It should be the same (yet SO much more so) with my Heavenly Bridegroom. My earthly man is quite a catch, but he is human. He has his share of faults, flaws, and shortcomings. He isn't perfect. My Heavenly Bridegroom, however, IS perfect. And when I open my Bible and am reminded of His great love, His grace, His tender voice calling out to me, I should do no less than fall at His feet in complete adoration!

With all the decisions to be made concerning my wedding day, I have to remind myself every day to show my love to my man; to love, cherish, encourage, honor, and serve to the best of my ability. And in like manner, every day, I MUST draw closer to the heart of Christ; to love, obey, serve, honor, and devote my life to Him afresh and anew. It's hard work! It's not easy greeting each day with prayer and Bible reading or going through the day in frequent communication with Him. It takes effort! But we must. While we fall more in love with our groom as the wedding day approaches, let us fall more in love with our Heavenly Bridegroom each day....or it is all wasted.

And Your Feet Shod With... Wedding Shoes!

Galatians 5:25
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

My shoes came in!!!

I have been stressing over shoes for nearly three months trying to find the right ones. And I mean the right ones at a decent price (meaning I find a pair of shoes for $170 outrageous!). But I found a lovely and very reasonably priced pair two weeks ago and, after a few days of thinking, I ordered them. 3 1/2 inch heel (yes, I know), white satin. Beautiful! And now they are in my possession and....they...are...simply...lovely. Very simple, yet very elegant. Very me.

I tried them on with the dress last night and I felt like a princess yet again. ....I seem to be having a lot of those "princess" moments lately. :) So we have the shoe department taken care of. Glory be!

With shoes on the brain, I've been thinking about my spiritual shoes. On my wedding day, when I slip on my shoes and walk towards my groom, it's a picture of everyday life. Every day we are to put on our spiritual shoes and walk closer to our heavenly Groom. We're to walk in a lot of things... in peace, in love, in wisdom, in truth...to name a few.

Ephesians 6:15
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Ephesians 5:2
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Colossians 4:5
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

3 John 1:4
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Each morning, as we greet the day, while we put on our every day shoes like sneakers, sandals, boots, or even slippers, we're also to take that time to remind ourselves to walk in peace, in the love of Christ, to walk in His wisdom, and in His truth. As a Christian, the world is watching our feet. They see where we go, what we do, and how we act. To showcase the glory of God, it's absolutely necessary for us to walk in Christ; to put on our lovely shoes and walk towards Him, with Him, beside Him, etc.

As I slip on my beautiful bridal wedding shoes, I'm reminded that I must walk in peace. I must seek to be a peacemaker and show the world that the Giver of Peace is alive and well and able to bring peace to any situation. I also must walk in love. As a Christian, I must demonstrate the love of God in my life to others. He loves....so I must love. And truly, if Christ lives inside us, His love should naturally flow out of our lives. As a Christian woman, I must walk in wisdom! I must tame my emotions and allow the wonderful wisdom of the Only Wise God to invade my being, thus enabling me to make good choices - His choices! And also to show the world that all pursuits of knowledge is fruitless if God is not in your heart, bringing true wisdom to your life. And, I must walk in truth. Satan is on the prowl, spreading lies and seeking to destroy. So then I must walk in the unchanging truth of Christ and be a light that shines in the darkness.

Of course, there are plenty of other things a Christian should walk in... but there are four.

As a girl, I love shoes! As a bride, I adore my wedding shoes. But as a Christian? I must ask myself, do I love and adore peace, love, wisdom and truth more? And if so, though I stumble and even fall in my spiritual shoes, will I continue to walk in them?

Deuteronomy 10:12
And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

Taken at Five

Seventeen years ago, when I was five years of age, on a hot, humid night in northern Arkansas, I got engaged!

....Okay, I know you must be thinking "um....come again?" You're waiting for the punch-line, aren't you? Okay, well, to clear the air, I was not betrothed to a little boy at the age of five. So you can sleep well now. No, this engagement was a bit different than your everyday "down-on-one-knee-with-a-diamond" kind of thing. No, at the tender age of five, I became engaged to my heavenly Prince. Pssst! His name is Jesus. :)



If you read my last post, you'll know that this blog is all about my relationship with my Prince Jesus and how every detail of our earthly lives is a beautiful picture of our spirital life as well. Well, I'd like to share with you the night I became taken. :) The night I said a joyful "YES!" to Jesus. In other words, this is my testimony! ;)

As I mentioned before, it was a hot, humid, August night. My family and I, who travel and sing, were conducting a revival in the northern part of Arkansas. Growing up in a family who sing about Jesus, preach about Jesus, talk about Jesus, read books about Jesus, watch movies about Jesus, and dedicate their lives telling others about Jesus.....it's bound to stick. :) I grew up knowing and telling Bible verses and Bible stories as early as a year and a half old. So by the age of five, I knew the sweet story of Jesus coming to this earth at Christmastime as a little baby, who grew up and never disobeyed his Mom or Dad (that was slightly shocking to my childlike brain), who did many miracles, and finally, for no reason, was put to death by his own countrymen. I used to get angry when I thought of those mean soldiers nailing my Jesus to a cross. As the days and months went by, the gospel story burned in my heart. And as I learned more, I was amazed. Jesus died for me? He came and died because I didn't clean my room when Mom told me to? He had to die because I did something wrong? It pierced my heart. He died so I wouldn't have to? He died so I could go to Heaven? Little by little, this precious love story worked its way into my five year old heart.

So on this particular night, during the revival services, I knew the time had come to truly thank God for what He did for me; to apologize for all the times I did something wrong and hurt him; to pledge my life and heart to Him, to live for Him forever. Later that night, at the foot of a bed, with my Dad and my Mom, I asked Jesus to come into my heart and save me.

So what does that have to do with being engaged? Think about it.

When you're twenty-two and your handsome fella comes to you, kneels down, presents you with a ring, and asks you to be his forever, and when you are swept away by his love, and you say "Yes!" then you are engaged! :) Congratulations. :) ;)

And likewise, when you're five years old and the King of all creation comes down to this earth, presents you with His body and blood - a sacrifice of Himself - and asks if you will accept Him, love Him, serve Him, and live for Him forever, and you are amazed at the depth of His great love, say "YES!!" ....then YOU, my friend, are engaged as well.

Earthly engagement is lovely but spiritual engagement? That's pure bliss! I hope, if you have not yet said "YES!" to this Heavenly Prince I speak about, then you will do so soon. Believe you me, it's a love story that is quite amazing.

I'm a Bride!

Hello everyone! I entitled this blog “The King’s Bride” for two reasons, both of which I’ll happily explain to you.

Firstly, I am a Christian, redeemed and loved by my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Bible calls Him many names: Lord, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Emmanuel….but it also calls Him King of Kings. And we, who are saved, are His bride. Spiritually. :) I am His bride. And hopefully you are too. :)

Secondly, I am a bride in the human, earthly way also. I am currently engaged to a noble prince; a warrior in the army of our God and King. He is strong, romantic, poetic, tender, loving, and practically everything a girl could ask for.….and I’m his bride. :)

And so here we are.

The purpose of this blog is to magnify my King and my heavenly lover, who loves me unconditionally; who came and died for me, who redeemed me from sin, who robed me in white, and who is coming for me one day soon! Of course, I’ll also throw in tidbits about my earthly wedding planning, my wonderful family, my sweet friends, my ministry, my goals, my passions….my blessed life.

So welcome to this blog! It’s a sneak peek into my heart and my mind. It’s the “parlor room” of my life. Hope you will be blessed and inspired but, most of all, I hope you will draw ever closer to the King yourself. And if you are not His bride, I do hope you’ll come to know Him and accept His proposal. :)