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."
  

Bridalplasty

There is a new reality show on TV.

The name? Bridalplasty.

What's it about? Brides competing for plastic surgery.

Being an "all-things-wedding" lover, the title caught my eye. SO, I sat down to find out what the show was about. It took less than 10 minutes for me to change the channel. All in the name of "beauty" and offering "the dream wedding," the show is all about a woman's beauty coming from a fuller bust or slimmer waistline. It is about validating one's worth through being cut and "fixed."  As if women need more pressure....

The women on the show compete by writing vows or planning honeymoons and the "winner" of each level is awarded various surgeries. I only watched long enough to witness a few chosen ladies who won a certain level and were moved up, leaving two women who had to return home, with no "cutting" in their future. Both girls cried over their loss, as I expected, but I remember thinking, "They are really very attractive. I can't imagine what they would want to cut on themselves." THEN my eyes caught two pictures hanging on the wall behind them. They were pictures of the same two ladies in beautiful wedding gowns - with a Barbie-like waist, colored hair, toned arms.... Very different from the true looks of the two girls left behind. Interviewing them, one by one, the first woman pointed to "her picture" and said, "I just wanted to look like that! That is how beautiful I could be! And now I'll never have a chance...."  My blood boiled and my heart broke. Here was a pretty, average lady and her sense of self worth was so low, that she was on national television competing for a chance to change everything about her physical appearance. Her natural beauty was not good enough when held up next to mock photographs of some imagined model-like image of herself.

Our society has made beauty to be strictly outward when God Himself said that HE looks on the heart (2 Samuel 16:7). Have you, ladies, ever walked into Wal-Mart into the make-up section and just stood there overwhelmed? What about the shampoo and hair gel section? Or the face wash area? So many choices and so many targeted to "fix" puffy eyes, wrinkles, blotches, blemishes, age spots, freckles, and enlarged pores. Don't mistake me, there is nothing wrong with wanting to look your best or get rid of a few problem areas, but our society has made the outward physical appearance an obsession! The media holds up airbrushed models and tells us that we have to look like that - something that is unattainable, even for the model herself!

Hollywood produces magazines with the latest "how-to-fix-this" and "how-to-get-rid-of-that" in order to "keep your marriage on fire" and the number of lasting marital relationships in Hollywood is....well....I'll just say LOW.

The media has made beauty to be all about the outward adorning and has made marriage to be all about two things: sex and selfishness. Forget intimacy or deep bonding. It's now about the thrill and the fire of a biological act. Forget giving 100% all of the time. It is about getting your own needs met. Women are expected to show no emotion, be aggressive, be seductive little play toys, and never get wrinkles or stretch marks.

I'm on my soap box, I know. But how I wish that the girls and women of today would stop being materialistic and obsessed with their physical appearance. It is Jesus Christ who adorns a woman with beauty and HIS beauty lasts forever (yes, even well into your 70's). You can have all the plastic surgeries there is to offer, but if you do not have an intimate relationship with Christ, then your physical beauty is vain. Meaningless. And it will vanish quickly. You can have all the latest clothes, make-up, and accessories, and still feel worthless and unattractive. How I wish they would see that God did not just created us, He FORMED us. It is up to us to take care of our bodies and maintain them well, not to cut and tuck and change what He made. How I wish the girls and women of today would plant their high heels firmly on the ground and say, "MY beauty comes from my relationship with Jesus. MY marriage stays hot because we have the Author of Love in the center of our relationship."

A word to brides.... YES, it is your day. YES, I know you want to look BEAUTIFUL! But do not fall for the lie of this world. Your beauty comes with from Christ. It comes only from your closeness to our King. Perfect the inner beauty and the intimate relationship with Him, and you will be one radiantly beautiful bride!....no cutting involved!

Proverbs 31:30
"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."

Bridal Beauty

Earlier this month, I had the joy of reuniting with some precious girls from a youth group. Many of them, knowing my purity testimony, asked about married life and I was able to tell them just how wonderful it is! We talked of purity, of relationships, and of the wedding day. MINE was such a beautiful and glorious day! Thinking back on it today, I began thinking of all the things I did to make myself beautiful for my wedding.

The night before the big day, I deep conditioned my hair. I polished my toe nails and scrubs the balls of my feet until they were smooth. I had already gone to get a manicure so my fingers and hands were ready! I washed my face and put on a facial mask. The next morning, I brushed, scrubbed, buffed, shaved, moisturized, and polished. I went to the hair salon and got my hair pulled into a beautiful curled updo. Then, I took care in putting my makeup on just so! I highlighted, I concealed, I blushed, and I outlined. I dabbed myself with perfume. I donned my gorgeous dress, slipped into my pretty shoes, and put on my jewelry. On our wedding night, it was no different. After arriving at our hotel, I went to the bathroom to change. While I was in there, preparing for our sacred and long-awaited night, I fixed my hair, brushed my teeth, and tried to look and smell sweet and desirable.

You may ask, "Why did you go to all that trouble?"

It seems like a lot for just one day. But it was THE DAY. And I wanted to look perfect for my groom. I wanted him to be captivated by my beauty. I wanted to be pleasing to him. Most any girl would agree that when they come to their wedding ceremony and wedding night, they want to look PERFECT!

With all that said, I have to say that we, as Christians, should do the same spiritually. I went to a lot of trouble for my wedding day. I had my hair done by a professional. I made sure my wedding gown was clean, pressed, and perfect. I took care to ensure my veil held no wrinkles. My shoes? They had to be clean and white, without a trace of dirt. On our wedding night, I did not throw on sweat pants and an old t-shirt. I adorned myself with a beautiful gown, clean and white. My spiritual state should be the same.

When Jesus Christ enters into your life, you are a bride! You are HIS! From that moment on, you have the desire to be clean, to be desirable, and to be beautiful for Him. You have the longing to always be perfectly groomed on the inside. To come before Him in old, smelly clothes with greasy hair, and unbrushed teeth is to show a careless attitude towards Him and your place as His bride. I am speaking spiritually. In my marriage with Grant, there have been moments where we have not looked our best. There have been mornings when I have been sick, and moments when my hair has been a mess and my clothes have been wrinkled. BUT my desire is to ALWAYS be desirable to him....and I put forth an effort. So it should be with our Jesus. I never want to come before Him and be unkempt and undesirable. I never want Him to see me dirty and unclean. Again, spiritually, I want to be BEAUTIFUL for Him! As girls, we always make time to make sure our hair is just so, our make-up is flawless, our breath is sweet-smelling, etc. We buy the straighteners, the curlers, the curling irons, the hair spray, the mousse, the gel, the styling creme, and the shampoo. We spend money making sure we have the foundation, the bronzer, the concealer, the mascara, the eyeliner, lipliner, lipstick, lipgloss, and lipbalm. We buy the razors, the lotions, the teeth whitener, the nail polish, the perfume, the clothes, the shoes, and the jewelry.

Girls and women have a built-in desire to be gorgeous on the outside. It is my desire, however, to be gorgeous on the inside; to make THAT my priority. If we, as Christian ladies, learn to, first, polish and perfect the inside, then that will seep forth and make our outward appearance radiant and stunning.

Proverbs 31:30
"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."

 Psalm 45:11"So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him."
Psalm 90:17a
"And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us...."

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...

Like a Bride Adorned

A few days before my wedding, my parents presented me with a special gift: a beautiful white gown and robe for my wedding night. Along with their present was a small card. When I opened to read what they had written inside the card, all I found was this:

Revelation 21:2
Love,
Dad and Mom

It didn't take long for me to find the verse which says, And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

....as a bride adorned for her husband.
 
I had read that verse many times throughout my life, but that night, just a few short days until my wedding, that verse took on a whole new meaning.
 

When I think of the new Jerusalem that will come down from Heaven one day, I think of beauty. Splendor. Glory. Shining, glistening, gleaming....   When the holy city comes down, it will be a sight to behold! And the Bible likens that glorious picture to a bride adorned for her husband. What a comparison!! Before that night when my parents presented me with their special gift, I had always thought that the bride's adorning the verse spoke about was her wedding gown. And it could very well be. However, after I received that beautiful evening gown and robe, I began to really dwell on that verse.

 

....as a bride adorned for her husband.

 

For her HUSBAND. Not a crowd of people. Not her friends or family, but for her husband. To me, that speaks of privacy. I think of intimacy. Sacred. Mysterious. I think of purity. How should a bride be adorned for her husband? She should be adorned in holiness, in glory. She should be adorned in beauty, but it should be a beauty that is reserved for her husband only. Far too many women refuse to protect that which is pure and sacred. In our culture, girls and women flaunt their bodies and reveal themselves to everyone around them. Then when they adorn themselves for their husband on their wedding night, they are giving him a view of their beauty that has, usually, already been glimpsed, if not completely seen, by many others. Sadly, the adorning that most choose is NOT likely to be compared to the holy city of Jerusalem in all its splendor and glory.

If I could encourage you girls, ladies, and brides out there to do one thing, I would encourage you to adorn yourself honorably for your husband. Keep what is sacred, SACRED. Keep what is mysterious under wraps. Make up your mind to refuse to dress or act unholy. My prayer for each of you is for you, as a bride, to be holy and clothed in splendor....like that holy city of God we will see one day.

 

 

I Promise To Be There... Occasionally.

My sister had a great status on Facebook this morning that convicted me, challenged me, and inspired me. I'll share it with you:

Does a wife have to write down when to talk, spend time or show love towards her husband on her calender? Does she talk to him just one time a week IF she feels ok? NO! Then we as Christians should NOT do the same to God. We are the Bride of Christ therefore HE is our husband. We should delight ourselves in Him. Lets not cheat on HIM with our pillow, FB etc or even OUR time. He wants to spend time with us.

How true that is! As a newlywed, I understand it in a new light. I would never even think of arranging time on my calendar to "fit" my husband in my life when it is convenient for me. I would never cheat on Him in any way with any one! I would never ignore him throughout the week and save the sweet looks, praising words, and gentle touches for one day of the week. I would never act like I wasn't married when around friends, family, or strangers. How could I?? I have given my all to him and have promised to be faithful and true forever. I LOVE being married and I love spending time with my husband. While he is at work, I spend the day making the house and home acceptable to him; cozy, clean, comfortable. When 5 o'clock rolls around, I'm watching the window, excited about seeing him after a day's work. I work to make it quite clear that I am married; I am taken; I belong to someone.  Why would a wife act differently??

But my sister had a point. Too often we, as spiritual brides and wives, do exactly that! We ignore our Prince throughout the week. We go to work, go to school, go to parties, clubs, the bar, and then pop in Church Sunday morning and put on a grand show. We tote our Bible into Sunday School and read His love letter to us, without being moved or affected...much less changed. We sing the hymns, nod our heads during the sermon, then go home. And as we reach our house, the Bible is put back on the shelf where it will remain for the rest of the week. We do not pray (unless we need something). And we assume that our Groom is satisfied and pleased with our "time."  God, forgive us. We cheat on Him. We are unfaithful to our God, putting everything in the world above Him. We will sleep late and skip Church, we will read books and magazines more than our Bibles. We will spend more time watching TV, surfing the internet, or out with friends than in the presence of God, praying. We use our talents and gifts to glorify ourselves instead of glorifying Christ and leading others to Him. When we asked Him to save us and come into our lives, we relinquished our rights. We gave Him all. And quite often, we take it back later. When we want our way, instead of His, we break our promise to serve Him, obey Him, follow Him, and love Him. We do what is convenient for us, instead of what is commanded of us.

We have made it too easy to forget and ignore our Bridegroom. We don't want Him "in the way" of our activities and plans, because...well, let's face it, He may not like them. Yet, we claim to be His servants, His children, His BRIDE.

I am guilty, too, of not giving my Heavenly Love as much time as my earthly love. I am guilty of being more excited to see my husband, than spending time in the presence of my King.

So it is time to change. It is time to re-evaluate. It is time to repent.

If you are human, like me, then you are probably in the same shoes as I am. So join me in giving Jesus, our Heavenly and Mighty Prince, our ALL...every day, every hour, every moment.

Revelation 19:7 -
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready."

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!!

Bride on the Go!

• Fold wedding programs. Check.
• Put up signs in designated places. Check.
• Decide on parking. Check.
• Decorate the wedding site. Check.
• Decorate the reception site. Check.
• Finish packing for the honeymoon. Check.....

Busy, busy, busy. A bride's work is never done.

I've heard it said that a wedding is the most stressful time of a girls' life and, after 14 months of planning my wedding, I am a believer! There are so many things to plan, decide, delegate, create, and prepare for.

Everyone has been working so very hard and I am forever grateful. God has done amazing things! He has performed miracles, using others to bless Grant and myself. This past year, I have definitely been reminded that my God provides! People have "mysteriously" showed up and have offered to do things we had no idea how we would do. God has blessed! He is good.

SO, tomorrow is the DAY!! THE day! Tomorrow is the day I have waited for and dreamed of my whole life. Tonight I will (hopefully) get some sleep. Tomorrow, I will get up, go get my hair done, come back and do makeup, then get dressed....and THEN (eventually) walk down the aisle to my groom! I will say "I do," I will pledge my heart, I will kiss him!!....and then we will ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after! It has been a long road to get to this point. It began when I was a baby when my parents began praying for me. And then the road led me through mountains and valleys. It made twists and turns and held forks in the road. But it eventually led me here to this place, where "forever" begins. The road will still go on. It has not dead ended, nor has it reached its destination. It has only paused at a rest stop. It has only turned on to "the Interstate" of marriage. It keeps going; it's not over yet. Tomorrow will only mark the BEGINNING! Like the sequal to a beautiful story, it isn't finished yet. Tomorrow at 2 o'clock, my life will take an exciting turn. My story will have a special twist! It's bittersweet, but SWEET nonetheless!

Well, I have to run....can't be late for my own wedding!

P.S. More posts to follow LATER! ;)

The Birthday Bride!

Congratulations to me!

I made it to 24!

A Gown of White

My dress has been getting altered. The original was a strapless gown of white. Beautiful! But....strapless. And modest me desired cap sleeves. Soo.....now I have them! ;)

I love my gown! I've had it since the end of May of last year and I've tried it on dozens of times since then. I simply can't wait to slip it on and actually walk down the aisle to my groom. It won't be too much longer now!

When I first began trying dresses on, I tried on many styles and even fell in love with a couple of gowns. Then I went to Ashley's Bridal at the end of May and found THE dress. It was the first gown I tried on that day and, believe it or not, I actually didn't like it on the hanger. Yet, when I tried it on, I knew! It is a stunning, beautful Eden Bridal gown! It makes me feel like a princess. It's simple, yet it's completely elegant. It's perfect.

When my Mom saw the gown on me, her first words were, "Kristen... it's a brilliant white!" And it is! Pure white.

Months ago, I blogged about my wedding veil and what it symbolizes, which is modesty. Well, my white wedding gown? That is a symbol of purity.

All through the Scripture, God talks of holiness, of sanctification, of staying away from sin, of remaining clean, of virgins, of keeping yourself pure and not defiling your body. He repeated Himself numerous times, telling His people not to commit fornication or adultery but to, instead, pursue righteous living.

1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

Ephesians 5:3
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

1 Thessalonians 4:3
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

1 Timothy 4:12
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

2 Timothy 2:22
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.


When I was thirteen, I made a committment to stay pure for marriage. My gown of white is a testament; it represents the choice I made, which was to follow God's way and save myself for my husband. It's also a symbol of my purified state in Christ.

I love my gown. And I love what it represents.

Holiness. Strength. Integrity. Godliness. Honor. Faithfulness. Trust. Courage. Chastity.

As God's people, we should stand firm and defend the purity of mind, heart, and body. And we should encourage every generation to live righteously and boldly in this present, sin-cursed world. We should teach and encourage the children to hold out and wait for God's "green light" for intimacy. Men should be honorable and noble, worthy of the "white gown" that will adorn their bride. Women should be chaste and modest, a clean helpmeet for their husband.

In a day where purity and abstinence is mocked, attacked, and labled "outdated," some have failed. Some have grown up never hearing or understanding that God's demand for purity is for a reason. Some, like Rahab, have lived in sin and shame. Some, David, have made many mistakes. If that is you, there is most definitely still hope for you. If you will confess your sin, turn from your sin, and pursue God and His path, then He will forgive and cleanse. You can still wear a gown of white. And you can still be worthy of it.

The past is the past. But today....that's where our choices are made. And I encourage you, no matter what your past is, to be God's holy, peculiar people.

And brides? See the beauty of your white wedding gown. See what it means and represents in the eyes of our God. And join me as I seek to be pure always, worthy of such a beautiful gown of white.


1 Timothy 5:22b"...keep thyself pure."

The Proposal

One year ago today, I became a bride. One year ago today, my man got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. And one year ago today, I said yes.

It was just like every other Saturday. My sisters and I and a few friends, including my groom, were going out witnessing. We went out for a few hours and saw several come to know Christ. Then we went to my house and took a walk. I didn't know that the walk was all planned out to perfection. When we neared my favorite spot, a cross overlooking a lake, he turned around to face me and had me close my eyes. Excitedly, he picked up a bouquet of lilies and roses he had hid hours earlier. Presenting them to me with a smile, I was happy to get them, yet completely confused as to why. Then came the moment!... and I was in utter shock. Taking the bouquet from me and kneeling down, he said some of the sweetest words I'd ever heard. Promising to love, cherish, and honor me, promising to be faithful and lead me closer to Christ, he asked if I would marry him and spend the rest of my life serving the Lord with him. And with tears in my eyes, I said yes!

Sometimes it seems like it's been ages ago, much longer than just a year. And other times, it feels like yesterday. But however it feels, it did happen!

A proposal is a beautiful thing. I know I fully enjoyed mine! What girl wouldn't?? Yet....we forget too easily about the magnificent proposal made 2,000 years ago. It was quite amazing. The Great Prince came to this earth and gave his life for us. And He asked us to be His. He proposed! Even though He knew He would be rejected by millions, He came. He offered to us His hand and asked us to "come." We all pretty much know the story of salvation. We know how wretched we are and how much in need of a Savior we are. We know that Jesus came to pay for our sin and to save us and set us free. We know that if we accept His gift, we are no more wretched and lost, but redeemed and found! We know about His "proposal" 2,000 years ago....when God the Son came down to us. ...Yet we forget so easily. And as a bride, I'm seeing it from a different point angle. When Grant proposed to me one year ago, it was beautiful and moving and humbling and - wonderful! But my, when Christ proposed to us, it became the greatest of all proposals.

...and the only one we should NEVER forget.

If you have said "yes" to Jesus, I pray you will continue to live as His precious, set-apart bride. The King's Bride!

But if you have never accepted the great proposal of God Himself and have invited Him into your heart and life, I pray you will do so today.

Matthew 11:28a
Come unto me...

Matthew 19:14
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Isaiah 62:5b
...and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.

Revelation 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

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.

Adorned With Jewels

Isaiah 61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

For Christmas, my sweet groom gave me the jewelry for the wedding! How precious is he? Months ago, I discovered the perfect earring and necklace set EVER! And I gushed..... :) And apparently, it worked too, because 'viola! I now have the beautiful set that I'm anxious to wear on April 17! It's a beautiful sapphire gem complete with the always-needed bridal pearls found at Jessica's Wedding.com

Jewelry is something nearly every girl adores. I am a fellow adoree'. :) I like pearls, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, rubies, gold, silver....bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings.... jewelry. In a way, it's a bit of royalty we ladies slide on our wrists or clasp around our neck. It transforms us from "plain" to "not-so-plain." Such is salvation...

Planning my wedding and thinking of all the spiritual significance in a wedding ceremony, I've found so many likenesses to salvation. In a way, every detail of a wedding is a beautiful picture of God's saving grace. Even such a small detail like a pearl necklace or beautiful new earrings are a picture of Calvary's love and the redemption process that took place over 2,000 years ago. In Ezekiel chapter 16, it gives a clear picture of who we are without Christ....dirty and naked and filled with shame, despised and full of "sin." Then it gives us glorious hope. It then says how Jesus comes and covers our nakedness, cleans the dirt from our lives, rids us of the impurity that is sin. Then it says this:

Ezekiel 16:12
And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.

Accepting Christ as Lord into our hearts, we are made clean and pure and - decked out in jewels! We are made royalty! Earrings....jewels...a crown.

That's another wonderful view of salvation (and one us girls love!)

My wedding jewelry will remind me of God's redeeming love and saving grace. The pearls in my necklace and earrings will remind me of the pearly gates, and of my purified state in Christ. The sapphire stone will remind me of God's throne and the beauty of Heaven...and of a life lived with Him as the cornerstone.

....I'm loving jewelry more every minute!

Revelation 21:2
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

'Tis the Season to Keep Planning

With Christmas only a few days away, wedding plans are slow. But NOT non-existent. :) I have my jewelry for the big day (YAY!!), I'm trying to make a final decision on the invitations (headache, anyone?), the bridesmaid's material is in (finally!), and I scheduled a run through in two weeks for my wedding "do" (I have got to figure out what to do with this hair!).

My room is chock-full of presents, wrapping paper, and Bridal magazines and notes scattered here and there with reminders, "Things To Do," various checklists, and Christmas decorations. Tis the season!

But in the midst of all the planning, I'm taking time to cherish my family and my loved ones who are all here at home for Christmas. Nothing is better to me than sitting on a couch with apple cider in my hand, watching the fire, and listening to my family talk, visit, sing, and laugh. Christmas movies, Christmas music, Christmas lights, Christmas food! It's all a beautiful part of the life I live (and greatly enjoy living, I might add!). This being my last Christmas at home, it's bitter-sweet and gives me all the more reason to soak up every sound of Christmas this year. Just a note to all of you reading (especially you fellow brides): Life is crazy all the time, but let's not forget to enjoy the simple things, the simple life; Our family, our friends, our Savior!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Bride & Groom

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.

Veiled

FYI - I love my veil!!

Random, I know. To be quite honest, I've tried on my wedding veil more than I've tried on my dress. Now, don't get me wrong. I LOVE MY DRESS!! ....but I'll save my dress adoration for another post. Right now, I'd love to tell you how much I dearly love my veil...and why.

When I hear brides talking about their wedding, I hear them gush about their groom, I see them glow about their dress, and I see the sparkle in their eyes when discussing the ring. I hear the excitement mixed with stress when talking about invitations, flowers, food, parking, and dozens of other things. But when I think of it, I rarely hear a bride go on and on about her wedding veil.

Well... I'd like to. :)

Besides being long and lovely and simply beautiful, the veil shows the bride's modesty. It shows respect for the man and for God, and her respect for the sacredness and sanctity of the marriage covenant.The veil in the temple was rent when Christ died on the cross. This was to show us that Christians have free access to God. Since marriage is a picture of the relationship between Christ and the believer, the removing of the veil after being pronounced as husband and wife represents the fact that a sinner who comes to Christ is no longer separated from God. It also indicates that the husband and wife now have full access to each other which they should not have had prior to marriage.

So the veil is quite amazing, to say the least.

Ever since I was a little girl, my Dad and Mom instilled in me the importance of modesty. Of course, at 10 and 11 years old, modesty was easy enough and not something I would even think much about. At that age, I was more concerned over memorizing and learning school work and AWANA, and reflecting on all the reasons I thought boys were gross. But when 15 and 16 came along, modesty was something I had in my mind every time I dressed. While friends would wear mini-skirts, and cleavage-bearing blouses, I would do my best to dress modestly. I didn't want guys ogling me, I didn't want to complete in the game of attracting guys that modern girls love to play, but most of all I didn't want to disgrace the Lord. My mouth professed to be a Christian. And I didn't want my body to showcase something different.

One beautiful picture of modesty that I've always used is the story of Rebekah in Genesis chapter 24. After a long and beautifully romantic story of how Abraham sent his servant to find a bride for his son, Isaac, Rebekah is found...and now she is on her way to meet her husband - a man she's never even seen! After what I'm sure was a looooooooong journey, at last they arrive. Isaac sees Rebekah and Rebekah sees Isaac. But instead of pulling up her skirt just a little to show off her legs, instead of applying CoverGirl's new red rose color of lipstick, and instead of adjusting her outfit to show every curve God gave her - INSTEAD of the modern approach - she took a veil and covered herself.

And I say beautiful! Would that we all were like Rebekah.

1 Peter 3:3-4 -
"Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."

I remember something my Dad told me long ago regarding modesty. In one of our many talks, I remember asking, "How do you know when something is modest or not?"

I'll never forget his answer. He leaned back and said, "Let me just say this.... If you try, you will."

I stared at him. Then he said, "If you try to dress to attract the eyes, then you will. But if you try to glorify God with how you dress.... if you try to be modest... then you will."

Profound, yet completely and utterly simple. I've tried to live on that principle ever since.

...if I determine to live my life for the glory of God—that will affect why
I wear what I wear. It will make me think about what I wear, not just go to the store and pick up whatever is the current style. - Nancy Leigh DeMoss

I can't say I've been a success in looking 100% modest all of my 23 1/2 years. But I can say that I have desired to be modest....for many reasons.

* To honor my parents

* To dress respectfully and ladylike, so I will be treated as such

* To showcase God's beauty and loveliness in the way I dress

* To obey His commandments

* To please Christ

.....I could go on.

I Timothy 2:9 -
"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;"

I'm anxious to put on my veil again. Maybe I will tonight! Or maybe I'll wait....

Maybe I'm a bit too excited about my veil, but I see such beauty in the symbolism of it. It covers the bride... a picture of how she has, hopefully, been all her life. Which is modest.

The veil isn't just about beauty and girlyness. That's icing on the (wedding) cake! No, it's really a beautiful picture of modesty. The modesty of the bride, the groom....and even the marriage.

Veiled is good!

The Day She Became A Princess

In a world where fantasy and fairy tales are smudged by reality, a certain simple maiden received a most wonderful gift! In a certain majestic kingdom, the Ruler and King looked upon His Son and decided to give him a bride. His eyes passed through all the fair maidens in the land seeking one who could make His Son complete.

As a common young girl, she was chosen to be the future wife of the Prince of the land. Handpicked by the King himself, she was most humbled. There were so many young maids in the kingdom certainly better than she. To be so highly favored was frightening, yet an honor most sought after by many others. But she was fearful and doubtful, so aware of her own shortcomings and imperfections. "Such a grand Prince deserves the very best," she said to herself. "And I am most definitely not the best!"

Denying her destiny, she ran away, trying desperately to leave the kingdom. Surely the King would not find her, for He had so many in His land to care for...

But the King, all-knowing and all-powerful, knew exactly where she was and sent His servant to bring her home again. He went out to seek her.

After running so long and trying to hide from her destiny, the young girl found herself lost in another world of empty hopes and dreams. She knew where she should be but was fearful and knew after running, she would never please the King or the handsome Prince. She felt a failure. The servant sought out the maiden and found her; he came upon her and in His quiet way, began drawing her home again.

"Why hide from who you really are?" he asked. "Why run from such an honor?"

"But I am unworthy!" she cried. "I am unclean, I am a failure. I am flawed and not worthy to touch the hem of the Princes' garment! And yet you say that He WANTS me?? It cannot be!"

"Ah, but it can be," he smiled. "The King and His Son know everything about you. The King has watched you grow from a little baby into the young woman you are becoming. He has seen your weaknesses and your faults, yet He sees in you a greatness. He sees you seated in His palace, helping to rule His Kingdom. He knows what you are capable of and who you are meant to be."

The young girl paused and listened. The servant told her how much the Prince loved and needed her, how the King had sent for her. He spoke of how it did not matter what she saw of herself, for the King looks at more than the outer appearance, or the past. Slowly, she began to believe the faithful servant. He was comforting and gentle.

"I will go," she said. "Lead me back to the Kingdom, please."

The servant smiled, took her hand and led the young girl back.

There was much rejoicing when they entered into the gates! All that were in the Kingdom celebrated the return of the future Princess. The servant led the young girl to the King and with an heavy heart, she repented for running away.

"My child," He said with a tender lovingness she had never seen before, "you are back!" He smiled as He took her in His arms and hugged her. "You are forgiven. It is no longer in my mind."

The young girl wept as she clung to her King.

"There, there," He said at last. "No more tears. It is time to celebrate! Go prepare to meet My Son."

Off in her chamber, she made herself ready. She had never laid eyes on her Prince but was in love with Him already from the stories the servant told her on the way back into the Kingdom. He was praised and admired by all. He was wonderful, mighty, and known to all as a ruler, a healer, a friend and a King. Handsome and strong, righteous and just, He brought peace to all. She could hardly wait for the wedding! The time was near.

It was time to meet the Prince.

All was still, the Kingdom was silent as she was escorted up to meet the Prince. She stood before the King and suddenly, there He was! The Prince! She could hardly breathe for He was more than what she had been told. He was fairer and mightier than she could have ever imagined! Her fears of unworthiness began to resurface but then she looked into His eyes and saw a love beyond any she had ever known or seen before. He wanted her!

As He stepped closer, He took her hand and said, "My love, finally you are here!" He held her close as He said, "I have a built a house for us, wait until you see it! Thank you for coming to Me!"

"But You chose me!" She replied.

"That I did, yes," He said with a smile. "But I would never force you into being mine. You were not made a puppet, you are a human with your own choices, your own decisions. Yes, I chose you...but you also chose Me..."

The King stepped forth and said to the maiden, "This is My Son, your bridegroom. He is called the Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Everlasting Father. He is called Wonderful and Mighty. He is the Christ, His name is Jesus."

Then, looking out into all the land, He announced to the Kingdom, to the heavens and to all the earth, "and this is His beautiful, spotless, Bride..."

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. :)