Our family is getting ready to celebrate a very exciting event! Our oldest son is getting married in Louisiana and we will be traveling down to rejoice with the happy couple. Our youngest daughter got married last July and what a blessing that was! The picture above is from her wedding (photo credit Greg Basel Photography) Don’t you love weddings? The beauty, the joy, the love, the family and friends? Did you realize that marriage is a beautiful picture from God of the relationship He desires to have with us? Marriage is a covenant with God and each other. A time of commitment and celebration of love. Marriage is a picture of Jesus and His Bride, the Church. It’s all about relationship. Jesus desired relationship with us so much that He gave Himself for us (Eph.5:25).
How do people prepare for a wedding day? The bridegroom prepares for his bride by making provision for her. He plans for a honeymoon, a home, and how he will support her. The bride makes herself beautiful and finds out how she can please him. Of course, there are other ways they prepare and they spend lots of time together learning about each other. They are focused on each other! What if the bride never spent time with the groom? What if she knew every fact about him, but didn’t take the time to know him personally? What if she didn’t care about his likes and dislikes, his dreams and plans, or what they really enjoyed doing together? If she never really searched for his heart would she be his bride? What kind of relationship would that be, if any? What about us? Do we search for our Bridegroom’s heart with sweet abandon? Do we learn to know Him and not just about Him? Do we listen to Him and find out His dreams and purposes for us? Do we rejoice to spend time with Him or do we rush off to our day with barely a word?
What do you enjoy the most about a wedding? It’s always exciting to see the dress, the decorations, the food, but I think the best part is seeing the way they look at each other! Are people drawn to Jesus by His light in your eyes? Let’s prepare our hearts for Him each day. Nothing can separate us from His love for us!
I pray these things for each of my children in their marriages:
1. A love that is patient and kind.
2. A love that keeps on loving when life is not beautiful and in the process finds the greatest beauty of all.
3. A deep companionship that grows deeper through the years, joy, and trials.
Love is a choice and one of the most worthwhile you will ever make. As life moves in it’s rhythm of joy, sorrow, laughter, and discovery, you find that person beside you through it all and you are grateful to God that you can share this journey together. 1 Cor.13:13(NKJV) And now abide faith, hope love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Loving wishes of joy and blessing to Josh & Kim!

As you attend showers & weddings this summer why not make a recipe book for the bride and groom? We all have favorite recipes and you can type them up and get creative by compiling them on card stock and decorating with photo’s or card making supplies. I also like to put rings from the office section in the top of the recipe book for easy turning:) The couple will appreciate a personal touch and tried and true recipes!