His Proposal, My Reflections
I'm writing this here because there is too much story behind these photos for us just to post another happy (or obnoxious) Facebook engagement. I also believe there is beauty in sharing not just the joy, but the brokenness in our lives. The joy is that I really can't believe I get to marry my best friend - the one who makes me laugh the most, the one I get to be most myself with, who reminds me of the truth of who I am in the most needed times, and who beckons me most often to look at things and people through lenses of humility and love. He's the one the Lord has confirmed to me over and over as my one. But at the same time, there is also deep pain at being rejected my family's blessings.
Which has brought me to reflections on how some of the moments in life that you hope to be the most happy and blissful can instead be marked by pain. But the Lord has shown me that even in these upsets there is sweetness..because He is very near to the brokenhearted. In the past few days, He has reminded me of similar situations I've experienced in my journey with Him. And my conclusion is that He is faithful, He will have His glory through our relationship, and there is trial and suffering now, but the road under our feet is leading to unspeakable blessing. I love and honor my family, and desperately want them at my wedding, but there has been too much fruit that has come out of my relationship with Joseph for us not to get married. Joseph and I will walk forward in trust that God is the mover of hearts and He is for us and for our relationship.
Just a few days before we got engaged, I was sitting there in small group listening to one of my beloved spiritual parents Brian Jourden sharing stories of revival, some his own and some from heroes of the faith. Out of the blue, he pulled out his and Pamela's wedding program from almost 22 years ago when they got married. He said he just found it somewhere and passed it around. When I held it in my hands, it moved my heart. Their wedding program wasn't like all the other wedding programs I've ever held in my hands. Because I've seen the fruit of what's come out of this wedding and their marriage, and this program symbolized the beginning of it all. It was a souvenir from the day two lives joined into one to begin 22 years of living wildly, selflessly, abandonedly, fruitfully for Jesus! And I know and pray even more so that my union with Joseph will be the start of the same.
I could write for days on these things, so before further ado, the story of his proposal:
Joseph and I got engaged on Friday, December 11. He told me we would have a prayer meeting with his family on Friday night (hm..) yet told me to dress nicely (hmmm...). But when I met him outside his house, he was dressed in pajamas (semi-disappointed) and then told me it was too late to do anything (super disappointed). After an ordeal of driving around his neighborhood, he surprised me with a click of his garage door rolling up to reveal a string of lights laid out in a heart, two dozen gold balloons, baby's breath, his pajamas stripped away to reveal suit and suspenders, and a handful of people we love smiling and filming us.
Which has brought me to reflections on how some of the moments in life that you hope to be the most happy and blissful can instead be marked by pain. But the Lord has shown me that even in these upsets there is sweetness..because He is very near to the brokenhearted. In the past few days, He has reminded me of similar situations I've experienced in my journey with Him. And my conclusion is that He is faithful, He will have His glory through our relationship, and there is trial and suffering now, but the road under our feet is leading to unspeakable blessing. I love and honor my family, and desperately want them at my wedding, but there has been too much fruit that has come out of my relationship with Joseph for us not to get married. Joseph and I will walk forward in trust that God is the mover of hearts and He is for us and for our relationship.
Just a few days before we got engaged, I was sitting there in small group listening to one of my beloved spiritual parents Brian Jourden sharing stories of revival, some his own and some from heroes of the faith. Out of the blue, he pulled out his and Pamela's wedding program from almost 22 years ago when they got married. He said he just found it somewhere and passed it around. When I held it in my hands, it moved my heart. Their wedding program wasn't like all the other wedding programs I've ever held in my hands. Because I've seen the fruit of what's come out of this wedding and their marriage, and this program symbolized the beginning of it all. It was a souvenir from the day two lives joined into one to begin 22 years of living wildly, selflessly, abandonedly, fruitfully for Jesus! And I know and pray even more so that my union with Joseph will be the start of the same.
I could write for days on these things, so before further ado, the story of his proposal:
Joseph and I got engaged on Friday, December 11. He told me we would have a prayer meeting with his family on Friday night (hm..) yet told me to dress nicely (hmmm...). But when I met him outside his house, he was dressed in pajamas (semi-disappointed) and then told me it was too late to do anything (super disappointed). After an ordeal of driving around his neighborhood, he surprised me with a click of his garage door rolling up to reveal a string of lights laid out in a heart, two dozen gold balloons, baby's breath, his pajamas stripped away to reveal suit and suspenders, and a handful of people we love smiling and filming us.
A million thank you's to these amazing friends and siblings for putting their hearts into decorating and making it so special for us!!!
And the story will continue as He makes all things beautiful in His time (Ecc. 3:11).
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