"i invite YOU in": ONE & a WAKE UP

In two days I will be married. Or as our Instagram hashtag creatively expresses it, #letsgetMAHERied.There has been so much planning in such a short period of time (six weeks). From the day we set the date of November 8th, the favor from God has been overwhelming. (And thankfully we have our parents, siblings and other extended family members who have worked tirelessly for this day; ALL FORMS of FAVOR).One of the initial obstacles was finding a church large enough to hold our guest list. Thankfully a long time friend and Pastor of Covenant Bible Church, Mr. Dick Sterling, was gracious enough-- to not only assist us in coordinating the music and rehearsal-- but he graciously offered us the use of his church building. He and his wife have provided us with so many tips and suggestions so that our ceremony flows freely within the spirit of bringing glory to God. We are so grateful for them!And now if you’ll allow me to share my heart for a moment on the topic of marriage: The ceremony of holy matrimony is to be a reflection of the gospel message; it’s not just a man and woman becoming wed, it’s a man and woman becoming one. To wed without Christ is to live without life. Thus, marriage is the purest institution of God’s glory, so much so that He sent His only begotten Son to be the groom—to us, the church, His bride--in the greatest romance story of all time. And as this Great Groom, He laid down His life at the altar of commitment, leaving us the Promise Ring of Love in the form of the Holy Spirit from above.  And for us as His bride, our marriage to the King truly begins on the inside, where the vow renewal is daily and the wedding celebration is what makes us holy!But back to the overwhelming favor and faithful planning that has been underway since we set the day. Sarah’s parents (especially her beautiful mother), have been relentless in making sure this celebration is reflective of our faith. They’ve gone above and beyond what Sarah and I could have asked or thought (Ephesians 3:20). And I reference that Scripture because their wedding planning is dictated by their love for the Wedding Planner—Jesus Christ. They, as well as my side of the family, are able to lavish Sarah and I with wedding bliss because both our families know what the true meaning of marriage is….You see, when Christ is at the center, divorce can never be a splinter. And to both our families alike, that is why marriage is nailed down with a cross-shaped spike! "Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate" (Matthew 19:6).Thanks to so many people in our lives--I wish I could list you all, but that would be a whole other blog--who have really made this day come alive. God breathed His divine design into November 8th, 2014, before the foundations of the world. And by His breath alone, this relationship is “flesh of my flesh and bone of my bones” straight from the Word (Genesis 2:23-24).