Amy's Bridal Shower Devotional

I asked Carolyn if I could please post the beautiful devotional she shared with Amy at the bridal shower on Saturday. It was so meaningful and not only encourages a new bride, but those of us that have been wives for many years. Thanks so much for sharing it, Carolyn!!


What a special day it is. It's special to be celebrating how the Lord has worked ALL things out. For everyone who came today---thank you for showing Amy your love and support as she begins a new chapter in her life.

In three weeks, you will be saying "good bye" to the single life and will be entering into the married life. It is certainly a day to rejoice and to celebrate. It's neat to think how all of this came about. You and Brian knowing each other from IHCC high school group, Brian being a bit enthralled with you so he'd go over to your house, your Mom even put him on her prayer list. You were really not that interested, you moving away to St. Louis and then 14 years later finding each other through Facebook and reconnecting. It didn't take long for the sparks to fly and so here you ARE!!!! Only the Lord could do such an amazing thing and far beyond our imaginations and plans.

Well, Amy as you well know, your mother is a very, very special friend to me. There isn't much she and I haven't discussed and prayed about so it's only fitting that I began to pray for you many years ago. For the longest time I kept a picture of you taped to my computer. It was a reminder to me to pray for you each day. There is a prayer in Col. 1 that I prayed for you quite often. That is going to be my focus of this devotion.

As I thought and prayed about what I would share with you today of course the Proverbs 31 woman came immediately to mind. But as I studied and meditated on this, it struck me that in order to be a Proverbs 31 woman you must have a life like the one described in Col. 1:9-14. If you are living this prayer, you will be the woman and wife that God desires you to be. So, I'm going to read that prayer for you, for it is the prayer that I asked the Lord on your behalf.

*For this reason also, since the day I heard of it, I have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience, joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.*

Amy, I know you are so in love with Brian. I would imagine that he is on your mind every waking moment of the day and you have probably even dream about him.

Well, as beautiful as that is, that love will grow stronger as your love relationship with the Lord grows stronger. When you were born into God's family by faith in Jesus Christ you were born with all you need for growth and maturity. Don't look to the world for answers on how to love your husband, or how to raise your children. Seek HIM the Creator of Brian and ofcourse everything. Satan, the father of lies will do all in his power to get you to think that you can be a Godly wife on your own. But for you to have a beautiful Christian home, you must know the will of God and to understand it. As you study His Word and pray, you will discover new and exciting truths about God's Will for you. So you may be *filled.* This means that you be fully equipped for life--as a woman of God, a wife to Brian and a mother to Rylie and to the other children that God may bless you with. To be filled you must be controlled by the Holy Spirit. How can this take place? By understanding the Will of God through the Word of God. As you pray and sincerely seek God's truth the better you will know God's Will. In knowing God's general Will it will be easier to determine His specific will in your daily life. God wants you to have the wisdom necessary to make decisions in living a life that is pleasing to HIM. God's Wisdom is the beginning of a successful, fruitful married life. YOU must be a devoted student of the Word. Your relationship with Brian is one of the closest relationships you will ever have with anyone else here on earth. It's the dearest relationship but it is the relationship that will reveal to you what a sinful person you truly are and it will be the relationship that will drive you to seek the Lord.

The purpose of your life and marriage is not to please yourself but to please God first, then Brian. This is how you are to walk worthy of your calling. It is God who works in you and through you. Your service will only be as deep as your devotion to the Lord.

So, there is so much instruction to our lives in these few verses. I would like to end with just a few general thoughts. Remember you have been bought with a price, the sacrifice of Christ's shed blood on the cross, you are redeemed, You are no longer your own.

Your marriage to Brian should be a model to the covenant keeping love between Christ and HIS church. It should show Brian's leadership and your submissiveness. You will not be accountable to God for Brian's life and His leadership, but you will be accountable for Your submissiveness to Brian.

Therefore, Amy, walk in a manner worth of your calling. And to be Brian's wife is the highest calling that God is giving you. Do it in HIS power and you will reap blessing upon blessing. To God Be the Glory. God Bless You, Amy!