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!

Sticks & Stones

Another photo from Saturday when we were all outside playing. All three of the little boys could throw rocks in puddles for hours. I have many photos of them doing that. This day Raymond and Xander both found some mighty interesting sticks that kept them busy for a while.

Therapy again this morning. We changed some technique around as I could tell I was not keeping my arm out straight on the one that I walk my fingers up the wall, and it was so painful when he would do my stretches. He has my back up against the wall now, so I can follow the wall and try to keep my arm and hand touching the wall as I lift up. I can only get about half as far doing it that way, but that is the only way I am going to get that stretched back out right. I know I expect too much for only being in therapy for a week today, but I'll keep working at it.

Got more ceiling painted yesterday. I know that has to help my shoulder as well. I could sure feel it in my neck and arms today. I am only about half done. I can only work about 20 minutes or so and have to take a break and start over again. Like Steve says.....there is no time limit...just work here and there and eventually it will get done! I keep walking around and touching up spots, too. It does look nice in the laundry room, kitchen, and dining area and front entry...where it is all done. I have the dining...most of the living room and the stairs and upstairs hallway to go..... so I better get going! =)

graphics by Shabby Princess (French Countryside) and mo jackson alpha

Bridal Shower Devotional: Recipe of the Godly Wife

(Devotional from the shower in next post)......

RECIPE OF THE GODLY WIFE

Sally, it has been so fun to meet you and finally meet who God had planned for Travis as his helpmate! He waited a long time for you and it is such a joy to now be helping with this shower for you and just having this little part in God’s knitting your lives together.

This evening we are having a recipe shower for you to help stock your pantry and provide some good food to nourish your bodies. The bible is God’s recipe book…if you will….. full of recipes and ingredients to nourish your marriage and your soul.

I know that some of the women here tonight, myself included, were not believers when we got married. You are so blessed that you and Travis both have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and can start your married lives together with Him as head of your household. I just remember those first years and how I struggled with wanting my own way…even as a new believer, I fought my husbands leadership and God’s plan as my role as a godly wife.

Now, let’s look together at God’s model of the perfect wife, as told in Proverbs 31: 10-31 from The Message version (a paraphrase bible)
I went back through some notes of a study we did several years ago on these verses and thought I would share them with you this evening.

10 A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.
she is excellent of high moral character other versions read)
11 Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it.
She is honest, she lives in such a way that he can trust her with finances and management of the home and children and bills and credit cards. She demonstrates impeccable loyalty to her husband and her thrift and industry will add to their wealth.

12 Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long.
She does him good and not evil…all the days of her life….she always has his best interest in her heart---seeking to build him up, devoted to him in every area. He can count on her every day, year after year….good days and bad, every week ….every month, every day, year after year.
13 She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing.
14 She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises.
15 She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day.
16 She looks over a field and buys it, then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden.
17 First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
18 She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
19 She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking.
She is enterprising and a good planner and manager, strong and a hard worker and devoted to the needs of her household
20 She's quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor.
She is very giving, displaying mercy to those around her
21 She doesn't worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
22 She makes her own clothing, and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
She takes good care of herself and her family
23 Her husband is greatly respected when he deliberates with the city fathers.
He is known as her husband and his reputation is known throughout the area. Inside the gates of the ancient cities, there would be an area where the elders of the city would get together every day,- and discuss the matters in the city, (like an open court), There they would talk about the issues of the time, and this was where business was carried out. The elders, who were the mature men of the city,- sat in that place and rendered judgement. This man would have a great reputation among the leaders of the city. It is a reputation basically built by his wife. She is so faithful to the duties of her love to him,-- that he is free to be the respected man that he is,- fulfilling his duties as elder. Everyone around them knows that he is the closest person on earth to her….and she is to him.
24 She designs gowns and sells them, brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
25 Her clothes are well-made and elegant, and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
Again, these verses show how industrious she was…..
26 When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly.
She thinks before she talks and says it with a kind voice. This reminds me so much of the little saying that words spoken can never be taken back…..This woman would never slam her husband in front of their friends or make him look foolish.
There a so many Proverbs on our speech. …that would be a whole other devotion…..
27 She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive.
28 Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise:
29 "Many women have done wonderful things, but you've outclassed them all!"
30 Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Her whole goal in life is to please God with all she says and does….
31 Give her everything she deserves! Festoon her life with praises!

In my own personal life, I remember a long time ago, after I became a believer and God was teaching me these verses and others on what it is to be a godly wife. I finally realized my struggle against my husband’s leadership was not only against him, it was against God. I remember it like it was yesterday, …….thanking the Lord for giving me my husband and thanking God for his leadership in our marriage and in our home. I have shared before, that I remember thinking ...simply put...... “I want to be the kind of wife……….if something ever happened to me…he would have a hard time ……finding another me.
……… Proverbs 31 is the “recipe” of a godly wife.

In his book, “Sacred Marriage”, Gary Thomas writes:

Marriage is that special relationship that proclaims God’s love to the world. The man-centered view of marriage tells us we maintain our marriage as long as our earthly comforts, desires and expectations are met.

In a God centered marriage—we preserve our marriage because it brings glory to God and points a sinful world to a reconciling Creator. More than seeing marriage as a mutual comfort, we must see it as a word picture of the most important news humans have ever received---that there is a divine relationship between God and His people. If we believe the primary purpose of marriage is to model God’s love for His church, we will enter this relationship and maintain it with the motivation, to make it our goal to please Him and ask ourselves when doing anything, “Will this be pleasing to Jesus Christ?”

I just wanted to share these verses with you and encourage you to faithfulness to God who equips you for every good work and faithfulness together. Keep the Lord Jesus Christ, as your first love. We look forward to seeing what God is going to do, in and through you and Travis, in the years to come. May God bless your marriage and may He fill you with His joy and may you always seek to glorify Him.