The way the groom looks at the bride with such love and devotion. This is always my favorite thing about weddings.
I went to a wedding yesterday and as the couple danced together for the first time as husband and wife, I sat there awed by their genuine love for each other as they gazed into one another’s eyes. On this day they've dreamed about for so long and this day they'll remember the rest of their lives.
Seeing this made me think about the day when I’ll be the one dressed in white and my husband will be looking back at me with that look.
I’m twenty-six now and at the age where I’m closer to marriage and family than I’ve ever been. It’s exciting, but also surreal. It's always seemed so far off and now somehow, it's closer than ever.
Yet God is so gracious and His timing is always perfect. I know with all of my heart that He is preparing me for that season whenever He wants it to begin. God has taught me so much as I’ve waited on Him and because of my close relationship with Him, I know that I will be an amazing wife and mommy one day for His glory.
God has been teaching me so much about trust, faith, living by the power of the Holy Spirit, and stepping into His plans and purposes for my life. I wouldn’t trade what I have learned for life according to my time table or a ring on my left hand right now.
Probably the greatest lesson I’ve learned as a single is that Jesus Christ completes me. Not a man. Not my future husband. No one except Christ. It took me some time to really get this. It’s one thing to say it, but another thing to really, truly believe it.
Jesus’ love completes my heart. While I look forward to my wedding day with great excitement, my hope is not in that day or in the man I’ll marry. My hope is in Jesus Christ alone. Jesus is the reason why my life is beautiful, why I smile, why I have joy, why I have purpose, why I can trust God with the future - anything good in my life is because of Him.
Since I gave my heart to Jesus Christ when I was five years old, He has never failed to protect it from this world; to heal it when it was broken; to fill my heart with God’s love, forgiveness, and joy; and to strengthen my heart again and again.
And because of His unending faithfulness in my life, I trust that when He sees fit, He will open my heart up to the one man that He has chosen and prepared for me. And that's worth waiting for.
I look forward to meeting my future husband, seeing how God writes our love story, and living life together for God’s glory, but I am living fully today. Today as a twenty-something single follower of Jesus.
I think it can be so easy to want to bypass the seasons of becoming and fast forward to the seasons of doing. As I’ve journeyed through my twenties, I realize that much of this decade is about becoming before doing. And while we want to run after everything God has put in our hearts – sometimes all at once - there is great wisdom in waiting on God’s timing and allowing Him to grow us, prepare us, and position us to do what He created us to do. To enjoy the journey and see the beauty in the becoming and not just the results. We often act like it's up to us to fulfill everything that God made us for, but we need to rely on Him, love Him and love the people He has put into our lives, and obey Him and humble ourselves before Him in holy fear. That is most important.
Right now, God is helping me become the woman I need to be in order to be the wife my future husband needs and to be the mother my future children need. And while I look forward to walking down the aisle and later on holding my baby in my arms, there will be a time for all of that. These todays will lead to those tomorrows. That time will come and it will be beautiful. Just like this season is beautiful.
Today and always, I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus. And through all the seasons of my life, He is looking at me with love. His gaze is what fills my heart with so much joy and peace.
Dear friend, wherever life finds you at this moment, know that He looks at all of us this way. He loves each of us with the greatest love imaginable. The love of God in Christ is infinite and life-changing. I pray that you know His great, great love for you. Single, dating, or married, trust that the God who loves you, knows every detail of your life, and cares about you exceedingly has good plans for your future. Surrender to His perfect plans, seek His kingdom, love Him with all that you are, and let Him lead you along the narrow road - for the best version of our life - the full and abundant life Christ promised - is only found following Him.
Blessings,
Colleen
Lord, help me love this way, to love like You love:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, NIV
Check out this song "Ever Be" by Bethel. Thought it was perfect for this post. Love the message of this song and the descriptions of God's faithfulness. His praise will ever be on my lips!