I Do (Excerpt from Diary of the Bride...coming soon)

I crumbled before You that day, the day of salvation. I knelt with tears streaming down my cheeks as I cried out to you. I confessed my ugliness before you, admitted that I am a sinner in desperate need of a Savior. I told You how much I hated looking at myself in the mirror for all the wrong I had done. I said I would live out all my days with You as my Lord and let You take the lead. I vowed to trust in You, in Your plan for my life-to fix all those things I hated about myself. I invited You into the home of my heart as I said, “I do.”

I wept in awe of the invitation You extended. Spread out across my bed, I pondered your goodness toward me and my children. I reflected on how I no longer cringed at my own reflection and gave You thanks. Then, out of Your abundance of grace towards me, I saw a quick glimpse of Your divine plan and purpose for my life. I gasped at the thought of its grandeur was honored to be chosen for such a task. Peace swept over as a reminder You are with me and will be every step of the way. If You asked me today if I still desire to see Your promise fulfilled I say, “I do.”

How many times have I messed up? How many times have I chased after the wrong things, the wrong ideas, the wrong feelings? And where were You but right there beside Me through it all. When storms rushed in and the wind tore through my core being, You were still right there beside me. When I come crawling back yet another broken mess, I asked You if still love me, Your answer is always the same, “I do.”

When I am at a crossroads and tough decisions are to be made, I hear You prod, “Do you trust Me?” When things begin to unravel in a manner I had not expected, still You ask, “Do you trust Me?” When those I love begin to wander away from the truth and fear begins to rear its’ ugly head, again I am asked, “Do you trust Me?” I am forced to ponder the question, to dig deep into my experience of Your faithfulness. “I do.”

Every time I walk up the aisle to make my way up to the altar, every single time, for what ever reason, it is out of surrender, trust and love that speaks “I do”.

When things of this earth are gone, or when I stand before You in Heaven, I would like ask You, “Do You know me, Father?” And oh the joy I will know for eternity to come to hear You say, “I do.”