My mind is blown at what I am about to share with you. I am 85% funded for this coming year, needing $2100 to meet my entire financial goal! Words cannot express my gratitude, joy and delight to you and to God as your prayer and financial support continues to pour in. Thank you!!
The other blessing I’m excited to share with you is the marriage of my sister to her amazing husband this past Sunday. It was a joy to be a part of the wedding, walking her down the aisle and even giving the traditional maid-of-honor speech. She’s been a huge influence and I want to share with you just how God has used her in my life (and of course, include a photo of the beautiful couple).
Dear Megan,
You have been my big sister for a little over 25 years and throughout my life you’ve taught me a lot more than you realize. Some of these things are trivial, but quite memorable, while other lessons and examples you’ve led have been life changing.
- I know you’re not a fan of dancing and you can deny it all you want, but you were the one who taught me how to dance, basically ensuring I didn’t look ridiculous on the floor. I would have never have survived that first middle school dance if it weren’t for you.
- Any and all knowledge of make-up and the application of such products I possess is all because of you. Primer, I’ve learned, is not just a base coat for painting walls, and the right mascara really can hide the scary side effects of sleepless nights spent studying in library while double majoring.
- You had such boldness to travel outside the small town we grew up in, visiting other countries and even studying abroad for a time in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Tanzania and Eastern Asia. This encouraged and gave me motivation to do the same: igniting a desire to also major in Spanish, spend a semester living in Madrid and take a leap of faith to spend this coming year traveling through Central and South America serving as a missionary.
Dancing, make-up and wander-lust aside, one of the greatest things you have taught me has been patience in waiting for the right man. You could have followed a similar life style of your peers and former classmates and married post graduation to settle down with a home and a family, but you didn’t. Instead, you proceeded in the career path God laid out for you and waited on the marriage thing – most importantly you waited for the right man.
You could have made an exception during that time and committed to someone who loved you but didn’t love Jesus. But you didn’t make exceptions and you continued to wait. Then, God put Pat into your life again, and after several years of seeking God together you made the decision to marry him, a man who loves you but also loves God. A man who loves good food and a great Groupon Deal, but will put his faith first.
Nothing is more beautiful in a marriage than one that is grounded in the love and hope in Jesus. And a man who is sold out for Jesus and for you is a man well worth waiting for.
Now, as you have taught me, I will wait patiently for the man God is going to put into my life. And as you start this new chapter in your life as a wife, I want to pray the following for both you and Pat:
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 1:6-7
