Jessica Philip is now Jessica Cheely. There is no doubt that this past Sunday was a celebration for her and Warren as a couple, but the entire event center stared in amazement as this beautiful bride walked down the aisle. Friends and family were all gathered to watch as this couple was able to start their lives together. Over the last year and a half, I’ve been able to live pretty close to Jessica and watch her journey. If there’s one word to describe my relationship with her, it’s been growth.
She has just been a catalyst for growth and people catch her excitement and enthusiasm. When I read the passage where the disciples claimed they couldn’t keep silent because the Gospel burned that badly in them, I now have a picture of that thanks to Jessica. One day when we were prayer walking an area, Jessica had such a fire and passion for the Gospel that she jumped up on a well and shouted, “Is anyone thirsty?”. This sounded crazy at first, but as she described the water that never allows for thirst and the importance of the Gospel, things clicked. The Gospel was literally burning in her.
Now, as I celebrate this day with her and her new husband, I can’t help but make the parallels to my life. No guy ever thinks of himself as a bride, but we are still called the bride of Christ. Just as excited and happy as Warren was for his bride to get down the aisle, that’s how excited God gets. Just as everyone stared in wonder at how beautiful she looked, that’s how the angels stare when we’re clothed in Jesus. And just as Jessica has done nothing to earn Warren’s love, it’s the same with us. Warren chose her. Jesus chose us. It’s a beautiful parallel.
This was a beautiful ceremony with incredible people and I was blessed to be a part of it. Now, this couple will start their lives together and I can’t wait to see the Gospel continue to unfold in their lives. Congrats guys. You’re setting incredible examples to follow…
