My poor honey...his first day in the States and all tuckered out! He probably will kill me for posting this but I think he looks so cute!
Hey! Look at us...this is what we would look like as a family...J looks like a natural! Baby provided by Marie and Jeremy! :)
A book of prayers for us from our wedding shower!
Some of the shower attendees and of course 2 of my bridesmaids on the right...Kelly and Andrea!
The Usual suspects...those responsible for our lovely shower...missing are Kelly and Andrea! The little girl is our flower girl.
Peter Doyle took some pictures for us!
I love this one...it really shows J's personality!
J's first encounter with an American supermarket..."Honey...do they have chips and drinks somewhere?" Mary...UM...YEP...take your pick!
A little stunned with all the choices!
America's favorite pastime...a trip to Wal-Mart...here is J's first time!
First time for everything...here is his first encounter with Mexican food! He LOVED it!
First time at Chick-Fil-a...he loved it too...notice his shirt...way to represent Atlanta baby!
Hands down...his favorite...Outback! Want to make my honey happy...Outback gift cards!!!
Getting fitted for his suit for the wedding!
My honey's birthday. Notice the awesome hat I gave him...doesn't he look cute! This was only a few hours before THE sickness set in with me...but I was able to celebrate my honey's birthday just before that happened!
Yeah for birthday dinners!
Here my dad presented J with tickets to the Men's Conference at our church. He was so excited!!!
So we stopped by my brother's work and in the shop was a really nice car...forgot what it was. So we thought it would be funny to take a picture of J in it!
Walking through the mall...in mid conversation my honey stops and says in an excited voice...APPLE!!!!!! He is one of Apple's biggest fans...another thing that would make him happy...Apple store gift cards!
18 DAYS: Until we say "I do"
54 DAYS: Until we say goodbye again and head to our new life in England
EVERYDAY: Time to praise God for what He has done and is doing for us!
These past 4 weeks have been such a busy time. J has been getting acclimated to the States and loving it by the way. His favorite food so far...Outback! In addition to our many date nights spent at local restaurants...we have also been soaking in all that we can at my home church. In particularly we have been so blessed to be a part of a Sunday School class just for engaged couples and have learned so much.
There was a little set back a couple of weeks ago when my body was attacked by a stomach virus. I was so dehydrated from lack of being able to keep food or drink in my body (I will spare you the details)...that I had to go twice to the Hospital for IV fluids in one week! But God was faithful and brought me through it!
This past week our pastor preached on "crossing your Jordan" and how sometimes that takes a lot of faith but you have to trust God and move out. I also took to heart what Pastor said about don't be surprised when there is opposition waiting for you on the other side. Well needless to say this past weekend is when we were standing at our Jordan.
After my illness, as soon as I had some strength back, we hit the ground running and it was back to wedding planning galore (with less than 3 weeks left)...and support raising... and connecting with those partnered with us in the ministry...and the list goes on and on. Needless to say we hit a brick wall this past weekend when we both realized that we are just doing too much at one time and exhausted. Then enters the emotions and to be totally transparent...our first tiff as a couple. Through a lot of prayer and help from our pre marriage counseling...we recognized some short comings and that neither of us are perfect...that we must stop to rest and make sure we are keeping totally connected to the vine of Jesus! (John 15:5)
By the way...God helped us cross our Jordan...but there was opposition waiting on the other side. Our funds have been very limited to say the least with paying for a wedding...however...praise God...if we are careful we are able to pay for everything. At the same time we have been challenged by being receivers of such generosity from others...that we needed to give more in a certain area as our gift to God...not to get praise or super spiritualize anything...that is just what was on our hearts.
Enter...Mary opening a bill from the hospital. Remember me telling you that I had to go to the ER while I was sick? Well...as I opened the bill my heart sank... as it is a quite substantial bill. So I contacted my insurance company to see what they could pay towards it only to find out I had not met my deductible so I would be responsible for the entire amount. We both prayed and cried out to God saying "Lord you know we don't have the funds to pay this...we are just barely making it". But we both felt very strongly that He would provide somehow and that we should definitely continue to give towards something as we had originally decided. So we asked others to pray along side of us.
As I slept through the night I was woken by the TV (I drifted asleep without turning it off). On the TV was a pastor preaching on 2 Corinthians 9...about sowing generously. The verses that spoke to my heart in particularly where 2 Corinthians 9: 10-12 & 14-15
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
This service you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but it also is overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. (Verse 14) And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
I quickly fell back asleep with a peace in my heart and a mental note to read that again in the morning. I felt that everything was going to be okay and that we are on the right track to do what we had planned with our giving and that God would provide through others for our needs that He knows we have!
This morning: J comes into my room with tears in his eyes...saying he had received an email from a supporter in Holland who read his twitter comment asking people to pray for provisions to pay the hospital bill. He then proceeded to tell him that he would be giving us 500 Euros (almost $700) towards the bill! WOW! God used this man as a service to us to show His greatness and for us to PRAISE HIM!!! And the verses I read again this morning made so much more of an impact! Me and J praised God and thanked Him straight away. Now we still have more to pay on the bill...but feel that God will provide!
So praise God with us and thank you for your your investment into our lives. We are soaking it all in as much as we can while we are here in the States!!!!
PS...check out our website for regular video updates: www.voicebehindyou.com
