Just eight more days...then FOREVER!

As the wedding approches just eight days from now, my emotions are starting to run a little high. I am so excited and anxious, maybe even a little nervous. What is funny though, is that Brent told me a few days ago that he was nervous but that he is not nervous because he is marrying me, but because he will have to stand up in front of 200 people and do it! That is not why I am nervous though. I am nervous because THIS IS HUGE! This is so much bigger than we imagine, so much bigger than us...this is a FOREVER thing! Especially lately, I have been trying to get my hands on everything I can about being a Godly wife, extending grace to my husband, caring for him, creating a loving, Godly home, making it last FOREVER, like it is supposed to. I have learned a lot, not only about him and the right way to communicate with him and love him, but about myself. I have learned that I am really far from perfect...like really far! All that I have learned though, is starting to really sink in...It is also starting to sink in that although I have studied and worked to understand my role as a Godly wife, I will never fully grasp it. It is not a role that can be perfected, only practiced. While I come to grips with the fact that it cannot really be perfected and I cannot be 100% ready, I realize that this is where God's strength is made perfect in my weakness and that His grace is sufficient for me! (2 Corinthians 12:9) Even though Brent and I are beginning the most challenging, important, glorifying journey we will ever embark upon...HIS GRACE IS ENOUGH! Yes, this is HUGE! Yes, we will mess up, because we are human. Yes, this is permanent! Yes, this will be the most drastic thing we will ever do to glorify God..it needs to be done right! In spite of all of that, the really scary stuff, when you step back and think about it, because I am willing to submit to him and he is willing to love me like Christ loved the church, Jesus will do the rest. He is willing to be the grace that sometimes we won't be able to extend to each other, or the peace that sometimes we both need, or the rock when maybe neither of us are strong enough to be. It won't be easy but if we trust him, it will be do-able! And it will be right! I cannot wait to marry my best friend, the man that God built for me! I cannot wait to attempt to put all that I have learned into practice. I want our marriage to be one that people admire and look up to. I want people to feel God's love just oozing off of Brent and I, and for them to know that something is different...I want that! So my prayer for this week is: Jesus, I come to you knowing that I am so far from perfect. Knowing that what Brent and I are about to do will be the biggest decision we ever make. Jesus, I want this marriage to glorify you, I don't want it any other way. I want you to wrap us up in your love, even more than you already have and just seep into our souls and use us to show other people that love. As much as we love each other, Lord, this is not about us, but about you. Help us to remember that as we start our journey and help us to remember that in every circumstance, your grace is sufficient, and your strength is made perfect in our weakness. Jesus, help me love Brent like he deserves to be loved and help me serve him as you would have me to! I love you, Lord! xoxo, -Em