To My Beautiful Ashley

Ashley and GaryI watched you marry the love of your life on Saturday. It was a beautiful ceremony surrounded by family and friends. As I watched your daddy walk you down the isle I couldn’t help but remember the summer you stayed with us for 3 weeks to go on a missions trip to Mexico. Or how could I forget that little girl that was always so loveable and huggable! Precious memories.

Now before my eyes stood a beautiful young woman. Your beauty flows from the inside out. I am sure you have your faults, as we all do, but I see a sweet young woman who loves those around her. You love to laugh and your laughter is so contagious.

I love you very much. So as I sat there listening to the words the pastor said and the commitment you and Gary made to one another I prayed. I prayed that you understood the commitment you were making to one another, before your friends and family, and the commitment you were making before God.

Marriage, which I have written about here, here and here, is not something to be entered into lightly. It’s a commitment for a lifetime.

  • Marriage is a vow to another that you will love, cherish, honor, in sickness and health, for richer or poorer, until death does you part.
  • Marriage is hard work. Both parties must choose to work at the marriage. Both must make is a priority.
  • Marriage is more about committing and choosing than loving. There will be days you don’t FEEL in love, but you choose to love. You remember you commitment and you work through the hard times.

In exchanging your vows I loved that instead of just saying “I will” you both said “with God’s help I will”. For apart from a relationship with God it’s nearly impossible to take two individuals and create one. I pray that you will grow into an even greater understanding of what it truly means to have Christ be apart of your marriage. I pray that the Spirit of God would draw you into a deeper knowledge of Him. But mostly I pray that you are a true child of God and committed not just your marriage but that your heart and life would be one that pleases the Lord.

So, to my sweet beautiful Ashley I pray that you always stay true to who God is creating you to be. That you would love the Lord your God with your whole heart, soul and mind. I pray that you would show Gary the honor and respect that Christ calls you to when He says in 1 Peter 3:2 that wives should have a chaste and respectful behavior toward their husbands. I pray that Gary will love and honor you. That he would be a man that leads you with a gentle, kind and loving spirit.

Ashley I know I’ve said this before, but never forget that you are precious, beloved and beautiful. I love you.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Leave me some joy...