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Every Thursday, I explore different aspects of my spiritual journey, and I ask anyone else who would also like to write about their spiritual journeys to link up below. I've learned so much from the posts of those who share their thoughts.
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.." - Romans 12:12
"In the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." - Psalm 5: 3
My original ideas about what was going to be in my HOPE post today got changed a little after a 10:30 PM phone call last night. It was my daughter telling me she had just gotten engaged! We are THRILLED for her and couldn't be happier for her and her fiancé, Jamie. (I learned after the phone call that my husband had dinner with Jamie earlier that night !! ;-))Libby and Jamie have been dating since their freshman year. We've spent time with him and his wonderful family, and we've watched while they've grown in their faith and love. We're so excited for them as they interview for jobs this fall and plan their future together. This morning, I thought about how entering into marriage in this current culture is the ultimate expression of HOPE. I'm not talking about the meaning of hope that we throw around in casual conversation, a flimsy wish: I hope it's not going to rain today. I'm talking about the Biblical meaning of hope: confident expectation. Knowing God's promises will be fulfilled. We are told in 1 Corinthians that hope is one of the top three Christian virtues, equal to faith and only inferior to love. We can look at the world and not see much hope, or we can look above and see nothing BUT hope. By entering into marriage, Libby and Jamie are choosing to look above. They're choosing hope. With confidence. And I know Jesus chose them. Congratulations, Libby and Jamie!
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11
And because Ed and I had this song at our wedding (my cousin, Russell sang it beautifully), I had to include it on this post, too!
Congratulations to your family and especially your daughter and her fiancé!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Katherine! We are so excited!
DeleteWhat an exciting time in your life and the life of your family! All my best wishes!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! Thanks. :-)
DeleteCongratulations! So excited for you and Ed...and of course, Libby!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Maria!!
DeleteCongratulations to you and your family! My husband met with my dad before he proposed and my dad didn't tell my mother either.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you express the God's meaning of HOPE here...confident expectation. A great reminder that God has all things in HIS control.
Susan - same happened with my husband and dad! :-)
DeleteCongratulations!!! What an exciting time!! Thank you for sharing it here. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Michelle! Of course I shared it here - this little community is something special! :-)
DeleteCongratulations to all! You and Michele are on the same wavelength - again! I love that verse in Jeremiah.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Leigh Anne! Michelle and I do seem to be on the same wavelength often. ;-)
DeleteCongratulations! Great plans are waiting for all of you in the future!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jaana! We're going to greet them with confident expectation! ;-)
DeleteCongratulations Holly. This is a special moment in your family's life and I am glad that you shared it with the Twitter family of faithful followers.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carol! As I said to Michelle - I shared it with you all here because it's become a special little community that means a lot! :-)
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