In some ways it feels like only yesterday that we were waking up to a bitterly cold Saturday morning, and in other ways, it seems like forever ago.
Either way, it's been 3 years! It's amazing to look back 3 years ago and see how much our lives have changed, and all for the better!
I love you now more than ever before. Thank you for being a wonderful, hardworking husband, a caring and nurturing father, and an amazing provider!
Either way, it's been 3 years! It's amazing to look back 3 years ago and see how much our lives have changed, and all for the better!
I love you now more than ever before. Thank you for being a wonderful, hardworking husband, a caring and nurturing father, and an amazing provider!
I was inspired to read both of our marriage verses this morning, Romans 12:9-12 and 1 Peter 4:7-11. I then reread Pastor's message from our wedding.
We have gathered here this Saturday afternoon to share in the joy of Anthony and Lisa’s decision to join themselves in marriage. Of the world’s three great institutions, the home, the church and the state, the home is the oldest and most sacred. In the consummation of the first marriage recorded in the Bible, Eve was not taken from Adam’s:
• Head to rule over him
• Nor from his feet to be trampled upon,
• But from his side (his rib) that she might be his equal, from under his arm that she would receive his protection, and from near his heart that she would own and receive his love.
Anthony and Lisa, Rhonda and I are so excited for you both! As individuals you have proven yourselves to be people of impeccable character, honorable dedication and powerful potential. The thought of God multiplying your lives through marriage is exciting to see. The future looks bright because the present is so impressive!
Two weeks ago, my wife Rhonda and some of the ladies in the church were decorating the sanctuary to prepare for your wedding. I was in a meeting and decided to take a short walk. However, I happened to make the mistake of peeking my head in to the sanctuary and complementing the ladies on their work.
Within minutes I was standing on the highest step of a 7 foot ladder stapling a glittery gold bow to a wall. With the ladder wobbling under my feet I could not help but to wonder what just happened. I am the pastor of a large church with nearly 60 employees. How was it that on my way for a walk I was drafted away from a budget meeting to hang a glittery gold bow? The only thing that connected the dots between me being in a meeting one moment and completing a “honey do list” the next was the joyful responsibilities of marriage. That is what got me thinking about you two and your special day.
I remembered the verse of scripture that Lisa said meant so much to her during your pre-marriage counseling. Do you remember? It was from Romans 12:9-12, where it says,
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12: 9-12).
In a way, the passage is a “honey do list” describing what Christians need to do to succeed in relationships. With that said, I want to remind you of five simple things that the Bible gives in this “honey do list”..
1. Love each other sincerely: "Love must be sincere" as Paul says in the beginning of verse 9. This verse could also be translated as, "Love must be without hypocrisy." In other words, our love for others must be genuine or authentic, not counterfeit. What is the difference between real love and fake love? Actions! That is why Paul goes on to say, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love”. Anthony and Lisa, there will be times when you do not feel like you love each other. There will be times when the only thing that qualifies your spouse for your love is that God loves them. If you are a disciple of Christ, be real and authentic, not because you feel like it, but because you’re Christ like.
2. Excellence. Don’t settle for second best: “hate what is evil and cling to what is good”, now that is powerful! You both need to know that there are things in this world that you need to hate if your marriage is going to succeed. There are things in this culture that are harmful to the spiritual health of your relationship. But those harmful things are not just bad things; they are average things, as well. That is why the Bible says you should cling to what is good. Don’t settle for mediocrity in your marriage, spiritual walk, moral standards or family life. The average is just as dangerous as the evil. Don’t settle for second best.
3. Honor one another above yourselves: “Honor one another above yourselves”. In essence what Paul is saying is that we should consider others more important than ourselves. Several months ago, CNN was covering the victory of Lance Armstrong at the Tour De France. The story highlighted the fact that many of the members of Lance’s American team gave up the chance for victory in order to help Lance win the race. Sometimes they rode their bikes twice as far as Lance did in order to make sure that he had plenty of water and food. They all worked together to place him in the front even though they would not be the first to cross the line. This story illustrates how Christians are to live as married people.
4. Serve God as a couple with diligence and enthusiasm: 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Don’t allow the mundane duties of marriage and family life to distract you from using your gifts to serve God. Determine to be a couple who gives 100% in you’re ministry, worship, in meditation on the word of God, in your prayer lives and so forth.
5. Trust and depend on God in difficult times: 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
• Joyful in hope. Your marriage will never be joyful unless you are trusting that God is in control of your lives and destiny.
• Patient in affliction. You will only be patient in difficult times if you believe that God is working everything for your good.
• Faithful in prayer. You will soon discover that there are things beyond your reach in marriage. There are things you can’t change, influence or control in each other. You will soon discover the need to pray with and for each other.
That is why we are all here. Because we love you, believe in you and have confidence that you will succeed! That is why I want to ask God to be with you on each and every moment you have together.
Now that Anthony and Lisa have consented together in this spiritual union, and pledged their faith to each other by giving and receiving of rings, before God and these witnesses – in the name of the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit, I pronounce you husband and wife. What God has joined, let no man separate.
We have gathered here this Saturday afternoon to share in the joy of Anthony and Lisa’s decision to join themselves in marriage. Of the world’s three great institutions, the home, the church and the state, the home is the oldest and most sacred. In the consummation of the first marriage recorded in the Bible, Eve was not taken from Adam’s:
• Head to rule over him
• Nor from his feet to be trampled upon,
• But from his side (his rib) that she might be his equal, from under his arm that she would receive his protection, and from near his heart that she would own and receive his love.
Anthony and Lisa, Rhonda and I are so excited for you both! As individuals you have proven yourselves to be people of impeccable character, honorable dedication and powerful potential. The thought of God multiplying your lives through marriage is exciting to see. The future looks bright because the present is so impressive!
Two weeks ago, my wife Rhonda and some of the ladies in the church were decorating the sanctuary to prepare for your wedding. I was in a meeting and decided to take a short walk. However, I happened to make the mistake of peeking my head in to the sanctuary and complementing the ladies on their work.
Within minutes I was standing on the highest step of a 7 foot ladder stapling a glittery gold bow to a wall. With the ladder wobbling under my feet I could not help but to wonder what just happened. I am the pastor of a large church with nearly 60 employees. How was it that on my way for a walk I was drafted away from a budget meeting to hang a glittery gold bow? The only thing that connected the dots between me being in a meeting one moment and completing a “honey do list” the next was the joyful responsibilities of marriage. That is what got me thinking about you two and your special day.
I remembered the verse of scripture that Lisa said meant so much to her during your pre-marriage counseling. Do you remember? It was from Romans 12:9-12, where it says,
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12: 9-12).
In a way, the passage is a “honey do list” describing what Christians need to do to succeed in relationships. With that said, I want to remind you of five simple things that the Bible gives in this “honey do list”..
1. Love each other sincerely: "Love must be sincere" as Paul says in the beginning of verse 9. This verse could also be translated as, "Love must be without hypocrisy." In other words, our love for others must be genuine or authentic, not counterfeit. What is the difference between real love and fake love? Actions! That is why Paul goes on to say, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love”. Anthony and Lisa, there will be times when you do not feel like you love each other. There will be times when the only thing that qualifies your spouse for your love is that God loves them. If you are a disciple of Christ, be real and authentic, not because you feel like it, but because you’re Christ like.
2. Excellence. Don’t settle for second best: “hate what is evil and cling to what is good”, now that is powerful! You both need to know that there are things in this world that you need to hate if your marriage is going to succeed. There are things in this culture that are harmful to the spiritual health of your relationship. But those harmful things are not just bad things; they are average things, as well. That is why the Bible says you should cling to what is good. Don’t settle for mediocrity in your marriage, spiritual walk, moral standards or family life. The average is just as dangerous as the evil. Don’t settle for second best.
3. Honor one another above yourselves: “Honor one another above yourselves”. In essence what Paul is saying is that we should consider others more important than ourselves. Several months ago, CNN was covering the victory of Lance Armstrong at the Tour De France. The story highlighted the fact that many of the members of Lance’s American team gave up the chance for victory in order to help Lance win the race. Sometimes they rode their bikes twice as far as Lance did in order to make sure that he had plenty of water and food. They all worked together to place him in the front even though they would not be the first to cross the line. This story illustrates how Christians are to live as married people.
4. Serve God as a couple with diligence and enthusiasm: 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Don’t allow the mundane duties of marriage and family life to distract you from using your gifts to serve God. Determine to be a couple who gives 100% in you’re ministry, worship, in meditation on the word of God, in your prayer lives and so forth.
5. Trust and depend on God in difficult times: 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
• Joyful in hope. Your marriage will never be joyful unless you are trusting that God is in control of your lives and destiny.
• Patient in affliction. You will only be patient in difficult times if you believe that God is working everything for your good.
• Faithful in prayer. You will soon discover that there are things beyond your reach in marriage. There are things you can’t change, influence or control in each other. You will soon discover the need to pray with and for each other.
That is why we are all here. Because we love you, believe in you and have confidence that you will succeed! That is why I want to ask God to be with you on each and every moment you have together.
Now that Anthony and Lisa have consented together in this spiritual union, and pledged their faith to each other by giving and receiving of rings, before God and these witnesses – in the name of the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit, I pronounce you husband and wife. What God has joined, let no man separate.
6 comments:
Happy anniversary!!! thank you for sharing your pastor's wedding message with us, too! i feel like i was there! :)
Happy anniversary! Loved the photos and the message. Thanks so much for sharing and here's wishing you many more blissful years together!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! Yay!
That is so cool that you have the Pastor's message - how special!
Happy Anniversary!! Loved the wedding photos. The church looked so lovely with the candles at each row. I love the black and white color scheme for weddings and the touch of red was great. Have fun today!
Happy Anniversary! I loved looking at the pictures again and reading what pastor said during the ceremony. We love you both and wish a multitude of wonderful, happy years!
How fun to see your wedding pictures! You looked so beautiful that day, Lisa! Happy Anniversary to you both.
I still have your Christmas gift -- I tried dropping it by Graduation weekend without any luck. Hopefully I can catch you this weekend.
Post a Comment