Finally…

She woke up even before the alarm rang. She could hardly sleep the night before but she knew she needed her beauty sleep! That’s it! This is the day! The day she makes the 2nd most important decision in her life! There’s no turning back!

She quickly wash up, took a little breakfast (although the excitement took all her appetite away but she believes that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. No way she’ll go through this Big Day without it!). Her team was all set to dress her up.

Everything went on as planned. She got ready on time, the car picked her up on time and she reached the church on time. While the service began, she was ushered into the waiting room.

Then it was time for her to march in the hall led by her adorable flower girls, the pageboy, her maid of honour and her dad. She took a deep breath hoping it’ll blow all the flapping butterflies away from her stomach! She checks her smile in the mirror and tries to look as calm as possible as the curtains were drawn. This is the only time when ALL eyes were on her!

But only a pair of eyes caught her attention. After knowing him so well for many years, he looks different that day. It wasn’t just because of his professionally-styled hairdo, or his tux. Oh well..it’s probably love

As she was handed over to the man she will spend the rest of her life with, she knew there’s no turning back. That’s it! Marriage is for a lifetime. But she is well-assured that this is the right  man. She trusts him with her life because he  loves God and fears God. A well-respected leader and a great servant. A man who honors God with his life. She admires his wisdom and ability to manage his life so well. She knows that when he walks in God’s ways, everything else is added into his life, therefore, their life and marriage as well.

The service was beautiful from the start to the end. Vows and rings were exchanged. The preacher taught on marriage and leaked some secrets about the celebrated couple. They took their first Communion together and blessings were prayed over their marriage. They thanked the guests for sharing their joyous occasion and were pronounced husband and wife. As they strolled out down the aisle, tears welled up her eyes. She uttered a quick word of gratitude to her Maker. Only He knows the struggles and pain she has gone through before this day came. She once again experienced His faithfulness and love. It was worth all the effort and battle in believing for this day.

 

Sing O Barren!

“Sing O Barren,

You who have not borne!

Break forth into singing, and cry aloud,

You who have not laboured with child….”

 

Lately I’ve found singing to be amazingly therapeutic! It heals the soul…

Spiritually, singing works too! Isaiah 54 tells the “barren” to sing! We know that if you’re Asian and you’ve been married for several years and you still have no kids, your relatives will raise their eyebrows! It’s a terrible shame in the past (probably less now in modern society thanks to contraception, career, etc).

If you’re “barren” (aka not productive) in your finances, career, studies, relationships, emotions, marriage, ministry; sing O Barren! Isaiah 54 brought tremendous comfort to my soul It may be written thousands of years ago, but I know it’s still for me! Check out the last verse!

Isaiah 54

A Perpetual Covenant of Peace

 1 “Sing, O barren,
      You who have not borne!
      Break forth into singing, and cry aloud,
      You who have not labored with child!
      For more are the children of the desolate
      Than the children of the married woman,” says the LORD.
       2 “ Enlarge the place of your tent,
      And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings;
      Do not spare;
      Lengthen your cords,
      And strengthen your stakes.
       3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left,
      And your descendants will inherit the nations,
      And make the desolate cities inhabited.
       4 “ Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
      Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame;
      For you will forget the shame of your youth,
      And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
       5 For your Maker is your husband,
      The LORD of hosts is His name;
      And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
      He is called the God of the whole earth.
       6 For the LORD has called you
      Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit,
      Like a youthful wife when you were refused,”
      Says your God.
       7 “ For a mere moment I have forsaken you,
      But with great mercies I will gather you.
       8 With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment;
      But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,”
      Says the LORD, your Redeemer.
       9 “ For this is like the waters of Noah to Me;
      For as I have sworn
      That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth,
      So have I sworn
      That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
       10 For the mountains shall depart
      And the hills be removed,
      But My kindness shall not depart from you,
      Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
      Says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
       11 “ O you afflicted one,
      Tossed with tempest, and not comforted,
      Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems,
      And lay your foundations with sapphires.
       12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
      Your gates of crystal,
      And all your walls of precious stones.
       13 All your children shall be taught by the LORD,
      And great shall be the peace of your children.
       14 In righteousness you shall be established;
      You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
      And from terror, for it shall not come near you.
       15 Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me.
      Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.
       16 “ Behold, I have created the blacksmith
      Who blows the coals in the fire,
      Who brings forth an instrument for his work;
      And I have created the spoiler to destroy.
       17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
      And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
      You shall condemn.
      This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
      And their righteousness is from Me,”
      Says the LORD.