As Devin and I began to dream about our wedding, there was one thing that was abundantly clear to the both of us: we did not want a long engagement. Though the more we looked, the more intimidating roadblocks we found in our way. 

Our wallets told us our budget was about $0.

The forecast promised four days of rain and a storm on our desired date. 

The voices in our ears said, “Be realistic.”

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But we had a book that dared us to believe, a God that promised to supply all our needs (Philipians 4:19), and a heavenly father who takes delight in meeting His children’s desires when sought with audacious faith (John 15:7, Matthew 21:22, Romans 8:32).

 And so, a 69 day engagement it was.

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I didn’t grow up dreaming of a fairy tail wedding. My dream was of a man who would love Jesus more than he loved me and who would cherish me with a Christ like love. 

Then I fell in love with Devin, a man who is head over heels for Jesus…and me. Despite the perceived obstacles and what people said, we really did not see any reason to wait to begin our adventure as husband and wife. 

You see, we believe that the reason people think that real, tangible, natural miracles do not happen anymore is so incredibly simple. They are not asked for. 

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The Bible is full of promises for Jesus followers. 

Mark 11:24 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32

(See more scripture references at the bottom of post.) 

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Does this all sound a little absurd?

Well, that is kind of the point. We serve a God who is indeed, larger than life and over the top.

Does it seem unrealistic? 

Honestly, the thought of the Lord of all creation sending His only son to die for a sinful people so that we could spend all eternity in complete bliss with him sounds pretty absurd to me…

But that truth is precisely where being a believer starts.

 It is the point of the Gospel- that Jesus’ love for his creation is so scandalous, so unfathomable, so out of this world and it is for US. 

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That is where believing STARTS, but it shouldn’t be where it STOPS.

We refuse to put God in a box.

No matter how easy or controversial it may be. 

To some, this idea, this prayer, this way of thinking may also sound a little selfish… or highly selfish. 

To think that God wants to bless you? To think that He wants to give you things? So is God just there to grant wishes?

We don’t view God as a magic genie. We view Him as a man of this word and the word as true and solid.  

We won’t settle for a life that looks normal. We want a life that is set apart, a life that people look at and cannot deny that the hand of God is upon it!

The more absurd our prayers seems to us, the more glory He gets! 

Would you believe me if I told you that we really didn’t feel like our wedding was fully about us?

Yes, our desire was to be married, and at the end of the day- that is really all we cared about. 

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Our dream wedding, was less about the frills and details- even the great food and good times, and more about a dream that God put in our hears for people to see Him for who He is…

 A God that loves us, desires to bless us, and is eager to do so when we put our faith in Him. 

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We have heard so many couples our age who are in love and desire to be married be discouraged due to their financial situation or lack of support by those around them, and this broke our hearts. We began to pray that our story would be an encouragement for couples like this.

When it came down to it, our purity and desire to honor God was more important than anything else …. So we decided to let God show up and prove Himself faithful.

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It is a privilege to tell this story, a true testimony of God’s love for His children. 

When our wedding day arrived, due to miracle after miracle- we lacked for nothing. 

One of my aunts said, “Catherine, you guys really had a vision, and it was perfect.”

My mom said to me, “You know,  I truly believe you and Devin got all your miracles. I know that you did.”

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You see, believing for these miracles was not always easy. There were times when I would get frustrated with the people around me who, even though they loved me, just did not see what Devin and I envisioned for this day. 

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It was then that I asked God, “Why don’t they see it?”

He revealed that they don’t see it because it was not their vision. They simply are not supposed to. This is something that Devin and I were called to see in faith what God wanted others to see in the natural. If it was something that could be easily understood by the world, then it wouldn’t be truly miraculous. If it was something we could pull off on our own, then He wouldn’t get the credit.

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And so we stood on promises in the Bible and believed. 

There were times when I would get so overwhelmed, but Jesus always quieted my heart  and steadied my spirit. 

The lyrics, “Nothing matters more than to sit here at Your feet and worship you,” became my anthem. 

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And so, as you can see by the amazing photos taken by Lauren Carroll, our day was simply lovely, the ground was DRY, the food was delicious and ample, our guests were full of merriment and dancing. Everything we were in need of was provided for though miraculous blessings, the help of our loving families and friends, and whole lot of Jesus! 

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It was a true celebration of our love and the love of the Father.  

He cares about the little things. He is willing and able to achieve the big things. 

You see, all the things that were provided and the miracles performed are amazing, but it wouldn’t mean anything if Jesus didn’t get the glory for it.

 And that is why I am telling this story. Because once again, it isn’t about us. 

It isn’t about Devin and I or our amazing wedding day. 

This is a story of the love of a heavenly Father, a heavenly Father that longs to love you. 

As amazing as the blessings are, the bible says in Luke chapter 15, “10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

Heaven rejoices when someone makes the choice to follow Jesus. 

Maybe the only reason you started reading this because you thought the title sounded ridiculous… well read on cause this is for YOU. 

 

I don’t believe in coincidences, and I believe that my God is so big that he can even reach you through a random blog post. If while reading, you have felt a tug on your heart, it isn’t the romance of our day or nostalgia that has you feeling that way, it is Jesus. And right now he is inviting you to take His hand and  begin to walk with Him. 

The Bible says that amazing adventure is as simple as this: 

Romans 10: “9If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.”

Wow. Jesus loves you so much. And that is the reason I am sharing this story. 

Maybe you are a Jesus follower, if so I have something to ask you. That you stop right now and begin to pray for those reading these words that don’t yet know Jesus. I am believing in faith that they will.

 

I am so excited to be able to share this story! Please share this post so that others may be encouraged in the power of Jesus and that people may come to know Him! If your life was changed, please let someone know! It doesn’t have to be me, ANYONE! Confess with your mouth His true goodness. <3 

Oh, how I love my Jesus!

 

Other Scriptures that we stood on:

John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

Luke 11: 5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your SHAMELESS PERSISTENCE.[d]

Luke 11: 9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Luke 11: 11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Feel free to share feedback here! I would love to hear from you! 

Ardently,