reminder

"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]

it's amazing how you can hear a verse for years and never really be affected by it and then all of a sudden something strikes you. i love how God's Word is like that. it never gets old, it's always new, even though it never changes - just like Him.

this verse is on my mind because it hit me this weekend: God has plans for me. He is in control. it's really hard being away from lance and wondering when we will be able to get married. it's easy to feel like the military is in control, but as i read that verse i felt God reminding me that He is always in control. He has good plans for lance and i and He cares about us, He hasn't forgotten about us and He isn't oblivious to anything. He has really really good plans for us.

one of my dear friends from YWAM blessed me so much with a card she sent last week. i got chills after i read it and stood there praying for awhile. it was such a powerful word of encouragement she had gotten while she was praying for lance and me. it made me so excited for our marriage and all that God is going to do in us and through us.

dr. tim keller's book "the meaning of marriage" is also pumping me up for married life. he is an amazing teacher and co-authored the book with his wife, kathy. lance finished it already and we've had some great conversations about it. the book is teaching me a lot about the depth of marriage and the power and authority God sets into motion through marriages that are centered in Him. as i read, it seems impossible not to look at the way God designed marriage and be reminded of how holy God is.

i will probably write more about it when i'm finished reading it, but if you need a good summer read i recommend it for everyone. if you're opposed to marriage and view it as outdated and unnecessary, it will challenge your view in an intelligent and coherent way. i'm fairly certain everyone can learn something from his book whether you are single or have been married for a short or long time.

he is an impressive author, referencing c.s. lewis and soren kierkegaard and focusing on scripture but still telling personal stories and keeping it practical and applicable. and apparently he should be paying me to market his book because i just blabbed about it for entirely too long. off to read some more - you can always count on me to keep things dorky. ;-)