Accepted

As water reflects a face,
so a man's heart reflects the man.
--Proverbs 27.19--

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...
--Romans 8.1--

@>~>~~

Life is not a formula; life is a relationship.

::choose joy::

No good thing does He withhold...

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.

Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

O LORD Almighty,
blessed is the man who trusts in you. --Psalm 84.1-2,10-12

::choose joy::

The Wonder Of It All

Se tu fossi nei miei occhi per un giorno
Vedresti la bellezza che piena d’allegria
Io trovo dentro gli occhi tuoi
E nearo se magia o lealta

Se tu fossi nel mio cuore per un giorno
Potreste avere un’idea
Di cio che sento io
Quando m’abbracci forte a te
E petto a petto, noi
Respiriamo insieme

Protagonista del tuo amor
Non so se sia magia
O lealta

Se tu fossi nella mia anima un giorno
Sapresti cosa sono in me
Che m’innamorai
Da quell’istante insieme a te
E cio che provo e
Solamente amore

@>~>~~

Last Saturday, I asked a father permission to court his daughter. So this Friday, I traveled to Northern Michigan and asked this beautiful and Godly young woman myself if she would allow me to pursue her heart and hand in marriage through the process of courtship. And, though I still cannot fathom the blessing of it all, Rachel Britton agreed to give me the honor of courting her.

I don't think I have awaken from the dream yet. This will be an incredible adventure as Rachel and I seek to glorify the Lord -- together.

My joy and excitement know no bounds!

~~<~<@

Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory...

::choose joy::

Anticipation II - The Place of Grace

This is how we know what love is:
Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.
--1 John 3.16--

I wandered out to the old bridge in Merritt Park on my rollerblades tonight. I hadn't planned on staying long, but for some reason I stopped... This week has been agonizing... I've gone from excited to very anxious to extremely excited. I've cried. I've laughed. I've wondered about the past. I've wondered about the future. I've tried to see things from God's perspective. I've tried to figure out if people can see Jesus in me.

I've tried to sleep - with only limited success.

I love standing on that old bridge and watching the water flow away down stream. It's so peaceful. No one wanders by. No cars zoom past. I can stand there and meet with my Savior. I remember back in mid-December running to the bridge and basically having a pity party in front of God. In the end, it was a wonderful opportunity to readjust my perspective and set my focus back on Jesus Christ. Tonight was different, though. I didn't have a pity party. I just wondered - wondered how I could ever really be like Christ. Wondered if I was really trying to know God. Wondered if I was letting the Holy Spirit work through me. It was such a good time on that old bridge - readjusting and refocusing. Asking God for wisdom. It's easy to talk with God there. Everytime I have met God on that bridge... there's peace. Not because I am perfect... but because I have a perfect Savior. God is not finished with me... and I am so excited to see what the future holds. God holds my future and I could not be more thankful or ecstatic.

Yes, I'm beaming right now!

::choose joy::