Wedding Weekend and Submission

I LOVE wedding weekends! This past weekend, our friends - Matt and Hillary - got married!! They had the most beautiful, elegant, classy wedding at Champion Forest and reception at Chateau Polonez (one of my favorite places ever!). Jonathan was the best man and I was in Hillary's house party (I love being in weddings with my brother!). They also had Randy and I read scripture right after Hillary's father gave her away. We read from Ephesians 5 - I read Paul's advice to the women and Randy read Paul's advice to the men. I had never seen this done in a wedding, but I loved the concept!

Ephesians 5:22-33 -

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church - for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Coming from a church background, I have heard this many times. Coming from a line of very strong women, I have always cringed when I read this passage. I always thought, well, this is a nice idea for girls who are weak or who don't want to think for themselves. I, however, know that God gave me gifts of leadership and a strong will and mind to think for myself... I don't think this really applies to me.

Hmmm, REALLY? I actually thought I could get away with DECIDING that God's word didn't apply to me?? REALLY? Well, God has used my own marriage and Randy to renew my mind when it comes to this command.

1. If I am to submit, then Randy is to lead. I DON'T HAVE TO! To lead my family is Randy's responsibility. It takes a huge weight off my shoulders. And if Randy is following God, and I am following Randy, we are both following God!

2. I have found it's actually EASY to follow a great leader. Randy includes me in decision-making, honors me, loves me, provides for me, and protects my heart. Who wouldn't want to follow that?

3. (now, this point I am borrowing/stealing from Ben Stuart) Even Jesus submitted to the Father (God)... by choice! He said, "Not my will, but yours be done." AND, Jesus and the father are equal in the trinity (Father (God), Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit). Through reading Genesis, I know God created Randy and I EQUAL - and in His image. It is repeated many times - God created man in his image - male and female he created them. Just because I am to submit doesn't mean that I am less, it's just the way God designed it to be. I am reflecting Jesus while Randy reflects the loving strength of the Father.

God's designs always point back to himself. If people see my marriage with Randy leading with love and me following him with respect, what a picture of God! He created our two genders for good. He did NOT create abuse or disrespect between male and female.

Marriage has actually changed me a lot, I think. I have a bigger faith, bigger love for my husband and for others, bigger emotions (I used to NEVER cry), bigger passions and bigger desires to fulfill my purpose here and point others to God.

Marriage is beautiful and has God's fingerprints all over its design. Matt and Hill, thank you so much for including Randy and I in your big day. How loved and blessed you are! We think the world of you both and can't wait to see what God has in store for your new family!! See you when you get home from Jamaica!!