ABLAZE::MARRIED

Today I'm linking up with #AblazeTheSeries!  It's an incredible series that ends today focusing on relationship with God in the midst of your relationship status. I'm pretty sure if you go here, you can see what I'm talkin about.

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(Me and my guy)

I'll never forget the statement my college minister made to us one Sunday morning.

"You'll know you're ready to be married when you are ready to stay single."

What he meant was, until you find your identity in Christ -- until you find your worth and stability in Him -- you are in no way ready to enter into a marriage relationship with another person.

As women, it is so easy for us to seek our worth in a man.

It's that whole, "You complete me" garbage we soak up from movies like Jerry Maguire.

The only person who should complete you is Christ.

When I was in college, I decided that marriage wasn't for me.

Failed relationship after failed relationship determined that in my mind.

I was tired of breaking up because guys couldn't handle my call to be a missionary.

So, I figured the two just couldn't go to together.

In my mind, I could not be a missionary and be married.

So I chose Missions.

It was on a mission trip when Wade entered my life.

I will never forget meeting him and quickly informing him that "I don't date. 

I'm going to be a missionary."

And I was serious. This was no ploy to get his attention.

He pursued me anyways and I slowly came to realize that as much as I tried, I couldn't let go of Wade.  So, when things started to get serious, I gave him a warning:

"Listen, I'm going to go off to Africa for a year and don't you try and stop me."

He didn't.

But God did.

I was set to go and came up to visit Wade for a few weeks before I was to head across the world for what had turned out to be 9 months.

In those two weeks, it all fell apart. 

(In actuality, it was all coming together, but I couldn't see that)

I stayed in Alabama because I really didn't know what to do at that point.

It was Wade that finally got me to Africa -- for one week. And it was during that week that God showed me I had it all wrong.

Going to Africa was a good and noble thing, but it was not what God had laid out for me.

I was making plans for myself and not letting God have control.

I got home from that trip and Wade proposed to me that very night.

Looking back I am able to see how God orchestration everything to lead me to this point.

Going to Mexico.

Meeting Wade.

Going to Africa.

Becoming Wade's fiance.

Getting married.

And now preparing to move to Mexico as full time missionaries together.

I never thought the day would come.

But all of that was not because of Wade. Sure he played a part -- but it was the parts God led him to.

Wade is so in tune with God's voice.  And I'm so lucky for that because I constantly struggle to hear it above my own.

I can trust my husband because I can trust God.

God is my number one love.

Wade is second.

As he should be.

And even knowing all that, its still a struggle to seek my assurance from Christ and not my husband.

I am complete because of Christ. I am made whole because of Him.

And as an extra gift, He gave me Wade.

My husband is a gift from the Lord. A precious gift that I am so thankful for it literally hurts. My heart is so swollen and full of Jesus and then He let Wade in and it's like it's about to explode. 

It's important, as a married woman, to remember your first love.

(I'm talking about God, y'all)

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ok so I really wanted to write more and maybe even edit this post a little more, but I'm about to leave for Mississippi (it's currently Thursday afternoon) and don't have time.  My laptop battery is dead (plug up only) and I really don't want to be typing away while I'm supposed to be hangin' with family anyways celebrating the 4th!  So, that's that.  Hopefully some of this post made sense.

Check back tomorrow for a guest post and MONDAY for a super cool, amazing-ful-ness, outta this world, beyond my wildest blogger dreams, fundraising RAFFLE that the Lord graciously provided me today!  AHH I can barely contain my excitement!! SERIOUSLY!

(Wanna keep up this weekend? follow me on Twitter and Instagram)