Bridal Thoughts and Prayer

Today I will simply share my "bridal prayer and thoughts". I ask that you continue to pray for me that God will keep me grounded and centered during this frenzy of wedding planning. I have come to the conclusion that marriage is a beautiful thing and a marriage ceremony should reflect that beauty both behind the scenes and forefront. I am a very laid back and glass half full person who believes that everything happens according to the will of God in its due time, and that there is really no need to stress or rush through things because when God is truly in it it will be according to his will. However, I am finding that my particular way of thinking doesn't always coincide with wedding planning and the fine details involved. Yes I want a beautiful affair, but should I trade my sanity in the process? While nothing particularly bad has happened, I feel sad that the planning stages of a wedding don't always reflect that beauty that I feel it should. And this is not just with my wedding but with any typical, average or normal wedding. It has become the acceptable norm that wedding planning is "just stressful", and that it "brings out the best and worst in people and you really find out who your friends are". I think that I have probably heard those two quotes more that I can stand to bear. Is this what one day is all about? I say it shouldn't be. It shouldn't cost an arm and a leg, it should be hard to find modest clothing, it shouldn't be hard to choose something likable by all, it just shouldn't be hard or frustrating at all, and by all means it shouldn't be something that will break up friendships or cause family grudges or grudges period! I sometimes believe that our desire for perfection and the perfect day can walk that fine line of just plain old leaving God out of the process and not upholding what his desire for the perfect day is. Scripture plainly states that " God is not the author of confusion but of peace( 1 Corinthians 14:33)" so I can't help but wonder that if there is confusion in planning and communications where lies the place that God hasn't authored??Since I am the bride, I feel responsible to search out any place that God isn't in, and bring him there. I am learning that if you don't put God first in all things concerning that it can be a very un-goldy process. So today I pray this prayer... I ask that you pray for me and my fdh as we continue in this process.

Dear Gracious and Heavenly Father,

I thank you for allowing me to have the opportunity to partake of your beautiful and sacred union that was created by you for your glory. I ask that you give me the grace to always keep you first and foremost in this journey. Help me not to forget you as we plan this wedding. Help me to always remember that it is we ( you and I ) not me, who is planning this for your glory and honor. I thank you for the people that you have brought into my life that possess so much valuable input, talents, and gifts. I thank you for allowing those same people to have the desire to contribute these gifts to our blessed day. I also ask that you will give me the wisdom to recognize when the devil is trying to throw a trap into our plans and to immediately go in prayer to bind and stand firmly against him. Help me not to get caught up into the worldly process of wedding planning, and help me maintain the right attitude at all times for all situations, help me to hide my feelings and keep my words seasoned with grace. Help me to always be conscience of your voice and to hear it before making any decision or statement. I know that of myself I may feel my attitude is correct, but help me maintain your attitude through out this. Help me guard my feelings, my mind, and my thoughts as the enemy tries to bring thoughts and imaginations that sometimes seem difficult to cast down. I know that I possess the power in your word to cast down every thought and imagination and high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of you, and bringing into captivity EVERY thought to the obedience of Christ( II Corinthians 10:4-5). And finally Lord, I thank you for giving me this needed outlet of blogging. I thank you how time after time, you allow me to read something that is truly needful and edifying to my soul that is posted by one of your servants. I thank you for imparting in their hearts the very thing that may be uplifting to the souls that read, and I thank you for their obedience to share the thoughts that you lay on their hearts. I ask that you grant me the grace to be the same blessing to others as those that you send my way are to me. I thank you again and will never cease to praise you. Amen.

With that being said, I feel better already. Have a wonderfully blessed day!-smfg