Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Friday, December 21, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Chapter II
Beautiful memories and moments that make me feel like the most blessed lady of the Lord! Truly so many blessings that recounting them would take forever. But for your sake I will try. :)
I say without any doubt, the absolute best part of my wedding was the rehearsal night. My grandfather spontaneously decided to get baptized in Jesus Name! My brother-in-law was baptized as well! What a perfect time to be joined to the Lord the night before the wedding. What rejoicing! Oh the tears that were shed! The most important element that Bradley and I desired in our wedding was that the Lord be glorified, and this was a fulfilment of that prayer. I remember my grandma leaning over the baptistery and crying before the Lord. Standing beside her I felt that a long searched for miracle had just occurred.
As food was being prepared, the users were already seating special guests, and the Pastor was finalizing his remarks, mother and I found a private haven. A prayer that is fresh in my mind and will bring tears to my eyes as I remember the last minutes. She gave me her final blessings and love as her single daughter. I am so thankful for this memory, what a privilege it is to have a godly mother.
When you know that the history that you are participating in is part of a beautiful heritage, it makes one have deep joy. A gladness that overflows everywhere. I felt that way on my wedding day! There were a few things that didn't go exactly. The rooms in which the bride and bridesmaids had to get ready in were locked for over an hour past the time that they were suppose to be. The bride forgot the roses that she was going to hand to her mother and the groom's mother. :) But in the words of the groom.. "Everything was perfect." Gorgeous tables loaded with food adorned the reception hall, jolly music floated through the rooms, the photographer caught every minute, the father-of-the-bride wore a handsome boutonniere, people crowded the pews, and the bride wore a smile.
A quiet time away from everyone was devoted to the bride and groom before the ceremony. The photographer caught the "first look". Bradley was told not to look until I got there, the photographer had the camera ready. I was almost to him before he looked at me and when he did, teardrops fell off my cheeks. I felt part of a storybook, somewhere far away. "You are gorgeous, my bride." I could hardly speak for joy, smiling I asked, "Do you like my dress?" ... "I love it" he replied wiping my eyes with his large calm hand. Gently he took my hands, leaned down and kissed my forehead.
With Love,
Monday, January 23, 2012
The Courtship Covenant
As with all things that are beautiful, there is a time of growth. Our friendship began truly growing after Bradley and my dad had several conversations. They talked for about a month, going out to eat and doing things together. Then dad suggested that we email each other because at the time I had a full load at college and texting would be too distracting. This is when we learned how to fit pages worth of conversation on our ipods. :)
There is only one way to truly know an individual and that is to hear from their heart, share their burdens, and learn through their experiences. Over the next period of time we were carefully becoming friends and also having a blast!
My family took a vacation to Florida for a week during May of 2010. While we were gone Bradley wanted to order flowers to come where we were staying, but my dad said he didn't want to have them in the car when we rode home. :) So the day we got home I was totally surprised by a large bouquet in my name! These we the first flowers that I had ever received and the first flowers he had given to anyone. It was a sweet and amusing time to watch me cry for joy and him so happy that it was both our "first".
Bradley met with my parents one evening after Church by themselves. I learned later that they discussed the possibility of a courtship. Bradley and dad created a paper that had goals before, during, and after courtship, books to read, monetary goals, and personal guidelines. That sounds like they were making plans for building construction or something. But if you think about it they were preparing the foundation for our possible marriage which is far more important and vital to last over the years! Bradley was overwhelmed slightly, but eager to get started and had lots of ambition.
Just a small side note. Maybe you have noticed that in each of the pictures a little more hair on my dear one's head. :) Well, he was very determined to have it crew cut. And yet after one instance of me noticing another fella's hair, (which I felt bad for afterward) without saying anything he started letting his get longer. I found this too funny and a good surprise! He now enjoys his hair by the way!
One more great experience we shared was with our youth pastor and we signed a dating covenant through our Church. I remember Bradley being somewhat nervous, and I was too because this was the first time that I had ever done this. The wisdom that Bro Huckabee gave and the stories he shared encouraged us to be an example and make the best decisions. This was an opportunity that I am very thankful for and will remember for years to come!
There are several books that I read during our courtship that were amazing materials! One of which is Preparing To Be A Helpmeet by Debbie Pearl. The section I enjoyed the most was learning the different types of men and how they work, lead the home, and express themselves. I would recomend all young ladies to read this before going into a courtship. (Also not too young :)
Blessings!!
Heather Nichole
Friday, January 20, 2012
Welcome!
May all who enter as guests, Leave as Friends.
Also I want to let you know more about me and the wonderful things in which the Lord is doing in my life! I just have to tell you about a wonderful friend that found me about a year and 4 months ago. :)
The story has so many crazy, romantic, hilarious, and impossible details that you will have to wait for the whole thing. The first thing I remember about the story was one day in a small group Bible study I offered a Bible to a red-haired boy who had come in shyly. When he showed up at the Church drama practice the next week I was the one who felt shy, though we had only said a few sentences to each other. The next evening he tried to text me, and I politely told him that I don't text guys without my dad's permission, date casually, or any of that. My mind told me that once again, my chances are slim to ever find someone with that vision. As so do many of us who are "different". :)
He had not even a the slightest clue about what I was talking about or had he ever heard of a young lady that told him the things that I told him, yet he was interested in this "new" way. So as I had many times in the past (to other friends) I gave him a copy of Joshua Harris book I Kissed Dating Goodbye knowing that he wouldn't read it. This cleared my mind that the message was out there and I did my part, not even suspecting that in a few short months he would not only read that book, but the sequel Boy Meets Girl. (Later he read The Five Love Languages Gary Chapman, What He Must Be Voddie Bocham, and many more!!!) We talked at Church, and soon that wasn't good enough for him.
I will never forget the Sunday that he came over for dinner. Isn't it strange how people in love have a glossy view of things that others can't even glimpse?? Well, that was the one night in my life I noticed that people have BLUE eyes! Wow, where have blue-eyes been all my life? Maybe since my whole family is brown who knows, but there they were across the table talking to me.
My father brought a large, black, army rifle and laid it down in front of Bradley. This was a standard procedure for dad. I remember the huge smile and the knowing laugh that Bradley gave. Later he told me that he was so glad to see that I was protected and loved, even through the joke that was pulled on him.
Bradley was not raised in the same Church as I, the type of home, the community, or the family unit. There are many ways that he has obviously changed on the outside, and countless ways on the inside all because of his own hunger for truth, real love, authority, and God. It is a miraculous story that started several years ago and I will continue it later. :)
The pictures I have scattered throughout this page are from our first courting months, when we chose to not touch at all! Several months later we began holding hands, then right before our engagement we starting hugging. We are continuing to save our first kiss until the wedding day!! To some it may sound too hard (which it is a challenge!) but so many rewards and blessings have been reaped that we are more and more determined everyday that this is the only way!!!
May the Lord richly bless you!
Heather Nichole
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