As little girls and on to young women, we have always dreamed about a wedding and our very own happily ever after. From playing Barbie with Ken getting married to pinning obsessively on Pinterest our wedding ideas. Nobody can deny that.
Earlier this month I was able to see Kari Jobe preform live. For those that don't know, she is a Christian music artist. She's beyond amazing and she has such an awesome testimony. I recorded part of her sharing some tid bits of it, but due to technical difficulties I was not able to upload it to Youtube just yet. However, because it is so powerful I have typed up everything she shares in the video....
"I wanted to get married. I wanted the Lord’s best for me. Through the years I would just date guys and realize we weren't running in the same direction, we were not passionate about the same things and that is something I learned in my marriage...we’re both passionate about the Lord. We’re equally yoked. And especially when dating a nonbeliever.. That’s one of the most dangerous things. You think that maybe you can change that person, but they’ll most likely change you more than you’ll change them. The best thing I ever learned was my value in Jesus and that I had to wait for His best."
* In a different video clip*
"Honestly what I said before about finding my value in the Lord. It’s so key because if you think that you aren’t worth anything you’ll give everything away. But knowing that if you save yourself for your husband, it is the biggest gift you could give him. I learned that 5 weeks ago. Saving yourself for marriage is such a God given gift to be able to give your husband. To be able to say, ‘My heart might have gotten broken, but I didn’t give my virginity away. I didn’t give the deepest part of my life away." And God is such a redeemer too, if that did happen or has happened, then you can begin now by saying ‘God I wanna protect myself' and God redeems that. It’s amazing. But, just knowing that there’s a bigger picture that its not about being fulfilled now, it’s about having a Godly marriage later on down the road." Kari was married late last year and this was on of the photos taken at her wedding. One word: WOW! How powerful is this. This is what marriage is all about.
I really loved what Kari said about finding our value in Christ, but I also really loved what was said about dating and how at times she would realize they weren't running in the same direction. I once read this quote that said, "Run as fast as you can towards God and whenever someone keeps up, introduce yourself." If we are running towards God, then we can fully trust that when the timing is right God will place the right spouse in our lives.
Genesis 2:24 (HCSB) "This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh."
When you give your purity away to your spouse, you are giving them such a special gift. God intended for that action to be between one man and one woman who are married. It creates such a unbreakable bond between the three: God, man and woman. Waiting can be very difficult at times especially living in a world with so many temptations every direction we turn, but God will bless you in the end.
Ecclesiastes 9:9 (NLT) "Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days God gives you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil."
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT) "Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body."
