Chapter Twenty: "All Conquering Love."

The planning for the big day went really smoothly. I didn't find myself stressed at all. Four months was just enough time to put all of the pieces that were important to us together for our wedding, which was going to be held in San Luis Obispo instead of Reno this time around. We knew we wanted two major things: Personal Vows for the ceremony, and DANCING for the reception. Our wedding was going to be nothing but one big, huge CELEBRATION of the love we'd worked so hard for with the people we loved the most in the world. And that's exactly what it turned out to be.

The ceremony was beautiful and, by the time we said our vows, I don't think there was a dry eye in the place. God showed up in a powerful way, and I still to this day have people tell me that our ceremony affected them in a deep way... It was like this sense of love conquering despair... it filled the little chapel from the floor to the roof until I could hardly breathe from the closeness of it all.

The reception was dance-tastic and it was seriously FUN. Everyone joined in right after food, and the dancing didn't stop until we called it a night and hopped into our getaway car. (Chris' truck. Snazzy!)

It was a perfect day and a perfect evening. Pictures will tell the tale better than I ever could:





















All photos by Kenneth Morgan
of San Luis Obispo, CA.

So, that's the story of Chris and I. Thank you guys for reading along through all the heartbreak and the joy. It feels really good to have gotten that all out- to have cemented it in my head so that it won't get mixed up and jumbled and lost as the years wear away at the memories we've created.

God has been so good to me. He is continuing to heal me, and He's slowly forming me into a wife that loves her husband well and fights for the dreams deep in his heart. Some days are easier than others, and some of the choices that I made before we were married are still affecting me today... Like, how for years I was hurt and confused by sleeping with Chris... and how all of those feelings didn't just magically disappear on the day we finally said "I do"... I made some poor decisions before we were married, and I'm now having to work through the effects of all of that. I'm learning the beauty of being ONE with someone, but it hasn't been an easy road. But God is redeeming that part of my heart bit by bit, and I'm falling more and more in love with my husband with every passing day.

For all of you girls out there who aren't yet married: Guard your hearts. Guard your bodies and your minds. Love yourselves enough to know the worth of what you have. Don't squander your heart away in hopes of finally feeling satisfied in love. You have all the love you need in God. You have ALL the love you need in God. Even when you may not feel it, you have all the love you need in God.

I think I'll end with this- one more song I wrote after we were married and all was said and done. Sorry to post so many songs lately, but they really do capture this time better than anything else could, I think. So, one final song for you all- I call this one "My Dreams". Hope you like it, sorry for the poor quality once again. Just click below:



***The End.***