Bitter-sweet weekend

It is with a tearful smile that I am pleased to announce my sweet little sister’s engagement. Her fiancé, Chris, has captured her heart and are moving swiftly along. Although I have not met him yet my parents and family have had nothing but sweet and positive things to say about him and the maturity they are seeing in my sister. Chris is an airplane mechanic. His job is taking him and eventually my sister to Savoy, Illinois this week.

As some of you may know this news came at a time in which I myself, was dealing with some personal issues and I must admit I was not totally comfortable with having never met my sister’s soon to be husband and even perhaps the first meeting he would already be her husband.

I had talked with her this weekend and she admitted to me that she was afraid and nervous to tell me she was getting married. I was hurt a little but I then realized she was nervous mainly because she did not want to hurt me. How SELFLESS is that!? That she would keep her joy and excitement at bay because of what I was going through. Julie and Chris have known each other a short time but feel this is what they truly want. Originally they were going to be going to the justice of the peace TODAY and getting married and moving to Illinois later this week. My heart was torn because felt things were greatly rushed. We talked a while and I just shared my heart that I felt that rushing into things can be detrimental to something that should be cherished for a lifetime. We ended the conversation with love and affection and her promising to talk things over with Chris. I hit my knees and prayed that God would spare her the hurt and anguish of a wrong relationship and give her nothing but growth and happiness with her love.

I talked with my dad who has been in Missouri this past 10 days and it broke my heart to hear his heart and his love for Julie, in wanting what was best for her, when he said: “I left 10 days ago with an unengaged daughter and I am coming home to an engaged and almost married daughter. I’ve given it to God and He will lead.” My mom and I talked this weekend as well and she encouraged me to pray and to love Julie and learn to love Chris. She said “Give it to God. That is what your father and I are doing”.

WELL, I received a text message yesterday:

Julie: We decided to wait. He is going up there (Illinois) by himself for right now so he can get settled and get some money and stuff. It’s going to be hard but that’s how it’s going to be. We will be getting married in a couple of months- late July or early August. (YEAY God is so Good!! )

A few Texts later

Julie: I just kept thinking “why am I doing this so fast?” I asked myself “would Jen do this?” I said “No, she wouldn’t”. Thank you Jenna, I appreciate you with all my heart and I love you with every inch of my heart.”

I was humbled and brought to tears as I read those words. Julie, my soft hearted giver, the one who would give her left arm for just about anyone, still thinks about what I would do in situations even from miles away. It took my breath away that she still looks up to me, she still sees what I do in life, and she sees me as someone to follow. Humbled doesn’t even come close to what I feel when I realize that my desire to impact one, just one, abandoned/orphaned child’s life has been in front of my face this whole time. Never once did I recognize that my family is the model for continuum of care- Taking children, who were not wanted, rejected due to different situations, and placed into a family style home with the church as their accountability, loving parents teaching us and bringing us up in our own community to serve God and reaching out now to that same community.

And now, we are looking to add one more to our quirky bunch. As you pray I ask if you would lift up my family as many changes are going on. Specifically for my sister and Chris as they embark on a wonderful journey, my parents as they cope with letting their little one go, my brother as he fights fires again this summer, and for my personal support both financially, emotionally and physically.

Ps. 18:6 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to Him reached His ears.