Monday, July 9, 2012

Wedding Project #3 - In All The Details...

DON'T FORGET THE GROOM!

So yesterday and today I made a conscious decision to limit wedding talk to the first 5 minutes of my time spent with my fiance and boy was it worth it!  I hadn't really noticed that with my head perpetually in wedding mode that I was missing out on some serious bonding time with my man! If you are engaged now or if you become engaged at some point in your life make sure to remember the groom.  As I was reading in Dazzled To Frazzled And Back Again "After all, if it weren't for him, you wouldn't be planning your nuptials."  

Seriously ladies I know we can get caught up in the favors, flowers, caterers and cakes but don't forget who made this all possible!  Spend some much needed vacation time from the hustle and bustle and commit to spend some time talking about anything BUT the wedding.  It just might make you fall in love with him all over again and rekindle the excitement of spending the rest of your life with this amazing man God has blessed you with!

Happy planning!
TTFN!

The Future Mrs. Miller

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

EWF seeking GOD: Unexpected Challenges

Because I have always felt called to be a wife (and a mom) I somehow thought switching from singleness to dating to engagement would have been an easy transition and that I would have fallen into my roll as dutiful and attentive fiancee right away.  Well that is certainly not the case.

As I am sure a lot of you know I am a very independent person.  I am also pretty spontaneous and like to do things on the fly.  This is just fine for a single lady but for a fiancee, not so much.  Several times in the last 5 months, I have been totally caught off guard by my own thoughtlessness towards my fiance.  I forget to include him in my plans and keep him in the loop on my life at times.  This seems like a simple enough thing right? Seems like a total "duh" moment right?  Wrong, at least it wasn't obvious to me, apparently, or I would be better at remembering.  I got an invitation to a cookout one night a couple of months ago now.  I took a moment to consult my calendar and I saw that I was free so I quickly responded to the email in the affirmative.  Later that evening my fiance and I were talking about the email and he said, "So am I going to go to this cookout too?" He said it sweetly but you could tell it had hurt him a little to not be consulted or even considered in my planning.  "Oh, yeah. I mean I guess I forgot I am a "we" now."  My fiance is an infinitely patient man, which is excellent news for me.  There have been a few other times when I have forgotten to keep him in the loop or even consult him on things but he lovingly reminds me that I am not on my own anymore.

Most recently, I was having sort of a spiritual crisis, as I have mentioned in my last post.  After communion on Sunday I was talking to my fiance about it.  This was after I was feeling better and God had brought me back from my analyzing.  I told my fiance that I had been having these issues and how much better I felt and he said, "Why didn't you tell me about this before?" It caught me off guard.  "Satan wants to keep you in your head.  That is where he can do the most damage when you don't have other Christians supporting you, especially me [as your future husband]."  It really got me thinking, you know I never really thought about it but of anyone who should be hearing about my spiritual struggles it should be my future husband.  I mean he is going to be my spiritual head.  My spiritual health and well being is of utmost importance to him and it is kind of his responsibility.  I guess it never really occurred to me because in my household growing up I never really saw my mom go to my dad for spiritual advice and the like.  I know she did.  I just never really witnessed it.  So I guess it never really clicked for me as to what that looked like.  My mom was really the go to person in our family for us kids for all things spiritual and wise.  So it never really dawned on me to talk to my fiance when I started feeling spiritually defeated or when I started having doubts or started over analyzing my faith.  Honestly, I can't think of a more qualified person to help me.  He is incredibly knowledgeable.  He has been well trained in Scripture.  He is humble.  He has a hundred strengths that counter balance my weaknesses.  He is loving and patient and he has an amazing gift for calming me, drawing me back to reality, and showing me the truth of the Gospel and pointing me back to Christ.  I am more blessed than I can say with the husband that God seen fit to send me.  Further more, in coming to him, not only am I gaining strength for myself but I am also giving my husband honor and respect by showing him that I value his thoughts and his advice.  I am giving him the consideration he deserves and that he is entitled to as my spiritual head.  So really it is a win win situation when I get my head on straight.

This will definitely take some getting used to for sure.  It will take practice on my part and patience on his.  But one of the most wonderful things about being in a relationship like this is the freedom to work on these things together.  Figuring out a relationship at this level is hard work.  It can be incredibly frustrating at times and exhausting too but it is the most beautiful and most rewarding work I have ever had the pleasure of doing.  I am absolutely loving figuring out how to be the kind of fiancee my man needs and how I can be the best wife for him after November 2nd.

God is so good and I am incredibly blessed!
TTFN
Rachel

Monday, July 2, 2012

E(ngaged)WF seeking GOD: In Remembrance of Me

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”  In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”  For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 
~ 1 Corinthians 11:23-26


There has been a kind of fog hanging over me spiritually though.  That has been the case for a few weeks now actually.  That is probably a lot of the reason why I have been so scant in my postings.  It seems I always have some excuse for not posting haha.  Well, this spiritual fog I have been in has been affecting really everything, from wedding planning, to Bible study, to time spent with my fiance. You name it, this cloud has been following me every where and raining on every area of my life it seems.  

Something you might not know about me is that I am a pretty heavy thinker.  I analyze everything!  I analyze people, situations, objects, conversations, specific words, facial expressions, body language, tones of voice, scenarios, etc.  For someone who seems very light hearted and carefree, I spend a lot of time in my head, to much time probably.  Well, even if you didn't know that about me Satan sure does.  He also knows that is my weakest spot.  That is a the biggest chink in my armor.  I analyze everything.  It can be good and it can also be very dangerous because with that analysis comes questions and with questions comes doubts.  I doubt everything.  I doubt people, situations, objects, people's sincerity, people's love, tones of voices, specific words.  Most frightening of all I doubt God.  I doubt His love. I doubt His provision.  I doubt His very existence!  Yeah, I know I just admitted it.  In my darkest moments, I question how could this all be real.  How could He be real?  In his book The Reason for God, Tim Keller writes, "A faith without some doubts is like a human body without antibodies in it.  People who blithely go through life to busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing of questions of a smart skeptic. A person's faith can collapse almost overnight if she has failed over the years to listen patiently to her own doubts, which should only be discarded after long reflection." Being the type of person that I am I think I will always have seasons of doubt.  I will always have to revisit Scripture, godly counsel, and prayer during these seasons, just as I must do these things during seasons of strong faith and assurance.  I admit that I don't have all the answers.  There are tough questions out there and I am thankful for books like The Reason for God that can help remind me of the truths in Scripture and can speak to this analytical brain and answer a lot of those questions.  Satan has the strength to speak a lot of doubt into my head but God has more power to speak assurance to my soul.  

Today was a crazy morning.  In rushing around trying to grab everything to check out of my hotel room in St. Louis, I left my phone in my room.  I didn't remember it until about 20 minutes later.  One thing after another and the clock was ticking away and we became later and later in leaving for church. I began questioning whether there was even any point in going to church.  But through the frustration my foggy heart cried out for church. I knew I needed to go.  I needed church this morning.  A part of me ached for it.  I go to church every Sunday but this morning especially I was feeling the need for it acutely.  After house keeping tracked down my phone and after getting lost on the way to church we arrive at church, frustrated, annoyed, tired and 30 minutes late but we were there.  Today was communion.  Today the Gospel was fed to my soul.  It was beautiful.  Every time I take communion I feel refreshed, revitalized, and restored.  I needed that this morning!  Whoever says there is not power in communion is dead wrong because communion will heal your sin sick soul, believer.  I began meditating on the verses above in 1 Corinthians.  The words "in remembrance of Me" struck me.  Communion is a time to remember, to meditate, to think.  Of all the things I can over think I can never over think the Gospel.  I can never focus to much on my Lord.  I will think on Him.  He can handle my doubts.  He can handle my questions.  He can feed my soul in abundance.   

My prayer tonight is, "Lord, I believe.  Help my unbelief."

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

The Wedding Belle Project #2

I keep reminding myself that I have 5 months to get everything done but now that I have a lot of my big ticket items the little things are beginning to pile up.  I feel like I am really on top of things for the most part but the count down on my wedding website is ever glaring at me!  It is all the little things that are collecting but I am having fun thinking about the little things and hopefully finding them will be just as easy as all the big things.

TASKS COMPLETED:
Ceremony/Reception
Photographer
Florist
Music
Wedding Dress
Bridesmaid dresses
Videographer
Officiant
Pre-marital counseling

THINGS I HAVE FIGURED OUT BUT NOT YET TECHNICALLY COMPLETED:
Catering
Reception Emcee
Favors
Invitations
Sound system
Decorations
Hair stylist
Registry
Rehearsal

Now you might think well what else is there left to do.  Something I think the same thing and then I open my Knot account and see over 116 things waiting for me...  We are making progress though!  And it is exciting and fun!  The next big things to finalize is catering and invitations.

I have a book that I read a long time ago that I am going to start reading again...because that is really how I feeling right about now!  But I am having fun I promise!


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Confessions of a Chatty Girl: Things don't always go according to plan

Oh, who am I kidding things never go according plan!  For better or for the perceivable worse, God never does what you expect Him to do.  That has been made obvious in my life time and time again.

If you have been reading my blog for a while you know that my story has taken a lot of unexpected turns.  Just in the past two years of having this blog you have seen the ups and downs of my life not going according to my plans.  From getting turned down for the RUF internship to breakups to awesome jobs to now planning a wedding. 

Two weeks ago I got the awesome news that my fiance got a promotion at his job!  I am a very proud fiancee and no mistake!  The same day just two hours later my boss comes into my office and breaks the news that he has been fired from his position as in house architect for the big Texas firm we both worked for and as we were a package deal, he could no longer afford to keep me and I would be jobless by the end of the week.  I felt like I had just been sucker punched in the stomach.  This job was the craziest, best paying, most stressful, most interesting, most intense job I had ever had.  And in a matter of seconds it was gone.  I have rent to pay, I have things to do, most importantly I have a wedding to pay for! 

Enter my incredible future husband . . . I always knew that I was going to need someone who could be calm when I am freaking out, someone to remind me that God is still in control and He will take care of us.  I think that I am marrying one of the most calm men I could possibly find.  In the midst of my gasps and tears he soothed me and reminded me that for starters God knows everything that happened and He is not going to dessert me in this and secondly that I was not alone having to figure this all out.  "Between God and me, we will take care of you."  

I am so blessed.  Even though life doesn't go according to my plan, even though what seems perfect doesn't work out in the end, even though I get blind sided by new developments that God brings into my life.  God knows what is going on.  God isn't going to drop me off in the middle of no where with no direction.  He has gotten me this far.  All I have to do is go back and reread the post from the past 2 years to see that!  So while I have moments of freaking out and questioning what He was thinking I know from experience that He is using this.  No matter what it is He is using it.  

Please be praying for me though these ups and downs.  As I job hunt; as I plan this wedding; as I learn to adapt to God's plans and as I learn to let go of my own will.  I don't know what is in store for me in the future and if I am being honest that scares the living daylights out of me some days.  So be praying for me that I will trust in Him and not be anxious for anything and that I would cast my cares on the Father.  

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:6-7

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Phil. 4:4-7

Monday, May 28, 2012

The Wedding Belle Project #1

It is hard to believe that I will be Mrs. Miller in just a short 159 days!  When I moved here back in October the thought had crossed my mind that odds were good that I would meet someone.  Being an optimist/planner/closet romantic I couldn't help but wonder if that was one of the reasons God was sending me here.  I never would have thought that just after 2 very short months I would meet my future husband or that he would be so obviously suited to me.  From the passion for ministry and people to the quirky sense of humor that keeps me laughing and on my toes.  On one hand I can say that had I known in advance that he was the man I was going to marry I wouldn't have been surprised.  And on the other hand I can also say that I could have never expected to marry someone that was so right for me.  He challenges me with his passion for God and for ministry. He humbles me with his ability to love unconditionally.  He encourages me with his strong faith in the sovereignty of God. The further I go in this planning process the more I thank God for His wisdom in bringing this man into my life.  

As far as all the planning is going I am very happy to announce that we have a venue!  The Barn at Highpoint Farms!  Check it out!  Here are some pictures that my Matron of Honor took on Thursday when we went to go see it!  

View of the dance floor
The lounge

I had a swing like this growing up

So true.

View going out to the yard

We both love dogs and they love us!

The grove and pasture (there are goats you can feed)
We are both so excited for this place and this wedding!  It will be so much fun!
TTFN
The future Mrs. Miller
T - 159

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Promised Pictures

Right after being asked

The ring! Bam!

Calling everyone

Telling your mama the good news can be very emotional

Couldn't stop looking at it!

Reenactment of the deed

Love that face of his!

More shots of the bling

I love how he looks at me!