A look inside: A Promise Made

Thursday, November 8, 2007

A Promise Made

November 8th, 1997

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

~Ephesians 3:20,21

We put this verse on our wedding program. It feels even more relevant to us today then it was ten years ago. God has truly done immeasurably more then we could have ever asked for or even imagined. He has blessed our marriage and our family so greatly since the day we were married. He has walked right along side us, as hand in hand, Jon and I have walked through some deep valleys together, and have partied on the mountain tops. To Him be the glory throughout all generations, through OUR generations, our grandchildren and great grandchildren. May God be glorified through their lives, as they live lives dedicated to serving Him. One of the many special things I remember about our wedding was our vows. I thought I would share them with you, just as a reminder to all of us of the promises we have made:

I Elizabeth take you Jon to be my wedded husband. With deepest joy I receive you into my life that together we may be one. With confidence I submit myself to your headship as unto the Lord, and I promise you my deepest my love and my unselfish devotion. Because God has prepared me for you, I will ever help, comfort and encourage you. Therefore Jon, I pledge to you my life as a loving and faithful wife to share with you in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health. To forgive and strengthen you, and to join with you so that together we may serve God and others as long as we both shall live.

I need to remember that every day, through the dishes, the laundry, the hectic schedules, and raising our kids, I made a vow, a vow to God and to my husband. I vowed to be unselfish and encouraging. I vowed to be loving and faithful. I vowed to forgive, strengthen and to serve. Every day, I need to be living out these promises. But one thing I've learned over the last ten years, I can only do it through God's strength!

Happy marriages to all of you today!

19 comments:

Stefanie said...: Liz,

I can do some math and just have to say, "Happy 10th!"

Mike and I were married in Nov. 98 - so we'll be there next year at this time.

You were a beautiful bride!; November 8, 2007 at 8:02 AM
Stefanie said...: Daphne is reading with me and she says that she likes your music. Oh, and that she loves you. Don't you just love kids?; November 8, 2007 at 8:06 AM
Ona said...: Happy Anniversary!!! Beautiful vows and pictures.

Are you doing anything special?; November 8, 2007 at 11:39 AM
Anonymous said...: Happy Anniversary Jon and Liz. Im so thankful I was able to share that day with you guys. I miss you all. We need to catch up, its been to long. Janell; November 8, 2007 at 12:39 PM
LizzyG said...: Ona,
Well, over this past year we had tentatively been planning a trip to Kona, Hawaii (a place that is very special to both of us, Jon went to YWAM there, was baptized there and proposed to me there). Well, in the last few months our garbage disposal broke, our garage door broke, I hit a garbage can and knocked the side-view mirror off our car, and we found out Sarah needs braces. So there goes all our "Hawaii money"
So, as much as we feel we deserve to go to Hawaii, even if it means going into debt over it, we used our better judgement and decided not to :(
So, we're headed up to Portland this weekend for a fun get-away. Yea, not Hawaii, but it works.

You know what I think? I think we should have "wedding showers" for people on their 10th anniversary. By that time, all their stuff from their wedding is outdated or broken. Wouldn't that be nice? I don't think we have 4 matching water glasses right now!; November 8, 2007 at 12:40 PM
Lindsay said...: WOW!! What a great post. :) I feel like I was right there 10 years ago (well, not quite, but fun to see the pictures and read your vows)!
Have fun in Portland... and may the next 10 years be just as awesome as the first... trusting God, enjoying life, loving each other, and learning something new each and every day!; November 8, 2007 at 1:32 PM
momaof4 said...: Happy 10 Years!!
Hawaii would have been so nice, but any weekend away together is awesome, right?
And I agree on the 10 years Shower!!; November 8, 2007 at 2:03 PM
Ona said...: Have a wonderful time in Portland. We had wanted to go to Hawaii for our 10th, but no finances. We're shooting for our 15th now.; November 8, 2007 at 2:41 PM
LizzyG said...: That's so funny, so are we!; November 8, 2007 at 2:54 PM
Anonymous said...: Happy Anniversary! I am also thankful that I was able to share in the joy of your wedding day. God has truly blessed your marriage. You and Jon are a wonderful testimony to the Lord. I agree with the 10 year shower too!:) Enjoy your weekend away. Love you guys!; November 8, 2007 at 3:19 PM
Michelle said...: What a lovely post!!!! I really do enjoy your heart. I am so so with you on the shower idea. Blessings on your next 10 years together. :-); November 8, 2007 at 3:52 PM
Glory Laine said...: Liz, I just totally agree with needing a new shower after your ten year. You should see my towels.; November 8, 2007 at 4:11 PM
Anonymous said...: Happy anniversary!!!
I remember that day so well!
Love you guys!; November 8, 2007 at 4:15 PM
Unknown said...: Happy Anniversary! You guys are such an adorable couple. Thank you for sharing your vows, how special. Looks like you had a wonderful wedding. Sorry to hear things didn't work out for your trip to hawaii, hopefully by the 15th anniversary it will!!!; November 8, 2007 at 4:18 PM
HappyMomma2 said...: LizzyG-What a awesome post-thank you so much for sharing it with us! Congrats on your 10th! We all need to get together and bring our wedding albums. Craig and I celebrate our 10th this august so lets get going on the 10th anniversary shower thing!; November 8, 2007 at 8:34 PM
Julie said...: I know that I'm late getting this to you (we've been gone)... but Happy Anniversary! I think your ten year is a special one! Well, really they ALL are, right?

Looking forward to meeting you at the coffee night???; November 13, 2007 at 8:01 AM
Rachel said...: Happy Anniversary!! I love the pictures and the vows.
Here's to having a Anniversary Shower every 10 years!!!
And how did you knock your mirror off by hitting a garbage can? Was it a big metal one??; November 13, 2007 at 9:34 AM
February Jill said...: Happy Anniversary Liz! I can't wait to meet you!; November 13, 2007 at 2:41 PM
Glory Laine said...: Hey friend, Looks like this job is sucking the life out of you. No new posts in awhile. Just know we are all thinking of you during this transition.
Becca; November 17, 2007 at 11:49 PM

Words to Remember

"Christ's followers cannot expect better treatment in the world than their Master had. Let them not promise themselves more honor or pleasure in the world than Christ had. Let each live a life of labor and self-denial as his Master, and make himself a servant of all; let him stoop, and let him toil, and do all the good he can, and then he will be a complete disciple."
~Matthew Henry,
English Pastor 1662-1714

"I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess."
~Martin Luther King

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
~Jim Elliot

"I am a missionary, heart and soul. God Himself had an only Son, and He was a missionary and a physician. A poor, poor imitation I am, or wish to be, but in this service I hope to live. In it I wish to die. I still prefer poverty and missions service to riches and ease. This is my choice."
~David Livingstone

"I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others do the same. "
~C.S. Lewis

"I want Thy plan, O God, for my life. May I be happy and contented whether in the homeland or on the foreign field; whether married or alone, in happiness or sorrow, health or sickness, prosperity or adversity - I want Thy plan, O God, for my life."
~Oswald J. Smith

songs with meaning

If you hear one of these songs playing while visiting my blog, here is why it is so special to me:

I Will Be Here by Steven Curtis Chapman: I would listen to this song as a young teenager and dream about finding a love like this song describes. Guess what? God gave more then I ever dreamed.

Any Song by Keith Green!!! I first heard Keith Green as a young child and knew all his songs by heart. As a teenager, I loved his music because he is so honest and authentic. I also read his autobiography when I was in my teens. He is one of my all-time heroes! I remember my friends laughing at me when they were in my car, wondering why I would be listening to songs from the 70's. Yes, the music is cheesy, but the lyrics are simply amazing!

How Could I Ask For More by Cindy Morgan: My senior year of high school I was on homecoming court with four other girls, who were all good friends of mine. We all picked this song to be played during our ceremony. I still love this song!

Have I Told You Lately by Rod Stewart: The song Jon and I danced to at our wedding. I smile every time I hear it.

I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me: This song was played at Brian Ditchen's memorial service. Brian was Jon's cousin who he grew up with, and who I went to school with, and he was a dear friend. He passed away in March of 2004 in a tragic plane accident, he was only 28. It shook the core of our faith. The only comfort came from knowing, without a shadow of a doubt, who Brian lived his life for: Jesus Christ. He was a dedicated believer, and we can't wait to see him again. Every time we would hear this song, it touched us deeply, it still does. Heaven has become very real to us.

The Scientist by Coldplay: My younger brother, Ben, sang and played this song on the piano at my brother Jeremy's memorial service. Jeremy passed away suddenly in September of 2004, he was only 31. Once again our faith was shaken (see next song)....

Cry Out To Jesus by Third Day: Whenever I hear this song I am reminded of my brother Jeremy...."To everyone who's lost someone they loved, long before it was their time, you feel like the days you had were not enough, when you said goodbye....cry out to Jesus" I am reminded to turn to God in the midst of my pain and loss, and it's OK to go to Him with my questions

We Will Dance by Steven Curtis Chapman: My current love song. It so beautifully describes mine and Jon's relationship.

I'm Not Cool by Scott Krippane: This is Daniel's song.Not in a mean way. He absolutely loves this song and sings along with it every time. The funny thing is, it describes him perfectly.

She's a Dancer by Phil Keaggy: This is Sarah's song! It so sweetly reminds me of Sarah...."she's a dancer, she loves to dance, she's a singer, she loves to sing, she's a lady, walkin' round in mama's shoes, standin' tall in mama's shoes" Sarah has also been caught singing into the bathroom mirror. And when she was younger she put on many "dance performances" for us in our living room.

Olivia by Phil Keaggy: Obviously Olivia's song! I've sang this song to her since she was a tiny newborn. She knows the words and sings along now. Whenever I put this song on, she stops what she's doing and gets a big smile on her face, and says "my song!"

Beautiful by Bethany Dillon: OK I'm 32 now. And sometimes when I look in the mirror, the depression creeps in. I don't look like I did ten years ago, I don't see a beautiful young woman looking back at me. And that can get you down sometimes. This song reminds me that true beauty is who I am in God's eyes. I could be perfect in every way on the outside and yet not be beautiful in the eyes of God, and when it's all said and done, my life would have been lived only for myself. I want to be beautiful in God's eyes, I want Him to look inside my heart and smile, and most importantly, be pleased.

Who Am I?, The Voice of Truth, and Praise You In The Storm by Casting Crowns: All three of these songs are very special to Jon. These are three of his all-time favorites. These songs brought him close to God when he was going through a hard time in his life.

I Am by Nicole Nordeman: The first time I heard this song was at a Women of Faith conference. She played it live on the piano. It was so beautiful and moved me so deeply. God is truly my "I Am", He has been my one firm anchor through every season of my life.