SHOUT it loud

it is so hard sometimes for me to figure out where to begin. i always have so many wheels spinning in my head; sometimes i forget to rest.

i am in mississippi. i am at the wedding of two of the most amazing people i know. i have the honor of reading scripture at the ceremony. a couple of blogs ago i wrote about bravery. my friend fayez spoke to me about it today--about bravery and about celebrity and about what constitutes either of those things. fayez contends that bravery and celebrity exist only when a person pursues the will of God in his life; what good is blazing a trail if it is not the trail God has for him? all of that to say, by any definition, nathan and casey are brave; they are celebrities; they are truly the picture of Christ's love--pure and simple and beautiful.

i am so honored to be a part of this ceremony. i am honored to be among the family and friends that spawned such greatness. i am honored to be among people who take no credit for their status but give ALL of the glory to God. nathan and casey want nothing more than for Christ to be glorified through their love; and He is. He already is.

it is so surreal. not only are nate and casey celebs, but so is every person i have met here. pastors, and nurses, and photographer/computer progammers, and teachers, and students, kids and adults alike, from two-year old babies to their mommies and their great grand mommies--all celebrities. it is truly one of the most amazing and Spirit-filled occasions i have EVER witnessed, much less been a part of.

and it is hilarious. hilarious. did i mention hilarious? i have not laughed so hard in a very long time (and that is serious; i laugh loudly and a lot). but it is also serious. and i love that too. it is inspiring to listen as person after person shares the impact and influence of Christ shared through one or both of these two. watching the interactions between Casey and her mom and dad makes me wonder what my parents might say if i actually ever tied the knot. it is impossible for me not to imagine and dream of the man God might have for me. but my imagination feels healthier than usual. these dreams are balanced by a reverence and a recognition of the fact that FIRST i am the bride of Christ; that i must give my heart, surrender it, fully and completely to Him FIRST. Miss Vicky said today that Christ captured Casey's heart when she was a little girl and now He is sharing it with Nathan. what an amazing gift. Casey and Nathan always say they had confidence in their love relationship when they realized they could serve God better together than apart. i love that. and i would be lying if i said i did not pray for that for myself. to be honest, i pray that is truth for all who marry.

today was the rehearsal, followed by the rehearsal dinner, a time of worship and a bridal shower. at the rehearsal i met leslie. leslie was in a music ministry with nathan at MC. the group produced a cd; a cd that occupies my player more than *NSync (that is serious). i was basically a groupie as i talked to leslie about the whole Adopted thing; i was in the company of greatness. that moment was sooned topped when nathan led worship on the night before his wedding. Jesus is immediately present when nathan leads. he has an amazing gift. anyway, as we all sang and titus gave a brief message and a prayer, i was reminded of who i am, in Him. two more things: we are His; i am His. i was a slave; i am free. "glory be to my Father who reigns, for i met Him and i can not be the same. when in bondage to Jesus i came, He took my place and He changed my name."

there's a hidden track on the cd, and i encourage you...
shout it loud do not hold back raise your voice like a trumpet
He is good to me and His kindness endures
honor and majesty strength and gladness in His place