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This article is from Today's
Native Father, issue #108, January, February, 2000. Related articles
from this issue: |
Tomorrow You're Getting
Married by Ilva Hertzler |
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Dear Daughter, Tomorrow you will be married! Dad and I are very happy for you. In addition to your two brothers, we will have one more son to love. It seems only yesterday that you were our little girl. You still are! I wept for joy when you were born because God had given us a precious daughter. I thought you were very pretty as you were growing up. As time went on, you gave your heart to Jesus, you had good friends, you graduated from high school and developed into a fine young lady. Sometimes my heart would literally ache because of my love for you. Then you left home to find work and pursue a career. To nobody’s surprise, you also were found—by the young man soon to be your husband. He patiently waited until you were ready for him. When love at last awakened in your heart, there was no turning back. These years have been full of pain, joy and lovely surprises as we have observed your development. It has been difficult to stay involved as parents with your courtship, engagement, and even wedding plans, because of the many miles between us. But God has been so good to us, and to you! You in turn have been good to us because you love us. We praise God for all these blessings. Soon there will be a ceremony where family and friends will witness your vows. Dad will take you down the aisle and give you to the man who first asked his permission to date you more than five years ago. You will be married. You will pass the point of no return. Your marriage covenant will be a commitment for life, not an experiment. Oh, daughter, do you know what you are doing? I’ll answer that question. Yes, you do. Because you and your Chosen One have spent many hours talking, learning to know each other. You have spent time with your parents, pastors, and friends getting advice and counsel. You have sought God's guidance for your lives. Favour has been bestowed upon your relationship. You are off to a very good start. But no, you don’t know what you are doing. You don’t know what the future holds. Satan, the enemy of your soul, is also the enemy of your marriage. Your marriage will undergo stress and struggles common to marriage down through the centuries. “Nothing is new under the sun.” The “common” will become uniquely yours, and oh so new, so unexpected, with no easy answers. You will learn by experience and hopefully by the wisdom of others. You are taking a step of faith, walking with the Shepherd. You have been given a gift of love to cherish in your open hand. More joy and pain will be yours than you ever thought you could hold. It’s a marvelous, awesome mystery, this thing called marriage. God needed something for “Show and Tell” to demonstrate His great love for us. So He used the love of husband for a wife. What a God! You are a woman. Loving Jesus will enhance your feminine power and intrigue to bless and build up your husband. Remaining vulnerable and soft and to reflect on the deep issues of the heart will help maintain that inner meek and quiet spirit that the Lord sees and loves. May your children rise up and call you blessed and may the heart of your husband safely trust in you. God’s blessing be upon you, April and Kent. Much love, Mom (Ilva) and Dad April Hertzler and Kent Garthwaite were married November 13, 1999. |
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