after a couple days to process and absorb this insanely wonderful news, i feel it's time to write an update so that everyone i know and love can be fully informed of the details of my engagement to the wonderful mr. ryan roberts. he is the man of my dreams. the most wonderful blessing the Lord could have given me. he makes me better, just like it says in Ephesians 5:25-27. he sacrifices for me in such a way that it makes me feel loved and cherished, which in turn makes me thrive in this life. his sacrifices are sincere and God has made him to love me. he challenges me to know the Lord more...in word and in deed. what a joy to know this is the man God created for me!
so, the master plan took effect about three weeks ago when ryan reese called and invited me and ryan to charleston to have dinner with him and anna. this phone call actually took place at the request of ryan roberts...in effort to get me to charleston...without my being "suspicious". this i did not know until much later when all the truth was revealed!! so we enjoyed a wonderful evening with the reeses. that night we went to bed with plans to wake up slowly and enjoy a day in charleston. and then about 5:30 saturday morning i received my wake up call: "come on jenn, let's go have some quiet time". so we get ourselves together and head towards the beach. with time to spare we listened to worship songs in the car and waited on the perfect time to step out and see the sun rise. we stood in front of God's creation and were in awe of what was before us. while we watched, we listened to a favorite worship song of ours that reminds us of God's greatness, yet how intimately he loves each of us. with that, we took a seat in the sand and continued to marvel at the goodness and greatness of the Lord. some time later, ryan pulled out a bible with my new name on it and handed it to me, asking me, "what is your favorite verse of all time". without hesitation i said lamentations 3:22-23, "the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness". ryan then said, ok well open it...let's read it. and the bible quickly fell to that very passage (a very intentional move on ryan's part...knowing what verse i would choose...and wanting to use that in this story is so sweet to my heart!). it was bookmarked and as i absorbed this part, ryan was moving towards one knee to tell me of his love for me, his desire to serve me and love me forever, and his wishes to have me be his wife. saying will you marry me, of course i said yes, and then he said "well let's try it on". having NO clue that the ring he picked for me was tied on the bookmark of the bible, sitting right there on top of my favorite verse of all time. such a sweet surprise. so he put it on my finger and we read the passage together. it was such a sweet time together.
after enjoying the moment for several minutes, ryan looks over his shoulder and makes a motion. i look back and see my roommate nicole and other dear friend elizabeth ann HIDING in the sand dunes. they had been there the whole time taking pictures and waiting to come out and congratulate us! so they ran out with camera in one hand and gifts in the other. we celebrated together, took pictures, and laughed at all the scheming that had taken place behind my back or the last several weeks. i was totally clueless to it all...which makes it such a fun surprise that i will always cherish.
after a fun breakfast, rehashing all the details together, we made plans to "break" to shower and then come back together for lunch. we went back to the reeses, celebrated with them, made phone calls to some people and planned to head out towards lunch about 11ish. when we got in the car and headed towards what i thought was "east bay deli"...and then we pulled into the parking lot of california dreaming i was asking all sorts of questions. typical jenn not having a clue of what's going on. but we pull up, get out, walk inside...and as i'm walking towards the table i see my parents...AND ryan's parents...sitting at a big table waiting for our arrival! it was the biggest surprise ever and super sweet knowing that ryan wanted all the families to be involved and included. we enjoyed lunch together a sweet time to meet families and share our morning with everyone. it was a morning to remember for sure!!
that's the sum of it. but i was surprised around every corner. and it was the greatest day of feeling such in the center of God's will, knowing with every fiber of my being that the Lord prepared this special someone just for me...and as He saw fit...he allowed us to meet...and then share in such a sweet day together on march 6, 2010. we have been praying about a summer wedding and will know very soon about that plan. when details are finalized you will know everything, but for now pray with us. pray that the Lord's day for us will be revealed. that He will continue to remain in the center. and that we will continue to know one another more...love one another better...and seek to glorify the Lord in all aspects of our relationship. first in dating. now in engagement. eventually in marriage. we are praying and asking and expecting big things. God made beauty from ashes. He restored broken things. He renewed hearts and minds. we are humbled at His faithfulness. and we know...because we have trusted AND tasted...that "His steadfast love endures forever; His mercies never cease; they are new every morning; He is so faithful".
(lamentations 3:22-23)
thanks for sharing in our joy. we are humbled and grateful.
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