“Will you be my wife?”

Not “will you marry me,” but “will you be my wife?”

It’s a long and detailed story to explain how we got to this point. Acquaintances as freshmen in college, to fiancés 5 years later.

In the end, our story is not really about us, but about a God who has proved to be faithful to us when we are unfaithful to him, “for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).

Our relationship has taught me more about the radical grace of Jesus than anything else in my entire life. When I questioned God’s timing and desires for us, we never once felt like marriage wasn’t for us.

We just felt God saying, “not yet.”

Now?

“Not yet.”

Aren’t we ready now??

“Not yet.”

Saturday was more than an answer to a question, it was a beautiful celebration of affirmation in the Lord’s timing for this decision. I have never felt more joy than saying yes to my future husband, and saying yes to trusting the Lord as he guides us along through life.

And in the most beautiful way, He wanted all the people we grew alongside at JMU to celebrate in that too.

I am so thankful to trust in Jesus “who is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:18).

I am thankful that, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)”

So here’s the story in short:

1) Meeting Emmy in Georgetown

2) We’re walking along the canal

3) Shadi comes up a flight of stairs and asks if I can walk down to the water with him

4) He asks me to be his wife

5) I said YES!

6) Turn around and Lindsay’s taking pictures??

7) We get in the car to “go eat dinner with Emmy and Ryan”

8) Open the door to his house to see 50 friends.

Thankful.

(PS- THANK YOU LINDSAY FOR THESE SNEAKY PHOTOS 🙂 )

The most sneaky Maid of Honor ever…

And in case you wanted to see the ring 😉