I had the privilege of attending the beautiful wedding this weekend of one of “my kids.” Samantha started attending my PowerClub here in Bismarck when she was just twelve years old. Her dream was to be a praise and worship leader. So we let her try her wings in PowerClub. As she developed musically, she occasionally traveled with me and she led worship at many of my annual kids/family conferences.
At college, her potential mate found her, and their godly, storybook romance was the thing Hallmark movies are made of. There were so many touching moments in their uniquely planned wedding, such as when the groom surprised the bride on stage after saying their vows by washing her feet in front of the wedding guests.
But for me personally, my favorite moment was when the pastor spoke to the father of the bride as he was giving her away. The pastor said, “Bill, Samantha has something she wants to give you. It’s the purity ring you gave her when she turned 13 years old when she vowed to keep herself sexually pure until her wedding day. She wants you to know she kept her promise.”
It is so encouraging to know that it is still possible in this day and age for a young man and woman to be in love and not succumb to the pressures of the culture around them when the society mocks purity as completely outdated and does everything it can to undermine any chance at remaining pure. Few even expect young people to enter a marriage sexually pure any more, it seems.
But is this not the picture we are told that Christ anticipates with “His Bride,” the Church, in Ephesians when it says, “Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, to make her holy, cleansing her in the washing of water by the word. He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:27)
One of the major reasons there is such an attack against purity in our lives today is because the marriage of a man and a woman is the mysterious picture of Christ and His bride. It is Satan’s attempt to mock and marginalize Jesus’ great culmination of His plan for mankind at the end of the age when we will be one with Him. Someday there will be a wedding of all weddings!
Bill and Gina, congratulations on a job well done in raising a beautiful, godly daughter.
Samantha and Blaze, congratulations on doing it right. I’m so happy for you. May your joys know no end.
And, Sam, I’m so proud of you in many ways. What a legacy you have to pass on to your children.
Kids in Ministry International
PO Box 549 * 111 Collins Avenue
Mandan, ND 58554
701-258-6786
Email: kidsinministry@yahoo.com
