This past Saturday, my husband and I were excited to celebrate with our oldest son, Jordan, as he married his sweetheart, Sarah at beautiful Sorella Farm in Evington, Virginia. They had planned to have an outdoor ceremony followed by a grand reception in the nearby, decked-out barn.

We knew that storms were a possibility on that day and I had many friends praying for clear skies for at least the ceremony time. But clouds began to gather as the time drew close. We attempted to begin the procession and got all the way up to just before the bride was to emerge, when the raindrops started to fall.

So the guests quickly herded to the barn that was across the meadow—dodging raindrops the whole way. The wedding party/family debated whether to wait on the storm to blow through or to join the wet guests in the barn (as we stayed dry in the Amish built farmhouse that was also on the property). Finally a decision was made to move it all to the barn.

As the ceremony restarted over at the barn, the storm really whipped up and the rain pounded on that noisy tin roof. It was hard to hear all that was being said, but the spirit of the Lord was clearly there—just like the mighty winds that were blowing all around us! Most notably, both Jordan and Sarah’s love for the Lord were the hallmarks of the prayers prayed, the message shared and the vows taken.

As a woman who’s been married for as long as I have (28 years!), I couldn’t help but think this storm was a metaphor for most of what we experience in marriage and life. We will face many storms from the moment we take our vows to the day we take our last breath on this fallen earth. We cannot escape these harsh realities. But we also have a shelter from the storm—very much like the barn, but a whole lot sturdier—that is our Lord!

I’m so grateful that Jordan and Sarah make the Lord their shelter! And I hope you and your spouse do too!

Here are some photos from the wedding. I hope you all enjoy them! (And yes, I am not in any of them because I’m waiting on the professional photos to share the ones taken of me and Gary.) 😉

What kinds of “storms” or difficulties happened on your wedding day?

What advice would you offer to Jordan and Sarah as they begin their lives and ministries together?

I am on vacation this week and will not be responding to comments or blog hopping. My mind needs to be on my family at this special time in our lives. Thanks for your understanding and I’ll be back next week!

Joining with my friends at Giving Up on Perfect, Wifey Wednesday, A Little R & R Wednesdays, Mondays @ Soul Survival, Coffee and Conversation, Cozy Reading List, So Much at Home and Wholehearted Wednesday.

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