Wednesday, February 2, 2011

God Ordained...

November 20th was the SECOND biggest day of my life (the FIRST day being when I accepted CHRIST as my Savior).  That day was so full of joy, emotions, laughs, tears, friends, family - but most importantly, JESUS!  So often I think how much I would love to re-live that day all over again and thanks to Bianca & Seth Palmer (the most amazing husband/wife photographer/videographer team) - Rance and I were able to be a guest at our own wedding & re-live it while watching this FUSION video they created...

http://vimeo.com/19281817


When I watched this video, I was flooded with emotions that God chose me, Jennifer, to be the one that got to marry Rance Haven Shuler.  Now, this is not the goo goo gah gah email where I'm trying to make all you people out there throw up over our sweet little romance.  This is different so don't stop reading just yet.  You see, I knew there was something very, very different about Rance from the very beginning.  Keep in mind, I'm not talking about different as in 'omg he's the one.'  I'm meaning another kind of different

On July 10, 2009, on the island of Trinidad (many, many miles away from NC) - I met Rance.   This day was just any ordinary day but for those of you who know Rance, he is far from ordinary...he's different.  That day, I was completely blown away by this country boy from North Carolina and it was not because of how incredibly adorable he was or his sweet country accent - it was ONE thing & ONE thing only.  I had never met anyone (and still haven't) that was so genuine, so BOLD, so excited, so full of joy, so sincere, so loud (yes LOUD!) and so passionate about ONE thing...and that's JESUS CHRIST.  Never in all my years.  He was not afraid to let anyone and everyone know how in love he was with Our Heavenly Father.  He had a passion for the gospel that left me speechless...and I learned that by being around him only a few hours that Friday night in Trinidad.  (For those of you who know him I'm positive would all agree you don't have to be around him more than 5 minutes before you know his most important passion...Jesus). 

When I left that small little island of Trinidad the next day, Rance's boldness and love for Jesus stuck with me.  I never thought I would ever talk to that Jesus lovin' country boy from Robbinsville, NC again (and DEFINITELY did not think I would later marry him) but I can assure you - Jesus used Rance (my husband) to answer something I had been praying about a long time.  Let's just say (without going into extensive detail), I knew that that was the kind of fire & love for Jesus that I desired in my husband (but often thought didn't exist...Lord forgive me).  God used Rance to show me what I was waiting for and would continue waiting for...!  No, I didn't go home dreaming about Rance, it had nothing to do with him, but everything to do with his love for the Lord.  In fact, I was never that girl constantly dreaming of getting married & my wedding day...in fact the "M" word always freaked me out (ask any of my friends).  I always knew the guy I finally said 'yes' too would have to be...well...different and the kind of different I had not met yet...until God showed me in Trinidad that the husband He describes in the Bible (yes that Ephesians 5 & 1 Peter 3:7 husband) does exist.  I knew I had rather remain single forever than sacrifice the most important quality I looked for in my husband...his love for JC.

I had no idea what the next year and a half held for me when I returned from Trinidad, but I can assure you, God knew (and it was nothing like I envisioned)!  Sometime I will write about the amazing journey that took place and the many answered prayers...small & big...from July 9, 2009 until the BIG DAY but for now, I got something else to talk about...

You see, as believers most of us love the Lord...but do we PROCLAIM it everywhere we go?  Rance does.  He is a living testimony for Jesus.  He is known for his love for the Lord!  He isn't ashamed, scared, shy - none of the above?  Why?  He desires for the whole world to hear the best news on this earth and he doesn't just talk about it, he lives it.  Rance is going to love on everyone he comes into contact with and share the gospel with the guy at the gas station, the student in his classroom, the lady at the grocery store, and whoever else he runs into in a days time.  You will not walk away from Rance Haven Shuler without hearing him say "I'M BLESSED" and "JESUS."  It doesn't matter if it's the first time he's meeting you or the 70th time.  Like I said earlier, I knew from the first time I met him he was different - and still to this day - he's only surprised me more with His genuine love for the Lord & others too.  In fact, he is the closest person I have ever met on this earth to being the disciple for Jesus Christ we are called to be.  I'm not boasting over my husband, I can assure you of that (he is human and he has faults just like we all do).  However, I've never been so convicted in all my life about my own walk with the Lord until I got to know Rance.  He showed me a kingdom-focused heart.  A heart that regarded others more important than himself.  He is never in too big of a hurry to give God the glory in every situation (like the GOOD SAMARITAN).  He will be late to church or to work if it means he has an opportunity to love on someone the way Jesus would or share the good news of Jesus Christ so ONE more soul can have eternal life.  He would sacrifice anything to share Christ (like his job).  He desires every person to know Him.  Rance knows his eternal home is in heaven but he wants to know that every man, woman, boy and girl he comes into contact with will be there too.


I'm thankful I have someone in my life that daily sharpens who I am in Christ even when it hurts (thank you Rance).  I want to live my life in a way that always glorifies my Father in heaven so that one day when I meet Jesus face to face - He will look at me and say 'Well done thy good & faithful servant.'  What do you say?  Are we in this together? 

James 1:22 (Amplified)
But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth].

1 comment:

  1. AMEN!!! I LOVE both of you to pieces and am SO BLESSED to have you {and now Rance} in my life!! :)

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