Barbara's Wedding

The Setting

It was like a dream.  As I stood in the foyer of the rented hall, waiting to usher my daughter Barbara up to the altar to be married, I thought of the twenty-five years that had preceded this joyous event.  It was a miracle, many miracles.

From the time of her birth, Barbara had been a precocious child.  She was reading the King James Bible at an early age.  Constantly reading throughout her youth, Barbara's interests blossomed into computers, music and art.  Her college years were outstanding, and led to a fine position designing catalog screens for Videotext Systems, Inc.  As more people use the telecomputer to select and buy goods, and read books and magazines, Barbara's talents will be increasingly utilized.  I admire her God-given abilities.

Dave Smith, Barbara's fiancée, is a real man.  In one sense, he is very different from Barbara.  In a technological age, Dave's skills are strictly not high tech.  He is a craftsman, an artisan, making gifts and useful articles out of wood, leather, glass, and ceramics.  With his hands he designs and builds lasting, practical items.  He is a quiet, mature, and confident young man, and a man of real faith in the Eternal.

How did all of this come to be?  How did my daughter Barbara come to repentance and baptism?  How did she meet and decide to marry a wonderful man who shares our religious faith?  If there were only two hopes for each of our children, it would be that they would be baptized and marry a fellow believer. How and why am I so abundantly blessed in the fulfillment of these goals?

It wasn't easy.  It was the Almighty's doings, in spite of our mistakes and shortcomings as parents.

Barbara's grandparents did not dream of what we had to go through raising our children.  How true it is that "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived," II Timothy 3:13.  When I went to secondary school way back in the early 1960s, drug usage, homosexuality and bestiality were unheard of.  Premarital pregnancies were rare and a cause for great shame for the families involved.  How rapidly and how far man has degenerated since then!

How did we protect our daughter from falling into the broadening cesspool of immorality?  First, we openly expressed and showed her a great deal of love and affection.  Yes, there was discipline, at times strict and severe, when she had done something very bad.  But the dominant feeling we expressed to her was that we love and care for her, and that life is not a free ride, she is expected to do her share of the work.

Family Bible Studies, earnest Family Prayer before bed, with everyone participating: these have been some of the religious tools that have helped us stay together as a family, and aided Barbara to stay with our faith.  I don't preach at my children, but I am constantly talking about issues, why certain things are right, and why others are wrong.  Shirley has a remarkable motherly ability to balance what I say with tenderness and common sense, lest I stray off base.  It works both ways.  I often have to calm Shirley's Scotch-Irish temper over some issue.

Dating was a problem we knew we would face as Barbara and the other children grew up.  We dreaded the teen years as they approached.  Dating leads to marriage.  Unfortunately, in today's evil society, dating often leads also to fornication, drunkenness and drug use.

There were two things that we stressed with Barbara: (1) As a child of Bible-believing parents, she is uniquely "sanctified" by the Creator as "holy," I Corinthians 7:14.  This means that she is set apart for God's calling to be used by Him.  She is, as the prophet Malachi says, to be "a godly seed," Malachi 2:15. She is a princess, born to be a ruler, Revelation 2:26, 5:10;  (2) As such, at the right time as God directs, she would be baptized and receive God's Holy Spirit. And from then, she was to grow spiritually and overcome, never falling away from the truth.  As a temple of the Holy Spirit, Barbara's body was to be joined to God, not to fornicators, I Corinthians 6:15-20.  Barbara was told from the Bible that she was not to marry outside her religion and race, I Corinthians 7:39. As long as she was in our home, she would not be permitted to seriously date anyone outside the faith.

How did this idea work in practical terms?  There were few young people of our faith for her to meet, let alone marry.  As other school friends grew up, Barbara was often left out of the social functions of her classmates.  She didn't always accept this imposed isolation very well. At times, she rebelled.  Once I thought I had totally lost control of her.  But with the Maker's help, the flow of love was again restored.  Sometimes we had to bend just a little, because overstrictness can be counterproductive.

But we held our ground.  Drugs, drunkenness, weird music, intimate teen dating were O-U-T.  A male friend of Barbara's was welcome to join our family in a picnic, a swim at the lake, a hike, or a trip.  If the fun things we did as a family weren't fun to him, then he had better stay away from our daughter.

Then it was time for the bird to leave the nest.  Her college years were years of concern to us.  I had seen my oldest sister go off to a university and be changed into a total atheist.  I have heard ministers of my former affiliation lament that when they sent their children off to their church's college, the children were ruined religiously.  Would our training and exhortations stick with her? It was too late now to bend the twig.  The only thing to do was keep the door of communication open as much as possible, and earnestly pray.

Look at what the Heavenly Father did!  Barbara had to face many issues on her own. At a summer job at a recreational area, Barbara had a traumatic, dangerous experience.  This triggered something in her.  She phoned home and cried, "Daddy, I want to be baptized.  I'm not worth anything.  I need God's help." No music could match the beauty of a repentant sinner's confession.

Barbara graduated from college and got a good job.  "I guess I'll have to remain single for the rest of my life," she said, unable to find someone of our faith to love and marry.  "Don't second-guess God," I told her.  "He's picked out someone for you that you don't even know.  Wait for the fruit to ripen."  Easy to say, but hard to do for a young vigorous person like Barbara.  Would she wait patiently on the LORD?  Or would she jump into the wrong marriage and suffer from the mistake the rest of her life?

On a trip to the Tennessee Smoky Mountains, Barbara was very interested in the craft shops.  A young craftsman at one of those shops noticed her, and asked her to go to lunch with him.  They began talking and quickly discovered they had many ideas in common.  Dave had never been part of organized religion.  He said most preachers are in it for the money and didn't follow what the Bible says, but told the people what they wanted to hear.  "You sound like Dad," laughed Barbara.

Dave and Barbara wrote and saw each other quite a bit after that first meeting. They came by for a visit one weekend.  Dave and I hit it off well from the start. He reminded me of Almanzo Wilder.  "What's this religion of yours?" Dave asked me.  "It's not mine," I smiled, "It's God's and what He tells us in the Bible." "What about the Sabbath and the Holy Days?  Can you prove by the Bible that we are to keep them?" Dave queried.  "I see you have been talking to Barbara. If I did prove it to you from the Bible, would you keep them?" I challenged him. "Well, I suppose so," Dave hesitated.

I silently prayed for help, sat down with Dave and opened the Bible.  When we finished many hours later, we had covered much more ground than just the Fourth Commandment.  There had been vigorous give and take discussion.  The questions he asked!  I have never heard such difficult questions.  Dave is a thinker!  As we concluded, I said, "I know that this is a lot to drop on you at one sitting, Dave, but you are obviously searching.  Think about it.  Don't act on anything unless you are sure it is right."  Dave learned fast.  He taught me as much as I taught him.  It was really the Heavenly Father who was calling him and teaching him. Shortly after this episode, Dave was baptized.  Later, he asked Barbara to marry him.  She said yes.  We were thrilled.

Miracle of miracles, here I was in my tuxedo waiting for Barbara to take her to be married to Dave.  I could hear the music from inside the hall.  Barbara's sisters Rachel and Amanda were singing a familiar song:

Always Be True

Always be true, always be true, Be true to the one whom you're married to. Love her like no other in all that you do. Love her forever and always be true.

Always be true, always be true, Be true to the one whom you're married to. Love him like no other in all that you do. Love him forever and always be true.

If you're faithful in this, you are faithful to God . . . . Always remember how He has loved you, Love one another and always be true.

It was all like a dream.

The Ceremony

And there she was!  In a gorgeous white dress she made herself was Barbara with a radiant smile.  She walked up to me and gave me a hug.  "Save it for Dave," I teased.  Barbara giggled, "Oh, Daddy!" and gripped my arm firmly as we began walking up the aisle slowly and stately to the old familiar tune.

We saw Dave standing up front with his best man and friends on one side, and Barbara's sisters and other bridesmaids on the other side.  I was the happiest man in the world.

In planning for the wedding, we considered asking an ordained minister we know and respect to conduct the ceremony.  In the end, Barbara and Dave asked me to do it.  After all, it is not the minister or the State who "ties the knot" but the Creator is the one who binds couples together for life.  Some folks point to the fact that there are no marriage ceremonies recorded in the Bible and claim that such ceremonies are "pagan."  Birth, baptism, marriage and death are the greatest events in our short time on this earth.  What is wrong with reading the Bible and asking the Creator to bind a couple in marriage?

To comply with the laws of the State, Dave and Barbara obtained a valid marriage license a few days before the ceremony, by appearing before the local Justice of the Peace.  On the night before the "real" ceremony, I discussed with Dave the right sexual aspects and responsibilities of marriage, and Shirley had a similar talk with Barbara.

In most old-fashioned wedding ceremonies, the couple as well as the audience face the minister.  In some cases, he mentions his "authority" to bind them in marriage, as God's representative.  While true ministers are His servants, they certainly do not stand in His place.  They cannot bind what He does not bind.  I wanted a different public impression.  This was to be a family celebration of joy with a father's exhortation.  Consequently, when we arrived at the front, I gave Barbara's arm to Dave and I faced them sideways.  My exhortation was to them, and the audience as well.  With the Eternal's help, what I would say would assist them in comprehending the awesome significance of the lifelong commitment and covenant into which they were about to enter.

"There can be no more joyous ceremony than this we now enter," I began. "Marriage is a natural union, but a divine institution, ordained of God.

"It was established, not by man, but by the Eternal GOD at creation and derives its authority, not from civil codes of man, but from the divine laws of God, immutable, unchangeable, from creation.

"Therefore it is fitting that we should consider the LAWS of God governing this union, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures."

I read the following Bible verses:

Proverbs 1:7-9 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.  My son (and my daughter), hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:  For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

Proverbs 3:1-6  My son (and my daughter), forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:  For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:  So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.  Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 4:1-7  Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.  For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law . . . keep my commandments, and live.  Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.  Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Proverbs 5:1-5, 15-20  My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:  That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.  For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:  But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.  Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell . . .  Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.  Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.  Let them be only thine own, and not strangers with thee.  Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.  Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

Proverbs 6:23-27, 32  For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:  To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.  Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.  For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.  Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? . . . But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

Proverbs 18:22  Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.

Proverbs 19:14  . . . a prudent wife is from the Lord.

Proverbs 21:9, 19  It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house. . . . It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

Proverbs 31:10-31  Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.  The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.  She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.  She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.  She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.  She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.  She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.  She  girdeth her loins with strength,  and strengtheneth her arms.  She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.  She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.  She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.  She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.  She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.  Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.  She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.  She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.  Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.  Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Genesis 1:1, 26-28, 31  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth . . .  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness . . . . So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth . . . .  And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.

Genesis 2:18, 21-24  And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him . . . .  And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;  And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.  And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Matthew 19:1, 3-9  And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, . . .  The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?   And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,  And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.  They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?  He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

"Thus it is revealed that it is GOD," I continued, "not man or the laws of man, who joins together husband and wife as one flesh, and what GOD has so united and bound for life man is commanded on that authority which transcends and supercedes all authority, not to separate or marry to another; and any lesser codes of man granting such separation or remarriage are in defiance of, and rendered null and void by the higher Laws of Almighty God the Creator!  This marriage, therefore, by authority of the Supreme Court of Heaven, is inexorably binding until broken by death.

"Let us now notice God's instruction regarding the marriage state:"  Romans 7:1-3  Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?  For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.  So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

I Corinthians 7:2-4, 10-11, 39  . . . to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.  Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.  The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife . . . .  And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:  But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife . . . .  The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

Ephesians 5:22-33  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and He is the saviour of the body.  Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it;  That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,  That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church:  For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.  Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Titus 2:4-8  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.  Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.  In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works:  in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,  Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

I Peter 3:1-9  Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;  While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.  Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;  But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.  For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:  Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.  Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.  Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:  Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Hebrews 13:4  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Revelation 21:7-8  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whore-mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Revelation 22:14-15  Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Exodus 19:5-6, 8  Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: . . .  And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation . . . .  And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.

Now it was time for the finale. I smiled at the fine young couple. "Will you this day make a covenant with the LORD in Heaven to love and honor one another as man and wife for the rest of your natural lives?"

"We will," they answered.

"Then if you will be faithful to your marriage covenant, no matter what, and observe all God's commandments, I pray that you will enjoy these blessings (Deuteronomy 28, Leviticus 26):  You will be blessed wherever you live. You will be blessed with children who will give you happiness and joy.  You will prosper and eat good things.  You will be respected leaders and examples for others to follow, a holy people unto the Eternal, instruments in His service.  You will enter into the joys of His Kingdom.

"But on the other hand, if you break your marriage covenant and God's laws, and commit adultery, I pray that you will be cursed seven times more for your sins, until you repent and get back to God, and stop being unfaithful to each other.  May you be cursed wherever you go.  May you be cursed with rebellious children that cause you grief like you are causing your Heavenly Father grief.  May you be cursed with famine, disease and pestilence.  May you be cursed in the sight of all men, a byword wherever you go.  May you be cursed to serve cruel taskmasters, and see the fruits of your labors destroyed, so that your life will be wretched to you.

"In all these cursings brought upon you if you have been unfaithful to each other and to God, if you repent and change, come back to each other and your Heavenly Father, then I pray that He will accept your honest contrite hearts and restore your blessings and repair the damage.

"Why take the wrong course?  Stay on the right path  of faithfulness to each other and the Almighty. You see, God has set before you this day on the one hand, life and good blessings, and on the other hand death and evil cursings. He says, "I call Heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live," Deuteronomy 30:15, 19.

"Since marriage is a divine institution, and we are asking God to join you as husband and wife, it is fitting and right that each of you should faithfully promise before God to accept the sacred marriage covenant according to the divinely ordained conditions imposed by Almighty God.

"Do you, then, Dave, faithfully promise and covenant with God, in the presence of these witnesses, to take Barbara Rose Nickels to be your lawfully wedded wife, and to cleave to her unto death -- to love her, cherish her, honor her, and provide for her, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, from this day forth, as long as you both shall live?"

"Yes, I do."

"And do you, Barbara, faithfully promise and covenant with God, in the presence of these witnesses, to take David Albert Smith to be your lawfully wedded husband, for the remainder of your natural life, and, as God has ordained, to submit yourself unto him as unto the Eternal, to be subject to him in everything and to reverence him, (that is deeply respect him) and to cleave to him unto death -- to love him, cherish him, honor him, obey him, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, from this day forth, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Inasmuch as the Scriptural example in all cases of ordination, or setting apart, is by the laying on of hands, I now join your right hands, and by the laying on of my hands, ask the Eternal GOD to unite you as husband and wife.  Let us kneel."

I gave a brief prayer asking God to bind them together, and then asked them to rise.

"And now, as you come together in a one-flesh union, you are bound together by the Creator for life as husband and wife.  Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Dave Smith!"

Dave embraced and kissed Barbara.  With joyous music, they hurried down the aisle to the reception room.  I joined Shirley as we and the audience happily followed them.

It was all like a happy dream.

How to Make it Happen

It is a dream.

Barbara's wedding has not yet happened. Barbara is not 25 years old. She is only 10.  It is not the year 2000 A.D.  As I write this, it is 1985.

If time goes on and the Messiah does not return until then, the years will fly by and a wedding like the one of which I dream for Barbara could happen.  In spite of a sin-sick evil world continually becoming more and more perverted, the series of miracles leading to Barbara's wedding can take place.

It is a miracle for God to call and convert the children of believers, just as it was for their parents.  It is a miracle for the Creator to choose another converted believer for a Christian's mate, and to bring them together in a loving marriage relationship.

The purpose of this article of exhortation has been to give encouragement to young people.  The joys of following the Eternal and being married to a believer are the zenith of human experience.  Sometimes, our young people get very discouraged. "God is never going to bless me with the right mate. I want to be married NOW!" some youth are saying.  And all too many "jump in bed" with someone because they cannot wait for the Creator to act.  And they usually reap bitter consequences. I am sure 15 years seems like eternity for a teenager.  But to God and their parents, the years go by very rapidly.

How can we make miracles happen?  We can't.  We have to wait patiently on the LORD, trust in Him totally.  Youth may become discouraged, parents may preach to their sons and daughters, but all this does not result in the miracles of conversion and a marvelous marriage to a believer.

Listen, everyone.  Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these blessings, a happy prosperous life and marriage, will be added unto you.  Your covenant with God is forever.  Once you have started down the aisle, there is no turning back.  Dreams can come true, miracles can happen, if you obey and are faithful.

Revelation 19:7-9  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints . . . .  Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.

— written by Richard C. Nickels