Thank God for Another Day

Please be careful and take your time on the roads, folks. I ran an important errand just for 15 minutes and saw a truck make 3 whole 360s on the highway and miraculously stopped in the right direction and continued driving. My heart was pounding just from being so close, and I praised God that the few cars behind it were able to dodge it safely. On my way back home, however, an accident just happened, and the car was facing opposite the traffic on the highway, and traffic was already backed up many exits down... and here I am, not stuck in traffic, safe at home. Thank God for another day.

Jehovah Jireh

We are closing on our house next week! Thank you Lord for such a huge blessing. You always, ALWAYS provide! 

I'm very thankful for a family who have always loved me -- even if I didn't always agree with how they loved me. I always thought their love would die out, but it was only because we didn't see love on the same terms. That's why it's so important for families to make sure everyone is on the same page and defines love the way God defines it.

... An must be very happy to be marrying Mommy's & Daddy's little girl. ;)

RE-fixing Our Eyes on Him

ONLY God can bring weddings together and KEEP them together, amen my brides and brides-to-be? I love witnessing God do His work in all these women's lives, including my own.

Right now, An and I are trying to take steps on our own to ensure God remains first, and not each other nor our plans. Our career paths seem to be at a standstill, and we're expecting more. But we know we have to do OUR part first. We've decided to put most of the planning aside until mid-December, when I finish this semester of school. I'll be focusing on just God and his career plan for me, and An will be doing the same. Even though God has us both on parallel paths, they're still areas that we both need to assess INDIVIDUALLY and in our singleness. We have three and a half months until our lives are changed and united forever! God, use us to the max now, and may You be glorified forever!

Order

God has been teaching us so much through this process. It's going to be more than just a wedding. We're both First generations, so we've got a lot of work in Lord to do. We learned today that we can't forget to follow order - first God, then family, then friends. There are going to be tiny sacrifices here and there to make, but when we look at the potential glory in the end, it's totally worth it. After all, we're dealing with lives here! Thank You for walking us through this, Lord.

On a side note, happy 8 months of courtship to us! Yes! Only 8 months, but it feels like we've known each other for 8 years! Now that's what I call a "productive" courtship! :)

THE Dress

It's one of the best feelings in the whole wedding planning process -- when the bride FINALLY finds THE DRESS!!

I think I share the same common feelings as most brides who've endured this process. After trying on dress after dress, there was always some kind of "ehh" or "but..." I consider myself fairly easy to please, and since I have a knack for simplicity and elegance, I thought my search would be rather easy. Well, the problem there was that I knew EXACTLY how simple and EXACTLY how elegant I wanted my dress to be, and turns out, knowing exactly what you want tends to make it a tad bit harder in a sense!

After ALMOST settling for a dress and realizing how much time was counting down, I asked God again to show me THE dress. Although every dress I tried on that I THOUGHT I liked ended up letting me down, I never lost hope. I KNEW that if God orchestrated this chapter of my life, He most certainly included all the little details as well... So I STOPPED looking.

Ehh, I was so busy with school anyways, so it wasn't THAT much of a sacrifice, but I made sure that I completely shunned away every hint of worry in heart, and trusted God with the situation.

Sure enough, without notice, opportunity came. I stumbled across it unexpectedly on the exact website I ended up ordering it from. It was absolutely gorgeous ONLINE (just like every other dress I tried on), but something inside me urged me to make an appointment as soon as possible to try it on. I got the appointment on Sunday and invited my future sister-in-law with me this time. As I stepped into the showroom dress that was 3 - 4 sizes larger, I was ALREADY FLOORED by how PERFECT it looked on me! The best part was that my consultant didn't even get to clip it against my body yet! So you can just imagine how even more amazed I was when it was actually fitted... I thanked God right then and there. Of course, my future sister-in-law was amazed as she saw me walk out. Though our tastes are nearly opposite, she KNEW that was MY dress. It was definitely "me" -- every last detail on it. There were no "umms" or "buts" about it!

Oh, and the icing on my cake was getting the dress for LESS than 50% of its original price (Edit: Sorry, my math is bad!). :) Like I always say... ABUNDANTLY blessed! PTL!

Turning a New Leaf...

-- in our wedding theme, that is! ;)

There's a potential major change of plans, and we're excited! While working/sharing with some of my sisters yesterday, I was able to get some planning advice as far as putting together colors and determining a central theme. It wasn't long before it dawned on me that my fiance was all about being modern. Not just modern with a twist of this and that, but STRAIGHT UP modern! As he knows very well, I'm a very adaptable woman, and in this case, I can adapt to any theme, just as long as everything flows together and there's no clashing or colors or outfits! Well, after going home and "discussing" (I put that in quotes for a reason, haha) more about our theme, we ran into more and more obstacles that set us two steps back in our plans each time...

We didn't have much time to talk things over due to our overwhelmingly busy schedules, but we discussed the topic enough to the point where we knew rest would be the best thing for us at the moment, and perhaps God will reveal more of what He has in mind for us in the morning.

Sure enough, this evening, I got a phone call from the fiance with a mouthful of crazy ideas! Crazy... yet amazing ideas, in my opinion! He always envisioned his wedding to be very specific -- Let me stop here... Yes, I know it's "kind of" out of this world for a man to even have that 7-letter word in his head -- but actually imagining it is hilarious. I really hope I'm not distorting his words, but regardless, he just went 10 notches ABOVE #1 man in MY book (and that's all that counts, right?)! Anyways, he had some details already envisioned, but all this time, I never knew about it because we thought our options were very limited. I guess when it comes to the work of God, we can't put Him in a box, right? :)

We're still trying to get the details finalized, so we won't make any announcements until then. Despite our differing tastes and opinions, we've learned so many new and interesting things about each other, and we've found a way to express the best of both of us... Praise God! Thank you to all my sisters for all the fun times we had yesterday chit-chatting about this! ;)

Two Colors, One Team

So I wanted an antique and neutral theme, and he wanted a modern and classy theme. Many would would think I would be the one to opt for the bright colors and he would opt for the neutrals, right? Well, let's just say we're loving the little surprises that we're discovering throughout this wedding planning process!

He spotted the "perfect color" while shopping for suits for his Best Man's wedding (yeah, I know, right?! Double blessings!) that is just about a month before ours. They were in the form of dress shirts, and the moment he saw them, he knew that the color would bring the best out of his men... weird, but thoughtful, right? Haha. I never knew men could even look at things in that manner!

Finally, after many failed attempts of trying to describe the color to me, he took me to the store to take a look for myself. An was always a black & white kind of guy, so to find a LIGHT TURQUOISE as his choice of color was a bit of a shock to me -- a PLEASANT shock, of course! It was beautiful. And coming from me, that's saying a lot because I'm definitely not a blue kind of girl. It had this free-spirited feeling about it, kind of like our relationship. He asked if I accepted, and I said yes... again. :)

Like I said, I'm not a blue kind of girl, and as beautiful as this light turquoise was, I didn't want to dress my bridesmaids in it. So I've decided to search for silver/grey dresses for them. And as a finishing touch, our bouquets will have some sort of light yellow flowers to complement the blues. PERFECT! (At least that's how I'm envisioning it!)

I'm very pleased with our progress... it's coming together so naturally. Now I can sort out my dress choices and pick out the one most suitable for our color theme. :) So thank you, Lord, for this experience. Thank you, Lord, for this man. And thank you, Lord, for this season where you are most present!

Our WEDsite!

Knowing myself, making our "wedsite" would be one of the first things I'd jump on! Well here it is, folks! Entering this new season of my life, my next few blogs will probably wedding-planning-related, so I hope you'll enjoy sharing this experience with me. After that, I'm sure I'll have MUCH to share as a newlywed, so I will continue to give God the glory through this blog.

Actually, who knows what ministry God will call me to in the future? I just thank Him for creating me with this passion and providing outlets for my writing.

So if you're interested or just curious, you are more than welcome to tag along with us on this new journey... who knows what life-saving lessons and glorious blessings we'll run into!

Our WEDsite!

Engaged

For His anger is but for a moment,

His favor is for life; 

Weeping may endure for a night, 

But joy comes in the morning.

- Psalm 30:5

It has been over a week since I have officially gone from being a girlfriend to a fiancée... and yet I still find myself still absorbing the fact and floating on Cloud 9! But that's not even the best part...

The most ironic thing about this is that we knew all along that this day would come. We met a year ago in August and started courting six months ago in March. To the world, this may be "fast," but if it's on God's terms, then it's PERFECT. We entered into our relationship clear on our intentions and purpose, and with intense prayer. Our primary confidant for the relationship was God, and slowly, with time, our parents, spiritual parents, pastors, and accountability partners became sources of guidance throughout our relationship. Also, in my singleness with God, He allowed me to become aware and confident of my identity in Christ. I knew that publicly sharing our relationship too early would influence me in artificial ways, pressuring me to do things that may be unaligned with what God had already planned for me. Looking back in retrospect, it was a wise decision on our part.

Anyway, back to the best part... Obviously, I HAD to have known that during a successful six months of courtship, marriage was just around the corner. I always [unintentionally] had it in the back of my mind every time he planned a trip for us. I asked God to help me to stop thinking about it because I really wanted to be surprised, but of course, it's just normal for a woman to have an intense desire for such a thing. And here's the best part... We serve a God who is so faithful to His word, keeps His promises, and KNOWS our hearts, inside and out. So regardless of how much my heart was expecting, He gave me the most PERFECT proposal any girl could ever ask for...

An was aware of my expectations, so he was always one step AHEAD (which I believe is by the grace of God, because honestly, I really didn't think he had it in him! Haha!). He carefully planned to "NOT plan." In fact, I think he even tested my patience and stirred up a fight on purpose! He knew that in just a few hours, I would be looking back and laughing. In fact, I realized he knew me much, much more than I expected him to know me... in the end, I think that's what made me fall in love with him all over again. Oh, and it doesn't stop there... a couple mornings later, I woke up to a video on my computer of a makeshift documentary of the proposal. And yes, I cried many happy tears (again). You can indulge yourself as well with the link provided below. This just goes to show how truly abundant our god is!

We stand here today praising God for helping and leading us through our times of singleness AND courtship (note, I mentioned BOTH, because there is no such thing as a successful courtship without a successful singleness with God), for giving us patience, and teaching us obedience. We know that because we committed to placing God at the top of our lives, allowing Him to call the shots, direct our moves, and convict us for our sins, we are now experiencing this overwhelming joy. I know that one of An's favorite things to claim is God's FAVOR. He's so confident in the love God has for him, that whatever storm the enemy may try to stir up, he is always ready to stand confidently in His favor.

We declare that we would never trade our God for the world. Would you?

The Proposal
Our Courtship

Please Vote for Us!

Praise God! We made it in the Top 3 Finalists for the Photoshoot Giveaway Contest sponsored by MFL Photography and Precious Nuptials! We would love it if you all could vote for our story through as many of the following three ways listed below:

1. "Like" our posted story on the Precious Nuptials fan page (Note: You must "Like" the hosting pages first before you can see the "Like" button on our post!).
2. "Like" our posted story on the MFL Photography fan page.
3. Email dionne@preciousnuptials.com with the subject line saying:

MY VOTE IS FOR YVONNE & AN.

You can view our entry and instructions here.

You have until Sunday, September 12th at midnight to vote. We really appreciate it! :)

Our Story

A friend of mine recommended this Facebook page of a photographer to me to "Like" on Facebook. I never did because I wasn't yet engaged and had no interest in photographers at the moment. Well today, I was browsing through my Facebook again and ran across it. Of course, I checked it out and they happened to have a Photoshoot Giveaway Contest going on... and the deadline is midnight, tonight! I thought to myself, "Yes! My opportunity!" God had given us so much favor over the past year, I figured it shouldn't end now, right? I had to submit a story of "how we met or how he proposed." It was a little hard for me to decide which to choose, since both events are very special to me. So I decided on the story that seemed to give more glory to God. When I submitted it, I figured I'd share it with the rest of the world also. :)

After browsing through both the companies' pages, MFL Photography and PND, I find that God has really blessed the businesses with great reviews and the owners with much talent. There's not much I can really say about them since I really don't know much, but all I can say is that I just got a "good" feeling inside while browsing through their pages...

Anyways, pray with me that we win!!! :)

OUR STORY

Yvonne and An both emerged from pasts marked with many trials and tribulations. Little did they know, there was a God who loved them more than they will ever comprehend, and He has been working diligently on every fine detail in their lives. Soon enough, Yvonne came to find Christ in 2008 and shortly after, An in 2009. They met as friends through a mutual friend from their home church they have grown to dearly love.

Though their walks were not always easy, they continued to pursue a true relationship with God in their singleness, learning to trust Him with every aspect of their lives, including their love life. They met in August of 2009 as friends, and within two months, An knew deep in his heart that Yvonne was brought into his life on purpose, by God’s will. SHE WAS THE ONE.

Of course, when he confessed this to Yvonne in October, her reaction was typical of a woman with a guarded heart due to lessons from the past and wisdom from God. Her immediate response was a rejection, and an offer to remain friends. He reluctantly, but respectfully, accepted her decision.

An not only continued to trust God and His promises, but he also continued to remain faithful to his own promises, and continued to quietly pursue Yvonne until God prepared them both to be ready for a relationship. He remained a true friend to Yvonne for seven months. In these seven months, God worked amazingly to transform both Yvonne and An in ways they never expected. Prayers were answered and miracles took place. Little did they continue to know, God’s plan for them was only just beginning to unfold…

On the third of March, confirmed in the timing, he asked for her hand in courtship, and she happily and confidently accepted. Six months later, on the twenty-eighth day of August, surer than ever that Yvonne was his future wife given to him by God, he asked for her hand in marriage.

Conversing with Our Creator

I just had a one-way conversation with my little cousin and aunt in Vietnam. He missed me so much, that despite the fact he knew we really couldn't have much of a conversation, he just wanted to hear my voice. I knew EXACTLY what they were saying, and I wanted SO BADLY to respond, but I just could not get the right words out. I would speak in phrases, choppy sentences, and with wrong accents that weren't even comprehendible, yet they still remained on the phone with me just to hear my voice and tell me stories just to hear me laugh. I got off the phone crying tears of joy, and at the same time, a deep resolve overcame me to learn the language so that I can have a TWO-way conversation with them, thus developing our relationship so I can grow CLOSER to them...

This brings to mind the very conversations I have with God, my very own Creator. Who else knows us more than the One who Created us BEFORE we were even set into our mothers' wombs? He knows us SO well, that when we spend time with Him in spirit and in truth, we don't even have to speak a word for Him to know our hearts inside and out. And yet, as we remain dwelling in His presence, He covers us with a joyful, everlasting love. Just like my cousin and my aunt, God doesn't care whether or not we know His language or can speak His language at the moment, He just wants to know that we're willing to pursue Him and put this time aside to show Him that we love Him and enjoy being with Him. And as long as our hearts are yearning, we will always walk away overjoyed by Him. And even as we part, our hearts develop a renewed and never-ending hunger for Him... a desire to develop in relationship and to grow closer to our Father in Heaven, with hopes that the next time we meet with our Father, it will be a TWO-way conversation as well...

Reassessment: How High Have We Risen?

March 26, 2010:
Being a Christian is not about spending your time deciding who's right or wrong, which church is better, or critiquing other Christians around you. Our Christian being should be defined by our own personal walk with God. Whichever denomination we choose or whatever rules we try to incorporate into our daily lives -- none if it will matter when we're at the Gates of Heaven, trying to decide if our relationship with God was all that He wanted it to be. The truth is, once we build the foundation of our relationship with Christ to be strong and sturdy, our Holy Spirit will take dominion, and He will serve as the conviction and affirmation of our actions. No need for arguments, no need for debate. Since we serve the same God, there is only one right answer. It will only be a waste of time when we try to place judgment on things, when we know very well that the only one worthy of judging is our Lord on High.

It's time to reassess who we are, what our purposes are, and why we're even here in this world. We need to take a step down from that pedestal created by the world for us, whether it be from our friends, our family, or church, or our workplace. We are not worthy or deserving of our blessings, yet God gave us His only son so that we can walk with him in righteousness during our temporary time here on Earth. We don't have time to waste on pointing out what we may think are faults of others. If we bring that to the table on our day of judgment, I would assume God would not be too pleased, knowing that we could have loved and shared the fruit of salvation, but instead chose to take His place, like the devil did. Lower ourselves humbly to where we belong, and allow Him to rightfully reign above us. This will bring our lives into alignment, and victory will be ours... and trust me, the rewards in this are far more exceeding than the temporal rewards received from simply deciding who's right and who's wrong.

Never Alone

A friend of mine sent me this: http://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=29&m=992263. It's so nice to know that there are people out there just like you, who understands the things you're going through, and who believes in the things you do. God never intends on us to be alone. Instead, He brings people into our lives to reveal His blessings in different ways. With Christ, Hope is never lost, and Love abounds. Healing IS coming, in Jesus' name!

The link is a forum for people with lupus seeking help or seeking TO help. The complaints of "Halfcrazy" are so relative to myself, in addition to the acne and breakouts and alopecia (hair loss). This is my first time reading about someone's experience, and seeing how their faith is carrying her through it. Although I've experienced all sorts of glorified healing in church, for some reason, there's still a yearning to see lupus, SPECIFICALLY, be healed. I've seen cancer, chronic pain, blindness and deafness all been healed in Jesus' name, but where is lupus? I would not say that this discourages my faith, but it sure does challenge it. It makes me want to fight more... not just for healing, but for more hope and a stronger faith in WHO my God really is.

The reality of my situation has been crashing down on me lately. The enemy has been finding all kinds of ways to use these physical changes against me. Unflattering photos have been popping up here and there, comments have been made (of course, with no harmful intent, but more so out of friendly love), and sudden changes in my lifestyle I can't help but notice are surrounding me. I can cry and whine all I want, but at the end of the day, I must know who my God is, and remember that His plan for me is greater. More of Him, less of me. He reminded me of this in the car on the way to work this morning. I am encouraged.

Jehovah Rophe, You are my God!