June 1, 2013 - Rehearsal Dinner, County Line on the Hill, Austin, Texas - 8:00 PM
First, let me express my appreciation to everyone who is here celebrating with Travis and Abbie tonight. Travis and Abbie, this weekend is a weekend parents long for, and dream of. To know that their children will not be alone in life’s journey. I want to speak to you for the next few minutes and share some things with both of you that are on my heart. But first, Travis and Abbie do you remember the evening I went to A&M so I could worship with you at Breakaway? I want to share something with Abbie and everyone else from that evening. After we finished our meal, we drove back to the rental house Abbie was staying at so you could get your parking permit for me in case I needed it at the arena. I pulled into the driveway and parked and you jumped out and ran inside while Travis and I waited for you in the truck. Now let me describe the day it was a late fall evening, the sun was getting low on the horizon, there was not a cloud in the sky and there was a crispness to the atmosphere. Abbie, when you came out of the house and was walking towards us, everything came together and you were stunning. I’ll confess, my jaw dropped and Travis was real quiet and I had that dad’s moment of panic for his son and I looked at Travis and asked, “Travis, are you sure she likes you?” Well, he’s Travis and he was sure and Abbie all of us in our family think of you as a treasure. That was a special night and there were some other things that occurred and I captured those moments in my journal because I didn’t want the day to fade away to memory. And October 19,2010 is one of those days I wanted to keep in my heart for the rest of my life. You will find that you will also have special kind of days that you’ll want to cherish and not lose.
I do want to take a few minutes and share some things with you from my heart. First, as you begin your marriage journey, Travis and Abbie you must remember that we have an enemy who hates strong marriages. Now, you won’t have to worry about him tonight and you won’t even have to worry about him tomorrow, because he is looking one year down the road, five years down the road, a decade down the road or longer. However, long it will take him to work to make your marriage routine. If you allow you marriage to become routine or a marriage of routines then you will not be a threat to what he is working to accomplish in this world. For the most part, you will see evidence very soon at how effective he is at destroying marriages so you don’t want him to get a foothold.
So, I am asking you to take some time and talk together tonight before you say good night and consider making a promise to each other that you will pray together everyday and invite God into your marriage. I’m talking about each person praying out loud in the presence of the other inviting God into your marriage.
It is not just because of the enemy I’m asking you to make this promise to each other. The other reason I’m asking you to talk about this tonight is because tomorrow the happily ever after part of your journey does not begin. You will have storms. Now most of the storms will be like getting caught in a gully washer without an umbrella. You’ll get wet, you’ll get irritated, but you’ll dry off change your clothes and move on. However, there will be some storms that you will see coming your way. They’ll be like those west Texas thunderstorms we used to watch Travis. Where the clouds grow dark and angry, the wind blows, lightning flashes, the thunder booms and all you can do is shelter in place until they pass. After those kind of storms you’ll find that you will reflect on them because they make a significant impact on you. Then there will be those handful of storms that I liken to a category five hurricane. Where is will feel like the most powerful storm this world can produce is focusing all of its fury and power on you. In these kind of storms, you wonder, are we going to make it through this one? By my count, mom and I have been through 3 such storms in 32 years so that gives you an idea of the frequency that these types of storms occur.
Now here’s the thing. Prayer will not stop the storms from coming. They’re going to come. But taking the time to pray and invite God into your marriage is one way you can put Jesus words into action. To paraphrase what Jesus said, the wise couple build their marriage on the rock. The rain falls, the wind blows, and the waves beat against that marriage, but it stands because it is built on the rock. Remember, when you invite God into your marriage then the power of the one going through the storm with you is greater than the power of the storm.
OK, I’m almost finished. Also, during the course of tonight I encourage you to look around this room and take some mental snapshots of everyone who is here tonight and remember this. Everyone who is here tonight will fight for your marriage, so don’t be too proud or too ashamed to call. If you need us to come and encircle you and shield you from the world for a time, we will do that. Or if your need us to come alongside you and stand by you and stand with you, we will do that. But, here's the thing, if you don’t call, we can’t come so call. And remember from time to time we all need community.
Travis: I love you and I’m proud of you. Abbie: I love you and I’m proud of you. And kids, I’m here and I’m available, so if you need me call and I’ll drop whatever I’m doing and rush to your side and do whatever I am capable of doing. Now, I would like to offer up a prayer and ask God’s blessing on you may I do that?
Let’s approach God now. Father, first we lift up words of deep appreciation to you that we all are here to celebrate this most sacred weekend with Travis and Abbie. Father, in your word you shared with us that the heavens declare your glory, and we hope that Travis and Abbie will declare your glory just as majestically through their marriage. Father, we also hope that Travis and Abbie will invite you into their marriage every day that they are in one another’s company, so that through their marriage you will be able to show others what grace looks like in people. Finally Father, we pray that Travis and Abbie will have a strong marriage that the enemy hates and that through their strong union they will make you visible to those souls who do not see you. Father, Travis and Abbie now leave their families and cleave to one another as you designed from the beginning, and we ask your blessing to be on them. Amen.
