oh my goodness....35 days

Where has the time gone? How is it that in 5 days I take my last final and in 20 days I walk the stage of Texas A&M? In 35 days my name changes and in 37 days...hello Mexico :) This weekend we had our last shower before the big day. TJ got so many tools so I have started coming up with a honey do list ;) Watching his face light up at each gift was hilarious and very fun. We got to hang out with some very dear friends of ours who we haven't seen since their wedding in May. It is so nice to have friends that you can just come back to after being apart and it is like you never left. You know what I mean? The awkward coversations that we go through with most people..."so how is school? how is your family?" With Jenna and Andrew we just skip all that and catch up on life.

Let me sum up our life lately
me: "hey TJ want to have dinner together Tuesday? I'm making fajitas."
TJ: "No I can't i have to work on my senior projects for my engineering classes"
me: "That's ok, I forgot... I have to work, finish 435 hw and figure out how to cook fajitas"

All of this takes place from opposite couches.
1. purity
2. petroleum
3. work

welcome to the lives of the future Mr & Mrs White. Patience is key. Humor is essential. Laughter is often needed to keep your sanity. Aside from all this, we are still wrestling through how God wants our lives to look post january 2. Alot has happened this semester, most of it focused on money. Long story short, BP failed to remove TJ from payroll and we came into a large sum of money. Only to later have to return it. Which is lame. But the thing we learned is that the riches of this world are so temporary. There is no reason to put our faith, our existence, our livelihood on these things. God is the supreme ruler of all and has proven Himself faithful over and over again. Yet when I look at our bank account I constantly catch myself swinging back and forthing between thinking "we don't have enough..." and  "what will we do with this money?" Clearly my life is an emotional roller coaster. Often my fiance looks at me and says "God has always provided for us. He has never let us down or let us starve. Trust Him" I am so blessed to have a man of God who speaks truth to me when I get all caught up in what our lives look like on paper. And I do get very caught up in that. Number are a big deal to me. And when the numbers don't add up that is usually when I take the license to go ahead and melt down. More and the more the Lord has been pulling my heart towards teaching. I want to be someone He actively uses to further the Kingdom, and teaching seems like a great way. God has shown both of us that He has a big family in store for us. We don't know exactly what that means, but we know He is very serious about it. You know the movie Cheaper by the Dozen? That's my dream family :)

Totally crazy, mostly out of control, chaotic and wonderful. Sounds like the life of a petroleum engineer and a teacher? It amazes me that after 400 days of engagement, 6+ years of friendship we are almost husband and wife. God has been very specific in showing us ways that marriage works, and ways it doesnt. We have been blessed with fantastic families that are great role models for us. And yet, the Lord continues to challenge the way we view marriage and the way He commands us to act in marriage. Needless to say, I am intimidated by the roles God has for me, but I am excited to serve TJ in that way.

Prayer requests
1. PURITY- 35 days til the wedding...need I say more?
2. Peaceful transitions for our family and for our new family. The leaving of the parents to cleave to one another is exciting, but a little sad at the same time.
3. Pre wedding stress and jitters- This one day has been in the works since before we were born, but it has been actively planned for the last 14 months. Thus there is some stress and anxiety that come before the big day. Please pray for peace for us and to calm any pre wedding nerves
4.  Pray that we continue to seek God and what He has for our family. Pray for TJs leadership that he would lead our family well, and that I would submit to his leadership well.  Pray for unity for the two of us and that we would reflect Christ and the church


Shalom
Amanda

Oh blog...you get neglected

54 days til the wedding. Our weekends are packed. Only 7 weekends left until the wedding. Strangely enough, wedding details have yet to stress us out too badly. We have spent time with new friends over the last 2 months which God has totally used to refresh us daily. God has really shown us what it means to be the Body of believers and reach out to those who need help and serve in whatever ways our church family needs help. The devil has been active causing insecurities, doubts and nerves. But above all our Savior is mighty, and His grace is sufficient. Daily I ask Him for more grace.

In church we have been talking through Galatians, and how Paul loved the Galatians so much that he was on his knees begging for them to turn away from their sin and rebellion. Over and over again the question is presented, do we love people that much. Hell is real, and sadly, many people that claim to know the Lord are going to have Jesus say "Depart from me, for I never knew you, you worker of iniquity" Heartbreaking. Looking at how life is about to change and the relationships within family and friends that we are going to face as a married couple, we are starting to see how love for the Lord is hatred toward the world; and what it means to be truly sold out for the Lord and love others out of the overflow of Christ's love.


Rescue the Perishing
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.
Though they are slighting Him, still He is waiting,
Waiting the penitent child to receive;
Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently;
He will forgive if they only believe.

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way patiently win them;
Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died.






Waiting stinks. Please pray for us. Please ask us how we are doing. Please hold us accountable.


1 Cor 6
12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”[b] 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.[c]


18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.