a note of thanks

For those of you following the wedding story....
I opened my email this afternoon and found this sweet email:


Hello Jenny, Pastor, Mary, Debra, Emily, the soundman, the people who helped with the clean-up, and all who helped with the wedding,

I'm Sue, Lauressa's mom. This is a letter of extreme thanks from the mother's point of view.

Around four or five months ago when we found out our daughter was getting married we were very happy and excited. We had come to the conclusion that Dan was a great guy and we were very thankful.

But my joy was turned to sorrow and desperation when my husband reminded me that we really didn't have the finances to help much with the wedding. It was like a mother's worse nightmare. Her firstborn and only daughter was getting married but the resources just weren't there.

So I approached the best wedding Planner and Provider that anyone could ever have. As I prayed, I had a peace that He was going to answer my prayers.

One day I walked into Haggen to check out their wedding cakes and right when I walked in the door I heard over the intercom an advertisement for their wedding catering service. I felt like the Lord wanted me to trust Him even for a caterer for the wedding.

But then just a few weeks before the wedding Lauressa found out that the condo clubhouse had been double booked. This just added to all of the stress that she was going through with the limited finances for the wedding.

Then, Jenny entered the picture, a young lady with a heart to serve Jesus and to serve others. At first I didn't put too much hope into someone we didn't even know saying that she had a friend who could do Lauressa's hair and makeup. But when we found out that your Pastor was so generously providing the church and that Jenny and her sister were going to do the hair and makeup we were stunned. My husband commented, "Why?" Why would people who don't even know us want to bless us like this? Not to sound overly dramatic but my first response was to literary get on my face before God and thank Him for His extreme goodness. I told the Lord over and over, "Lord, I could kiss Your feet!"

As time went by we found out that cook of the church was going to be providing food and that Jenny was going to make some cookie table centerpieces and that another lady was going to do the decorating with silk flowers. We were in total awe of the love of God that was being demonstrated through His people. Everywhere I went I excitedly told the story of how God miraculously provided for our daughter's wedding through people who didn't even know us. On a Tuesday night at the prayer meeting at our church I got up and told everyone that God had provided a wedding for our daughter beyond our wildest dreams.

The wedding turned out so beautiful and so perfect in every way. Lauressa and Tia looked absolutely gorgeous. The church looked beautiful with all the flowers. The centerpieces were so darling. The food was unbelievably delicious. That day all I could think of was how I wished I had a thousand dollars to give each person who had done such a labor of love for Dan, Lauressa, and their families. The next week in prayer God reminded me that He will repay the kindness of everyone who helped.

When I went on Jenny's website and saw the photos and read her viewpoint about the wedding (I think I read it three times) I told Lauressa and Dan that I had never seen such beautiful wedding photos. They were classy and classic at the same time. God has surely gifted her in so many ways!!

And then to think as if all this wasn't enough. Now Lauressa and Dan have called Viewridge Community Church their home church. I was so thrilled when she told me this news because they had never gotten plugged in at our church. Some people get lost at a big church and they fall into the cracks. And last night the Lord told me in a dream that our son and his wife will be calling this their church home, too.

Thank you again for being obedient and stepping out on a limb for people you didn't even know. May the Lord richly bless you and your families.

With His love and mine,
Sue

Testimonies never get old.