I Love You Now

You will be my husband in 20 days.  My heart was being made ready for you long ago.  Walking along the sidewalks at college, cleaning out horse stalls, taking long and lonely walks as I learned to hear the Lord speak, to trust His voice.  I was learning to love you, too.  I didn't know you back when I said "no" to other guys who asked, but I said "no" because I already loved you, and the Shepherd said you were worth waiting for.  You are.

Adorning the Bride happens over the course of a lifetime.  The Bride is adorned as a young girl who lays down her dignity and worships an unseen God.  The Bride is adorned as a teenager who weeps and repents of dark, jagged-edged sin.  She leaps out and runs by faith.  I didn't know I was running into your arms then.

You will be my husband soon, but I love you now.  I see it when you lay down your life for others.  I see it when you hear the voice of the Lord and obey it boldly and unapologetically.  I see it when you get up to follow the Shepherd so quickly and easily, because you laid down your life long ago and there is nothing you have held back from Him.  It makes me love you so much.

The Lord has been readying me to be your wife, and He will continue to fashion my heart to be your wife over all the years that we are together.  I gave myself to this long ago, and I will always give myself to this journey.  This journey will be celebrated in 20 days, but it started when I gave my heart to the Shepherd, and He started making it ready for you.




The mandrakes send out their fragrance,
and at our door is every delicacy,
both new and old,
that I have stored up for you, my beloved.

Song of Songs 7:13