Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Amazing Love



Amazing love,
How can it be
That You, my King, should die for me?
Amazing love,
I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honor You,
In all I do, I honor You.

I start with those lyrics from "Amazing Love" because it's the only way to start a blog post like this one: by praising God!

As I type this I am overcome with emotions, happiness, sadness, joy, grief...(how many posts have I written that include a sentence like this, but I can only write what I am feeling, so all of that and more is on my heart today!) I'm happy and joyful about all God is doing in our lives. I'm also sad and full of grief for our broken world (for our own loss of Thomas, Kimberly's family as the second year of Hannah's heavenly birthday approaches, the Keylor/Hillian family as cancer took their mom and wife last month, and another local family loses their 18 year old daughter in a car accident this week) --it isn't supposed to be this way, but PRAISE TO GOD there is a plan in place to not only get through the hard times that come our way, but to rise above them and find joy here on Earth as we wait to reach our heavenly, forever home!

One of the best blessings and part of God's plan is RELATIONSHIPS! Most of us have realized this as we've seen trials and relied on each other to pray and support each other. I know first hand how important it was/is for me to have a relationship with God, my church and, of course my family and friends. Everyone rallied around myself and sweet little babies. And did we ever feel God's arms wrapped around us!

On August 5th, 2011 Tyler and I said our vows on Seagrove Beach, Florida in front of family and friends. The wedding exceeded our expectations for the love felt by those who joined us in Florida, the weather(!), and the peaceful, fun, full of God, atmosphere that surrounded us.

So many of you prayed constantly for my family over the years, I had no idea about the power of prayer until I felt it for myself especially in 2009.  Our Thursday night bible study group has been studying Prayer. We have learned not to feel the need to articulate perfectly our plan or expected outcome, but to pray with confidence! Prayer releases God's power so He can/will work in our lives.
So without further ado, praying friends,...here's the fruit of your prayers in picture form (Thank you for capturing them in pictures, Staci Coston!)















Your prayers allowed the power of God to transform me into a new person. A person who only wants to seek Jesus and tell others about Him...and while I still grieve today for a life and love lost, the prayers sent heavenward allowed God to work in a way I didn't even see coming for myself and children; it allowed a new family to form, not forgetting the past, but embracing it. Tyler and I are grateful that God has blessed us in becoming a family and we are committed to praising God through the trials and good times in the years to come.
I am praying thanks for all of you.

19 comments:

  1. This made me tear up!! Such a beautiful God thing and you looked absolutely gorgeous!!!! What a precious family and testimony y'all have! Be blessed and congratulations!!

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  2. You are so wonderful. No doubt was in my mind that God would bless and will keep blessing you. Oh how He loves us! He protects us! He cherishes us! It is beyond words. Thanks for being my friend. Thanks for sharing your trials, your blessings, your love, your life! Your sweet spirit graces all who know you. I love you, my friend.

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  3. What a beautiful post! Gorgeous pictures of a very sweet family!!! Congratulations!!!! God is sooooo good!!!!!

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  4. Congratulations Bonnie and Tyler! I have been reading your blog since right after you lost Thomas, Bonnie, and I have always been so inspired and encouraged by your honest heart. Seeing your wedding pictures with Tyler brings such joy to my heart to know a bit of God's redemptive story for you. May He continue to bless your marriage and family!

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  5. I just wept at the beauty manifested in these pictures. Pictures of love, joy, and most of all God's faithfulness and blessings poured out on your beautiful family. I am so happy for you Bonnie. May you, Tyler, Caroline and Thomas have many years of blessings, joy and fun.

    Elizabeth

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  6. Bonnie - Your wedding was beautiful. Congrats to you, Tyler, Caroline and Thomas. From the ashes rises beauty, and your new life, while not what you had originally planned all those years ago, is something to be cherished and grateful for. Thank you so much for sharing your day with us. May God continue to bless all of you as you begin this journey of forming your family.

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  7. Yeah! Congratulations! So, so sweet, amazing, and beautiful. Love you all!

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  8. Oh, beautiful! I am choking up. Sometimes it's hard to keep praying when our prayers aren't answered. I prayed so hard for Hannah Grace and Mrs. Hillian to be healed. I know that God had other plans for them, and that His plans are perfect even though we have pain while we're here on Earth. They are already rejoicing with Him, which is more wonderful than anything we could have given them here. I thank Him for that, but it is still hard to think that when we pray, He may not do what we ask. When He does, though, it is like a little peek into Heaven. Seeing you and Tyler just fills my heart. To know that I prayed for God to bring a new love into your life, and He actually did it... That's truly awesome. It encourages me to keep on praying, even when I want to give up. Thank you, Bonnie, for sharing this with all of us!

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  9. Beautiful pictures. Congrats!

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  10. You look beautiful in your pics...and the rest of your family as well!!! Congrats...so awesome to witness via the internet the power of God's love!! Best wishes for a wonderful future.

    Stacy
    (Ohio)

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  11. I got goosebumps looking at the pictures. Congrats!

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  12. Blessing upon blessing!! So precious to have "seen" (from the blog) you walk through these last years. Congratulations, love, and blessings from TN!

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  13. Beautiful pictures. I've been waiting to read all about the wedding - so thank you for posting!

    Nice to have met you at Terra today. I hope Caroline enjoys her "burple" bird. :)

    Shara

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  14. Congrats Bonnie! I truly am so excited for you and your family!

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  15. Beautiful wedding! Congratulations and God's blessings on your new life together! Your children are adorable:)

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  16. A "friend" praying for you in MDOctober 5, 2011 at 9:29 PM

    Not even sure how I found your blog when you lost your husband. Probably someone asking for prayer. Just want you to know that I praise God with you for all He has done. The pictures bring tears even to a stranger. May God bless all of you richly!

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  17. Oh Bon! These pictures made me tear up with joy for your family. I love you so much and am so very happy for you and your sweet kiddos. : )

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  18. You have been amazing thru such a hard time as the Lord let you into and out. I'm so praying that He will grant you and Tyler many happy years together!

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