{"id":26211,"date":"2021-12-02T15:04:49","date_gmt":"2021-12-02T20:04:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/?p=26211"},"modified":"2021-12-20T16:49:27","modified_gmt":"2021-12-20T21:49:27","slug":"remaining-faithful-through-the-unexpected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/remaining-faithful-through-the-unexpected\/","title":{"rendered":"Remaining Faithful Through the Unexpected"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have a confession to make. What I\u2019m about to share with you was once a triple-top-secret, pinky-promise kind of thing. I\u2019d make you promise not to tell anyone, but the cat is out of the bag. You now have my permission to laugh or cringe. You ready? <\/span>I bought my dream wedding dress when I was twenty-two years old and completely single.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

No, I\u2019m not kidding.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, the year was 2011. Ancient, I know. My sister was engaged to her now-husband, Zack, and we were in full wedding-planning mode.<\/span><\/p>\n

One day, we were out shopping for the perfect wedding dress for Kristen. We had hit up a few shops with nothing to show for it. Kristen was feeling discouraged. One by one the dresses went on, then off. After a few rounds, Kristen put on the most gorgeous dress I had ever laid eyes on. The top was filled with sparkles and faux diamonds. The bottom was elegant, full, and flowing with a beautiful chiffon fabric. She looked dreamy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, when Kristen looked in the mirror, she didn\u2019t quite see Cinderella. She thought the dress was lovely, but it wasn\u2019t <\/span>her<\/span><\/i>. She must have seen my glowing eyes, because she commented on how this dress looked more like me than her. I nodded my head in agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou should try it on!\u201d Kristen said with a smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now hear me out. When I walked into the store that day with Kristen, I had zero intentions of buying a wedding dress for myself. That was the last thing on my radar. I was completely single. No wedding in sight.<\/span><\/p>\n

The minute I walked out of that room to show Kristen and our mom the dress, they both erupted in small cheers. \u201cIt\u2019s one hundred percent you!\u201d Kristen said, shaking her head and smiling. \u201cIt\u2019s like you times a thousand, actually.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I had to agree with her. It was totally me<\/span>. <\/span><\/i>It fit perfectly too. Before I could talk any sense into myself, a wave of fear washed over me. <\/span>What if this dress no longer exists when I get married someday? What if they discontinue it? What if I search for months and months and can\u2019t find anything even close to this?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

That fear drove me to make a drastic and totally weird decision. I bought the dress!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The sales clerk was completely confused when we asked her to package up this dress for <\/span>me<\/span><\/i>. As we walked away from that store, a thrilling sensation washed over me. Maybe my wedding day wouldn\u2019t be too far off after all. Little did I know that my perfect dress would hang in the back of my closet for many, many years to come. That little secret would remain hidden in the shadows of my life while my dreams to get married went unfulfilled.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can read the entire wedding dress story in my new book,<\/span> Not Part of the Plan: Trusting God with the Twists and turns of Your Story.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

Maybe you\u2019re in a similar situation. You desire marriage, but it just isn\u2019t happening for you. Maybe it\u2019s a disappointment with your career. Maybe it\u2019s losing a loved one too soon. Maybe it\u2019s having to move cross country leaving behind all of your friends. Maybe it\u2019s not getting accepted into your dream university.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister, I don\u2019t know exactly what you\u2019re going through but I do know this. We all experience disappointment, unfulfilled longings, and unmet expectations. I\u2019ve been there and I know you\u2019ve been there as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t