Characteristics.

Hello friends!

Greetings from Clearwater Beach.  Many of you know that I have been swept up in a whirlwind this past week.  I left Thursday morning bright and early for Raleigh, North Carolina where I would celebrate the marriage of my sister Ruthie to her one and only sweetheart, Luke.  It was a precious weekend with my family and a testament to the Lord’s faithfulness to a couple that fell in love in high school (maybe even before) and dated long distance for four years of college, hours and hours apart.

It was a crazy four days.  I landed, picked up a rental car, and drove straight to my sister Rachel’s house.  Can I pause here and be sappy? My 1 year old niece came toddling out the front door with her arms outstretched to me  and I started my weekend with watery eyes (which continued most of the weekend).  Gosh I love that sweet little girl.  Thankfully Thursday day was low key and I was able to have a lunch date with Rachel and my niece Noa, just us three.

After that lunch date however, things geared up quick!  Rachel planned an amazing bachelorette night for Ruthie and I was thankful to be a small part of the day of prep for that.  The food was delish, the panty game was hilarious, the dessert was on point (as it always is in the Breslin household), and the closing of the night was my part.  I was in charge of bringing the serious, spiritual element to the night.  I guess this makes sense being that I am the one working for a church now, right?

As the ultimate charge I read Proverbs 31 – the wife of noble character.  I think we’ve all heard that at some point but how often do we take that line for line and consider what it would be like to be that wife?  Here are a few highlights:

She is virtuous.

She is capable.

She is trustworthy.

She brings good to him (her husband) every day of her life.

She is a cook.

She is a businesswoman.

She helps the poor.

She is strong.

She is dignified.

She is wise.

She is hardworking.

After I read that on my own to prepare for Ruth’s party I thought, man, this is it.  This encompasses all that I could want for her as a believer and a wife.  It’s whole and complete in and of itself.  What’s sweet about looking at this now is as I prepare myself for this life and eventually (not REAL soon, so don’t get too excited) to be a wife myself.  What a goal to strive towards.  And better still?  I don’t have to wait to be married to work at being this type of woman.

We used this as a guideline to pray for Ruth as she transitions into this new role, the biggest one yet.  It was such a precious time for Rachel and I to pray for her and to hear 15 of her closest friends who know her differently than Rachel and I do pray over her.  Is was truly a sweet, sweet time.

I’m really continuing to muscle through this in my mind as I’ve come back to my hometown (and left again, for a retreat across the bridge).  God continues to challenge me every time I start to get a little bit comfortable where I’m at in my relationship with Him and in my identity (hey, did I JUST write about this?).  Obviously I’m not giving you the whole description of my weekend today but I really wanted to share this portion by itself because it spoke to me even as I was the one supposedly leading the charge.

Love,
B