She says.....

It's crazy how fast time flew by, but I'll be home in 3 weeks time! Exeter is also finally getting some sunshine, so it has been more fun being outdoors than the first three weeks, when most of us were standing in the rain.

I've also been finishing up "This Momentary Marriage", and I would like to share this quote with you:

God makes your marriage indissoluble, and protects it

from every danger that may threaten it from within and

without; he will be the guarantor of its indissolubility.

It is a blessed thing to know that no power on earth,

no temptation, no human frailty can dissolve

what God holds together; indeed, anyone who knows

that may say confidently: What God has joined together,

can no man put asunder. Free from all the anxiety

that is always a characteristic of love, you can now say

to each other with complete and confident assurance:

We can never lose each other now;

by the will of God we belong to each other till death.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer,

Letters and Papers from Prison, 26

The theme of God's use of marriage as a symbol of His relationship with His people keeps coming up over and over in John Piper's book. As marriage is a covenant between husband and wife, it is also a symbol of the covenant between Christ and His Church, which is His people. The difference is that marriage is not perfect in our world, and it could be full of abuse and even lead to divorce. As a therapist at a youth camp, I can see the difference in the campers if they come from a family with a healthy marriage or one with a broken marriage. The confidence levels, the value of life, and the value they have for themselves is drastically different. This only shows the imperfectness of humans, and makes us long for a perfect relationship, a perfect covenant, which can only be found in Christ.

I have also been doing my devotions on the book of Hosea. Hosea's marriage to an adulteress symbolizes the relationship between God and His people Israel, who at that time was chasing after idols. My devotions have all the more convinced me of the powerful symbol marriage has between Christ and us. My prayer for Alan and my marriage is to glorify God in our relationship as a reflection of His love for us!

He says...

I talked to Iris today, and she was missing home. I prayed for her and encouraged her to stay strong. 

There are so many little things that need to be taken care of here. I will do my best and relieve Iris of any burden relating to the planning of our marriage.

Meanwhile, I updated the website to use an easier way to blog...  check it out! I have included the old posts below.

June 27, 2012

​

She says....

​

​

​

It has been a week since I left Vancouver, and regardless to say, I've really been missing home, missing my fiance, and missing out on the wedding planning. But Alan has been really on top of things, and that has been a huge blessing for me!

​

It is a little cold in Exeter in the last few days. I have been walking around town a bit, and noticed a few older couples walking around, hand-in-hand. These couples must be in their 70s or 80s at least, and it was very encouraging to see that marriage has been preserved and valued by them.

​

I also got a chance to find one of my bridesmaids, Linda, in the UK :) She came down to London and we hung out for less than a day, but it was good. Below is a picture of Linda, Grace (a dear Taiwanese friend), and I outside the Westminster Abbey after coming out of an evening choral service. 

-------------------------

June 25, 2012

​

He says...

​

Have been busy the last couple of days driving around and handing out invites  to people. It was fun!

​

Trying to keep on top of things as people RSVP to the invite. Praying that I will have good time management and that Iris will do alright in the UK, and above all, that God faithfulness remains the focus in all this planning.

-------------------------

June​ 5, 2012



She Says...



An inspiring quote I read today:



"In a world, live together in the forgiveness of your sins,

for without it no human fellowship,

lest of all a marriage, can survive"​



Dietrich Bonhoeffer(1953)

Letters and Papers from Prisons, 31 

-------------------------

June 2, 2012 

​

​

She Says...

​

"I received a video from a dear friend last week, which was a documentary made on a couple who has been married for 2-years. It's a very heart-warming, yet sorrowful, story of two 27-years-old. It also re-focuses marriage onto what is most important. You can view this video here:

​http://vimeo.com/38033654 ​

"Hope it is an encouragement and an inspiration to you all, both to the married and the singles!

​

​

"The video also mentioned John Piper's book, "This Momentary Marriage". I have started reading it, and it has been a very good read. Piper wrote "The ultimate thing we can say about marriage is that it exists for God's glory. Marriage is patterned after Christ's covenant relationship to his redeemed people, the church. And therefore, the highest meaning and the most ultimate purpose of marriage is to put the covenant relationship of Christ and his church on display. That is why marriage exists." (Piper, 2009, p. 25)."