A Wedding Blessing for my Youngest Child

· Family,Blessing

Recently, our Gabriella got married; she wed her Jachus. In a sweet, small town park, while scaled down in the midst of a global pandemic, surrounded by family and friends, they said their vows, were prayed over, pronounced man and wife, feasted, cut cake, and danced - all alone in the dusk.

Some years ago, I wrote this Daughters' Blessing for my girls. I revised it for special milestones in their lives. This was my blessing over Gabriella for her wedding.

* * * * *

Gabriella Ruth’s Wedding Blessing

August 6, 2020

❤️

My blessing on my daughter GABRIELLA RUTH WESTLUND

as you prepare to wed JACHUS PAUL SUNDBY:

~ May you know God’s mercy and protection as EVE did. (Genesis 3:21)

~ May you be a surviving woman like NOAH’s WIFE, journeying into the unknown and uncharted under the careful plan and promises of God. (Genesis 9:1)

~May you be a woman of faith like SARAH, living under the promises and provision of your covenant-keeping God, full of laughter - knowing that NOTHING is too hard for God. (Genesis 18:14)

~ May you be a fruitful woman like REBEKAH, may the fruit of your obedience be “thousands of ten thousands.” (Genesis 29:20)

~ May you be a resourceful woman like MOSES’ MOTHER (as she desperately hid her son in the basket) living in the hope of what God is doing when all seems hopeless. (Exodus 2)

~ May you be like the courageous WOMEN OF THE EXODUS, able to leave the old for the new, knowing that God guides with a cloud of grace in the day (His mercies are new every morning) and a pillar of fiery protection in the night (the night is not dark to Him). (Exodus 13:21 and Psalm 139:12 and John 1:5)

~ May you be a forgiven woman like MIRIAM, able to learn from the discipline of God, knowing that He occasionally disciplines the daughter He loves. (Numbers 12)

~ May you be a sagely woman like DEBORAH, sought out for your godly wisdom and prophetic discernment. (Judges 4:5)

~ May you be an adventurous woman like RUTH, loyal, loving, and gleaning wherever God places you - a woman of excellence, married to an excellent man. (Ruth 3:11)

~ May you be a steadfast woman like HANNAH, seeing all that God gives you (including any children He might send) as belonging to Him. (1 Samuel 1:27)

~ May you be a bold woman like ESTHER, risking all you have to do what God calls you to do - knowing you were called to live in such a time as this! (Esther 4:14)

~ May you be like the PROVERBS 31 WOMAN: energetic, financially astute, content, confident, loving of beauty, trustworthy, resourceful, joyful, strong, full of wisdom, busy, internally beautiful, generous, compassionate, sacrificial, diligent, and may Jachus and your future children rise tip and call you blessed - forever thankful for your place inter lives. (Proverbs 31)

~ May you be a surrendered woman like ELIZABETH, yielding gladly to the will of God and testifying that nothing is impossible for God. (Luke 1:25 & 37)

~ May you be a determined woman like Jesus’s mother MARY, in spite of fear and uncertainty, saying: “I am Your servant, do with me as You please.” (Luke 1:38)

~ May you be a listening woman like Martha’s sister, MARY, sitting eagerly at Jesus’s feet, seeking the one necessary thing that cannot be taken away from you. (Luke 10:39)

~ May you be a hard-working, self-controlled woman like MARTHA, learning to control your tongue. (John 11)

~ May you be a generous woman like DORCAS, giving to those in need. (Acts 9)

~ May you be a hospitable woman like LYDIA, learning truth and opening hour home to share it with others. (Acts 16)

~ May you be an ever-maturing woman, like the woman described in TITUS 2: self-controlled over mouth and body, pure, deeply reverent, happily submissive, loving, hard-working, teachable, and teaching what is good.

~ May you be a REVELATION WOMAN - one day standing among the eternal worshipers of God. (Revelation 5:13)

~ May you be a MARANATHA WOMAN - always waiting for the coming of the Lord. (Revelation 22:20)

~ May you be a sacrificing woman, like I think your birth mom was, as she released you to be raised by a foreign family for the sake of your future, thus weaving you into our lineage.

~ May you be like the countless women of the ages - those sages - (Amy Carmichael, Gladys Aylward, Amy Slessor, Mother Theresa, Corrie ten Boom, Elisabeth Elliott, your great grandmothers, and your grandmothers: DARLENE ZERBEL WESTLUND and MARY JANE LAMBRIDES) who will be numbered among the faithful and will be greeted by Jesus with a hearty: “Well done, my good and faithful servant, my daughter!”

So, my Gabriella Ruth, as you embark on your marriage:

May you live your life verses: “Teach me Your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name” (Psalm 86:11) and may you live your name: (GABRIELLA: “strong in the Lord;” RUTH: “A woman of excellence”).

I will be praying for you and Jachus - that whether you are adventuring in your camper or marveling at tiny creatures or doing some cooking or cleaning up your little nest or working as a CNA or picking pumpkins; whether you are in a season of ease or a season of suffering; that you will live giving glory to your Father, following you Savior, and living in the Holy Spirit. And that you will do Jachus good, all the days of your life.

God will make known to you and Jachus the path of life; in His presence there will be fullness of joy; at His right hand there will be pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

With all my love ~

Your Mom

❤️

broken image
broken image
broken image

❤️ ❤️ ❤️