Knowing His Will

I want to pose a question to you about decisions in life..... How does a person really know what they are supposed to do? Think on that and read along as I share with you what I have learned.

Many times in life I have asked the question or heard others ask, "How do I know what God's will is for my life?" This is a perplexing question to many at different times in varying situations. I bring to you wisdom from trial and error and seeking God's answer with my whole heart.

In life we are faced with choices and those choices will determine the course of our future. These things come in the form of the direction for school, our careers, who to date/marry, timing for starting a family, how to spend our money, and so on and so on. No matter what your personal decision, is it is specific to you and to your life and your situation. No one person walks the same course or has the same experiences that enrich and embodies who they are in the world. Therefore, there is rarely the same answer to the same question. Now, in some situations like....should I choose to eat McDonald's french fries or switch it out for the apples?....everyone should opt for the apples. It's simply because that is the healthiest choice based upon your physical needs, right? I dare to say, no! What if someone has an allergy to apples or an illness that prevents that choice? Now from my personal mission in life towards wellness I would have said upon first glance, "absolutely everyone should choose apples" you may have said, "no way, I can't eat apples because....." but maybe the best choice was to eat at home instead...ha ha. See nothing is cut and dry in any circumstance.

So, how do we know? What tells us that one thing is better than another or one direction or choice is the best one for the moment? Hear what was spoken by Job who was tested with the fire of darkness and yet survived. Job 33:15
"In a dream,for instance,a vision at night,when men and women are deep in sleep, fast asleep in their beds— God opens their ears and impresses them with warnings To turn them back from something bad they're planning, from some reckless choice, And keep them from an early grave, from the river of no return. (The Message)"

Job shares with us (from personal experience) that when we are quiet before God, we will hear His voice. I hear His voice in my dreams,in my quiet time before Him, through specific ordained scripture,by God-fearing people around me and by matching up words of prophesy over me with circumstances in my life. Anytime you are faced with a problem that seems greater than any solution you can see, take it to His throne of grace. He sees the course ahead,He brought you through the course behind and will step with you through the right now.

Ephesians 2:7
Now God has us where he wants us,with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. (The Message)

Face the decision before you with strength! He knows the plans He has for you as spoken in Jer 29:11. Pray and seek His face,favor and fascinating plan. If you need someone to pray with you or for you, just ask. That is what I was created to do in this world. It would be my pleasure to have the opportunity.

New Beginnings

Marriaege is a sacrrred cseremony...(my best impression of the Princess Bride line I can give in writing). Marriage is such a sacred ceremony and on 8/8/08 I tied the knot with the love of my life, Dale. You see things have been a whirlwind in 08 for us but so amazing since the day we met. It is hard to put into words what finding someone who you are meant to be with in life is like. From the minute we met and once we went on our first date, we have been hopelessly happy. Don't get me wrong, all relationships have growing pains. And whew, we have had our fair share of growing pains but that is what shows how real and right we are together. Each time we go through a situation that challenges us we bond closer than super glue. You see, we had planned on getting married in Feb 28th, 2009. Every day seemed to drag on and we longed to be married right away. We thought the logical thing was to wait one year from the date of our first date. So, thru a series of events I moved into an apartment, began working in HR again and surrendered to God that whatever He has planned would be where I would go. We were miserable in this time. Within two weeks of this new arrangement Dale and I both knew we missed each moment we were apart and the kids constantly wanted to get together. Our schedules were pulling us in different directions rather than our family growing together. The end of July we decided we just had to move up the date.....now I take you to 8 days before 8/8/08.......


On 7/31/08 we decided to get a little daring, a little spontaneous and stir up a lot of fun and get married in 8 days. Eight became the new pink to us...lol. Everything was about the "new beginning" that we knew God had planned for us and we wanted desperately and it had to be sooner rather than later. So, we planned it for 8:08pm on the night of our dreams. You see, '08 means, "New Beginnings" and we were both certain that were exactly what we wanted, needed and were more than ready to venture into together. Therefore,
I quickly got in touch with vendors and found an amazing pastor from Love Notes in the DFW area who specializes in Blended Family Ceremonies. The messages the officials carried into the nuptials were beautiful. The passion the Pastor we spoke to showed us he knew what we were about and how amazing our family would be together. We found the most amazing little chapel. It is in Denton, Texas at the Texas Woman's University and is called the Little Chapel in the Woods. The quaint little chapel was beautiful and after the three previously planned wedding rehearsals that night, the chapel was free at 8pm. In the 8 days of preparation all the plans were actually completed and unbelievably perfect. Tuxes were ordered for the groom and three little boys, matching dresses were found at David's Bridal for the bride and daughter. The family "to be" of six would be dressed to kill. Finally, to make it extra special, a limousine was reserved for transportation to and from. Plan was made and things fell right into place.

The evening came quickly, and yet, not quick enough. The colors were red, white and black. The boutonnieres stood out against the black tuxedos with a magnificent red rose glow. The wedding bouquets were brilliant red roses bound with white lace. The excitement of all four kids could be felt from one end of Texas to the other because we were "super stars" for the moment of the limo ride. The kids rode in the back with the bride and the groom in the front with the limo driver since I was unmoving on the fact that the groom couldn't see me until I arrived in the chapel doorway to the Wedding March played on the piano. The ceremony was beautiful. The new uniting family did a sand ceremony to show that all the colors poured together by each new member blended and couldn't be separated although each individual and beautiful in each own way. This ceremony was all about them and for no one else except this happy team. Once over, the new Welsh family rode together in the stretch limo to drop off the kids and toasted to "kid friendly" champagne and enjoyed a private wedding cake. Dale and Amber were whisked away for a mini honeymoon weekend in the limousine, finally alone, and ready to celebrate.

This romance story is far from over, it is just beginning. The next few months are full of fun and uniting activities for the team. We can't wait to share our family with the world. We are certain we are going to be used to impact the world in amazing ways. Our vision together is to show others what it means to love with purity, give with freedom and serve with selflessness.

So, this family together experienced firsthand how, "Marriaege is a sacrrred cseremony" on 8/8/08 and we are all just beginning to see how "love, true love" is what it's all about!

**We want to extend a huge hug and thank you to the few friends who joined us for our special evening. A huge thank you goes out to Expressions of You Photography for the upcoming wedding photos. We love you all!! **

Love and Grace to you,
Amber Dawn