Today I learned a really powerful revelation based on this scripture! Jesus is with his disciples and they tell him his family is there to see him. He makes a choice and stays with the people he's ministering to rather than going out to meet his family. Jesus chose to follow God's will instead of abide by what his family desired for him. Many that have read my recent blog about my choice of obedience I had to make in 2012. Why this was so important to me today was that I finally found scripture that backs my decision! Jesus the Son of God chose to do the will of His Heavenly Father rather then appeasing the desires of his family of origin. He chose God! He chose to be obedient to Him! He didn't let anyone take him away from the path he was to travel. I also chose God! What has happened in my life since? I can't wait to tell you about all the miracles that I've been able to experience since I took that step of obedience!
My husband and I have been apart of a ministry team for over a year now! We meet every thursday night at our home anywhere from 7 to about 10 pm. We have met at our apartment also when we lived in downtown Minneapolis. These guys have been the greatest blessing to us! Two in particular Nathaniel Cushing and David Brooks. We love you guys so much!!! Sean we love you man! We stand with you no matter what just like you stood by us when we were in desperate need of love.
During our engagement Zechariah and I had a really rough time. We loved each other but we were also hurting a lot and didn't know yet how to communicate that to each other. When we talked about our hurting hearts it ended up causing an argument. It all came to hit the fan one night as we were ministering to youth for a 30 hour famine. That weekend is what this blog is about! If I could take the credit and say I had anything to do with it I would be so doing God an injustice.
Zechariah and I were really hurting and instead of being able to practice our set like we were supposed to be doing Sean and Bud were looking for Zechariah to talk with him and I stayed back at the church with David and Cal. I barely knew David and I didn't really want to share my feelings with someone I didn't know. After a while the guys returned and we started our practice. Later in the night God did something I never in a million years would have dreamed he would.
We were worshipping with the youth band and God told me I couldn't worship him with a half heart. I asked him what he wanted me to do and he said "Go talk to David" I was not about to tell someone I didn't really know how I felt so I refused Him at first but he kept telling me I needed to share what was in my heart. In the same moment I was hearing this God was speaking to David telling him that he needs to be gentle and fatherly to me. We both were not having it at first. We had no idea what God had in store for us in that moment! I stopped worshipping looked at David and asked if I could talk to him. He smiled and said sure. I wish I could describe what happened after that but all I can say is that by us listening to God's request we've experienced healing in ways we never imagined. One night God would confirm to David a request he had for him 6 weeks before I even would ask.
We were at David's apartment for another night of Sleepwaker. I was in the bathroom and was just telling God who I could see walking me down the aisle. I felt at peace about it so I waited for the right moment to ask. It came shortly after and I looked and David and said I had something personal to ask him and he looked at me and said "Stop I know what you're going to ask me!" I looked at Zechariah and I said "how?" David finished my thoughts for me. "You've never asked someone to give you away yet have you?" I couldn't believe what I just heard! I just was talking to God about this a few minutes earlier and there's David telling me he already knew! God revealed to David that he would give me away at my wedding. In the course of our time with Sleepwaker we became like a family. David has become in many ways a dad to me!! I didn't know who else I would have wanted to share in that special moment! So one night way back in the earlier part of mine and Zechariah's engagement when we were close to parting ways God had David in mind to be a father figure in my life! David I know you don't have internet but I just want to say I love you like crazy! Thank you for everything you have done to help me feel safe, protected, loved and encouraged! Many times you'd hear me at my worst, best and just eh moments and I can't thank you enough for being obedient to Daddy!
Nathaniel (Bud) and Sean you guys are so wonderful!! Thank you for all the ways you minister to us! Thank you for allowing us to do life together! Bud thank you for playing at our wedding even though you had a busy schedule!! Sean thank you for supporting Zechariah and encouraging him in the many ways you do to be the best husband and father he can be!! We are so blessed by you both!
The way my ladies in my wedding party came to be is another God thing. I was in Vinton Iowa with Valleybrook on my first mission trip and I was talking to God about who would be standing with me in my wedding and God just told me from start to finish what girls they were! Three of the girls that God spoke about were also on the trip with me so I was able to actually ask three of the ladies that day if they would be in my wedding. They all said yes!! It was so exciting to see how God was planning my wedding and I had no idea! Amy, Amanda Leah, Lindsay and Margo I love you ladies!!! You were the greatest wedding party so thank you for being willing to celebrate this very special day with us!
Amy I'm so sorry if we will be unable to see your big day as we wait for our little one to arrive!! We'll be praying God gives you and Jason an amazing day though!!
Margo words can't even begin to describe how thankful I am for you!! We've been through so much in our friendship!! I love you so much!! Now we get to experience two years of camp together!! I pray that God leads to the beautiful life he has for you and you live confidently out the identity he's given you! It's such an honor to know you and do life together!
Amanda Leah and Lindsay thank you so much ladies for being apart of this special day! Amanda really it was so great to have you be a part of the wedding with how far you came from!! Love you!! I so miss singing "take me out to the ballgame" and our Valleybrook talks!!! Lindsay I really miss our Sunday lunches!!! I hope we can do them again sometime!! Leah thank you so much for all the fun times at the bachlorette party!! I loved working with you in Iowa too!!
To our wonderful family back home We love you!!!! Thank you so much for everything you did for our wedding!!! We are so blessed to have been able to had a wonderful place for our wedding! Jim thank you for all the work you put into the yard, projects, giving up your garden, house just to make sure we had a great day!!! Mom you're forever going to hold a special place in my heart!! I can't thank you enough for all the planning you did and ways it all came together! Thank you for embracing me into your family!! Thank you for becoming my family!! I love your son with all my heart and will do the greatest job I can to show him that more and more everyday! You have raised a wonderful young man! He will make a great dad to our Nathan!!
Dad and Amy thank you for providing the rehearsal dinner!! It was so lovely to be able to sit together and just eat a meal together before the wedding! Thank you for the gifts you've already provided for us and Nathan! Dad couldn't imagine naming Nathan after anyone else! We're so proud of you!!!
So what started out as revelation experienced became a thank you to all the wonderful people in our lives that made this year possible!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!! We could not have gotten to where we are without you all! Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate our special day with us! We are abundantly blessed!!!
Valleybrook has helped us in ways that can't even be described!! We listen to sermons and are currently going through the rejection study! We love being able to heal with you all! Love you church family! We miss you but are so excited when we can be a part of worship with you when we do make it home for the weekend!
Love you all!
Tina M. Putney
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