PART 18 ~ THE MEMOIRS OF A BRIDE: A Prophetic Picture of The Bride of Christ Getting Ready

PART 18 ~ February 21, 2016 – “The Marriage Supper and The Wedding SURPRISE!”

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And the angel said to me,“Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” (Revelation 19:9)

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PEGGY CONTINUES HER TESTIMONY

After much joyous picture-taking in the main Sanctuary of the church, all of the guests traveled the short, convenient, direct distance to “The Wedding Supper.” My Mom’s car was the last to leave with Jim and I, again like two teenagers, smiling joyously in the back seat.

The “Supper Room” was of a rectangular shape and accommodated the long rectangular table. The room was located at the far side of the charming restaurant. There was soft music piped into the private room that was cozy, and just large enough for the table and guests. I thought to myself that I had honestly never attended such a simple, yet elegant and love-filled wedding reception. It was truly unique! All name-cards had previously been put in place by the restaurant management, so each guest knew exactly where to sit at the long table.

When we arrived I had my heavy long black goose-down coat on. Although it was a beautiful Spring-like day earlier, I knew that temperatures could drop significantly in the evening, and I wanted to make sure I wasn’t cold. The long black heavy coat covered my gown to a point just below my knees. I was just about to get ready to walk through the length of the restaurant to get to the special Supper Room. I thought that would be proper to not make a “spectacle of myself” by walking through with my gown in full sight of the many people dining in the room.

Just then, my Matron of Honor, Linda, happened to be there by my side, and in a supremely gentle and loving way, with a little humor, described the paradox of the heavy black coat over the beautiful white gown. At that moment, I felt it proper to discard the large heavy black coat.

Jim helped me remove it and took it away to the cloak room for me. I felt much lighter and “in tune” with the occasion now! My Mom went back to the Supper Room a few minutes ahead of us.

When my Mom was gone from sight, then Jim took my hand to lead the way to the special room.

As we walked through the beautiful restaurant, many people saw us and stopped their conversations to look and express that I was “so beautiful.” It was fun to see some children (since I had taught children previously) and hear their expressions of delight as I passed by. I thought that I certainly didn’t want to call attention to myself, but this is the way things were working out, so I joyously went along with it.

Another point is that my groom was heading in the wrong direction to enter “The Wedding Supper Room.” I followed my groom into the Supper Room, despite my personal conviction that it seemed to be the “wrong” way to enter.

I had previously decided to follow the Biblical pattern of submission to the man/groom in the home. Now was the perfect time to begin. Well, the groom led me directly into another much larger private room with Glass-French Doors all around.

He realized his “mistake” at that point. Then we saw that we could enter “The Wedding Supper” room through double glass doors from the Private Room that we had unfortunately invaded. Jim apologized very kindly and politely. Then we finally entered the “Supper Room,” while all special guest greeted us with plentiful smiles and beaming faces as they loudly applauded with their hands.

I was seated as Jim suddenly surprised me by remaining standing, then proceeding to address the guests! I had attended many Wedding Receptions, but never one where the groom spoke! Jim did a beautiful job of speaking to everyone, making them feel very welcome, comfortable, and valued. Next, the Best Man, Bill K. stood confidently and delivered a toast that instantly qualified as the most warmly delivered toast that I had ever heard!

It was very detailed and served as a glowing tribute to our faith. It was a magnificently awesome tribute! Of course, he noted that he gained his speaking skills by way of being a student in one of Jim’s public speaking courses! He said he owed all of that to Jim.

Next, the guests ordered whatever they desired from the menu. The restaurant and room were decorated with many bottles of wine. It was clever, but it didn’t reflect my philosophy. Jim and I had chosen not to drink alcohol for the past decades. Once in a very great while, we would have a Pina Colada or Strawberry Daiquiri at a restaurant on a special occasion. I got weary over the years of going to various homes and being asked right away if I wanted an alcoholic drink. (Although that was never the case in my parents’ home, and for that I was very grateful.)

Why was alcohol so important? I was not intolerant of the choices of others in this area, but decided that this was an area where the Lord wanted me to take a stand and be set apart as a witness to get people thinking. Perhaps they would start thinking of the need to be “set apart” in many other areas, too!
I thought this was important:

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” ~ (Ephesians 5:18)

I’m not implying that folks I knew would always get drunk from alcohol. I just preferred to stay away from it, and enjoy a good time through the Spirit and through music. I didn’t judge those that would drink. However, I was led to never serve guests, even if they enjoyed alcohol, these drinks in my home. After a while, they got the idea and brought “Sparkling Cider” when they came. It was just my little way of hopefully making the “crowd” consider that they didn’t have to go with the “world’s way.”

So there were wine bottle decorations all around, but tastefully done. The Table was in the midst of these. It was okay. This was God’s choice for the “Supper.” I felt that distinctly from the time we reserved the room several weeks before. There were many people gathered around a bar at the opposite end of the Restaurant on that special night, and fortunately, we were far away from them. It was quiet where we were. The “world” was away from us, but at the same time, quite near in the same restaurant, especially around the bar.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
(Romans 12:2)

“We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19)

I thought symbolically that the probable profuse drinking at the bar possibly represented “the world” and “the world” was controlled basically by the enemy. I reasoned that in the midst of “the world”, something very special had happened in the “Wedding Supper” room:

“You (God) prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” ~ (Psalm 23:5)

I knew ahead of time that many of the guests definitely enjoyed a drink with their meals, so I took the time to e-mail them ahead of time and urged them to order any item off of the menu and that included drinks. I wanted them to be comfortable instead of inhibited just this once around me. I tried to encourage them by saying that I was planning on having a Pina Colada….it would time to celebrate. Well, when the time came to order drinks, however, I forgot all about it, and out of sheer habit said, “I’ll have a glass of water with lemon”! How funny. Jim actually did the same! I never did change that “drink order” even when I realized my “mistake”!

Next, there was a second surprise (after the surprise of Jim speaking to the group). The food had arrived at each place. I expected Father Bill to say a prayer of blessing. No, Jim stood up again and announced that Pastor Tom would be saying the blessing! I had really wanted that to happen, but I was shocked that Jim would put him on the spot like that and on top of that, over-ride Father Bill’s place! Well, once again, I remained quiet about this. Pastor Tom stood up and delivered a wonderful blessing!

Later that evening, I spoke with Jim about it and he explained that it was Father Bill’s idea to ask Pastor Tom to do that! Wow! I had hoped for it, especially for old time’s sake. I had initially been born and raised in the Methodist Church until age 8 when Dad took a church job in another denomination. I knew that many of the denominations today were caving in under the weight of compromise to non-Biblical principles. Pastor Tom’s church had not yet encountered that specifically. I just wished for a little bit of nostalgia just for that one moment, even though I fully realized the facts.

Furthermore, I knew that Pastor Tom and Linda had made a firm decision to never compromise the Holy Word just to “fit in” with the crowd. Because of that, Pastor Tom’s blessing meant a lot to me!

My wish about this was granted by the prompting of the Holy Spirit upon Father Bill prior to the Ceremony. Jim and I never said a word about my request! Furthermore, Father Bill had given Pastor Tom plenty of notice so that he did not have to do the blessing right “on the spot.”

“For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” ~ (Matthew 6:8)

The wonderful supper followed, and then Jim and I commenced to cut the simple cake with our theme Scripture on it: Hosea 2:19.

 

  
As we started to eat our cake, SURPRISE! A man we didn’t know and had never seen before walked into our private room. The first thing that struck me about him is that he had a most unusual, yet very kind appearance. His face was positively beaming with a big smile. He spoke very kindly and with unusual warmth. His voice was the perfect volume – not too loud and not too soft. He explained that he was eating in the restaurant and saw a beautiful bride walking by. He got up to ask the manager about her and her groom.

He claimed to own several hair salons. I thought that maybe he was ready to give me a certificate for a free haircut…..that would be very considerate! However, that was not the case. What he said next perfectly surprised everyone in the room. He said, “Bottom line, I have decided to pay for this entire Supper. EVERYTHING is ON ME! I feel COMPELLED to do this.”

My jaw dropped in sheer surprise!

I don’t know that I looked at anyone else. I was too surprised to do that. I think I was just staring straight ahead. I was way too stunned to even remember my manners and at the minimum, say “THANK YOU!”

Next, someone at the table asked if they could have his business card. With a smile, he said simply, “IT’S NOT ABOUT THAT!”

With that, he turned quickly and vanished! My Matron of Honor, Linda H. told me later that she had quickly scanned the faces of everyone at the table after he made his announcement, and she noted marked surprise on EVERY face. She seriously considered the possibility that he was indeed an angel!

My next step was to stand up quickly and address the guests. I explained that this surprise was predicted by a Christian woman from Nevada that I never met in person, and had only briefly met on e-mail as of a very short time ago. I explained that she had contacted me by e-mail several days before the Wedding with the proclamation that “God has a surprise for you!” I also explained that I had two witnesses at the table that I had received that e-mail. They were Linda H. and my Mom!

We found out that the cost of the meal was well over $600.00, and that was probably not including the $2.50 per glass for the Champagne Toast and the tip. We never paid a cent. We hardly had a chance to thank that man/angel. He was gone in a flash! It was all very surprising. The best thing of it all was that Jim and I knew that God was behind it. It was God’s favor on us for doing our best to be faithful to His Word in the everyday aspects of our lives. God sent an angel to confirm His Blessing on our lives and marriage by way of this extraordinary gesture on the part of the unknown man/angel! It was such a blessing and so very comforting! At the conclusion of the Supper, though, Jim did check with the Manager to confirm that the entire bill was indeed paid. The Manager smiled and replied in the affirmative, “this bill has been PAID IN FULL.” Amazing!

 

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Side Note:

We didn’t see the “rainbow surprise” that day as we expected, but we did see the “Wedding Supper” tied up with a supernatural “rain-bow” just before its conclusion! It was touching beyond the description that words could give it! We noted God’s unique favor abundantly blessing the very commencement of the long-awaited marriage! ALLELUIA!

 

God is not to be outdone, however. On April 7, 2016, we were blessed in a way that had us filled with complete awe at a huge display of a spectacular rainbow in the sky!

“For the(RAINBOW) vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3)

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” ~ (Ephesians 3:20)

 

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“A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
(Ecclesiastes 4:12)

(That would be the two of us with the Power of the Holy Trinity as the FIRST and ALL-IMPORTANT strand!)

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

{And indeed the Holy Spirit enveloped me as I just typed those words.
They are the TRUTH! AMEN and AMEN!}

ALLELUIA! AMEN and AMEN!
We love you, but God loves you more!
Peggy and Jim

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POST-WEDDING:

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Another wonderful thing was that the “SURPRISE” story spread all around our area. Everywhere we went, people seemed to have heard about it and eagerly discussed it with us! Pastor Tom and Linda spread the word in their area about 1 hour south of us. Linda spoke of it at her church the next week. She also spread the word at the prison where she worked, among family and friends, and in places of business that she visited. The best part about that was that it gave God ALL the GLORY. He was the one behind the surprise, and now His miracle was being used to bring many people to greater faith in Him! It’s ALL ABOUT HIM!

 

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“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”(Mark 16:15)

“And behold, I am with you all the days, until the completion of the age.”(Matthew 28:20)

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