This is our story of God's grace . . .
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
It's a simple story really.
Two people learning to trust God.
Two winding paths that God made straight.
Two straight paths that He choose to cross at just the right time.
. . .
The Creator of romance, the Maker who arranged the first "boy meets girl" in the Garden so long ago, is still at work. [Taken from Joshua Harris' book Boy Meets Girl]
When I read those words months ago when I first started dating the man I will soon marry . . . I knew those were the words I wanted to use on my blog to announce my engagement!! :)
Needless to say a lot has happened recently. God has been kind, very kind!!
Some of you found out that I had a boyfriend in real life, some of you found out by email, but for many of you this is coming as a total shock and surprise. :)
I promise I didn't just decide yesterday to marry the guy next to me on the bus. And, I also promise that we didn't keep our relationship secret from our family and in-real-life friends. We just choose to keep our relationship off the blog for a couple of reasons.
And, that is really what made blogging these past few months difficult . . . I couldn't blog about what I really wanted to . . . and I was kinda busy spending time with the man of my dreams. :)
We are working on putting our story online, so those of you who have not been walking
next to us as God brought us together and we fell in love can praise God with us now as we tell our
story of His grace in our lives.
You can go to our wedding site and/or wedding blog to read more, but here are the basic details:
Lord willing, Lawrance Aaron Wu and I will be married on August 31,
2008 in Texas.
We will have another celebration here in Taiwan at the
end of the year, and we will continue to live, work, and minister in
Taiwan--just together, rather than apart. :)
Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy! (Psalm 126:3 NLT)This coming Monday, I will, Lord willing, leave Taiwan and go Stateside for a little
over two months. I will leave single, but return married to an awesome
man who loves the Lord and has a heart that beats strongly to share the
gospel with the lost. What a blessing!!
We would appreciate your prayers for us as we
make all the transitions that we will face in the coming weeks and
months. Our greatest desire is for God to be glorified, please pray
that as we wrap up things here, transition to a different country for
awhile, and plan for both a wedding and a life together that we can
keep our focus on Christ alone.
Congratulations - both of you! I am so very happy for you, Amanda. It will be my delight to pray for you as you begin this new life together to the glory of God.
Posted by: Patricia (Pollywog Creek) | Wednesday, June 18, 2008 at 07:28 PM
Oh wow! Oh Wow! I'm just thinking WOW!!
So glad for you, Amanda! Blessings, blessings, blessings to you both!! Now off to check those other links.
Posted by: Jimmie | Wednesday, June 18, 2008 at 08:30 PM
i'm so happy for you. may it be everything you've ever hoped. xox
Posted by: Kristy/southeastcountrywife | Wednesday, June 18, 2008 at 08:52 PM
CONGRATS!!! I am so happy for you. :)
Posted by: Ashley | Wednesday, June 18, 2008 at 08:59 PM
Oh my goodness! I am so excited for you! I couldn't have gotten a better surprise this morning on my Google Reader!
Congratulations to both of you! I would have been the same way - I would not have blogged at all if I had to try and conceal something. I can't wait to read the whole story!
Posted by: jewlsntexas | Wednesday, June 18, 2008 at 11:12 PM
Congrats, Amanda!!! That is SO exciting!!!!! I'm so happy for you!!! You guys will be in my prayers! Love ya!
Posted by: jess | Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 01:32 AM
Amanda!!!! You sneaky little thing!! I don't know how you kept that quiet. You must have been bursting at the seams! I'm so excited for both of you and can't wait to hear more about your story. A million congrats!! God has definitely blessed your family recently.
Posted by: Candice | Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 02:32 AM
Congratulations! That's such wonderful news. . .and so much to plan in just a short time! My husband and I were engaged in July and got married at the end of October - we knew it would be a short engagement and that's the way we wanted it. We'll be celebrating seven years this fall. May God's blessing be on your wedding plans, and your marriage. I am so excited for you!
Cindy
http://adopttaiwan.wordpress.com
Posted by: Cindy | Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 03:17 AM
congrats, amanda!! i am so excited for you and can't wait to read about what has happened!
Posted by: carleigh | Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 04:00 AM
Hey Amanda~ Congrats! I'm so excited for you. Blessings as you begin this new journey!
Posted by: Michelle | Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 09:43 AM
WOw!!What a joy to know about this wonderful news. Congrats!Congrats!and Congrats to dear Amanda and Lawrance!!Praise to our wonderful, amazing and faithful Lord who has brought you two together for his glory :-)
Posted by: Jessie (once-a-silent-reader) | Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 09:47 AM
I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!
Posted by: Cahleen | Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 12:31 PM
I am so excited for you! God is taking care of the desires of your heart!
I have read the blogs from your links and subscribed to read them regularly, too! This is so incredibly exciting!! Congratulations!!
May God bless your marriage!
Posted by: Tabetha | Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 10:30 PM
CONGRATS AGAIN! (i left a message on your wedding guest book too) =) Blessings!!! Very happy for you and your fiance!!!
Posted by: joyce | Friday, June 20, 2008 at 08:41 AM
Yay! I am SOOO happy for you! :-) I can't wait to hear all about your wedding and your thoughts as you start your married life together. :-)
Posted by: ashley @ twentysixcats | Friday, June 20, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Hi Amanda ~ I am so very excited for you! Have a fun time with your family in Texas before the wedding. I can't wait to see how you both honor the Lord through this. Congratulations!
Posted by: Deb | Friday, June 20, 2008 at 10:31 AM
So many congratulations already, but I couldn't help not adding my own.
Congratulations! =) Am looking forward to the story!
Posted by: marianne | Friday, June 20, 2008 at 08:45 PM
Well you sure kept the secret well! Wow - some bomb you dropped here!!!
I don't have the words to say to you what I'd like to but I'm sure you know it's beyond every "congrats" and "be happy" and "have an amazing time" - just like all the commenters above mean more than their words really say. I couldn't be happier for you!
And Bon Voyage! Is Gilby going to travel, too?
Posted by: eija | Saturday, June 21, 2008 at 05:28 PM
Oh my... this totally rocks! I'm one who was "shocked and surprised". I'm really happy for you and Lawrance.
Posted by: sqjtaipei | Saturday, June 21, 2008 at 07:03 PM
Congratulations to you both! What a joyful time. God bless you as you plan and live long distance for a while!
Posted by: crickl's nest | Saturday, June 21, 2008 at 11:28 PM
I fell behind in my blog reading and discovered your engagement very late last night. You can imagine my shock. Naturally, I clicked through to see what sort of man is this Lawrance. I see he is cute (pardon me - it's just that he reminds me of my dear "cute" husband); he's completed military service; he speaks four languages; he's a Christian; and he loves you. I think he sounds like a fabulous man. I am so happy for you. Congratulations! This is wonderful, also, for Gilby, who will now at last have a father. ;) Congratulations to Lawrance, as well; he is getting a beautiful and amazing woman for a bride. He is quite a lucky man. Please blog your wedding preparations as much as possible. We who have read your blog for so long feel close to you and can only attend your wedding vicariously through this blog. Best wishes to all three of you.
Blessings, Rebecca
Posted by: Mrs. Happy Housewife | Sunday, June 22, 2008 at 09:30 PM
I am so happy for you two!!! It has been amazing to read your life through this blog the last year or two. Praise the Lord for answering your prayers for a godly husband!!!
Posted by: Leslie | Monday, June 23, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Amanda! WOW! Well, I know that you've been off with THIS CUTE GUY and not blogging... but I had no idea what we were talkin' getting married already! I'm absolutely totally thrilled for you! Praises to God for leading you two together. Okay okay, I need a tissue... tears of joy for you both!
Posted by: Sarah | Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 02:16 PM
just wanted to say congrats!! I am married to a national and love every minute of it:-) the best place to be though, is serving the Lord together!!!! congrats!!
Deana in Taitung
Posted by: deana | Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 10:48 PM
What great pictures! Congratulations on your engagement. :)
Posted by: Carrie Comstock | Sunday, July 06, 2008 at 05:08 AM
I know I am late in posting a comment here, but I just finished reading your story and it is beautiful! God is so good and I couldn't be more happy for you. Reading the different parts of your story brought tears of joy to my eyes as I watched God's plan for you unfold. Thanks for sharing it.
Posted by: Michelle | Sunday, November 09, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Yay Amanda! I was checking my old blog, thinking of reviving it and found yours again. I always have enjoyed the taste of culture from perusing your blog. I'm so pleased that God sent a husband your way as a part of his perfect and gracious plan! What fun to find this surprise at your blog!
Posted by: Carmen | Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 05:00 AM