A Reminder of Peace.

"The Lord is at hand;do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:5-7 (ESV)

I got married two weeks ago, and I have no words to describe the sweet, sweet aroma of love that God has surrounded me with since my love and I made an everlasting covenant before Him and our loved ones. And so, I wanted to share a little bit about our special day; not as a sense to tell you all the details, but rather to encourage your hearts and minds to the point of a greater faith and trust in our Lord.The morning of May 26th, I woke up with a last name that I wouln't fall asleep with. After two years of wedding preparations and many long conversations with our pastor, mentors, and other wise counsel, I felt as equipped as I could be to become a wife. Yes, I knew that there was much to be learned in the coming days, but I felt complete peace about this massive decision and promise I was walking into.The Lord truly guarded my heart and mind the week before the wedding. Even though there were little detail tasks to complete and unseen upsets that I would have rather bypassed, Jesus held my heart and mind steadfast in His truth. Naturally prone to anxiety, having this amount of peace was miraculous. I sincerely felt held and covered under His wings of protection. Needless to say, Satan's embers of anger were stoked. The girl who once was so easily given to worry and stress was abiding in the peace that surpasses all understanding, and he simply could not stand it. So, this is when this perfect peace was put to test.It all started when I began to get bombarded by texts asking questions about the wedding, then learning that my grandparents weren't going to be able to make it, and then, to top it off, I started having neck spasms that came close to putting me in urgent care. Not what a girl wants on her wedding day, right?As each stressor compacted, I felt that peace fall farther and farther away. My heart was losing hope and I was letting it.It was then that my bridesmaids, who are nothing short of warriors of faith, started lifting me up in prayer. They gathered around me and wept and interceded for my pain to cease and for me to be able to enjoy this special day. They reminded me of how when I worship in the midst of pain, Satan has no foothold. So, that is when we stopped what we were doing to hit our knees and sang praises to our heavenly Father.The words of Sovereign Over Us by Aaron Keys"You are working in our waiting, You're sancitfying us, When beyond our understanding, You're teaching us to trust."We worshipped and sang this song with expectations for the Lord to show up, and boy did He do just that.No sooner had we finished singing were my neck spasms relieved and that peace that surpasses all understanding fell afresh on my soul. Like a wave all at once, my faith was heightened and I knew Satan had been banished miles and miles away. He could not cripple me.So, friend, be encouraged that no matter how hard Satan is trying to cripple you physically, emotionally or spiritually in whatever situation you are going through, he has no power and "The Lord is at hand" and ready to fight for you! Wait on Him, and experience peace like you never knew existed.Our wedding day was imperfectly perfect, and though there was a battle to be fought, He had won the war before it even started.words by Joy Payne and photo by Cate WillisSaveSaveSaveSave