Chronicles of a Future Wife

GOING BACK...

2012-05-04T17:43:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone and Happy Friday to you. I hope each of you had a great week. I have a great week ahead of me: preparing for a benefit ball that I designed programs for and will be photographing as well. It's sponsored by one of the classes from my high school alma mater, which makes this occasion even more special. Praying a blessed weekend for each of you.

Well, I won't prolong this post with what I really want to say: I'm going back to Chronicles of a Future Wife. Yes, I know this blog was short-lived but what I thought was a great move and big change was not so. COAFW is where I'm supposed to be. And if I'm honest, I talked myself into making changes to the blog for all the wrong reasons that I thought were right at the time (but that's another story). So, I will be making another change to the blog again but this time I'm keeping it that way.

Have a great weekend everyone and look out for the return of Chronicles of a Future Wife.

MELISSA & BRYAN BOYD: A SOLDIER'S WEDDING STORY (Part 2)

2012-05-03T09:11:00.001-04:00

If you read Part 1 of Melissa's story yesterday, then you know the challenges that she was faced with during the planning of her wedding. But, in the midst of preparing to become Mrs. Bryan Boyd, she drew strength from the only One who could see her through--Jesus Christ. Today, we get to see the beauty in God's blessings in that of a well orchestrated wedding that may have had its challenges in the preparations, but was picture perfect in the end. See Melissa and Bryan's beautiful wedding day.

Melissa & Bryan Boyd

Married: July 2, 2011

Wedding Location: Malvern, PA

Wedsite: (Munro & Boyd)

What song did you walk down the aisle to?
The traditional wedding march

Who helped you with preparing for your day (i.e. getting dressed, hair, make up, etc..)?
I dressed and did my hair myself but got my make-up done by a make up artist called Liz.

Did you do the traditional, "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?" If so, what were your "old, new, borrowed and blue?
Something old: jumping the broom, something new: [my] dress, something borrowed: candle stick holders, something blue: under garments

How many guests attended your big day?
fifty-five

What was the most challenging thing for you while planning your wedding?
Most challenging part of planning my wedding was not being able to physically be home to do the planning along with Bryan. Viewing the wedding hall, cakes, wedding dresses, favors, and reception hall from pictures made it difficult to know what things would really be like when I got home. I prayed that all would be well and God definitely worked it out in a better way than I could have imagined.

Was everything fully planned when you returned home for the wedding or were there last minute things to be taken care of?
Everything was planned except for the wedding dress. I had ordered one online but it was the wrong color and size. I prayed that I would find one when I got home and the third dress I found in Davids Bridal fit perfectly!

What did you love most about your wedding day?
Saying my vows with my husband and dancing with my husband were the best times!

How would you encourage a bride that may be going through the same experience as you did with your wedding?
I would encourage brides to attend marital counseling! Even though I had a lot to think about, one of the things that did not worry me was that I was marrying the right person that God had for me. I would also encourage other brides to pray with their spouse throughout the planning process and to ask family members and friends for help.

This was a big challenge for you both. How did this bring you closer as a couple?
Our communication, trust and love for God and each other definitely grew strong during this time. We learned to work together as a team even if we could not physically be by each others side. We just looked at the wedding album 2 nights ago when I got home from Afghanistan and we were both amazed by what an amazing day it was and we look forward to sharing our story when we have children in the future.

~Congratulations Melissa and Bryan~

May God bless you with many years of love, peace, and happiness :-)

Wedding Credits

Wedding Planner: Melissa and Bryan Boyd

Wedding Location: Paoli Presbyterian Curch Paoli, PA

Reception Location: Sheraton Greater Valley Hotel Frazer, PA

Officiant: Rawle Munro

Photographer: Victoria Payne

Hair: Melissa Boyd

MakeUp: Beautiful by Liz

Bridal Attire: David's Bridal

Groom's Attire: K&G

Bridal Party Attire: David's Bridal

Stationer (Invitations and Wedding Programs): The Knot

Florist: Malvern Flowers and Gifts

Caterer: Sheraton Greater Valley Hotel Frazer, PA

Wedding Cake: Sweet Jazmines

DJ: Rawle Munro-DJ Versatile

Transportation: Altima

[Share your story]

The Audrey Blog would love to share your wedding story.

Contact me at theaudreyblog@yahoo.com to make your submission.

MELISSA BOYD: "A SOLDIER'S WEDDING STORY" (PART 1)

2012-05-02T09:45:00.002-04:00

While interviewing Melissa for her wedding feature, one of her responses really stuck out to me. After thinking about how I could highlight it, I decided to make it a feature itself. I thought her story was unique in that she is a soldier in the U.S. Army, she had to plan her wedding while deployed in Afghanistan, as well as handle some of the dangers she faced there, all while carrying out her specific duties. All of this could not be done, of course, without her reliance on God, a supportive fiance' (now husband), and a supportive family. Below is Melissa's account in her own words. The beautiful wedding story of she and her husband, Bryan will be posted later today.

Photo Credit: Victoria J Productions

I received my military deployment orders, January 17, which was one day before Bryan and I started pre-marital counseling with our pastor. He had suggested around Christmas that we do counseling prior to engagement and I was really excited and looking forward to it. Unfortunately, I had just about 30 days to prepare to leave for Afghanistan so we had to rush the counseling sessions and try to fit in as much enjoyable moments as we could in a limited amount of time. Usually there is more time given between the time you receive orders and when you leave for deployment, but I was not given that opportunity and so life seemed to speed up faster than I could even imagine.

After we got engaged, we set a date of July 2 for the wedding, since I wanted to come home for Bryan's birthday during my 2 week break. We spoke 2-3 times a day, made schedules, set deadlines, shared pictures of colors, food, cakes, wedding venues, made the guest list, chose the wedding favors and did anything else that we could via the phone and computer. Our families were also very helpful but it was difficult not being able to physically do these tasks side by side. I was very thankful for the help but also felt very guilty and sad about not being able to do more to help plan my own wedding. During this time of preparation to be a wife, I was also dealing with daily crises of patients having psychological problems, to include trying to prevent suicide attempts, overdoses, and other life threatening behaviors.

My base was also rocketed several times and there was a heightened level of security following a tragic event on April 27th in which 9 people died, one of which was a patient of mine and another who was a friend from church. It was difficult to focus my attention at work when I wanted nothing more than to just be back home with Bryan. We prayed and communicated daily asking God for strength and favor. It was difficult not being able to share everything with Bryan because he was very worried and concerned so I kept the daily event descriptions to a minimum. He also was often sick and even had to go to the hospital several times which I felt tremendous guilt about not being able to be by his side.

I attended bible study almost every day, read my bible, particularly Psalm 91 before going to bed, and just trusted that God was with me and Bryan. Thankfully, Bryan's health improved along with his joyful spirit. When I got home a few days before Bryan's birthday, I was so excited and thankful. I still did not have a dress, since the one I ordered online in Afghanistan was a total mistake to include being gray not white, having the worst looking ribbon, and being the wrong size. I was not able to mail it back to the company from my base so I was stuck with it. I prayed so much that I would find a dress when I got home and God sure did work it out that when my sister and I went to David's Bridal, the 3rd dress I tried on fit perfect, was a great price and needed very little tailoring.

Bryan and I were full of joy to be back together and were thrilled that the wedding went great! We could not take a honeymoon to a nice island or go on a cruise like I had always dreamed about due to me having to return back to Afghanistan just 6 days after the wedding so we went to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware which turned out to be great! God blessed us in so many ways by keeping our love and trust in each other strong even through the many miles apart. We trusted that despite having to be separated for 7 more months, we would grow closer to each other and to the Lord.Leaving to go back to Afghanistan was harder than leaving the first time.

We both had a difficult time emotionally. I found out in September that I was approved to return to the States to attend a course in TX and so that really boosted our spirits when we were able to reunite the day after Thanksgiving. God definitely showed us so much favor because it is very uncommon that those approvals occur. I thank God every day that we had a "second honeymoon" in Texas and got to spend 9 wonderful days together.

Now I have just about 15 more days left in Afghanistan and Bryan and I are just counting down the days to be back together!!! We thank God every day for his many blessings. Just yesterday, God blessed us again when we found out about a couple's getaway we will get to attend at a resort in Maryland, which is free for any military couple that has gone through a deployment! I was so excited to receive the email and I am so thankful that God is at the center of our lives, guiding and protecting us. I pray for countless years of marriage to come and thank the Lord everyday for an awesome and wonderful husband. I have learned to love him more and more everyday and I am ever so grateful for the Lord bringing us together.

[Note: Melissa is now home, back in the States with her loving husband and family]

Thank you for your service to this country, Melissa. We appreciate you :-)

RING WORTHY: ELISEO PROPOSES TO KAPRI

2012-05-01T09:55:00.001-04:00

When I saw the picture of the ring that Eliseo would be proposing to Kapri with, I thought it was the sweetest thing. I also wondered how he managed to do that without her knowing (he posted the picture on Facebook). And of course, me being the "sucker for love" that I am, hoped to see how he actually pulled it off. Not long after, Eliseo declared in a post, "She said yes!" along with a photo of him and his new bride. Today, Eliseo and Kapri share their story of their sweet surprise proposal.

Eliseo Way, III and Kapri Sapp

Proposal Date: February 12, 2012

Proposed at: Kingdom Institute (the happy couple's church)

From Eliseo...

How did you meet?

We met through mutual friends over in the UCF [University of Central Florida] area.

How long have you been together?
Officially since 2008

How did you propose?
I proposed after church service. She is on the administration team so we had her run some errands while I changed and everyone helped decorate the meeting room. When she came back from errands it was an awesome romantic display of effection. It was very heart warming and emotional.

How far in advance had you been planning to propose?
Maybe a week to 2 weeks at most.

You posted a picture of the ring on Facebook and shared that you'd be popping The Big Question. How did you keep that a secret from your fiancee'?
Right after praise and worship, during service, I went to the bathroom and posted the ring. She is not a big fan of Facebook so she is hardly ever logged on unless responding to family or friends. I proposed a couple hours after I posted the ring so it was easy to keep it a surprise.

We don't often hear from the man, his feelings about hearing his future bride say "yes" to his proposal. How did it feel to hear Kapri accept your proposal?
It was an indescribable feeling, Kapri is everything I look for in a woman. I am truly honored that she accepted my proposal for marriage. Words would never be able to explain how it felt hearing her say yes. The entire experience was amazing and one that we will cherish for life and beyond.

From Kapri...

Did you suspect, at all, that Eliseo would be proposing to you?
No, I actually did not have any clue . He was more concerned with what I wore that day but other than that everything went as it normally does when we go to church.

What was your reaction when he proposed?
I was very happy and surprised. Honestly I felt it was perfect.

Other than some of your church members, who else knew about the proposal?
I honestly don't know. I was the last to find out about the proposal. After he proposed to me everyone knew because we shared it our family and friends.

Did you do anything special following service to celebrate?
Yes, small get together after church.

What do you look forward to the most on becoming the future Mrs. Eliseo Way?
Growing and learning new stuff about each other everyday.

~Congratulations Eliseo and Kapri :-)

May God bless you with many years of love and happiness.~

[Share your story]
The Audrey Blog would love to share your proposal story.
Contact me at theaudreyblog@yahoo.com to make your submission.

COMING UP: ELISEO PROPOSES TO KAPRI

2012-04-30T19:35:00.000-04:00

A VERY SWEET SURPRISE- Wedding bells are ringing for Eliseo Way and Kapri Sapp. Just in time for Valentine's Day, Eliseo gave Kapri a gift that she will never forget--a surprise proposal. See their story tomorrow on the blog.

WORD OF THE WEEK: THE BEST LIFE

2012-04-30T11:05:00.000-04:00

Good day all...let's jump start this week with a good word.

Best- (adj) Of the most excellent, effective, or desirable type or quality.

According to the definition of the word best, can you say that you are living your best life? The best life is a life lived at its highest quality. It includes (but not limited to) a peace of mind, genuine happiness, a consistent presence of joy, a life filled with purpose, and an overall positive outlook on your life and future.

Many of us are in pursuit of our best lives, but there are others who need a little push to get their best lives started. Below are a few ways that I believe you can start to live your best life.

{HELPFUL WAYS TO LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE}

1. Spend time with God- Set aside some time out of your day to spend time with God. It can be in a quiet space in your house, on your lunch break at work, or at a nice quiet place that you like to go to often. Spending time with God helps to feed your spirit and is the key to living your best life.

2. Remove the Negatives- Are you in relationships that you know you shouldn't be in? Do you keep company with people who are troublemakers, gossipers, contentious, who stay in a lot of mess? Are you feeding your spirit with negative things (i.e. watching cat fights on tv, and the like). These are just a few things that can be described as negatives in your life. Begin disconnecting yourself from these things so you can begin to walk in the best that God has for you.

3. Go to Church- Not just as a good deed for the day. Go to experience the word of God, get food for your soul, fellowship with others, and to possibly find a place to be your permanent spiritual home.

4. Spend time with Yourself- There's nothing like setting aside some time to just be with YOU. So, go ahead. Treat yourself to a day at the spa, go for a walk in the park, go to the beach, pick up that book you've been saying you're going to read. You can't live your best life at the expense of neglecting yourself, so make sure to include yourself on your agenda.

5. Try Something to New- Do something you've never done before. Try a new food, go to a new type of event, visit a new spot in your city. This is one of the those things that just adds fulfillment and joy to your life. Grab a buddy or go alone but try something new.

6. Set Some Goals and Reach Them- Living your best life means having a vision, having things you'd like to achieve, pursuing things you'd like to accomplish. Take out some paper and a pen and set some goals for yourself. Start off small with setting a goal for the week, then the month, then the year. Check off the goals you have reached (don't beat yourself up about the one's you don't). You'll soon discover how fulfilling reaching goals can be.

7. Get Active, Get Healthy- This is probably one of the most important things that we can do for ourselves when living our best lives. Not only is being active and healthy good for us but it makes us more effective, especially if we are going to be vessels used by God. So run, jump, swim, walk, grab some fruit and veggies :-) You have an active, healthy, best life to live.

8. Forgive- Unforgiveness is a heavy, burdensome weight that we carry when we choose to hold ought against someone who has wronged us. This can also be a barrier between you and living your best life. If you are carrying any unforgiveness in your heart, allow God to heal your heart so that you can forgive and live in the freedom of you best life.

9. Speak Life- "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits." (Proverbs 18:21 ESV). Start speaking life into your life today. No more, "It'll never happen for me" or "It's too late" or "I'm not qualified". No, speak life. "I am who God says I am. I can be whatever God says I can be. I can do whatever God says I can do." You can't live your best life with "dead" things in it. Speak life.

10. Live on Purpose- Don't waste any more time doing things that have no meaning. In order to live your best life, it's important that you do things that serve a purpose. Setting goals (as mentioned above) is a helpful way to live on purpose, removing the negatives (again, mentioned above) is another way, but the most important way to live on purpose is to serve God and do things that are pleasing to Him.

In closing, remember the words of our Savior: "...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10b). Start living your best life now. You have all the tools you need to there. You are on your way to living a life filled with a peace of mind, genuine happiness, consistent presence of joy, purpose, and an overall positive outlook on your life and future. {Helpful scriptures: Jeremiah 29:11, John 10:1-11}

Live your best life now...

Have a great week everyone,

THE MIS-EDUCATION OF THE SINGLE WOMAN: AN INTRODUCTION

2012-04-26T12:09:00.000-04:00

Image Credit

While I was away from blogging, one of the things that I had become very passionate about is an idea that I started to call The Mis-education of the Single Woman. I believe that there are a lot of single women who sincerely want to be in relationships and want to understand the true meaning of what it means to be single, but because of the way they've been "educated", they have been going around in circles.

Some women have relied on the advice of friends --who also have questions about singleness and relationships-- to help guide their solo lives. Others have tried to play "The Game" in the dating world: trying to keep up with, and abide by, all of the different "plays" just to try to gain someone's affection. And then there are those who have flocked to concepts like "thinking like a man", hoping that in some way it would give them the answers they're looking for.

The Mis-education of the Single Woman has been set up to highlight and dispel the things that have led to the mis-educated single woman. But it will also provide her with the tools she needs to get educated.

I look forward to sharing some great "lessons" and information with you. The first installment of The Mis-education of the Single Woman is coming soon.

MOTIVATIONAL MOMENT WITH TANGIE HENRY: PREPARATION IS NEVER TIME WASTED

2012-04-25T09:32:00.001-04:00

Part of The Audrey Blog's mission is to encourage single women to live their best single lives while also helping to place themselves in the position to meet their future mates. Enter, Tangie Henry (also known as Inspired Sistah). Tangie has a motivational series called Get It Together Girl that encourages ladies to live bold, authentic lives and offers tips on how to make changes to do so. The "get it it together" concept is very relevant to single women who not only want to make a change for themselves but are also desiring marriage. Today, Tangie shares with us some very helpful tips and words of wisdom--that the time you spend investing in yourself for your future endeavors is not in vain. In other words, preparation is never time wasted.

Tangie Henry aka Inspired Sistah

Preparation is Never Time Wasted
It is vitally important that, as we're positioning ourselves to meet our Forever Partner that we show up as complete, whole individuals verses "a half" seeking another "half." It's important that we're whole spiritually, emotionally and physically so that we can attract a man who possesses those same qualities. Light attracts Light. Having said that, I believe preparation is never time wasted. So whether you meet your Intended next year or in the next five years, the time you spend taking care of your whole being will be an investment that will yield abundant results.

First Things First
At the core of who we are is our spirit man. It is who we really are. Although we may spend time prettying-up our physical bodies or working on being emotionally healthy, it's even more important that we strengthen our spirit. This is paramount because it is from our spirit that we commune with God who gives us direction in every area of our lives…from our purpose to our partners. If our spirits our weak, our judgment will be tainted and we will make poor choices. Here are few ways to build up your spirit:

• Read God’s Word. Although the Bible can sometimes be a bit hard to understand, it is one of the main ways that we learn about the character of God and thus are able to see a reflection of what our spirit man should look like. Understanding God’s promises and His plan for our lives strengthens us from the inside out and helps us govern our lives based on the viewpoint of everything that supports our greatest and highest good, which is ultimately what God wants for us. If you have trouble understanding the “thee’s” and the “thou’s” of the King James Version, try a more reader-friendly version like the Amplified Version or New International Version. They can illuminate the Word for you and help you apply it to your life.

• Talk to God. Prayer is just simple communication with God that allows you to not only make your requests of Him, but to listen for direction for your life. It should be a time of sweet fellowship between friends that gives you greater strength and confidence in your day-to-day decision making.

• Get to Church. The Bible tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Heb. 10:25) not so that we can have a place to hang out, but so that we can get re-fueled for the journey. Being around other believers helps you to grow as well as allows you to give and receive encouragement.

Do Your Homework
Sometimes in our quest to position ourselves for” Mr. Right,” we forget that we need to heal from our experiences with “Mr. Wrong.” Or, that we need to work on our attitude, our skewed perception of men or our self-esteem. When you show up in a relationship fragmented, you not only cheat your Intended, but you also cheat yourself of a real, true, satisfying relationship. So, I recommend that you do your “homework.” That means take care of your soul (your feeler, chooser and thinker) so that you can present yourself as the beautiful whole woman you were created to be. Here are some tips:

• Attitude Check. Have you ever been in a crowded room and everyone seemed to be attracted to this one sister who lit up the room with her personality? She may not have been the prettiest (by your standards) but she was, indeed, the most magnetic. Why? Because she had a great attitude. If you want to attract the right suitor, you have got to lose negativity, self-pity, arrogance, etcetera and so forth. If you don’t keep your attitude in check, you will be like Cinderella’s wicked step-sisters: without a prince.

• Forgive and Release. Being hurt in a relationship can sometimes make us jaded when it comes to pursuing new love interests. We may take on the attitude of, “I don’t need a man. I can do bad all by myself!” While you may not “need” a man, you were created to desire one, so don’t take an unhealthy stance to try and protect your broken heart. The greatest gift you can give yourself is the gift of forgiveness. Forgive him for hurting you and forgive yourself for being vulnerable and allowing yourself to be hurt. Vulnerability is one of the necessary risks of giving and receiving real love. The quicker you forgive and release the one who hurt you, the sooner you’ll increase your capacity to receive the love you deserve.

Temple Care
Not only is your body the temple of the Holy Spirit, but it is also the vehicle for which you’ve been given to live out your purpose. Abuse of our bodies not only leads to illness but a lack of productivity, as well. In addition, not only do you want to be aesthetically pleasing to your potential mate, but you want to have the energy to enjoy him. Ponder this:

• Garbage In Garbage Out. While the foods that we most often crave taste the best, many times they do little to enhance our “bottom” line. My favorite nutritional motto is, “Moderation, moderation, moderation!” Unless you have a health issue that recommends you restrict certain foods, I believe balance is the key. You don’t have to put yourself in a constant state of deprivation, but you must also understand that over-indulgence leads to unwanted weight and avoidable health issues. So, take it easy on the chocolate cake.

• Move it! Apart from weight loss, the health benefits of exercise are myriad. Increased cardiovascular activity strengthens your heart which, in turn, increases your stamina. I’ll let you figure out all of the great reasons why you need stamina in your relationship. ;-)

As you can see, caring for your whole being is of great benefit to not only yourself, but to your future beau, as well. Understand that whether Mr. Right is right around the corner or some years away, preparation is never time wasted. For tips and encouragement on your journey of before and after “I do,” visit my blog: MarriageAintforWimps.com

For more inspirational moments with Tangie,

you can also go to her main site InspiredSistah.com.

AUDREY'S WORDS: YOU CAN'T SKIP A STEP (THE PROCESS)

2012-04-24T11:26:00.001-04:00

Good day all. Today I'm introducing one of the new additions to The Audrey Blog called Audrey's Words. Here is where I will be sharing thoughts, opinions, and perspectives on various topics. For this installment of Audrey's Words, I went into the archives and pulled out a message that I shared when I was new to blogging. I'm a huge advocate of encouraging single women who have a desire to be married. I like to encourage but I also like to give practical steps on what I think will help place them in a position to meet their future mates. I believe the following message, "You Can't Skip a Step (The Process)" will help to do just that.

YOU CAN'T SKIP A STEP (THE PROCESS)

Singleness is a lifestyle. It's the part of your life where you serve God without distraction (1 Corinthians 7:34), get to know yourself, and allow the relationship you have with God to grow while allowing Him be the "man in your life" until He blesses you with an earthly mate.

But if you have a desire to be married, there's another part of your life that I think is necessary and should be incorporated. I call it "the process". Often times I think women try to get married before allowing God to change them for marriage. The process is a step on your way to marriage that I think is vital and can not be skipped.

A woman can't birth a baby without going through the process of the baby being formed in her womb. A cake can't be eaten until it's gone through the process of being baked. A butterfly isn't a butterfly until it goes through the process of metamorphosis. A single woman with a desire to be married isn't prepared for her future husband until she allows God to take her through the process of becoming a help meet.

So what is the process? Glad you asked :-) (Note: I'm taking this from my own experience that I think can be helpful in your walk).

The process is allowing God to take you through the necessary steps, changes and transformations to help prepare you for marriage and your future husband.

What does the process include?

Being honest with yourself about yourself (i.e. Am I REALLY ready to get married? Why do I want to get married? Do I want to get married or do I want a wedding? Who would want to marry me?)

Understanding that you will need to spend a few days saying no to some things in order to cultivate your relationship with God (i.e. saying no to dating for a while, saying no to going out every week, saying no the favorite tv show or form of entertainment that you enjoy)

Releasing the fear that you may never get married if you sacrifice the above. (Here's a little secret: God already knows you want to get married. Your sacrifice is not a signal to him saying, "I don't want to get married." In fact, it's the exact opposite. You're showing Him how much you TRUST Him with every aspect of your life, including your future married life.)

Prayer and quiet time (the way you define quiet time may vary. For me, it was shutting everything off every night at a certain time, reading the Word, writing, and praying.)

Getting to a place where you totally trust God with your future married life (which I think is the end result of it all)

God took me through every one of these steps and I have not regretted one of them. I believe that when you take the necessary steps to honor God in your single life and trust Him with bringing you and your husband together, you're showing Him how much faith you have in Him (Hebrews 11:6).

The process is one of my heart's desires for the Christian single woman who has a desire to be married: that she would do a radical move in her life and fully live out a life pleasing to God, that honors Him while being prepared for her future husband.

Also, understand that this isn't the recipe for getting a husband. This is the process that I think is necessary to go through to help prepare you for your future husband. (Another little secret: Your husband has already been chosen for you. God doesn't have to go out and search for him. But it's necessary that the both of you are ready for each other before you're brought together).

The process is not always easy, but as you go from phase to phase, you will see how your heart has opened up and that God is in His rightful place in your life.

It's something that can not be skipped.

The Future Wife,

Audrey

Please share your comments, thoughts, or questions about this post. I'd love to hear from you.

WORD FOR THE WEEK: THE BEST IN YOU

2012-04-23T10:38:00.002-04:00

Sometimes we need a pick-me-up, for someone to encourage us and plant a word in our spirits. Oftentimes we don't know what a person is going through, or vice versa--others may not know what you're going through. But then someone can speak a word in due season that can change your whole day, your whole week or your entire outlook on something.

Here's a word for you: God sees the best in you. Regardless of what you've done in your life or in your past. Regardless of what you've done a day ago, a week ago, the sin that you're struggling with, or something that you're trying to overcome, the thing that God is dealing with you on or that He's delivered you from, He sees the best in you.

Despite the negative things you may have heard from others or even, what you have said to yourself, God sees the best in you. The idea that God sees the best in you, should motivate you to continue to walk in Him, continue to depend on Him, continue to see the best in yourself. If God sees the best in you, it doesn't matter what others, who see the "worst" in you or who see something contrary to who God has created you to be, see in you.

So, I encourage you this week: see the best in yourself. God sees the best in you, He saw the best in you, He's going to continue to see the best in you because He has the best for you.

I pray a blessed week for each of you. Hang on to this word. Come back to this post if you need a reminder. Remember: He sees the best in you. God bless you and have a great week. {Helpful scriptures: Romans 8:28-31}

LET'S GET IT STARTED

2012-04-20T12:28:00.000-04:00

Image credit

Well,well, well. We've made it to the end of another week :-) I hope Monday through Thursday were great for you and that you are planning for a wonderful weekend. I'm especially happy because I officially launched the blog with some new posts this week. Did you get a chance to read them? If not, after reading this post, just click the 'Home' tab at the top of the page to take you back to this week's post.

Next week, I'll really be getting things started on T.A.B. I'll be introducing some of the newly added topics to The Audrey Blog. You will be introduced to Audrey's Words and The Miseducation of the Single Woman. I'll also have some inspirational words from the inspired sistah, herself Tangie Henry and some more great things :-)

I look forward to sharing some great new posts with you. Have a wonderful weekend everyone. Be safe and God bless.

{DID YOU KNOW?}

@theaudreyblog

WHAT'S IN A BLOG?

2012-04-18T10:15:00.000-04:00

Along with finding a new name for the blog, I also considered what new content I could include here as well. One of the "news", and what will be a mainstay here, is the central theme of the blog--the lady, her lover, and her Lord. It will go something like this: when I'm referring to things happening with me, in my every day life, etc... it will fall under the heading, "The Lady". When I'm speaking of my thoughts on my future husband, future married life, etc... it will fall under the heading, "Her Lover", and when I'm speaking about my relationship with Christ, it will fall under the heading, "Her Lord". Below are more new things added to the blog, as well as, some things I kept from Chronicles.

"Living Single"
Much like the Future Wife features on my former blog, I will be highlighting the lives of single women. The only slight difference is that it won't necessarily focus on being a future wife, but living as a single, Christian woman. Living Single will also feature single women who share a very real perspective of where they are in their walk. And real, in this case, means open and honest about struggles, even sin they are trying to overcome. You can see examples of "Living Single" women here, here, and here.

"The Wife Life"
I believe that it's important for single people to understand the realities of marriage. "The Wife Life" will highlight the lives of wives, who will give a real, candid look into being married. See a "Wife Life" story here and here.

"Ring Worthy" (Engagement announcements and proposal stories)
New to The Audrey Blog are engagement announcements and proposal stories that will fall under the heading "Ring Worthy". Engagement announcements will be official engagements submitted by couples who would like their engagements announced here on The Audrey Blog. Proposal stories will feature how The Big Question was asked.

"The Look of Love"
Who doesn't love beautiful photos of a soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. before they head down the aisle? The Audrey Blog will feature engagement shoots of couples who've allowed the camera to capture their look of love. See a gorgeous shoot here.

"Sisters Doing It for Themselves"
This is a subject that the Lord really impressed upon my heart when considering new content for the blog. There's something inspiring about seeing a woman doing it for herself. A woman who is pursuing her passion, not sitting idly by waiting for Prince Charming to ride in on white horse to swoop her up; or even a wife who is balancing home life and the pursuit of her passion. The Audrey Blog will highlight these women.

"Audrey's Words"
Here is where I will share my opinions, thoughts, perspective on various topics.

"The Miseducation of the Single Woman"
Another subject that I just had to include here. I believe that one of the things plaguing some single women today is that they are seeking information about relationships (i.e how to find a man, how to find Mr. Right, the reason you're still single, etc..) and some of the info they are receiving--and trying to adhere to- is misinformation. I'll be sharing some tips, views, and commentary on what I think will help educate the single woman in a better way.

"Realistically Abstinent"
I was recently on a forum where the subject of sex was one of the topics. Someone mentioned (paraphrased) that the best way to approach sex is to be abstinent. They expressed their view from a biblical perspective. Someone responded to this view with, "That's not realistic". That response struck a cord with me and made me realize that this is the reality for some people. But as a single, Christian, abstinent-since-2003, woman that is not my reality. And for me, abstinence is very realistic. I'm sure that it's realistic for others as well. The Audrey Blog will be sharing stories of realistically abstinent people. Check out a story here.

And still here...

"Wedding Wednesday"
I'll continue to feature beautiful wedding stories and anything wedding related. check out a beautiful Wedding Wednesday story here (more stories in the Features section).

{Audrey's Note}

As you can see, I have some great things coming up on the blog and I look forward to sharing them with you :-). If you would like to be featured for any of the above subjects, please contact me at theaudreyblog@yahoo.com.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

2012-04-17T18:39:00.000-04:00

One of the things I thought about while I was away, was renaming this blog. You see, my blog has gone through three title changes prior to this one. I started out with The Life of Miss Audrey, then Single, with a Desire, after that, Chronicles of a Future Wife, and now The Audrey Blog. All of the titles, in some way, were reflections of where I was at that time in my life. I wanted this title to serve the same purpose but I also wanted it to have some permanence. I thought of all kinds of titles: The Definition of a Single Woman, A Guide to the Single Life, and Single U to name a few. But they weren't catching and they sounded more like blog topics, not blog titles.

So I thought some more and brainstormed, writing down words that described what I wanted the blog to be. Words like, "girly" (for the blog theme), "me", "spiritual", "safe haven". I also knew that I wanted the new blog title to include my name and I wanted it to reflect all aspects of my life, not just singleness. But I couldn't think of anything.

It wasn't until I literally sat down one day and gave myself some time to think. I'd been skimming through one of the books that has had a huge impact on my life: The Lady, Her Lover, and Her Lord by Bishop TD Jakes. I began to throw out names that just weren't sticking. Then I thought, "I'll just do something simple like, 'The Audrey Blog" *queue flickering light bulb* Then I added, "The Lady, Her Lover, and Her Lord" *light bulb fully lit* and voila, a new title was born.

Admittedly, Chronicles of a Future Wife was a catchy, appealing title and I questioned whether I should do away with it but each time I thought of sticking with it, it didn't reflect everything I wanted it to. Plus, I like that there's a nod to one of my favorite books in the title. It really sums up every aspect of me: the lady, her lover, and her Lord.

IT'S OFFICIAL...

2012-04-17T10:56:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone. Welcome to the first official post of The Audrey Blog. First, I hope each of you have gotten your week off to a great start. My dad's surprise birthday party turned out just fabulous. I will be sharing the party pics in another post, soon.

I thought about what I wanted to say upon my return to blogging and I kept getting stumped. Charge it to the fact that I wanted a re-launch post with bells and whistles lol. I settled on the fact that I needed to get up to speed on what's been happening with me since I last posted.

{PLAYING CATCH UP...FIRST, THE SAD NEWS}
The most poignant thing that happened the last time I blogged was my mother's passing. It has been five months now. I'm doing a little better, taking it day by day. The grief I was experiencing when she first passed isn't as gripping anymore. I'm still trying to get used to her not being here but I'm not sure that will ever happen. Nevertheless, I continue to rely on God's strength and good memories of her to help keep me going and to comfort me. I also created a blog in her memory, to help me and my family through this first year without her. It's called Remembering Rosa. Since my mom's passing, I've lost my cousin (my mom's niece) and my aunt, (my dad's sister-in-law) whose funeral I recently attended. I am still hanging on to the truth that they are in the presence of the Lord.

Now, the happier news :-)

I am so happy to be back blogging. I did some thinking and a lot of soul searching while I was away on how I wanted to approach this blog. For starters, I wanted a new name (look for the posts, What's In a Name? and What's In a Blog? to be posted soon) and a new look. For that, I went to the fabulous Christina Jones of Visual Luxe Graphic Design Studio, who also designed my Chronicles layout.

I thought about the content I wanted to share and how I could make the blog better. Some of the content you will see, I have kept as staples to the blog (i.e. singles features, Wedding Wednesday). But I'm also adding some new staples as well: The Miseducation of the Single Woman, Sisters Doing It For Themselves and Audrey's Words. Making the blog better are personal goals I've set, that you will see over time.

As for me, personally, I'm settling into some new things that God is placing in my life --namely, surrendering to a new level in Christ that He's taking me to. But it's up to me to really surrender and be obedient to Him.

I'm also busy building my graphic design business, which will be getting a new name very soon. I'm starting to write again, too (praise the Lord) and am readying myself for all the wonderful things that God has for me.

I'm really happy to be back. I'm ready now to get The Audrey Blog started :-)

QUICK FRIDAY POST

2012-04-13T11:59:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone. I wanted to wish each of you a Happy Friday and safe weekend. My sisters and I will be hosting a surprise birthday party for my dad on Saturday. I'm really excited about it. I will post pics and share the party planning journey once everything is done :-) And, of course, post an official post as well. Again, have a super weekend. Do you have any plans?

A Sneak Peek at the labels I designed for my dad's party favors. Hot of the press, still in the rubber band :-)

God Bless,

ALMOST THERE

2012-04-10T11:30:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone. I didn't want a long span of time to go before I did another post. I'm still getting things set up over here. Official post coming soon.

...for your patience :-)

NO FOOLIN', I'M BACK

2012-04-01T00:03:00.000-04:00

HELLO EVERYONE...

Yes, I'm back blogging again :-) I'm still getting some things situated, but I have returned. An official post coming soon. It's after midnight and I need to get some zzzz's. God bless and have a great night.

SOME THINGS ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE....

2012-03-31T10:09:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone. Just letting you know that the blog will be down for a few. It will be back, up, and running soon :-) Thank you for your patience. I look forward to blogging with you all very soon.

Audrey

2012-03-25T00:26:00.002-04:00

COMING SOON

2012-03-23T19:14:00.000-04:00

{BLOG UPDATE}

2012-01-27T15:04:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone. Happy Friday :-) Here are some quick updates about COAFW

UPDATES
-I'm working on new content and a new layout

-If you #FF me on Twitter, you may have seen me mention the feature submissions that were waiting for me via my form provider. Since I had not set the notifications to be sent to my inbox, I wasn't aware that I was receiving them. It wasn't until I made a visit to my account that I saw the submissions. With that said, I remedied the inbox situation (submissions are now coming to my inbox) but saw that I received A LOT of submissions. Needless to say, I've been a busy bee working on that. That is the bulk of what I'm doing right now concerning the blog.

-I've been considering changing the name of the blog. It doesn't seem to fit where I am in my singleness right now. Before Chronicles of a Future Wife, the blog was called Single, with a Desire. The title fit where I was at the time as I was single, with a desire to be married. That still holds true but as I've done some thinking, soul searching and talking with God, I realize that Chronicles of a Future Wife may not adequately describe where I am right now. To that end, I am considering a new name for the blog.

-Most importantly, I want this blog to be all that I desire for it to be. I have a vision for it that I don't think I've quite tapped in to yet, so I will be working toward that. I look forward to returning with a great new blog.

And finally (last, but not least)...

-Thank you to everyone who is still supporting the blog. And welcome to new readers who have subscribed since I've been away. I really appreciate it.

Have a great weekend,

HAPPY NEW YEAR {2011 HIGHLIGHT VIDEO}

2012-01-02T17:16:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I would like to thank all of you for your support of Chronicles in 2011. It has been a true blessing. I would also like to thank everyone who contributed to Chronicles in 2011. Believe me when I say your stories have blessed me and those who read the blog. You are appreciated.

As for me, I'm still getting myself together and plan to return in the near future. Thank you again to everyone who has sent condolences, kind words, and who have prayed for me during the passing of my mother. They were all felt and have helped me get through this difficult time.

Again, Happy New Year to you all. May you walk into all that God has for you.

Blessings,
Audrey

2011 Highlight Video

*Better viewed in full screen*

COAFW 2011 Highlights from Audrey on Vimeo.

MY MOTHER'S PASSING

2011-12-05T09:13:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone. Just doing a quick post to let you know that my mom passed away. We had a beautiful service for her on Saturday. Thank you for your prayers and kind words before she passed on. They are appreciated. I still have plans to come back to Chronicles. Just giving myself some time to grieve. Again, thank you for your prayers. Please continue to lift me and my family up in prayer. It is appreciated.

Me and Mom, Easter 2008

{GUESS WHO'S GETTING MARRIED?} DONNIE & MICHELLE 11-5-11

2011-11-04T11:16:00.002-04:00

I had to take a moment from my break to congratulate Donnie and Michelle on their upcoming nuptials. The soon-to-be Smiths will be saying their vows tomorrow in what I'm sure will be a beautiful ceremony. Congratulations again Donnie and Michelle. May God bless you with an abundance of love and many happy years together.

Michelle is the first bride to be featured on COAFW and Donnie is the first groom to be featured. See Michelle's feature here and Donnie's here.

Soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Smith

And of course I've already asked to have their wedding featured :-)

TAKING A BREAK FROM THE BLOG

2011-10-17T10:46:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone. I just wanted to let you all know that I will be taking a break from the blog (Twitter and Chronicles FB page as well). My plates have been extra full these days and I need to pump the breaks. First and foremost, my mom is back home. After being in the hospital for over a year (after a lung transplant), she is finally home. She is doing well and is moving toward walking on her own. Needless to say, I want to soak up this time with her. Plus, I am her primary caregiver so I'm getting acclimated to taking care of her.

On a personal level, I need to steal away for a minute and make some me time. God always taps me on the shoulder to let me know when I need to step back and gather myself, and of course spend some time with Him. I know He has some great things to share with me so I'm being obedient and giving myself a break.

Also, I want to revamp Chronicles and come back with all the great ideas I have planned for the blog. One of the things I want to do is be more consistent with posting, etc... and to share more personal posts about me and what's going on in my everyday life (I've expressed the latter before, but not too much was going on with me). I'm sure I'll have plenty to share (God willing) when I return.

Thanks to everyone who has subscribed, shared Chronicles, commented, or has sent me encouraging words about Chronicles. I really appreciate it, especially knowing that it's helping those who read. One of the things I want to do while I'm away is reflect on the many times that I've heard people say that this blog is a ministry. The more I've thought about it, the more I realize that it's an awesome compliment but it also places things into perspective about what Chronicles is actually doing and I don't take that lightly.

I heard a host say on a (Blog Talk) radio show the other night, for singles to use the gift of singleness to help other singles at this time in their lives. She echoed what I'm doing in my personal life and what I want Chronicles to do. Hence, why I'll be reflecting on Chronicles being more than just a blog but a ministry.

More than likely I will be back by the end of the year (around Decemberish). In the meantime, I would love for you to share your thoughts, comments, etc... on how Chronicles could be better. Also, please send me the names of single people (women and men) who you'd like to recommend for the Featured Future Wives feature (including yourself). Also, send me couples who you'd like to recommend for wedding and engagement features (be sure to read the Chronicles Feature Policy).If you have any ideas for posts that you'd like to see, send those as well. Send all your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, etc... to coafw@yahoo.com.

Finally, I'm not leaving without sharing a few more posts with you. Remember the Whole Woman Blogshop? I said I'd be doing that series as well. So, look out for my take on the blogshop series. Coming soon.

Thank you again everyone. I appreciate your support.

Blessings,