Wedding Speech

Saturday, D and Greg were united in marriage in a beautiful wedding ceremony surrounded by friends and family! As the Maid (Matron) of Honor, I had a chance to say a few words of encouragement at the reception. I was thinking about it at various times through the week and all morning. Various random thoughts had been coming to mind. About fifteen minutes before I was expected to speak, it finally occurred to me how to pull all the thoughts into a cohesive speech. Below is what I intended to say, though I'm not sure how close I actually made it during the reception.

As D's older sister, I have known her for all of her life. I even remember helping Mom with her bum leg in the weeks after D was born. We shared many experiences together growing up and have been good friends. As we got older and began thinking about what we wanted in a husband, there were a few qualifications that I knew the man for D would need.

From when we were very young, we have teased each other and joked together. D may say I was the one that taught her to pull pranks, but she is much better at it than I am. I knew that the man for D would need a sense of humor and fun in order to be happy with her jokes. I know Greg knows how to have fun--he even squawks at my sister.

As we got older and became involved in 4-H and church activities, including Bible quiz, D was my sincerest and most determined competitor. She did even beat me at times. I knew that the man for D would have that same determination to pursue what he wanted. A courtship story that stretches over six years and culminates in a 10-month, long-distance, skype-based relationship has to be based on determination. [D put in the comment, "His determination."]

As we went through high school and college, the faith of our parents became our own faith. In college, D relied on her faith while encouraging and helping those around her. She prayed regularly and with those in need as an RA in the dorm and in other leadership roles. I knew that the man for D would also take his Christian faith seriously with a heart for helping others. I first heard about Greg when, as a friend, he took time from his trip across the country to help D move. One of the first things that D told me about Greg was how much he had prayed for her and for their relationship before she was even considering a relationship.

For the last seven years, D has worked for Gospel for Asia and shared with churches and groups about the work that was being done. She always was passionate when she would share the stories of how the gospel was spread and she would challenge others with the numbers of how many people die without ever hearing the good news of Jesus Christ. By that passion, I knew that even if she left GFA, she would not turn away from doing what was in her power to help reach people who are lost. I knew that the man for D would need to also have a passion for missions. Greg has founded his own mission organization with the vision for supporting the reaching of the lost.

In all these ways and others, I can only conclude that Greg is the perfect man for my sister.