How Deep the Father's Love for Us.

Sometimes, life is so rich I feel like a life-glutton. Ali’s wedding was one of these times. On Saturday, moments before the wedding I stood at the back of the church waiting to walk down the aisle, and time stood still. Friends and family were all in the sanctuary, looking forward. Ali’s friends were lined up in front of me, and then Keila, my youngest sister, Katie, the next youngest, then me.

I should take a moment to write about my sisters. Oh, where to start. Honestly, I can hardly even write those girls names without tearing up. My relationship with my sisters is one of the most precious things I have on this earth. It may be the most precious. I love them more than life, and they me. There is a solidarity amongst us that has grown so strong these last couple of years. The reason? First off, of course, we are family. I was five when Keila was born, and the small difference that five years makes has grown smaller and smaller as we’ve grown older. Now I truly consider Keila one of my closest friends, not just my little sister. Secondly, each of these girls is devoted to Jesus Christ. They love Him so much, seek Him daily, are bold when initiating confrontation, and humble when receiving it. We pray together every time we get together. Please understand, this is no holier-than-thou speech. This is me, sitting in absolute awe and humble gratitude at what God has given me.

So I stood with my two beautiful sisters in front of me, and I looked back. There was my father (who deserves a whole blog for himself… he is… wonderful) and Ali, so small, with such significant joy and beauty. This was when time stopped for me. Just for a moment. I watched my sister kiss my dad, and felt the fullness of what was happening. God had written a love story, and two people full of integrity, compassion and joy, were joining to become one. My best friend was marrying the man she loved passionately. My little sister was leaving us, and there would no longer be four Lorenc girls. My dad was giving away his beloved daughter. The four of us were within five feet of one another, so close in distance, but while Katie and Keila and I shared much of the same heart, Ali’s attention was elsewhere, as it should be. The love for my family, the joy at God’s provision in Danny, the sorrow at saying goodbye to a season in our lives, the awe and worship that had welled up in me were just too much. Time stopped so that my heart could catch up, and I could start breathing again.

Life’s richness has continued to blow me away. Today I sat in an art museum with a beautiful friend, and we looked across the room at an enormous photograph of a young boy. It was full of deep blues, rose reds and golds, and the boy was poor and serious. I thought my heart would break because of the incredible mix of pain and joy, beauty and hideousness, sorrow and laughter all going on in the world. My eyes were swimming in tears, and we bowed to pray for the boy, and to thank God for creating this life. I know that the beauty is due entirely to the Creator, and that without a relationship with him, creation loses its very flavor and color. Not only is a relationship with God worth so much more than His blessings, but His blessings mean NOTHING without Him. I have to go now, but I am very blessed to be alive today. So are you.