THE STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO

After the picture above of Bre and her husband, Josh, went viral, Bre decided to start a blog called The Power of Prayer to share the story behind the picture. Sexual purity isn't easy today. But God calls us to save sexual intimacy for the covenant relationship of marriage. Hebrews 13:4 says, "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." For those who have disobeyed God's command there is grace and forgiveness through Jesus. And this same grace should motivate all of us--regardless of our past mistakes--to be holy as our loving heavenly father is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). If you're dating or engaged and struggling to honor the Lord in your physical relationship I pray Bre and Josh's story will encourage you. Obeying God is always best!

The Story Behind the Photo

Moments before Bre was to walk down the aisle her soon to be mother in law came in the dressing room where she and her bridesmaids were all gushing with giggles and fluttering about finishing last minute details.

"Sweetheart, your groom has called for you!".

In a nervous tizzy she said, "What?! I'm not ready! I have to get my shoes and..." She had already taken Bre’s hand and led me to a corner, where her groom was waiting. Bre barely sat down; She was filled with so much anticipation! So much excitement! So many nerves!

"Is he going to like my dress? Does my hair look pretty? Can he see me?!"

Right around the corner sat her soon to be husband, Josh. She was so nervous he might see her yet secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of him. In her excited state she was the first to speak,

"Hi sweetie! We're getting married today!"

"I know baby and I want to pray with you before we do."

There they sat around the corner hand in hand, and together they bowed their heads. People were rushing about; the wedding coordinator directing people here and there, the photographers snapping photos and the bridal party enjoying each other’s company. Yet in that moment, in the quietness of their hearts and minds, Bre and Josh were alone in the presence of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Josh prayed that God would bless their marriage, that through thick or thin together they would never lose hope in one another. That instead of focusing on each other’s imperfections they would always rely on Christ's perfection. That they would wake up every day and chose to love one another not through their own strength but by the power of Christ's perfect love.

With their hands clenched tightly to one another together they said "Amen", both with shaky voice and just like that Bre was whisked away to blot the tears off  her face and put on her veil.

After her bridesmaids, mother, mother-in-law and every other girl in the room had finished zipping, curling, tucking and blushing her up, she looked in the mirror. There she stood wearing her pure white wedding dress, ready to walk down the aisle to her Prince Charming.

See, he is not only her Prince Charming because of his incredibly handsome looks, or wonderful humor, or the fact that they have so much in common. He is her Prince Charming because he helped her protect the most precious gift that she owned, her purity.

Soon after they had started dating, she nervously told her Prince that she was a virgin and planned to be until the night of her wedding; to which he replied he would have it no other way.

Throughout their dating relationship and engagement they constantly fought, what at times felt like a losing battle. They fought temptation with prayer, scripture and accountability. They had friends checking up on them if they knew they were together late at night and he regularly met with other Godly men to pray for strength. At times, especially as the wedding grew closer, they thought they were attempting to do the impossible.

"Why are we doing this?" Bre would ask in her weakness, and he would remind her that it's because God had told them to.

"I can't do it, I can't... this is too hard!" he would confess to her and she would pray for his strength.

When she walked down the aisle in her white dress, she looked straight into the eyes of the man that had laid himself down to protect and honor the wife that God had given him.

When his eyes first caught hers, he looked into the face of the woman that had waited for him, the woman that would support him and love him for the rest of His life, through good times and bad.

I share all of this because in that prayer they prayed, they asked the Lord to use their wedding to bring Him all of the glory that He rightfully deserved. They had not gotten where they were by their own strength, but by His hand of protection on their relationship.

God has used this photo to inspire hundreds of thousands of people already and for that, they are humbled and honored! They wanted to take it a step further and give God praise and thanks for how they arrived at that quiet corner, holding hands and ready to begin their lives together.