Katie Nelson

This past week my facebook newsfeed was filled with a mixture of wedding photos and posts in remembrance of a college classmate that passed away a year ago.

This paradox brought to mind an experience I had in March. I was attending the funeral of another friend and fellow Cru staff member. I remember seeing his casket being carried down the aisle of the church and thinking, “I should be watching him walk a beautiful bride down the aisle… we should be celebrating his wedding – not attending his funeral.” And my heart was sad… God has been revealing to me, though, that both of my friends that passed away within the last year lived a full life. They missed out on nothing and instead gained everything because they knew and followed Jesus.

“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”  -Psalm 139:16

I realized that I never want anyone to think- if I should die tomorrow- that it’s sad I never got married or that I would have been sad that I never got married. I can see why one would think that – I write a lot about relationships and talk a lot about relationships. Yes, getting married is a desire I think I have, but there are many other things I desire as well. But that’s not even the point that I really want to convey. I really want to just affirm that I truly believe God knows what’s best in every aspect of my life. So, if I never get married, never have kids, never have a blog post go viral, never get my dream apartment… if nothing in my life gets “upgraded” from my current state – I can trust Him in anything and everything. Because before the foundation of the world was created, He knew me. Every day was recorded in His book.

“For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight…” -Ephesians 1:4

He knew what my friends’ lives would look like, He planned it all out – and they were jam packed with goodness and joy, hardships and trials, friendships and wonderful relationships. Granted, we often feel the weight of their absence. We are missing out because we are missing them. But, we can have hope…

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” -John 14:1-3

I’m not sure why I feel the need to clarify my thoughts on this topic. I guess I’ve been thinking a lot about legacy— and I want to leave a legacy of God’s love and the joy that comes from knowing Him. And knowing Him is the most exciting adventure and the most precious relationship I could ever have.

So, if I die without getting married on Earth – please be assured that we are having a sweet wedding in Heaven- as God goes all out for the bride of Christ. Don’t be sad that we didn’t get to celebrate here – if you have a relationship with Jesus and love Him – we’ll all celebrate the King of Kings at the Great Banquet Feast…

“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
    a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
    of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
And He will swallow up on this mountain
    the covering that is cast over all peoples,
    the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
    and the reproach of His people He will take away from all the earth,
    for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day,
    ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, that He might save us.
    This is the Lord; we have waited for Him;
    let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.’” -Isaiah 25:6-9

Amen.