Our Faith Journey to Love
By Lydia Lin and Gregory Hillendahl
Lydia:
The joyful
melody of a wedding procession, a church filled with beautifully dressed
guests, its sanctuary adorned with colorful flowers on white columns and ivory
candles on golden candlesticks. Standing in front of the platform, a tall, handsome bridegroom in a bright white tuxedo with
four groomsmen at his side.
A radiant
bride holding a bouquet of delicate orchids, arm in arm with her uncle as they
slowly walk through brocade-laced arches, her face beaming with joy as she
approaches her beloved groom. Ah, this wedding scene has played out in my heart
countless times. Is it my wedding? Or am I still dreaming?
For a single
girl long past suitable marriage age, I had been accustomed to attending other
people's weddings, accepting that, in this life, I might not have the
opportunity to ever get married myself. A car accident more than twenty years
before still affected my life: blindness in my left eye, ten major surgeries, including
four facial reconstructions, spine kyphosis and scoliosis, and the need to rest
often. In this situation, marriage seemed hopeless. Yet there I was, able to
walk down the aisle of my own wedding. How had I come all this way?
Greg:
As I stand
in this beautiful church filled with warmth, grace, and joyful music, my heart stirs
with delight. My Taiwanese princess, my beautiful bride, smiles as she walks
toward me. Yes, faithful Heavenly Father, thank you for your perfect timing in
bringing my long-awaited, beloved one to me!
.JPG)