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sermonindex Moderator
Joined: 2002/12/11 Posts: 39795 Canada
Online! | The Testimony Of Greg (moderator) And Brandy's Journey To Marriage | | I remember it clearly on January 8, 2011 I received a typical email for a password reset and email change. Yet it struck me for some strange reason for the website url that she had was FollowTheLamb.net This struck me because the theme of the Lamb of God and Following the Lamb was something the Lord was weaving into my walk with Him for the last 2 years and part of that was researching deeply the Moravian Movement History. The key phrase for the movement being "May the Lamb That Was slain receive the reward of His sufferings." The way also this sister wrote in her signature of the email for some reason struck a cord in my heart also: "Trusting under the shadow of His wings, Your sister & bond-servant in Christ, Brandy." I was able to view her site and when I wrote back I included in the end of the typical password reset email: "I love the website name and content, great work! Keep laboring and being a witness for the Lord sister." On January 10th after reading her testimony I responded with: "Thank you for sharing your testimony with me. May the Lamb of God continue to receive the reward of His sufferings in your life as you look to Him for your only approval and praise. What freedom there is in that!"
This began a series of email encouragement's in the Lord back and forth and prayer requests for the next 4 months. God saw fit to allow us to connect on a spiritual level in such a deep way, all of our burdens being the same in the Pilgrim mentality of Christian living, Eternity mindedness, A desire to glorify and magnify The Lamb of God. And both of our testimonies of saving grace we shared with the agreement phrase: And "there but for the grace of God go I" Jesus saved us both radically in a regeneration experience and we both have a great desire to live a life of thankfulness and full surrender to Him. Truly in both of our hearts we agree "our lives are not our own."
On April 17th I received an email from Brandy sharing with me a song the Lord put in her heart. The Lyrics and song blessed me immensely and opened my heart to pray the prayer in the song same with the same heart to be willing to do anything the Lord wants.
"Heal me and I will be healed" *Jeremiah 17:4 cleanse me and I will be clean I'm nothing on my own Forgive me for the things I've done wrong
Reveal me and I'll be revealed *Colossians 3:4 Find me and I will be found Seal me and I will be sealed Sing to me and I will be sound
I belong to You.
Do with me what You will Do with me what You will Do with me what You will Do with me what You will”
On may 9th brandy wrote to me: "I do believe God is doing a work of revival in our midst even now, among His remnant, to equip us for the days and years to come. It grieves me too though, what you speak of because the hearts and minds of even true believers are often consumed with cares of this life more than the things of Heaven." Such thoughts and burdens so deeply resonated with my heart and burden for the Lord and ministry. At this point I was more than beginning to pray specifically: "Lord is this my wife?" Many other great circumstances began to unfold, such as brothers telling me they were specifically burdened to pray for me in regards to a wife. One pastor one night met with me and shared that I needed to be open to meet my wife on the internet, he felt the Lord wanted to share that with me. There are too many of these specific testimonies to recall and they seemed to happen one after another! This was the Lord in His grace softening my heart to the idea and plan for me to have a wife!
I remembered clearly because of my circumstances in Ottawa, Canada including a minivan that was systematically breaking down, I had to sell it and after a few weeks I was $4000 in debt. This was the first time I was in debt living a life of faith to the Lord. I was never in debt for a single day in the 9 years of Christian ministry to the Lord with SermonIndex.net and here I found myself in debt. God laid it on my heart to go down three months early to visit Atlanta, GA to prepare for the upcoming Simulcast conference I was organizing. (Though a big part of this desire to go down early was to meet Brandy in person!) Yet there was no possible way to do this financially. I remember praying to the Lord and feeling so strongly about this that I booked my first plane ticket for the first leg of the trip by faith. Within 1 week and a half not only was my debt cleared but God provided more then enough for my entire trip down to Atlanta! This encouraged my faith journey.
In the midst of all of this we were in more and more correspondence via the internet and encouraging one another in the Lord. By God's grace I was able to speak to some specific godly men to meet Sister brandy before me ever meeting her or seeing a clear picture of her. They all gave back very good testimonies of her life and walk in the Lord and this encouraged me further in seeking to continue in this relationship. Also a dear sister in the Lord in Atlanta felt strongly that this sister could be my wife and actually let me know her thoughts without even knowing any of my prayers or desires before. Therefore before even meeting Brandy once I already had some great assurances in the possibility of her being a help-meet for myself.
Our first meeting was nerve-racking! When I first laid eyes on this precious Daughter of God I was blessed and humbled by her beauty and godliness in the way she dressed and portrayed herself. Her actions, words and gestures were blessedly sanctified and I felt after the first day with her (we were ministering together at n old folks home with an elder sister accompanying us) that I had said wrong things and that she might not even be interested in even speaking to me again!! :) I even had a hard time eating a meal with her.
After spending many more weeks together in prayer meetings, church meetings, etc I began to realize this sister was a precious gift from the Father in heaven for me (James 1:17). After much counsel and prayer from many godly brothers who I had been in contact for months about this sister the Lord put in my heart to ask her Father permission to Court her "towards marriage." What a joy and blessing to have the approval of her earthly father(s) but the best and most wonderful approval was from the Heavenly Father.
After just 3 weeks of courting and after counsel and prayer the Lord made it very clear to be married this dear daughter in the Lord. Us being older and of maturity in the Lord and with such clear understanding of it being the will of the Lord I had a strong confirmation to ask Brandy to marry me. This was accomplished on a wonderful rock we sat on besides a stream that Brandy and her family used to go to as children. Both me and Brandy are overjoyed not only in the goodness of God towards us but in the great ways He is uniting our hearts together for each other and also for the purposes of God to build His kingdom.
Both of our desires and heart is to simply Follow the Lamb Where ever He goes. Our prayer together is that we are not our own but have been bought with a price by the Blood of Christ. We want to live sanctified lives in the fear of the Lord not following the pattern or ways of the world but to follow God and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We pray that our union and lives together will be a reflection of the love of Christ for His church (Ephesians 5:24-25). And lastly to live this married life with an eternal mindset with the eyes of our hearts firmly fixed on Jesus Christ for His appearing (Colossians 3:1-3, 1 John 3:3).
Thank you for your prayers and support for both of us.
Greg and Brandy
_________________ SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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2011/9/24 22:07 | Profile |
Joyful_Heart Member
Joined: 2009/12/8 Posts: 1795
| Re: The Testimony Of Greg (moderator) And Brandy's Journey To Marriage | | Dear Greg & Brandy,
A beautiful godly testimony. The Lord is with you both and your union. And it blesses us so much. God is being lifted up. Thank you both for sharing. Rejoicing in the Lord with you.
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2011/9/24 23:41 | Profile |
MyVeryHeart Member
Joined: 2010/8/30 Posts: 449 Paradise, California
| Re: The Testimony Of Greg (moderator) And Brandy's Journey To Marriage | | Brother and Sister,
Every time I see a thread reminding me of your upcoming marriage I smile and have joy. You both have been a blessing. May you continue to discover the countless heavenly riches in our great God and Savior Jesus Christ
In His Grace ,
- Travis
_________________ Travis
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2011/9/25 0:32 | Profile |
Jeremy221 Member
Joined: 2009/11/7 Posts: 1532
| Re: The Testimony Of Greg (moderator) And Brandy's Journey To Marriage | | Blessings on you, Greg and Brandy. I was greatly encouraged to read how the Lord brought you together and the provision of wise council and the witness of the Spirit. May the Lord bless you with His peace as you joyfully anticipate marriage. Blessings on you. Maranatha! |
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2011/9/25 0:39 | Profile |
Trekker Member
Joined: 2011/7/29 Posts: 683 northern USA
| Re: The Testimony Of Greg (moderator) And Brandy's Journey To Marriage | | Thank you for sharing. I enjoy reading this kind of personal testimony. Without sounding rude, is it ok if i ask how old you are? I only ask cuz i want to know if there is still hope for rapidly decomposing corpse like myself...Also, did you see a picture of her before you ever went down to see her in person the first time? |
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2011/9/25 3:59 | Profile |
sermonindex Moderator
Joined: 2002/12/11 Posts: 39795 Canada
Online! | Re: | | I am 32 years old and Brandy is 33 years old. I saw this twitter picture of her before I went down: http://twitter.com/#!/followthelamb
And after I bought the plane tickets etc there was a picture of the prayer meeting gathering that was sent to me by that older sister who said she could be my wife.
_________________ SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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2011/9/25 9:31 | Profile |
Elibeth Member
Joined: 2011/8/14 Posts: 1148
| Re: | | Greg / Brandy
HOW BLESSED ! ! Such a wonderful and refreshing testimony.
Be Blessed, always IN Him, Elizabeth |
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2011/9/25 11:58 | Profile |
andres Member
Joined: 2005/6/17 Posts: 285 texas,brownsville
| Re: | | brother, much blessings you have truly blessed me thru this website, i dont tell you this enough but THANK YOU.. ( i dont think I ever told you that)
andy I know your wife will further enhance your walk with God, and you will hers
_________________ andy
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2011/9/25 16:50 | Profile |
Trekker Member
Joined: 2011/7/29 Posts: 683 northern USA
| Re: | | QUOTE: "I am 32 years old and Brandy is 33 years old. I saw this twitter picture of her before I went down: http://twitter.com/#!/followthelamb
And after I bought the plane tickets etc there was a picture of the prayer meeting gathering that was sent to me by that older sister who said she could be my wife."
Oh wow, you are real young yet. From the sound of your first post i thought maybe you were a bit older. I am more than a decade older. Congrats on your marriage and may much good flow out of it. |
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2011/9/25 20:33 | Profile |
| Re: | | You guys look alot younger. I thought mid twenties. congrats again. |
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2011/9/26 1:46 | |