Life Change and a Wedding

I just officiated at a very cool wedding of Rachel Cole and Michael Lawson. Rachel's family included 6 brothers and lots of neices and nephews. Hers was a strong family of faith from Winterset, IA and a huge wrestling family. (so you know we'd get along very well!)

Michael is the young man who last year dropped to a knee at the finish line of our Chicago Marathon race and proposed marriage on the spot. After Rachel figured out what was happening (and it took her awhile), she accepted. They have been mentored for marriage by Neil and Barb McMahon which they have loved.

Ultimately, their story is one of life change and the power of Jesus Christ. When Michael asked Rachel for a second date, she said her answer would be "yes" if their third date could be to go to church together. He agreed and when he entered our gym, Rachel says, "she wished I could have seen his face!" He wasn't expecting anything like he found. He continued to attend both with Rachel and even when Rachel was gone. Michael has come to faith in Christ and now they are married with Jesus as a center of their relationship. This is simply one more story of God using Orchard to help another person become more fully devoted.

When the wedding was done and we were in the parking lot, Rachel's dad shook my hand and said, "thanks Dave!" I think he meant, "thank you Orchard Hill for making a place for my college daughter to grow in faith and for being the place where my new son-in-law could come to follow Jesus!" I'm so grateful that Orchard is committed to passing the baton of faith to next generations. Speaking of which, I met two new couples in the lobby after the wedding who come to Orchard and both were pregnant. More babies on the way!