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Vows and Promises

Vows

I have so many, many things to tell you about the wedding (where the sun shined through an 80% chance of rain and my new husband twirled me most gloriously around a dance floor), our honeymoon (where we became famous on a Newlywed game show; please hide your surprise), and the spectrum of my heart’s thoughts and capacities in these first days of married life and family transitions and answered prayers.  But does it ever happen to you that you have more to say than you can find words for? Because something like that is definitely happening.  Very definitely happening.

VowsSome of you have asked about the vows and promises Peter and I made to one another at our wedding.  We wrote them ourselves, careful to make promises that are attainable and keepable.  Peter said later, “I thought I would be emotional to make those vows to you, but in the moment, I just knew that these were words to proclaim over you.”

And proclaim we did.

My new husband said to me:

Tricia, today I promise you this:
I will choose you every day,
Giving you the best that I have
and all of my faithfulness.
I will love you with my words and my actions,
My decisions and my commitments.
Your name will be safe on my lips,
And I will always honor and protect your name.
Every day of our life together,
I will kiss you and make you laugh.
I will remind you how beautiful you are to me.
I will encourage you,
I will listen to you,
I will tell you what’s on my heart.
I will never give up our greatest advantage: these conversations.
I will chase after God as I chase after you,
Knowing that He is the author of Love
And He deserves the greatest glory and praise of our marriage.
I will honor and love your children, Tucker and Tyler, as part of our family,
And I will raise them as my own.
I will love you with all that I have and all that I am,
And I will make your life better than it was without me.
I will be the keeper of your story,
As we write this one together.
You are my heart’s song,
And I will love you for as long as we both shall live.

And in response, I declared:

Peter, today I promise you this:
I will choose you every day,
Giving you the best that I have
and all of my faithfulness.
I will love you with my words and my actions,
My decisions and my commitments.
Your name will be safe on my lips,
And I will always honor and protect your name.
Every day of our life together,
I will kiss you and make you laugh.
I will remind you of your strength and your leadership.
I will encourage you,
I will listen to you,
I will tell you what’s on my heart,
I will never give up our greatest advantage: these conversations.
I will chase after God as I chase after you,
Knowing that He is the author of Love
And he deserves the greatest glory and praise of our marriage.
I will honor and love your children, Jack and Natalie, as part of our family.
I will love you with all that I have and all that I am,
And I will make your life better than it was without me.
I will be the keeper of your story
As we write this one together.
You are my heart’s song,
And I will love you for as long as we both shall live.

* * *

Some of you have asked if you can borrow our vows to speak at your own wedding. And to that we say, Yes.  We are most deeply honored that you might make our promises your own.

We just have one very important request: Keep them.

 

Tricia Lott Williford

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  1. Charlotte says:

    One of your best blogs ever, Tricia. I loved your vows and what they said about and to each other. I know you will keep them and love every moment of doing so. Loved being with all of you May 26, 27, 28 and 29 (minus bride and groom). We were honored to be there. XO

  2. Dwight Hasbrouck says:

    HUGE congrats to you both. He sounds like an amazing and true Christ centered man and now husband. The vows were beautiful I believe that you both will be faithful to keep them all. I rejoice in the Lord for you Tricia and it’s an honor to have you and your husband as my fellow family in Jesus. One of the many things that I thank God for is His ability to pour into us His qualities that help us to become more like His Son Jesus. In the midst of my long season of trial in a very sad and broken marriage I count it all joy when the good news for others comes my way. I share in my heart your new season of blessing and joy with your new husband and best earthly friend.
    Gods very best to you both and the children.
    Dwight

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