-by Melanie Mercedes-

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mercedesmel_

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ＩＭＡＲＲＩＥＤＵＰ!⁣⁣⠀
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I knew that I was marrying a great man. What I didn’t know was that he was much more than that. He’s amazing. Caring. Patient. Kind. I feel every bit of loved. ⁣⁣⠀
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My lovely single ladies, PLEASE, PLEASE, BE PATIENT. ⁣⁣⠀
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I understand the pain of waiting. The tears no one sees, the jokes about marriage and babies, the questioning. ⁣⁣⠀
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Trust me! I understand being single when all your friends are getting married and having babies. I understand the pit in your stomach when you ring in 25, 26, 27, then 30, still single. ⁣⁣⠀
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Marriage is serious work, I couldn’t imagine having to do it with someone who didn’t love me as Christ loved the church. Someone who didn’t put me first while I put him first. I don’t say this lightly when I say; WAIT ON GOD. I know waiting isn’t easy but do it. ⁣⁣⠀
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In the waiting, steward your singleness well. Learn about yourself, learn about God. Learn what you love and don’t like, get hobbies, be ambitious. Don’t just prepare for a future husband, take the time to cultivate the woman God has intended you to be, all on your own, all because of Him. Your relationship status does not define you. Please don’t let it define you. ⁣⁣⠀
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#curlybride #wedding #husbandappreciation #singleadvice #marriageadvice

ＴＩＲＥＤ. ＤＲＡＩＮＥＤ. ⁣⁣⠀

ＴＩＲＥＤ. ＤＲＡＩＮＥＤ. ⁣⁣⠀
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Christian,⁣⁣⠀
I have a lot of questions,⁣⁣⠀
Why do you bring up abortion during race conversations? Why bring up race on race crime? Do you not know it is possible to be outraged at all of it? That you do not have to choose to be outraged at one to become “more holy”?⁣⁣⠀
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I have never heard a Christian, church or pastor on a pulpit say; “abortion is a myth”, “abortion rates are inflated for a political agenda”, “sure it happened years ago but abortions aren’t like that anymore”, “people bring abortions upon themselves, it’s not my business”, “we shouldn’t protest about abortion, it’s a heart issue”. Yet, all of those things are said about racism. Openly. Publicly. Then other believers agree. Why?⁣⁣⠀
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Is it that you’ve been ingrained w/ stereotypes so much so that you’ve become comfortable w/ racism? You actually believe all the lies told to you about a certain race? Is it because we’ve never studied the Bible outside of the white washed traditions we were told? Is it because slave masters ripped out parts of the Bible when they taught slaves + we’ve become accustomed to those stories? Is it because our schools have coddled our American egos instead of revealing the true grotesque history of our ancestors and American forefathers? ⁣⁣⠀
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Why does the dehumanization of an unborn baby to a clump of cells bother you more than the dehumanization of a birthed person to an animal, thug, criminal, a “threat”?⁣⁣⠀
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I fear that I do not understand why someone God has commanded to love me, chooses not to. Why the value of my life fluctuates dependent upon the issue at hand? ⁣⁣⠀
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I am mad at it all. Sadly, also at the silence + compliance of my brothers + sisters. God welcomes us with open arms, after we’ve been received, we become the brother in Luke 15. Telling our father what should be accepted + what shouldn’t. Church I’m afraid we’ve become the priest + Levite in Luke 10. The scribes + Pharisees of John 8. Those who bore false witness in Acts 6. King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3. Much more closely, Haman in Esther 3. ⁣⁣⠀
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“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have..."⁣⁣⠀
‭‭Jn‬ ‭13:35‬

⁣⁣⠀ I need to be honest. ⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⠀

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I need to be honest. ⁣⁣⠀
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I feel times of losing hope, especially when I see all of the evil in this broken world. Evil coming from every side, even those who profess to be my brothers + sisters. ⁣⁣⠀
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But then I am reminded of what God can do in + with brokenness. I take a deep breath + rest in truth, not what my emotions tell me. ⁣⁣⠀
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I am committed to personally fighting for the oppressed; the foster kids I love so much, the special needs children who teach me more than I teach them + on behalf of my brothers + sisters suffering injustice at the hands of the sin we know as racism + white supremacy. ⁣⁣⠀
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Praise be to God. ⁣⁣⠀
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“for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.”⁣⁣⠀
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭94:15‬ ‭ESV‬‬⁣⁣⠀
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“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”⁣⁣⠀
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭34:18‬ ‭ESV‬‬⁣⁣⠀
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“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”⁣⁣⠀
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭147:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬⁣⁣⠀
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“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."”⁣⁣⠀
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:4‬ ‭ESV‬‬⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀ • ⁣⁣⠀
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#bibleverse #biblequotes #hope #christian

⁣⁣⠀ I said a prayer⁣⁣⠀ That someday I

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I said a prayer⁣⁣⠀
That someday I would find a boy⁣⁣⠀
And together we'd find joy⁣⁣⠀
Maybe someday⁣⁣⠀
And he would care⁣⁣⠀
About the color of the sky⁣⁣⠀
About the things that make me cry⁣⁣⠀
Maybe someday⁣⁣⠀
And if it happens this is what I'd say:⁣⁣⠀
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And I will give you my life⁣⁣⠀
Together we'll make it right⁣⁣⠀
And I will say to you⁣⁣⠀
What is for sure⁣⁣⠀
That I'll give you my world⁣⁣⠀
And baby I'll be your girl⁣⁣⠀
And I will say to you⁣⁣⠀
Everything I have is yours⁣⁣⠀
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- Everything. Sung by Stacie Orrico. ⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⠀
Photos by: @julioadrian.d, @hellogloryunion

No caption needed.

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I am physically, emotionally and mentally drained.

I am physically, emotionally and mentally drained. ⁣⁣⠀
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I am tired. ⁣⁣⠀
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I am tired of explaining why this happens. I am tired of teaching those who refuse to see. I am sick of talking about it. I am sick of hearing about it. You will never understand unless you understand. ⁣⁣⠀
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I pray for justice. ⁣⁣⠀
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I pray for peace. For my future children. For my uncle. My father, my brother, my husband, my friends. ⁣⁣⠀
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Habakkuk’s Complaint ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
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“O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
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The Lord’s Answer⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
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"Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.”⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
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‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭1:2-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
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SAY THEIR NAMES! ⁣⁣⠀
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#georgefloyd #ahmaudarbery #breonnataylor

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⁣⁣I really married my best friend. ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
I wake up next to you now. ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
I’m the early bird, so I wake up first. ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
And I stare. ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
I just stare at you. ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
We get to do life together in a new way. ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
And I’m so excited to. ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
I love you. ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
I’m so happy I get to be your wife. ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
Now let’s go celebrate with our fur son Gizmo. 😂😂 ⁣⁣⠀⁣⁣⠀
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@e_todd1

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We had a small dinner to celebrate my getting married. I wasn’t able to have any of the usual festivities because well... CoViD. But this made up for it all. We had food, fun, laughs, special bachelorette cookies and small gifts. ⁣⁣⠀
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I got a crockpot and wow I’ve never been so excited. I’m definitely an old married woman now. 🤪⁣⁣⠀
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@thegarciadiaries @sarcastiicaa thank you for thinking of me and doing this. @vanessagonzalez2_ @etrinidad01 ⁣⁣Thank you for *always* being there and being available to celebrate with me.
I love you girls!⁣⁣⠀
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@e_todd1,⁣⁣⠀
I adore you. I love you. I’m so happy that we will wake up soon as husband and wife 😍. Thank you for helping the girls and loving me the way you do. I’m learning how you give love, and I love feeling loved by you.

@morganharpernichols and her gift; a way with word

@morganharpernichols and her gift; a way with words. ⠀
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Ｂｅｅｎｃｏｕｒａｇｅｄｔｏｄａｙ!

Ok but how cute are these barrettes from Amazon?⠀
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They say “bride” and sure it’s a little cheesy but let ya girl live. COVID ruined all of my wedding related festivities. ⠀
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Also, after 5 weeks of twists, my hair is noticeably longer. Seriously, even my co-workers were commenting on how long it looks. ⠀
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Safe to say I will be a #curlybride. 🙅🏽‍♀️No straightening, 🙅🏽‍♀️no blowing out. ⠀
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What are some #naturalbride ideas you can throw my way?⠀
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#curlybride #naturalhairbride #naturalbride