New Beginnings...

We did it! We finally tied the knot! :) All my worrying, planning, fretting and praying paid off - it was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined it. God truly blessed our day. Everything from the music to the flowers, the decor to the food was incredible - my bridesmaids (if I may say so myself) were breathtaking. Miss Gay and her daughter, Kayla, (a family friend and amazing hairdresser) did a stunning job on hair. My florist, Shannon at Fiore, made incredible arrangements (my bouquet was out of this world)! And my precious groom was as handsome as he's ever been! Oh! And the weather was perfect (Hurricane Ida held back her fury for 24 hrs) - our day was a dream come true.

I sat in my living room a few days ago and took a look around me and thought, "Wow! I am just so stinking blessed. I don't deserve any of this." I can't help but fight back tears when I think of all that's taken place in my life over the past 3 months; God has truly poured His blessings over even the slightest of details. My relationship with God has taken on a whole new meaning now that I've experienced being a bride - words can't accurately describe that moment of walking down the aisle arm in arm with my sweet daddy, gazing past all the people as my eyes met the eyes of one who loves me enough to sacrifice his life to be with me forever. What an overwhelming experience - all my dad remembers me saying to him was, "Where's my Brenton? I can't see him." I don't remember much of what I said, but my dad was thrilled to be giving me away to a man I was anxious to set my eyes on. As I reminisce that moment, I can't help but feel like I've finally grasped the analogy of being the bride of Christ. What a sweet thing for Him to call us - I can't imagine a love deeper than what Brenton and I share, but it's there waiting for us every morning. How intimate, I can't get over it!

My sweet husband (I love calling him that!:) just showered me with surprises (I planned the wedding, he planned everything beyond that) - he had a beautiful get away car all ready for our departure complete with an adorable "Just Married" sign and the car stereo blaring Michael Buble. He arranged for us to stay at The Lee House (a bed and breakfast I've always wanted to stay at. If you only knew my obsession with the woman who owns it, she's my local hero) - it was even better than my highest expectations. And to top it all, he had planned the perfect honeymoon. We went to Cancun, Mexico and stayed at an all-inclusive, couples resort. It was just so amazing to get away and relax in such a beautiful place with my best friend by my side!

I'm anxious to see the official pictures from our photographer, but several friends have posted pictures from the day, so I'll share those for now. Thanks so much for all of the prayers, congratulations and beautiful gifts everyone sent - we were blessed beyond anything we could have imagined and we were so happy to share such a beautiful day with all those who could make it to the wedding! Enjoy the pics!

Much love and blessings,

Mrs. Collyer :)


EDIT :: // - So I totally had these in order and sadly I just realized that blogger messed up my order. Sorry for the scattered-ness.

I Surrender...

It's been one of those weeks - you know, one of those weeks that your mind and emotions carry you away to a frenzied place so crippling it consumes your thoughts as you lie awake at night imagining all of the "what if's" of life and the stress of the day manifests itself in your body so much so that things stop functioning properly.

We're less than 3 weeks away from the big day and somewhere between Monday and Tuesday of last week my focus was thrown so far off that my body had a complete meltdown. I had been so consumed by forgotten invitations, counting response cards, designing floral arrangements, taking care of my bridal party and working out till every calorie consumed had been counted for several times over again, that I had lost sight of the big picture - Brenton and I, an exciting future together and all of the many blessings God's showered us with along the way. A swollen body, major hives, a cortisone shot, several doses of Benadryl and lots of drug induced sleep later I had been reminded - it's not about me. No matter how many pieces of chocolate I deny myself or how many pretty dresses I can find for the rehearsal dinner, nothing on that day will make me more beautiful than a radiant spirit, a peaceful heart and a body well rested. With so many details to remember, it's impossible for one person to take on the stress of keeping it all together. All peace and sanity had been shoved aside for the sake of counting response cards, sampling cake and hunting for the perfect brown ribbon, and for that I've paid the price.

Tonight Brenton and I were sitting on the couch listening to song after song, trying to select the perfect Brenton/Danya wedding playlist. An artist by the name of Jadon Lavik came up and his rendition of "I Surrender All" began to play. I had to fight back tears as the words "I surrender all/I surrender all/All to Thee my Blessed Savior/I surrender all" oozed over my heart. One little chorus pulled my heart back to that sweet but so difficult place of surrender. Loosening my white knuckled grip on all of the events consuming every moment of every passing day is so hard, but when I take a step back and realize it's truly about Him the things clouding my vision fall away and I'm left standing before my Beautiful King, whole and complete - He is truly all that I need. My heart is His above all and this wedding is the product of His handiwork, who am I to sell my emotions, my peace and my every waking moment to a day that will come and be gone just as fast as the sun rises and sets? What a relief - that one day is not where it all ends, but where it begins. A beginning, a birthing of something new, something exciting, something blessed, something purely of my Jesus. I am not worthy to bear His Name, but as long as I'm continually brought back to that humbling place of surrender, my life will be found something of worth. Drop it all at the feet of the King and find your rest in Him. :)

♥ d

Fall brings out the little Martha Stewart in me....brace yourselves!

Okay so my darling sister went on a hunt for a can of pumpkin and the results were heartbreaking....according to the Publix boy, the pumpkin crops flooded and all of our local gorcers will not have shipments of pumpkin until late next week! Who would have guessed? Just when I'm ready to toss my pre-wedding diet out the window for my favorite pumpkin cookies, my dreams are drowned in a sad story of flooded pumpkin crops. Oh well, life goes on. To make up for the sad dilemma, we made pumpkin spice cappuccinos and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies instead. They weren't pumpkin cookies - but they satisfied the chocolate craving.

Today is the first day I've taken a break from wedding planning since Israel. I slept till 8:45am and realized my heavy body wasn't so happy with all my running around - so I enjoyed a leisurely morning at the gym (as leisurely as the gym can be), had a picnic lunch with the fiance at our favorite waterfront spot in Gulf Breeze, proposed to him (yes, I proposed...hehe, his ring came in this week, so I decided to do my own little proposal in order to ensure we won't have any size issues during the exchanging of vows. And he said yes - for those who were wondering! hehe, he was delighted to see it. :), and then baked cookies and drank coffee with my sister. It's been a wonderful day - a much needed break from the wedding madness. I'm tempted to take a long weekend off from it all - but with 5 weeks and counting, I don't think I can afford it.

With the photographer booked, dress fitted and altered, cake ordered, and flowers planned - my next big project is turning a house into a home. I've always dreamed of having a home of my own to paint, decorate and fill every nook and cranny with a touch of Danya. Living in apartments with sterile walls and several female roommates who seem to have completely different tastes and opinions, I've never had the chance to just run wild with my love for decor and fashion within the home. Now that the opportunity is staring me in the face - I'm not so sure what to do or where to begin. I'm obsessed with bright colors - I love a cozy atmosphere with lots of lush fabrics, an array of textures and lots of soft lighting, yet I like a slight clean and modern look with a splash of antiques and worn pieces. The house we're moving into is bigger than I ever imagined our first place being, so with lots of space, no furniture and little time to paint or decorate before we move in is certainly a challenge. It's an older home, probably built in the 70's but has since then been remodeled and is as cute as can be. I've been doing some research to spark inspiration and here are some of my favorites thus far...







My relaxation has come to an end....I'm off to rehearsal.

Much ♥,
d

Fall, Fall, Fall!!!!

Oh my goodness, my heart could not be any happier! Cooler weather, pumpkin spice and a wedding around the corner - it's all so much fun! I am absolutely OBSESSED with Fall! I broke out the boots and scarves this morning and it felt so refreshing - it somehow makes this season of my life so much more exciting (just when I thought it couldn't get any more exciting)!






With the cooler weather I'll be sure to be making a batch of my all time favorite Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies this weekend! If you're a pumpkin lover like myself, I HIGLY recommend you try baking them. In fact, I love them so much I'll share my secret little recipe:



1 1/2 C Pumpkin (I recommend the spiced can of pumpkin, not the regular...and add more pumpkin if you like a more cakey cookie, less if you like it firmer - i'm a fan of the cakey kind)
3/4 C Sugar
1/2 C Oil
1 Egg
2 C Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 t Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Milk
1 C Chocolate Chips (I always add extra :)
1 tsp Vanilla
Nuts (optional - I usually do them without, but if you're a nut lover - go for it)

Dissolve baking soda in milk; set aside. In a large bowl add pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg; stir. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda mixture. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla. Spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees 10 to 12 minutes or until done. Enjoy!

Well, I'm off to run today's wedding errands, but let me know I've sparked a new addiction.

Happy Fall!

&hearts d

Oh yeah - I'm still planning a wedding...

Just 6 weeks from yesterday I will become Mrs. Brenton Collyer! It's so crazy to think about! I had a walk through on Friday with my two wedding coordinators and it hit me - this is really happening! It's so exciting though. God has truly blessed us beyond belief and we haven't even said "I do" yet. I constantly look around at all the things He's done and is doing and think to myself, "This is crazy. I don't deserve any of this." But it's a true example of His love - His amazing, undeserving love. It's so sweet.

So I'm totally the girl that gushes and grins at the thought of my very own wedding and I'm absolutely the girl that wants to show the world what it's going to look like before it even happens; but I can't, I'm not letting myself. I would show pictures of my dress cause I absolutely love it and I would show pictures of my flower ideas and my cake but you'll simply have to wait until after the honeymoon to see. Something I CAN share with you though is our future home! :) We're so blessed to be able to rent a HOUSE during our first year of married life - we will know this week which one it is (it's a toss up between two different ones at the moment). And as if wedding planning isn't hectic enough, throw in decorating and creating a home on top and you've got one scatter-brained girl. I've been thinking about what our home will look/feel like and all I can think of is aqua and pink! Poor Brenton - haha! He's been a good sport about all of my girly wedding colors and even our registry haha, but as for the house, I'm not so sure pink and aqua will fly. We'll see - in the mean time, here's a little taste of my latest color obsession :


♥,
d

I left my heart in Israel...

I am alive - I promise! :) I've been putting this blog off because I really want to accurately share the most life changing moments I've ever experienced, with you. Our trip to Israel was just incredible (I'd HIGHLY recommend it to anybody, believer or non-believer, it's worth every penny) and to put into words what my heart experienced over a two week span is simply impossible. So here's to my humble attempt to describe the beautiful Promised Land...

Despite the long, grueling hours of travel, unfamiliar foods, lack of working hair dryers, intense desert heat and the full days of touring site after site - my heart feels as if it's had the ultimate awakening and rejuvenation. To stand on the mountains Jesus once stood on and to see the sights He probably saw was nothing short of amazing, my Bible reading has gone from fuzzy, black and white to High Definition and extreme color in a matter of days! It's real - it's all real....that's the only thing I can tell you. From the Sea of Galilee and the Valley of Armageddon, Nazareth and Bethlehem, the Jordan River to the Dead Sea, the Mt. of Olives to the Via Dolorosa - it's all there! It truly exists!

I'd have to say a few of my most memorable moments were traveling across the Sea of Galilee on a replica similar to the boats Jesus and His disciples would have traveled on, walking through the ruins of Capernaum where Jesus once lived, being baptized in the Jordan River, floating in the Dead Sea, traveling to a tented Bedouin dinner via camels, walking through the Holocaust Museum and tangibly seeing the heartbreaking history of God's chosen people, laying eyes on the Dead Sea Scrolls, leading worship with my fiance and praying for our future together amongst the olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane, walking the Via Dolorosa where Jesus publicly carried the cross, and lastly - visiting the Garden Tomb Jesus may have very well been laid in for three days!

I've never seen so much rock and dirt in my life!! My first thought was - this is it? THIS is the Promised Land the Bible so sacredly talks about? But as we traveled from site to site and began to dig into the scriptures - it made sense. These people were and still are - the heart of God. This land is His and it reeks of spiritual warfare. They have no natural resources and the land is a desert, but they've worked so hard and have created beautiful orchards and crops and are abundant in beautiful, fresh food. As you travel through the winding roads and passes, you look out to see an array of crops that produce the most beautiful fruits and vegetables. These people are passionate about their country and they're hard workers - they've worked so hard to make it a fruitful land despite their lack of natural resources (oil, precious metals and gems, etc).

Our guide, Ido, was one of the most interesting people I've ever met. A Messianic Jew and archeologist, he was passionate and knowledgeable of his homeland. He displayed more passion for His God and His land in two weeks than most people in America will ever display in a lifetime. It's real to him. He understands He is a chosen race and He is living in a crazy era - one where God is preparing the land for His return. And as I mentioned before, spiritual warfare is almost overwhelming. The Jews vs. the Muslims - God vs. Satan. We spent a few days in Jerusalem visiting the Western Wall (the Wailing Wall), the Temple Mount (where the Temple once sat and where the third Temple will be rebuilt according to the book of Revelation, yet the Dome of the Rock currently resides) and the Dome of the Rock - all intense spiritual places. The Jews at the Western Wall passionately read through their books of prayers and maintain their religious rituals totally blind to the fact that the Messiah has already come and is returning once again very soon - a very strange experience standing amongst women who dedicate their lives to their rituals. Driving through the Muslim quarter was an entirely different experience - walking amongst Muslims who dedicate their lives to a god who doesn't exist and passionately fight to maintain control over the Temple Mount so they can keep their place of worship. These people live so closely to one another, yet hate one another so strongly and still - they're missing it all - Jesus is the One who came to save them and God is the One who will deliver them from other nations and return to save them.

Lastly, the Dome of the Rock and the Temple Mount - what a bizarre thing it was to stand so close to a stunning structure that represented so much evil. It made my stomach churn just being there, but a few short feet away from the building, stands the Eastern Wall - the Lions Gate where Christ will return! It's so amazing that so much spiritual tension is held in one concentrated place! You can't help but feel overwhelmed by it while standing on that mountain. Prior to visiting the Dome of the Rock, we were taken to a place that housed the makings of the items that will be displayed and used in the third Temple. I wasn't aware of this until we visited this location, but plans are already in the making for the third Temple and everything is being prepared - they've already reconstructed several of the items the Bible talks about in the first Temple and have done so according to the exact materials and measurements listed in the Bible. They are just waiting to have control of the Temple Mount again so that they may build the Temple where it belongs. It was so amazing to see the attire of the priests and the golden lamp stands and to smell the incense and myrrh they would be using - prophecy being fulfilled before our very eyes! Another amazing fact is that while standing near the Dome of the Rock, you notice that behind it there is plenty of space for the Third temple to be built AND it lines up perfectly with the Lions Gate! Ido seemed to think that someday they will build a wall between the Dome of the Rock and the empty space and will allow the Jews to rebuild the Temple there in an attempt of peace. Ironically, the area that the Temple could be rebuilt is located directly over the place they think the Holy of Holies was located! Talk about chilling! I couldn't believe I was standing on ground that prophecy was going to take place on!

I truly did leave my heart in Israel, I hope to return again someday soon. I loved the people, the land and the history. If you ever have a chance to visit, please do so - it'll change your life! It's real - all the things the Bible talks about are so real and prophecy is being fulfilled daily! God's stirring the heart of His people and is preparing His land for His return! "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown." Revelation 3:10-11

Sorry this was so long, if you have a minute feel free to check out a few pics from the trip (I have two albums on Facebook if you'd like to see more :):

Update from Jerusalem, Israel....

I have 2.40 minutes to give a quick update. We made it safely to Israel and oh my goodness has it changed my life! I LOVE this country! I love the land, the people, the history and most importantly - I'm falling so deeply in love with my Jesus all over again! It's truly been an incredible experience. We've been to so many sites and locations - too many to cover in less than two minutes, but we have visited the Sea of Galilee, the valley of Armageddon (sp?), and the Wailing Wall just to name a few. We are now in Jerusalem and will be here for the remainder of our trip. I can't wait to share my pics and stories once we return! Lots of love and prayers!

d