At a time when it seems like much of the world is in a state of uncertainty and worry, what we witnessed the other day was nothing short of a miracle. In the midst of it all, a wedding was underway, and sights and sounds of celebration and good cheer filled the air like birds singing at dawn on a beautiful spring day. The most unlikely match had been made according to the standards of the world, and where the marriage took place made it all the more intriguing, mysterious, and not so commonplace. A man from the United States and a woman from Russia met at what some would call the center of the world, a beautiful place, Jerusalem, at the center of history for major religions of the world. If love could be found there between people from opposite ends of the earth, and joy and gladness could be had in such a tumultuous time and place, a glimmer of hope shown through as we saw how love had put the worries of the world beneath its feet. The guests were like a patchwork quilt of many different nations from far and wide, but love had brought us together and brought a nearly permanent smile to our faces.
We congratulate Mr. and Mrs. Gooding for their unwavering faith that all would go as planned even during long stretches of lockdown, but most of all for letting the one thing that unites us all be the most important thing in their lives, LOVE. Thank you for the great privilege to see first hand the power of love in a most unique place, and may that love blossom and grow like a tree deeply rooted by the river, growing stronger through the seasons, and bearing fruit along the way. Thank you for being a blessing to the world even when the world wants us to feel the opposite way!
