iamritcheh - Tumblr blog

[iamritcheh]

Very inspiring!

I made this blog because a photo of my husband and I has gone viral on the internet. I wanted to share the story behind the photo for the hundreds of thousands of people who found inspiration through this sweet moment we had.

The Story Behind the Photo

Moments before I was to walk down the aisle my soon to be mother in law came in the dressing room where my bridesmaids and I were all gushing with giggles and fluttering about finishing last minute details.

"Sweetheart, your groom has called for you!".

In a nervous tizzy I said, “What?! I’m not ready! I have to get my shoes and…” She had already taken my hand and led me to a corner, where my groom was waiting. I barely sat down; I was filled with so much anticipation! So much excitement! So many nerves!

"Is he going to like my dress? Does my hair look pretty? Can he see me?!" 

Right around the corner sat my soon to be husband, I so was nervous he might see me yet secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of him. In my excited state I was the first to speak,

"Hi sweetie! We’re getting married today!"

"I know baby and I want to pray with you before we do." 

There we sat around the corner hand in hand, and together we bowed our heads. People were rushing about; the wedding coordinator directing people here and there, the photographers snapping photos and the bridal party enjoying each others company. Yet in that moment, in the quietness of our hearts and minds, my husband and I were alone in the presence of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

My husband prayed that God would bless our marriage, that through thick or thin together we would never lose hope in one another. That instead of focusing on each others imperfections we would always rely on Christ’s perfection. That we would wake up every day and chose to love one another not through our own strength but by the power of Christ’s perfect love.

With our hands clenched tightly to one another together we said “Amen”, both with shaky voice and just like that I was whisked away to blot the tears off my face and put on my veil.

After my bridesmaids, mother, mother-in-law and every other girl in the room had finished zipping, curling, tucking and blushing me up I looked in the mirror. There I stood wearing my pure white wedding dress, ready to walk down the aisle to my Prince Charming.

See, he is not only my Prince Charming because of his incredibly handsome looks, or wonderful humor, or the fact that we have so much in common. He is my Prince Charming because he helped me protect the most precious gift that I owned, my purity.

Soon after we had started dating I nervously told my Prince that I was a virgin and planned to be until the night of my wedding; to which he replied he would have it no other way.

Throughout our dating relationship and engagement we constantly fought, what at times felt like a losing battle. We fought temptation with prayer, scripture and accountability. I had friends checking up on me if they knew we were together late at night and he regularly met with other Godly men to pray for strength. At times, especially as the wedding grew closer, we thought we were attempting to do the impossible.

“Why are we doing this?” I would ask in my weakness, and he would remind me, that it’s because God had told us too.

“I can’t do it, I can’t… this is too hard!” he would confess to me and I would pray for his strength.

When I walked down the aisle in my white dress, I looked straight into the eyes of the man that had laid himself down to protect and honor the wife that God had given him.

When his eyes first caught mine he looked into the face of the woman that had waited for him, the woman that would support him and love him for the rest of His life, through good times and bad.

I share all of this because in that prayer we prayed, which was captured here on camera we asked the Lord to use our wedding to bring Him all of the glory that He rightfully deserved. We had not gotten where we were by our own strength, but by His hand of protection on our relationship.

God has used this photo to inspire hundreds of thousands of people already and for that we are humbled and honored! I wanted to take it a step further and give God praise and thanks for how we arrived at that quiet corner, holding hands and ready to begin our lives together.  

(photo by the incredible Kim Burke, www.kdburkephotography.com)

[iamritcheh]

(In Response to Charles Warnke’s You Should Date An Illiterate Girl.)

Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a...

[iamritcheh]

Woahhh! grabe! gikulbaan ko nitan aw sa result! ganiha rako sugod buntag halos per hour ng search sa RME licensure exam result! Ug krn pa gyud nigawas! woaahh! sakto ba ning akong nakit an! Wew! Congratulations my dear younger brother! I am so proud of you! We are so proud of you! Yay! grabe nga kalipay akong gibati krn! Woaaahhhh! Thank you Lord God for hearing my prayers! our prayers!

Woahhh! Congratz Nick! ug Congratz sad sa iyang mga kauban ug kaninyong tanan!

Thank you Lord!

Proud ate - Ritche

[iamritcheh]

The baby I thought would be born on my birthday, but he was so excited to see the world that he can't wait any longer. (Ayaw makisabay ng birtdi sa akin..hahaha) ..He really wants to give the world his cutest smile na.(kaya di na nakapghintay) That's exactly 1 year ago when he came out from his mother's womb. Now he turns 1 and still wearing his cutest smile like a sunshine or moonbeams that brightens up the world.(liwat ni ate ninang cge ug ismayl :D haha) From Ate ninang's ♥ with love..Happy happy 1st birthday baby dandan (Raven Daniel)...I love you so much..God bless you always baby ♥ See yeah later baby with hugs and kisses from ate ninang :) (April 19, 2013)

[iamritcheh]

Every Season - Nichole Nordeman (by davegreider)

Last few months we experience cold and rainy days - the winter season! We love staying indoors. Isn't it? but now ? The most awaited season , the season most of us love so much, going out to beaches and having fun under the heat of the sun. It's summer time! Every season is comparable to your story, my story or our stories. It could be like winter tears but it wont last forever, time will come it will be summer joy! ♫♫ And how You make me new With every season’s change And so it will be As You are re-creating me Summer, autumn, winter, spring♫♫ So we have to remember..Regardless of tears or joy! No matter what season it is.. We have to walk with Jesus! Despite the changes, we are re created by Him to be more and more like Him everyday. EVERY SEASON! This song is a great composition that best describes our lives. .Our seasons. EVERY SEASON! ♥

[iamritcheh]

Love Never Fails - Jim Brickman & Amy Sky 

love, love is patient, love is kind love does not worry, does not boast it is not proud, it is not rude it is not easily angered love keeps no record of wrongs refrain: love never fails, never fails i promise you, my love will never fail and i will give to you faith, hope and love love does not lie in evil love, i'll always protect always trust, always hope and it will push me love rejoices in truth repeat refrain: oooohh... repeat refrain: but, the greatest of these is love.

[iamritcheh]

wew! super gaan ng feeling! seeing,praying and kissing the Black Nazarene of Quiapo early morning ♥ plus seeing and hearing words of wisdom from MOST REV. LEONARDO MEDROSO (the bishop I really want to see and hear always). ... a great morning indeed! with my ever shining beautiful bespren Fe Gatab ♥

[iamritcheh]

[iamritcheh]

Answered Prayers :) God bless our new Pope - Pope Francis I

Last night I prayed for the conclave. I prayed for Cardinal Tagle and the rest of the Cardinals. I ask God for the election of pope to be successful that night and I will honor and praise His chosen one be it Cardinal Tagle or not.

And Woooaaahhh! Answered prayer!

As it was i the news and magazines that it will take ever four days to know the new Pope but as I woke up right after that night when I prayed, the first thing I saw when I browse the net was the good news!

Habemus Papam! which means "We have a Pope!

Habemus Papam Franciscum!

Viva! Argentina's Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as our new pope - Pope Francis I .

It takes more than an hour reading the news from different sites from Facebook to yahoo news to CNN to news.va .And what catches my attention is his new name with the great meaning.

quoted from the CNN news :

The name symbolizes "poverty, humility, simplicity and rebuilding the Catholic Church" Allen said.

Exact name for him indeed. Before elected as a new pope, He is a Cardinal having a simple lifestyle that contributed to his reputation for humility. Living in a small apartment rather than in the palatial bishop's residence. Giving up his limousine in favor of public transportation and even cooked his own meals.

His chosen name speaks for Himself!

God bless our new pope! Pope Francis I !

[iamritcheh]

wow! just woke up and the first thing I saw was the great news! Habemus Papam Franciscum! Viva! Argentina's Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as our new Pope --Pope Francis I ! ♥ from the NCC news : The name symbolizes "poverty, humility, simplicity and rebuilding the Catholic Church," Allen said.

You can read and listen Him also at news dot va   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The name catches my attention..Its a name with a great meaning!

[iamritcheh]

Love is the answer, and you know that for sure; Love is a flower, you've got to let it grow. -- John Lennon

[iamritcheh]

life is not about being the first one to arrive in that destination.. ..but its the journey that you take, its the quality of the journey that you have... ...Life's not a race! ♥

[iamritcheh]

...had a great weekend with family at home.. ♥ ...met my high school classmate Riclyn Jane Dumaluan at monastery ...visited my high school classmate and relative Kathy Panganiban after long years..few hours was not enough ! laughter and joy again on Thursday! see yeah kat :) Family and Friend is love! Happy Monday morning ♥

[iamritcheh]

Ultimately being lovely comes when one is inspired for the love of people, which comes supernaturally from God. -elegantwoman.org

[iamritcheh]

Do you want to be set free from bitterness and resentment? All you need to do is keep your heart pure and start each day by letting go of the baggage of the past. Don’t try to collect a debt from others that only God can pay. If you’ll leave it up to Him, God will return to you more than what you have lost.

God is on your side! He wants you to feel good about yourself and have a positive vision for your life. After all, God knows when you have a heart to please Him. And as you continue to please Him, you’ll experience that life of victory He has in store for you.

[iamritcheh]

GOD ALWAYS HAS THE BEST REASONS FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR LIVES.

Me: God, can I ask You a question?

God: Sure

Me: Promise You won't get mad ...

God: I promise ...

Me: Why did You let so much stuff happen to me today?

God: What do u mean?

Me: Well, I woke up late

God: Yes

Me: My car took forever to start

God: Okay

Me: at lunch they made my sandwich wrong & I had to wait

God: Hmmm...

Me: On the way home, my phone went DEAD, just as I picked up a call

God: All right

Me: And on top of it all off, when I got home ~I just want to soak my feet in my new foot massager & relax. BUT it wouldn't work!!! Nothing went right today! Why did You do that?

God: Let me see, the death angel was at your bed this morning & I had to send one of My Angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that

Me (humbled) OH

GOD: I didn't let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road.

Me: (ashamed)

God: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick & I didn't want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn't afford to miss work.

Me (embarrassed)Okay

God: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give false witness about what you said on that call, I didn't even let you talk to them so you would be covered.

Me (softly) I see God

God: Oh and that foot massager, it had a shortage that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn't think you wanted to be in the dark.

Me: I'm Sorry God

God: Don't be sorry, just learn to Trust Me.... in All things , the Good & the bad.

Me: I will trust You.

God: And don't doubt that My plan for your day is Always Better than your plan.

Me: I won't God. And let me just tell you God, Thank You for Everything today.

God: You're welcome child. It was just another day being your God and I Love looking after My Children :)

[iamritcheh]

Serving God doesn’t mean we’ll no longer have difficulties. We’re still on the battlefield, but we don’t have to fight alone. --- Joyce Meyer