Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
My blog is about my work-in-progress to be released this fall. I have to credit this beautiful site, http://www.godsknot.com/wedding-bible-verses/, with contributing to the idea for my book Cord of Three, Perfect Love. I also want to thank them for allowing me to use their site as inspiration and research for my novel. You will get the first glimpse of the cover, the prologue, and an excerpt.
Part of this book is based upon a true story, that of meeting my first husband, the father of my four beautiful children. The way the couple meets is true as is the beginning of the book, but the story will change as it unfolds. We lost him to a heart attack at only thirty-nine, but his early influence on my life will remain all the days of my life. The setting of the wedding is the same. We were married in a small country Baptist Church that has grown so much since that time that it outgrew that small white clapboard building and became a brick one so much larger than the one we were married in on April 26, 1969.
Due to a Christian romance novel needing a happy ending, the outcome of this couple will be different than ours, so though the beginning is based on a true story of how my husband and I met, much of the novel is fiction to compose a suitable story for the genre. The wedding proposal is different as well, since ours did not take place on the church grounds. The purpose of my writing this story that is very close to my heart is for my
children and for the Lord to illustrate how a life that does not include Him will never be perfect. Invite Him to be a part of your wedding and life together to have a perfect love and a cord of three that is not easily broken.
Prologue
She was an old married woman now, no longer that innocent fifteen-year-old girl whose heart had thumped a mile a minute the night Andy picked her up from the skating-rink floor. Many years passed all too quickly, and their time together, their season was gone. Nothing left now, but the sweet memories of a much simpler life and young love, first love, their wedding in a small country Baptist church. Those memories were forever etched in her heart and as the pages of her life continued to turn, she returned to 1969, a Baptist Church, and a Louisiana country road.
Excerpt from Chapter Four
Louisiana, 1968-1969
One Sunday morning after services, Andy dropped to one knee in front of the church, and June gasped when he asked, “Will you be my wife?”
She peered at the red velvet box he placed in front of him. A smile lit her face. A beautiful diamond ring with diamond crosses on each side of the larger diamond winked at her. “Oh Andy, yes!”
He placed the ring on her left hand, picked her up, and spun her around in front of the church. Most of the congregation had left, but a few onlookers watched with smiles, shook their heads and whispered, “There’s nothing like young love.”
“Oh Andy, I can’t wait to show Mom my ring. It’s beautiful. I love it.”
He grinned and kissed her before he teased, “I hope you love me as much.”
“More.” She tiptoed up and slipped her arms around his neck, leaned into him and gave him a kiss to prove it.
He gently pushed her back and laughed. “Wow, honey, we’re in the front yard of the church. Can’t you wait? He teased her before taking her hand in his and leading June to his car.
She felt her cheeks grow hot. “I just wanted you to know how much I love you.”
“You’re red as an overripe strawberry from the base of your throat to the roots of your blonde hair, darlin’,” Andy drawled. “I love you, too.” He opened the door and helped her into the vehicle.
“Before I take you home, I want you to understand why I proposed at the church.” Andy took her small hands in his large ones and clasped them tightly, staring directly into her eyes. “Have you ever heard of God’s Knot?”
“No, but I assume you want God to be part of our marriage.”
“Yes, of course, but let me explain God’s Knot. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” This scripture demonstrates how important Christian companionship is. Two Christians bound together in Christ are stronger than the individuals themselves because God performs a miracle in their marriage and unites the couple with Him as one. The Cord of Three Strands is a symbol of a sacred union when God becomes part of the marriage. I want us to not only tie the knot as they say, but to tie God’s Knot when we get married.”
“Oh Andy, that’s so beautiful. I would love it, united in God.”
He smiled and squeezed her hands in his. “It boldly illustrates God’s design for marriage. The three strands are a symbol for uniting one man and one woman by God into a relationship, into marriage. Marriage takes three, and we can’t leave God out. He is the one who taught us to love. By keeping him at the center of our marriage, His love will continue to bind us together as one.” Andy lifted her chin and gazed deeply into June’s eyes. “I wanted to not only ask you to marry me today, but to also unite with God as part of our wedding ceremony, and I thought there was no better place to ask that of you than the Lord’s house, our church.”
June lifted her chin further, reached up and pulled his face down to meet hers, and kissed him gently, then whispered, “Oh Andy, we will have a beautiful marriage ceremony with God as part of it and our partner in marriage for life. I love my ring, and my wedding proposal has to be the best one ever. I will say, ‘I do’ to both you and God the day we marry.
Andy bowed his head and kissed her tenderly on the lips before he whispered, “I knew I’d found the right girl when I picked you up from the floor of the skating rink. I knew it that first night we met. That’s why I yanked the steering wheel off in front of the drive-in, hoping Robert would come up front, but he didn’t fall for it.” Andy hugged her against him. “From the very first moment our eyes met, and we locked gazes, I knew. I’m an engaged man, and I can’t wait to tell the world.”
June laughed. “Me neither, and I love being an engaged woman.”
She held her ring up and watched it sparkle in the sunshine.
“How about April the 26’th?”
“It’s the first already. That doesn’t leave much time. You’re in a hurry.” June smiled and leaned against him.
“Yes, I am. I can’t wait to make you my wife. You’re already my world.” He started the engine and placed one arm around her shoulders before he pulled form the parking lot of the church.
She slid next to him on the bench seat and leaned her head on his shoulder, before placing one hand on his thigh, as he drove her home. It hadn’t been long ago, when she wouldn’t even sit by him. She’d come a long way. Now, she couldn’t get close enough. Together, they’d come a long way, and God would take them much further, all the way down that long winding road for their journey home to Him.
About the Author
B. J. Robinson loves reading and writing. She pens various genres to provide choice for her readers. You’ll find romantic suspense, sweet contemporary romance, mystery, short stories, novellas, and full-length novels from which to choose when you check out her Amazon page. She’s an Amazon best-selling author with over twenty books. She writes from sunny Florida where she lives with her husband and pets, blessed with thirteen grandchildren. If you’d like to read Cord of Three, Perfect Love, watch for it to release this fall. In the meantime, you’ll find other books. Her newest one is The Officer and the Bell, a Christian historical romance. Visit her at: https://www.facebook.com/BJRobinsonHistoricalRomance, http://barbarajrobinson.blogspot.com, or at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBJRobinson
Wendy Henry
/ August 28, 2015Can’t wait to read this story to be taken back in time to a young couples love.
B. J. Robinson
/ September 4, 2015Thanks, Wendy
Rita
/ August 28, 2015I look forward to, A Cord of three, Perfect love! Thanks for the update B.J. you’re an amazing author.
B. J. Robinson
/ September 4, 2015Thanks, Rita, and so are you.