My apologies!

With understandable reasons…. (such as getting married!) I have not been keeping up on my blogging. Not for the lack of “blog-worthy” material but more time as well as the fact that I have a hard time blogging on “jodoria” when I am no longer Doria!

So…. just so you know… I am taking the time to get settled and enjoy my new life with my wonderful husband. (How fun to say!) Someday we will probably start our own blog in order to stay connected with our supporters and share our many amazing adventures in married life at IHOP.

Much love!

Joanna Eitel!

22 days….

Ok… It’s here…. the “Oh my gosh, it’s REALLY happening!” point.

Here you also meet the “When is going to get here?!?” moments combined with a few random “Eeek! I’ve got to make sure I don’t forget <fill in the blank>”!

I’m beginning to know what deliriously happy might feel like…

The joy of the Bride

Here we are… in the home stretch.

We just returned from Atlanta last night, after a marvelous conference. Atlanta has a soft part in my heart, for those of you who know my story of how I got connected with onething and met Tyler all in one trip. So of course it was good to be back in Atlanta at the church where it all happened.

However, as smooth as the conference went… as present as the Spirit was… as wonderful as the staff at Victory was (Shout out to Catherine, Cyndi, Alfredo, Josh, Jim, Sheila…) …. I was just ready to COME HOME and focus on the wedding.

It’s so close…I’m beginning to feel that anxious longing for the day to come, while at the same time hoping the time stretches long enough to get everything done! Only 25 days away! In three weeks it will be the week of the wedding!

Today I was reading in Song of Solomon 7 & 8. These last two passages begin with the Beloved speaking to his Bride of the beauty that He sees in her, beginning at her feet and working is way up! The love and devotion… the maturity that He finally sees in her… She is ready! She is a Bride adorned with beauty after a journey of growth and testing. Then the Bride returns her vows of love, devoting her life to Him in all passion and dedication, asking for Him to seal her heart with the seal that only He can provide. (SOS 8:6)

The Lord actually gave me SOS 7:1-9 in a dream recently…. and through this I have felt the confirmation and peace that He sees that I am ready and He sees me as beautiful even when now I am a bit nervous, anxious and feeling busy. Since this dream and discovering the secret He hid in it, I have yet to have any more “anxious wedding” dreams. (You know, the ones where it’s the day of the wedding and nothings ready or the wrong people are doing my hair…etc. )

All in all…. in this season, I’m beginning to glimpse deeper into the heart of this woman in Song of Solomon. As cliche as it may seem, becoming an “earthly bride” really does give me a chance to position my heart in preparation for our Wedding Day to come!

As the countdown gets smaller….

Only 32 days left until “I Do!”

Let me put this into perspective on how LITTLE time this is:

– We only have 4 more weekends until our wedding. This upcoming weekend I’ll be in Atlanta…. thus only 3 weekends to get stuff done.

– After I get back (Sunday the 22nd) I’ll have: 4 days until a bridal shower…. then 12 days until Tyler’s mom and sister come….then two days until my last day of work and shower/bachelorette weekend… then exactly 7 more days until wedding day!

What’s left to do?

- Make 191 more tissue paper flower napkin rings. I started last night…. they’re fun! And PINK! Can you say “movie night?” or “Gilmore Girls” marathon?

-Scan our baby/ growing up photos into the computer.

- Order flowers from Sam’s. We’re doing our own centerpieces.

- Track down about 6 pounds of coffee beans to use for decoration. If you’re a Starbucks employee or happen to have some old coffee you’re not using let us know! We’re drying them out and just using them for decoration.

- Get settled in the Shiloh house. Lots of cleaning, packing/unpacking, painting the kitchen….

The most amazing part is wrapping our heads around the fact that soon we will actually be married and learning to work within this new amazing aspect of the relationship God has given us!

So many things will change…. the way we communicate…. the fact that we go to the same house and won’t have to debate…. we’ll make dinner a LOT more… we don’t have to say goodnight and leave each other…. he doesn’t get to pick me up for dates any more (we’re going to squeeze a few more of those in while we can.)….. and so much more!

Here’s to the journey….

onething Castle Rock

Well, we made it! We’re in lovely Colorado. Although like any “mother” I try not to have favorite conferences. But I must admit that this one I was REALLY looking forward to.

– The ladies planning this event for the past year have been Bea Blanc (Shawn’s mom), Jill Herr (Anna Blanc’s mom) and Kathy Eitel (Tyler’s mom and my future “Mother-in-love”). So that has been a blast….

– The church we’re holding the event at is called “The Rock” and it’s located in a beautiful valley area in Castle Rock. So basically, we have a large open sanctuary with a stunning view of the mountains!

– Tyler got to come on this conference! Since this is home for him, we’re staying extra to have time with family (they had yet to see the giant ROCK I have on my left hand… pictures of course but that just doesn’t do the sparkle justice). We also are planning some support raising meetings and errands to various stores to work on wedding planning. All in all a very eventful trip!

– Again, there’s just nothing like waking up every morning to the gorgeous mountains!

The conference has been going well… last night the room was packed and their was so much energy in worship. EVERYONE was on their feet! So exciting. And we have an amazing team of volunteers, working hard!

We’ll keep you posted…. don’t forget to check out the onething blog too!

The Saced Struggle

“If there is one thing engaged couples need o hear, it’s that a good marriage is not something you find, it’s something you work for. It takes struggle. You must crucify your selfishness. You must at times confront and other times confess. The practice of forgiveness is essential.

This is undeniably hard work! But eventually it pays off. Eventually it creates a relationship of beauty, trust and mutual support.” 

Gary Thomas, “Sacred Marriage” 

Wedding Bells and a Tappas Restaurant

Tyler, Katherine and I are headed to Springfield again today!

This weekend’s mission: the wedding adventures of Cortney Dueming and Dave Costello!Cortney and I met through the Potter’s House where we were co-leaders through our women’s ministry and became dear friends. (”Jesus and Cheesecake…”) Cortney has continued to work at the Potter’s House faithfully for the past three years, serving Steve and Berna in the office, leading groups, raising money for the ministry, etc.

Tonight Katherine and I are off to Cort’s Bachelorette Party — girls night out! We’re all getting dressed up and going to a new tappas restaurant called Ophelia’s. Tyler will enjoy his time drinking good coffee and holding down the fort with the men at Potter’s.

Tomorrow we have the day off to get errands done and have some more pre-marital counseling with Steve and Berna. Then Sunday’s the big day! I’m so excited for Cortney and it will be fun to see another dear friend get married.

PLUS! This is the last wedding for Tyler and I to attend as guests. The next one is our OWN! Needless to say this will be a fun thing to ponder throughout the weekend. Of course we always have a great time in “Home Sweet Springfield”.

77 Days till “I Do!” 

Standing at the base of the Sermon on the Mount

I’ve decided to press into the Sermon on the Mount during this 40-day Fast we are in. The book I chose to read is “Studies in the Sermon on the Mount” by D. martyn Llyod-Jones. Amazing book! I highly recommend it!

He takes a collection of teachings on this sermon and turned it into a commentary. But even in the first chapter, you find this teacher is passionate about the way we approach the word, especially this sermon. He reveals many misconceptions as well as reveals the truth. But he stands firm on the fact that unless this impacts your heart, study is fruitless!

Here are a few words on the power of studying this passage:

“Do not say it has nothing to do with us. Why, it has everything to do with us! If only all of us were living the Sermon on the Mount, men would know that there is dynamic in the Christian gospel; they would know that this is a live thing; they would not go looking for anything else. They would say ‘Here it is.’ And if you read the history of the Church you will find it has always been when men and women have taken this sermon seriously and faced themselves in the light of it, that true revival has come. And when the world sees the truly Christian man, it does not feel condemned, it is drawn, it is attracted. Then let us carefully study this Sermon that claims to show what we ought to be. Let us consider it that we may see what we can be. For it not only states the demand; it point to the supply, to the source of power. God give us grace to face the Sermon on the Mount seriously and honetly and prayerfully until we become living example of it, and exemplifiers of its glorious teaching.” P14 

Back — and fasting!

onething Tallahassee was a success! Our registration computers had a little bit of technical difficulty so we don’t know exact numbers yet. But we had probably over 700 people throughout the weekend.

We’ve heard wonderful testimonies already…. hearts being awakened, even a brother of one of the IHOP-Tallahassee’s members was radically saved! So exciting.

We got in late last night after what seemed just like a long weekend. Things went so smoothly but we were all so tired going into it…. and now we’re back and running with the 40 Day Fast called by Lou Engle. There is so much excitement and anticipation in the air.

My family is talking right now about how we plan to posture our hearts and what we are going to do during the fast. It’s exciting to see your loved ones going through this with you.

We’ll see how things go… I plan to really delve into the Sermon on the Mount as well as focus on, as a couple, preparring our hearts for marriage. So depending on revelation I may try to blog more.

Here’s to day one!

(PS– 81 days and counting till “I Do” Day!)

New meaning to “Fire of God”

We’re in Tallahassee for another onething event, and we noticed something very different as soon as we stepped outside.

We smelled smoke… for real. Not “spiritually”. Florida is on fire!

There’s a haze everywhere and it smells like a large bonfire wherever you go. Very sad…. and odd.

Could this be a physical manifestation of what the Lord wants to do this weekend?