In just three months, we’ll celebrate the sweetest love story. Our baby girl is marrying the man of her dreams — and it’s all taking place right here on our property.

I first heard Sam’s name when our daughter Emma received a sweet message from an unknown boy in 8th grade. Through the years, they remained close friends. Poor guy had no idea how often his name was whispered among the Schmidt girls.

When college came, they talked about dating, having liked each other throughout high school. But with Emma headed overseas for Bible school and Sam playing college soccer, they entrusted their future to the Lord. They made a quiet promise: If God brought them back together, it was meant to be.

Like any good Hallmark story, theirs has included transformation, suspense, joy, and even sadness. I remember telling Emma after one of their deep heart-to-hearts, “If the Lord brings you two together, this will be the best Hallmark story ever.”

Well, eight years after that first text message, it’s clear that Sam’s the man we’ve prayed for since Emma was a baby. And while I’m over-the-moon thrilled, Emma sat me down one afternoon with a new twist.

“Mom,” she said, “I think we want to get married this fall instead of next spring.”

I gulped. Six months from now? On our property? The one with no landscaping, no parking, and definitely no space for a big crowd?

We debated the pros and cons. Spoiler alert: the cons were mine to carry — an enormous amount of my own manual labor and time. The upside (and now downside) of living in the country is that everything from broken tools to leftover wood piles ends up behind the shed… conveniently out of sight until you’re planning a wedding on-site.

In the middle of my overwhelm, Emma looked me in the eye with all the Southern flair she could muster and declared:

“You are Jen Schmidt!” (dramatic pause) “You thrive under this kind of pressure. I have faith in you.”

That was all I needed — or so I thought. Her confidence gave me a spark of courage. But three months into the planning, with mud-caked boots, aching muscles, and an endless to-do list… that spark flickered.

While showcasing this DIY, thrift store process on my Instagram, a few reels went viral, and my transparency opened a door to strangers chiming in with opinions and criticisms. In the lonely hours of manual labor, doubt in all forms whispered louder than confidence ever did.

And that’s when God brought a different kind of reminder — just when I needed it most.

Last week, we had dinner with my new friend Jimmy. I met him at the DMV (yes, really), and since then, our family has built a sweet friendship with him. On paper, we couldn’t be more different. His daily life is full of challenges — unstable work, limited support, financial stress. But if you spent an hour with Jimmy, you’d think he was an A-list superstar. The man carries himself like he’s walking red carpets.

On the drive home, I asked our future son-in-law what stood out from the night.

Without missing a beat, he said, “Jimmy is his own best hype man. When no one else was there to believe in him, he believed in himself.”

That stuck with me.

Sometimes, when life feels impossible — when we’re discouraged, overwhelmed, or unsure — we need to grab a megaphone and be our own best hype girl.

That doesn’t mean cheering ourselves on with empty affirmations. It means declaring the truth of what God has already said about us.

We often remind ourselves of God’s promises here at (in)courage, but why do we forget so quickly?

“I feel lonely… but I am not alone.”
“I wasn’t picked… but I am chosen.”
“I can barely keep my head above water… but I am strong.”
“I’m struggling with body image… but I am beautiful.”

Our dream scenarios shift. Life brings financial constraints, hard transitions, and unexpected delays. We’ve experienced all of those. But when the Lord opens a door — no matter how overwhelming it feels — we walk through it. And if He closes it, we thank Him for His protection.

My Emma can’t wait to walk down the aisle to her bridegroom. But we don’t need to wait for ours.

Jesus is our Bridegroom — and we are His Bride.

He reminds us daily:

You are cherished.
You are redeemed.
You are His.

So, when I find myself knee-deep in landscaping projects or lost in DIY wedding chaos, I pause and channel my daughter’s voice:

“You are Jen Schmidt. You thrive under this kind of pressure.”

And in that moment, her words stir something deeper — not just because she believes in me, but because they echo what God knows to be true.

He says I’m chosen, strengthened, and never alone — and He says the same about you.

(in)courage sisters, the Lord doesn’t call everyone to host a backyard wedding. He hasn’t handed you my assignment. But He has written one specifically for you.

Don’t wait for someone else to speak life into you.

Open God’s Word and declare His promises.

Let’s be our own hype girls — but let the soundtrack be Scripture.

Whether you’re rebuilding a broken dream, planning something special, or simply surviving a hard season — stand firm in who God says you are.

You are beautiful. You are strengthened. You are His.

Write it on your mirror.
Speak it in your prayers.
Whisper it in the dark if that’s all you’ve got in you.

Let the truth of who you are in Christ drown out every doubt.

Follow along with both the beauty and the bedlam of Jen’s DIY wedding journey.

 

Listen to Jen’s devotion here or on the (in)courage podcast. 

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