Recently I got to meet Amy Noelck, a passionate singer/songwriter with a vision for impacting the world and am inspired by her heart for serving others and vibrant energy. Amy wrote “Marry Me,” a moving anthem of love and the perfect wedding song (from her new album Amy Noelck EP) created for “The Surprise Wedding” of Ryan & Amanda Leak that you may have seen featured on the news and social media in the past few months.

On June 7, 2013, Ryan Leak proposed to his girlfriend. Her dream was to get engaged and married on the same day, and so later on that night he cleverly delivered her surprise dream wedding after planning it for weeks with inspiration from Amanda’s wedding board on Pinterest.

I got to hear Ryan share the story behind the proposal at church a few months back and this music video/documentary shows a little bit of their story. To see the entire documentary of The Surprise Wedding, you can watch below:

Video Produced by Jeff Ray (jeffshootsyou.com)

Giving Back: Help Amy and the Leaks Fight Against Human Trafficking Through the A21 Campaign

Instead of receiving wedding gifts, “The Surprise Wedding” couple asked all of their wedding guests to give to the A21 Campaign (thea21campaign.org), an organization fighting against human trafficking all over the globe. Amy was so inspired by this that she started raising awareness for the cause herself.
You can purchase the song here to make a difference: http://bit.ly/1dFntwb

More About Amy Noelck

Amy Noelck is a talented singer-songwriter from Dallas, Texas who wants to use her music to impact people all around the world. Through songs of love, heartbreak and hope, her folk/pop sound & charismatic personality have captured the hearts of everyone who hears her music. She is passionate about helping others, and using her gift in music to do so. All of the proceeds from her new album “Amy Noelck EP” will be given directly to organizations like the A21 Campaign, that are helping to end human trafficking world-wide.

“I try to write music with lyrics that reveal the transparency of life. I love God, and I love people. I write about brokenness so those that are hurting and longing for something to fulfill them, will see that they are not alone.

We are constantly searching for something that will give us peace and joy through the struggles of this life, but, I am confident that lasting peace and joy cannot be found in anything—unless first found in Jesus. It is my hope and prayer that not only my songs & lyrics would represent God’s character, but also every aspect of my life.” – Amy

To find out more about Amy and to connect with her, visit her site www.amynoelck.com.

Stay tuned for more from DeVon and Meagan and other inspiration and resources on relationships in the Dreaming of Love Series at DreaminSoul.com.

Last year DeVon and Meagan shared their story and advice to other couples and singles at a special service “Kingdom Love” at One Church International hosted by Pastor Touré Roberts (author of the book Purpose Awakening). Watch them share their hearts in a raw and real way below:

More from the Dreaming of Love Series Coming Soon! Be inspired by these posts on Love and Waiting:

(Real Love is Worth the Wait T-shirt from Dream in Soul Apparel: http://dreaminsoul.com/creative)

A Note from Dream in Soul Editor Julene

God writes the best #Love stories – you don’t have to strive, compare, or hold on to someone who doesn’t treat you how you’re worth. You are worthy not because of the physical or material, anything you did or didn’t but because of Whose you are…

You’re already affirmed by He who wonderfully made you in and for Love. When He desires to bring people together in & on purpose He will do it intricately, strikingly and beautifully beyond anything we can imagine or dream for reasons deeper than we realize. Keep your eyes on Him – He’s our true eternal prize. There is no greater Love. – Julene Fleurmond, Editor of Dream in Soul

More from the Editor’s Journal:

How He Loves…Always

He loves me?

Sometimes experiencing what we call romance in this world leaves us wondering what love truly is. You feel that happy pounding and patter in your chest when he reveals a bouquet of roses and candy. Getting hurt though can peel away the layers of our hearts, like someone plucking the petals from a flower…

Want some more inspiration on Dreams and Purpose? Check out these past Dream in Soul Interviews:

A Shining Living Miracle: Interview & Inspiration from Life Coach & Speaker Evelina Solis of Sol2Soul

Evelina inspires others to surrender to God and live with purpose in the darker places of life…

Read More »

Art Lessons From God: Interview with Visual Artist Tony Snipes Founder of ALFG & Kreative Kingdom

Tony Snipes, a visual artist and founder of Kreative Kingdom, gives advice to other artists on discovering their creative purpose…

Read More »

SOAR Interview With Jenna Lucado Bishop – Dreaming On In Life & Faith

Jenna Lucado Bishop talks about her role on the Revolve Tour and gives advice on God-given dreams and serving Him right where you are…

Read More »

Charting Out the Master’s Plan: Interview with Kirk Franklin On His Book The Blueprint

Kirk Franklin speaks to Dream in Soul about The Blueprint for standing firm in life’s storms…

Read More »

When you step into the ocean, away from the sand that is firm on the dry land, you walk out in faith.

You do not know what is out there, you do not know what’s in the water, what is coming towards you, you do not know where the ground will dip, you have to trust your feet and the ocean floor.

One thing people do not know about me is that I am scared of the ocean (now you know), if I go in I won’t go past my hips, someone has to be with me holding my hand and even then I have this horrible anxiety consuming me. I am afraid of the ocean and the great unknown that is beneath the surface of the water. Watching Shark Week last week didn’t help either, probably won’t go in now past my knees.

This [past] summer has been an adventure, a hard one but a good one. I was burnt out, I was consumed with activities, I was lost, I was confused, I was depressed, I wanted to quit this Christian walk. But of course God is faithful, so good, loving, and ever so sweet that He wouldn’t stop chasing after me. He made sure I knew He was there and had greater plans for me. He brought people and things that showed me what was going on in the spiritual realm and in my life that made me feel this way. He started a new journey through this. He brought me to the starting line of a new glory, a new revelation that will take me deeper into His courts.

He called me to quit my job.
I pay for mostly everything, my rent, education, bills, groceries and etc; I am dependent on having a job.
I have quit my job, I said yes to God.

During school, on the days I do not have class I will be at the Upper Room from morning to evening. I will be meditating on His words, ways and love. As I sit there reading my psychology textbooks, He has promised to reveal to me His wisdom on this subject; as I sit there meditating on His words, He has promised I will become more like Him; as I sit there worshiping, He has promised I will get to see His Glory.

I do not worry for the days to come, I laugh because oh the joy that will come from this season!

I do not know where the money is going to come from! I do not know how I am going to get it! But one thing I know is that He is faithful, I know He is my daddy, I know the treasures of Heaven are opened to me, I know He sees and I know I no longer have to worry.

“I already paid the price. Now labor in rest.” (The words that were being sung at a worship set, just as I was walking in having anxiety over paying textbooks.) He is such a good Father, such a mighty God, such a beautiful Savior, a faithful Lover.

You call me out out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand.

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand will be by guide
Where feet may fail an fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

The Lord called me to overcome one of my greatest fear – the ocean. The difference though is that instead of walking into the ocean, I will be walking upon the waters, walking above everything that is in the deeps. The great unknown is below me, but I know that I will get to look down and see His creation underneath me. He will show me His beauty and will reveal to me who He is through them.
No job, it is all I have known, I always worried about not having enough money to pay for bills or having groceries. To always work for everything I needed and wanted. To sustain myself.

I know that as I walk deeper upon the ocean, I will probably become fearful, I might screw up and I probably will do a Peter; I will start to sink. The devil will try to remind me of my fears, the sharks, jellyfish and etc will surround me, I will be vulnerable to them. But God won’t fail me, He will protect me and when I call out to Him, He will come and lift me out of the waters. I will meditate on His good works, I will worship Him and Thank Him. He has already shown His faithfulness by providing for a payment for a leaders retreat that I didn’t have money for.

I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

I know there will be waves and disturbance in this walk, I do not know the storms that are to come in this season, and the friction below in the ocean deep that cause waves. However, I know I will keep my eyes on where my help comes from and I know that Jesus will walk me straight through the waves as if it were nothing, that I can be confident in His love for me. For if He is my Love, I am His bride, and he died for me then I know I can trust Him in His faithfulness to walk me through the waves, to calm the seas and to protect me.

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

The Holy Spirit is what has guided me to this season and had me stepping into fully trusting the Lord (always struggled with fully trusting in Him), but to know that I can trust the Lord and that the ways He will provide and reveal Himself is without borders. The Holy Spirit will still guide me to where ever He has called me, the decisions I make about grad school, the college and subject to study. He will guide me to my Husband, He will show me the Heavens and much more. He will guide me deeper into the inner courts, where I will known my Savior.

I AM EXCITED!

You can follow Mary Lynn on her journey of trust and finding truth at Broke and Faith.

Song lyrics in italics from “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” by Hillsong UNITED

“You call me out upon the waters – the great unknown where feet may fail…there I find You in the mystery, in oceans deep. My faith will stand…”

I love these two version of Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) live at the Colour Conference Sydney and the acoustic version. This song brings me to a place of surrendering and remembering who holds all in His hands…

Click here to get the album Zion featuring the song Oceans, and the latest Zion Acoustic Sessions album.

Oceans Acoustic Session

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

I will call upon Your Name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

Through any trial you’ve been through, the harvest and lives you can impact because of what you endured is greater than the dry season you experienced. You may have been squeezed by circumstances & confused by people who seemed to leave your life – but it had purpose beyond what you can see.

In my quiet time I heard “the desert purified your praise and depth of your love.” I know it’s a word of encouragement for someone else too. Restoration and new beginnings – that’s what I believe for you this year and beyond…

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

You survived and are stronger, your spirit is more resilient than you know. Suddenly surprises & the fruition of dreams & tears you sowed lay ahead…it’s winter but springs are coming, baby! Seek your Father and you’ll find Love, fulfillment, clarity, direction, new creativity & all you need… Your story is powerful and sharing it can influence the lives of many, bringing refreshing hope to others. Dreams bloom in due season for purposes deeper than you can imagine and you were made to Flourish for such a time as this – dare to step boldly into your purpose and nourish your divine dreams…

- Julene, Editor DreaminSoul.com

Below – Dream in Soul Creative Expression: Be Inspired by a Poem I Wrote As Encouragement for Dreamers On Overcoming and Understanding the Wilderness

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11

Read More in Context

Prepare for Purpose In This Free Online Coaching Series…

God is calling us higher in this season and is doing a new thing on the Earth – will you be part of it. This year make a commitment to pursuing your purpose intentionally and boldly…

Pastor Touré Roberts of One Church LA (which we have featured in our previous “Ministry Watch” and “Message Pick” features) and author of the soon to be released book “Purpose Awakening” has launched a special free 12-week online coaching course called “Preparing for Purpose” to help you engage in your calling. I’ve been blessed by the encouragement and wisdom Pastor Touré has shared for years now and this course has been giving me keys to focus on as God leads me deeper into my calling this year.

At the end of 2013 I felt disconnected from my purpose, stuck and with a lack of clarity in how to move forward on the visions God has given me, and discouraged because of feeling isolated and not seeing the seeds I’d sown come to fruition in the ways I expected. Listening to various messages from Pastor Touré and starting the “Preparing for Purpose” series has renewed my hope that the past years of pain and trial have been preparing me for the purpose God is continuously unveiling in my life. I’ve really resonated with this series and the topics that have been covered, from “Vision,” “Discipline,” “Finding your Tribe,” “Preparation,” to “Embracing Change,” these are all areas I’ve found important to develop in my own journey of living out destiny. Pastor Touré will teach you how seeking God and taking steps revealed by Him will lead you in the right direction.

Pastor Touré shares both motivation and practical steps you can take to truly make the course relevant to your life and divine dreams. I encourage you to do the reflection exercises and really delve into the questions, writing down the vision and making it plain so you have something of substance you and your purpose tribe can run with. Check out the video introduction to the series above and visit ToureRoberts.com to join the course.

Watch the first video of the “Preparing for Purpose” series “Vision” below and click here to see the following weeks’ videos and exercises:

“Every life began as an epic idea.”

Purpose Awakening: Discover the Epic Idea that Motivated Your Birth

Click here to pre-order the book Purpose Awakening that releases March 18th.

PURPOSE AWAKENING, the breakout book of international speaker Touré Roberts, is about that transformational moment when you are awakened to the purpose of your life. Your life began with a brilliant thought in God’s mind. Your purpose, therefore, is the awakening to that thought. In this groundbreaking book, Touré introduces a new way to perceive the meaning of purpose. As he says: “You don’t find purpose; purpose finds you.” In fact, purpose conceived you; it was the catalyst for your birth.

This thought-provoking book opens with the revolutionary concept that “Every life began as an epic idea.” This new way of finding your purpose will empower you and change your life forever. You haven’t even begun to live until you find out why you are here.

Touré uses personal stories, humor, and eye-opening analogies to take you on a transformational journey. You will learn how to discover your unique purpose, know God’s voice, identify and choose purpose mates, end wrong relationships, put an end to fear, grow your faith, and so much more.

PURPOSE AWAKENING will also give you a relatable and practical guide that will instill confidence, peace, and fulfillment by demystifying the journey to purpose, and enabling you to discover your own unique awakening. Being more than just a “feel good book,” PURPOSE AWAKENING provides true direction and gives parameters that guide the purpose-seeker. It will set you on a life-changing course to discovering the good idea concerning your life and the joys of seeing it fulfilled.

Click here to pre-order the book Purpose Awakening that releases March 18th.

No matter what you get for Christmas the one gift we all get to share will never break or come out with a better version because it’s never-ending…

Eternal Love – what a beautiful gift from a God who came down to pursue and spend Eternity with those He cherishes. He is everlasting and never-changing, worthy of our praise forevermore…come, let us adore Him not just on Christmas but always – Christ the Lord… #thebestPresent #aGiftfromabove #seekHispresence #YouareLoved

Always be joyful. 1Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (NLT)

Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always); Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]; Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]. (Amplified)
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Give thanks where ever you may be, in all things, in all ways, knowing that what you see is not all there is and God’s hand is at work – there is always, always always something to be thankful for, always…

When we’re Purpose-focused we see people through the eyes of Love, recognizing & seeing the potential inside instead of rejecting the exterior & setting them aside.

We’re called to love because God sees the true heart and the backstory, while often we judge based on assumption without even delving deeper, getting to know the person or asking questions. We jump to conclusions with stones and condemnation while His focus is transformation, restoration and redemption.

Be that rare person who loves without condition or pretense – we have the power that transforms lives in our hands. We’d be surprised at the people God uses who don’t look the part and the masterpieces that can come from what looks like a “mess.” #LoveNotJudge #LookThroughHeavensEyes #EveryoneHasPurpose #LessonsFromExperience

Click to Tweet: God uses people who don’t look the part & can make masterpieces from our “mess.” #LoveNotJudge #EveryoneHasPurpose via @dreaminsoul