I went through the program last year and have been navigating through my growth spurts by remembering all I learned. This has been one of the toughest and best years of my life.

Adding to the joy is that my fiance and I are starting to plan our wedding. It's not for two years, but I like to get a jump on things Now I'm especially glad I started talking to friends and family early because I just got the shock of my life (well, not really but pretty darn close).

The person I asked to marry us has been a part of my life since I was 10 (I'm almost 26). He and his wife and son even lived with my family for awhile after he left his job as youth minister at my old church. Years later he started a non-denominational church that my family began attending and still do to this day.

This man has been like a second father and my spiritual mentor. There was never a doubt that I would have him marry us. It seemed like a formality even asking him...but ask I did. I got his response today.

He said that by the time our wedding comes around (2 years from now), the church will be having Saturday services and so he will be unable to act as the officient (sp??).

I'm devestated and my fiance, knowing how close much like family this man is, thinks it is because he disapproves.

This doesn't make any sense! When we got engaged my minister offered to marry us...now he's backing out because he MAY have something else to do??

I found this out while on my lunch break. I cried, talked to my fiance and cried some more, then called my mom and cried even more.

To add insult to injury, he apparently told my mom he thinks I'm on the fence with my faith. Yet he married my agnostic sister and brother in law just this past June?!

I need to talk to him, but what do I say? Any thoughts, advice, support???