God hears. God answers.
Well it's been almost 3 weeks since Tom and I said "I do". Shortly after, we flew to Europe for our honeymoon. We took a riverboat cruise on the Danube River to Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. It was a trip that I had been desiring for 3 or 4 years but I didn't have anyone to travel with. After Tom and I became engaged and he heard me say this, without me knowing, he found a travel agent and this riverboat cruise and presented it to me. God heard the desire of my heart and although it took a number of years, God made it happen. He brought Tom and I together. God answers prayer. I had never been to Europe or anywhere overseas. The architecture in the cities we visited was spectacular to say the least. We visited about 5 different churches where the beauty was beyond description. The one thing about this that saddened me was the amount of tourists who would visit these churches. I wondered what Jesus thought of this. Did these same people go to church on a regular basis to worship Him?
Every day was filled with sightseeing, wonderful meals around a table with 6 other people who we enjoyed getting to know a little bit. There were adventurous days with Tom and having lunch or dinner in an outside Cafe surrounded by beautiful buildings and European culture. I loved it all but what I loved the most was Tom and I enjoying each other as we experienced each day together. God is so good and He is faithful. I don't deserve the blessings God has brought into my life and I cannot earn or merit them but God, in His grace, continues to bless me. I thank God quite often that His blessings are chasing after me and overtaking me and my household. Now Tom and his household are included in this declaration. I have said all this to encourage you that what God has done for me, He will do for you when you will believe. He is no respecter of people. He doesn't prefer one over another. What moves Him is a heart that believes in Him; believes that He is good, faithful, loving and forgiving; believes that He is Provider, Comforter; believes that it is His will to bless His children, etc. When Jesus suffered and died on a cross for us, it was for our whole person (spirit, soul and body). Yes He died for the forgiveness of our sins so that when we die we will enjoy eternity with Him but He also died so that we can enjoy Him right here and now as we live every day of our lives. Eternity with Jesus doesn't begin when we get to heaven, it begins the moment we accept Jesus into our lives as our personal Savior and Lord.