Our fabulous, relaxing time on the beach north of San Diego for 5 days....sunning, wading, watching surfers and bogie-boarders... was coming to an end. On Friday morning we were emotionally ready to board the plane for our return home to Minnesota. . . with one drawback. . . I did not want to leave the ocean. I wanted to take it with me! Talk about unreasonable expectations.
So we packed our belongings in the rental car and took one more short stroll down to the beach to say "good-bye. " I do this when I leave beautiful vacation spots; sentimentally is one of my strong traits and my husband, Gary, lovingly puts up with it. Well, I was a little teary so Gary put his arm around me and, in comforting tones, said "Don't cry." As though that could stop me! Then he happened to look down and at his feet lay a heart-shaped stone. Gary immediately picked it up and gave it to me; we decided that it was a token of God's love to us for giving us this wonderful gift of restoration on the shores of the wild California coast. It now sits on our kitchen table centerpiece as a constant reminder of God's love.
We talked with Danny and Lilia and received their permission to put the picture on my blog. Their love for Jesus shone in their eyes and their act of dedication seemed to Gary and me to be a special blessing at the close of our trip. Now both Gary and I were teary!
There is a genuine sense of bonding between followers of Christ that can't be explained. Our brief meeting on the beach reminds me as it reinforces the fact that believers need each other. As God's Word tells us, "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." Hebrews 10:24-25 God has adopted believers as His children into the body of Christ which is the church. His plan is that we gather together regularly to praise God, learn about Him, and encourage each other to live faithfully for Him in this often treacherous world.
Our meeting with Danny and Lilia on the ocean shore gave Gary and I encouragement to continue walking with God and sharing Him with others. Hopefully, we helped inspire them in some small way as they saw how much their act of love for Jesus touched us.
Thank you, Danny and Lilia! May God bless you and continue to make you blessings as you journey with Him along the pathway of Abundant Living!
So if you haven't yet found a good Bible-teaching church, I hope that you will make a point to find one soon. Ask God to show you where He wants you and He will! He has interesting ways of showing us His will for us when we are willing to do and go whatever and wherever He leads!
And please join me next week for the next Key!
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