THANKFUL THURSDAY...love abounds

Today is a special THANKFUL THURSDAY for me, I have so much to be grateful for today... but dear to my heart this evening is realizing that love truly does abound...

It's a love story. A story of two who loved each other so much, but found themselves apart so many times that they often wondered if truly love did abound?

Their story begins while their hearts were young and still in high school. Some would call it forbidden love. He pursued her heart, but she was unable to date until she was 18 years old. So a friendship developed instead over their final year in high school. The summer after graduation, she turned 18 and the minute she turned of age, he found himself on her doorstep.

LOVE ABOUNDS.

A summer of courtship soon ended when she went off to college in another city. Leaving him behind, he continued in his daily schedule of working, sleeping, and eating. But during it all, his heart beat for her. Missing her while she was so far away. The phones calls. The letters. The e-mails. It was the beat in his heartbeat.

LOVE ABOUNDS.

After a year of separation, he enlisted in the military. This decision could possibly cost him his heart and his love. The separation would now take them futher miles apart. Would their love withstand the test of time?

LOVE ABOUNDS.

Two years have gone by. She in college and him going from base to base in different states. The distance between them allowed infrequent visits, but many phones calls, letters, and e-mails soon strengthened their friendship and love. Possibly distance does make the heart fonder?

LOVE ABOUNDS.

Just when the distance seemed unbearable, the orders came in for him... OVERSEAS for the next year. She had one more year of college...could their love possibly withstand this kind of distance?

LOVE ABOUNDS.

One final leave before going overseas, the airman finds his way home to see the love of his life. Trying to make time stand still, and making the most of their precious time together, he arranges a night for her to remember. A cruise on a boat down the Mississippi river, followed by a dinner at her favorite italian restuarant. The evening takes a turn when he takes his true love on a horse and buggy ride. Just as the sun was setting, he asks the driver of the carriage to stop. He gets down on his knee and asks this beautiful woman he has loved for so long to be his wife. She accepts.

LOVE ABOUNDS.

This is not a made up love story. This truly happened. The airman in this story is my son Jeremy and the beautiful woman is his beloved Rachel. Tomorrow at 4 pm, they will be married. A whirlwind romance that has survived time, survived distance and survived the odds. The romantic proposal happened a little over a week ago and before he leaves to serve our country in korea next week, he wanted no more distance to be between them. This is their love story. Love DOES abound! (y'all can say awwww now!)

PHILIPPIANS 1:9

"and this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more..."

The love of God also abounds. And He is looking for His bride (the church) to be ready for the time that is near. In the book of Revelation, it tells us to rejoice! "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready."

THANK YOU FOR LOVE THAT ABOUNDS!

For other grateful hearts, you can visit Iris who hosts THANKFUL THURSDAY and read more thankful posts. FIND THEM HERE!