Looking back, I must have searched numerous cookbooks to find just the right recipes. My goal, to complete the perfect meal for our first dinner party as newlyweds.

Back then, I didn’t have a cell phone to peruse Google for ingredients and using an app to create a delivery order was not an option.

And let’s not forget Pinterest, wasn’t even a word people used.

Our dinner companions were two couples from the church where Ryan had been working as a ministry assistant.

One, a newly married couple with slightly more life experience. The other couple had been dating for a few years. In fact, not long after our dinner, they got engaged.

Quick side note… If you know me or have read any of my previous posts, by now you know that I have a proclivity toward being an introvert and a perfectionist.

Therefore, the idea of executing a flawlessly planned evening with people I didn’t know well, while exciting, left me feeling a bit overwhelmed. 

With a lengthy list in hand, my new groom and I tackled Walmart to obtain each item that would allow me to achieve a Mexican themed fiesta for our guests.

As the evening approached, I chopped vegetables, prepped three different types of meat and warmed dozens of tortillas.

I hand dipped ice-cream balls in an egg mixture with cornflakes, cinnamon, and sugar to be fried after consuming our meal. 

Our hand-me-down dining table, set with our finest dinnerware, was now ready to receive company.

Thankfully, Ryan kept the conversation flowing with his usual charm as I frantically arranged last minute details as each couple arrived. 

The evening was splendid, filled with laughter and storytelling. We shared life experiences and how God had brought us all to this unique place. 

Fast Forward: Seventeen Years...

As many relationships go, people come into our lives, some, only for a season.

Shortly after graduating from Liberty, all three couples went our separate ways.

One couple went to serve as missionaries in Japan, sharing God’s love through incredible acts of daily service.

The young couple traveled from Lynchburg, to North Carolina and grew their family to five. Their ministry continued through the local church, business pursuits, and within the home.

As for Ryan and me, we moved back to West Virginia and decided to allow every part of our story to be used for God’s glory. Whether through the confines of vocational ministry or in navigating the challenges of life.

The beauty of God bringing people together through social media is that it oftentimes allows us to reunite with yesterday.

It keeps fond memories of the past, alive… giving us an opportunity to celebrate every day victories and mourn tragedy.

Our hearts were shattered after receiving word that within the past eighteen months, the wife of the missionary couple and the husband of the NC couple, have passed away. 

Both so incredibly young and full of life. How could it possibly be their time?

As yesterday’s news of the young father began to permeate, one scripture kept flashing. 

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”

Proverbs 27:1, NASB

I was transported once again to our secondhand dining-room table hearing the lilt of her beautiful accent and his contagious laughter.

The place where we shared our dreams of the future…

Our plans to change the world with the message of the gospel.

To my knowledge, not one bit of that had changed for the two that God called home.

They had done exactly what He charged them to do. Lived out their purpose by proclaiming salvation through Jesus.

So, let me ask you, if you die today, do you know where you will spend eternity?

If you are uncertain about the answer to that question, I would be honored to talk with you.

To share with you the HOPE of eternal life by choosing to accept Christ as your Savior.

A message that both Graham and Marienne accepted long ago.

What I have learned over the years is that life is not about living in perfection or throwing flawless dinner parties.

It is about continually recognizing my need for a Savior, turning from the sin that entangles and pointing others toward that same HOPE!

In fact, compared to eternity, this life is a mere blip on the radar.

So dear reader, may I encourage you to take that first step today, because tomorrow, is not promised.