A Very Special Anniversary

Today is a very important date in my life, one of those life changing events. It was one year ago tonight that TQ and I started our journey down a road we never saw coming, but we thank God
daily He put us on it's path. We started attending a bible study at a church we had heard about at a HT retreat(thanks KH). It was a small group but that didn't stop the Pastor from being well prepared (we later learned he's not just well prepared but also very well educated). The group was studying the Book of Concord -- which being a Lutheran I knew about and also by being a Lutheran hadn't looked at it since conformation class :-) What struck both TQ and I that night wasn't just the knowledge the pastor has( it is impressive) and how little we knew ( we figured that out in the first five minutes of class !!) but the way this group wanted to learn, enjoyed learning and had a hunger for learning. -- Amazing--Even though we were still apprehensive -- it felt good to be around this group of strangers, in an unfamiliar church, in an area we had never been in, learning things we had never heard or had forgotten. All we could say on the way home was-- what a blessing!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had no idea that night that three months later TQ and her family and I would be calling this church home and it's members part of our extended families,, one of the greatest blessings to date!! Not just because of all the "warm fuzzies" we have when we are around these people we have grown to love and cherish,,, but the way in which this church values the preaching and teaching of the Gospel in it's truth and purity. The way the Sacraments are given according to what God commands. The love for learning from the youngest to the oldest and the love for the Lord and their neighbor,, now a days all this is a rarity in a church. God has graciously showered me with many many blessings over the decades, for which I am truly grateful -- but I had no idea stepping into that bible study that night what a blessing He was going to give me. What a joy !!!!!!!!! So on this anniversary I want to thank God for giving me such a blessing I don't deserve. To TQ for going with me that night I wouldn't had gone alone. To Pastor S and Pastor G for their love for God and their vocation. And to the members for their out pouring of love. My prayer is that God continues to bless this church and it's families with many more decades of learning and love so we can enjoy many more anniversaries and that more people will find Christ's love and compassion here among us.