My Story......(short version)
 
18 years ago I spent July 4th in Washington DC....saw the fireworks from the Washington Monument....had my kids (ages 5 and 6) and my mom with me there for a work conference.  I lived in Orlando then, as now.
 
1993:  Just divorced, 6 months...had a job and boss I really didn't like and I NEEDED ALOT of answers to my prayers from God as I drove home after that trip.  Lots of concerns on my mind........personal, residential, work, financial... pretty much ALL across the biggest areas of my life.  (I moved 6 times in the 12 months after the divorce!  LOL)
 
Wonderfully and Incredibly....ALL of my needs, wants and many Dreams, too were answered in the next month, the next 6 months, the next year.....the next few years.  It was one of the best "runs" of my life.....for career, income, travel, dreams, life, love...EVERYTHING!!
 
Overall....the last 18 years have been (like most of us.....as is life..) filled with ups and downs, highs and lows.....and many challenges.....most of them self-induced!
 
Fast forward to 2011:   Again, in DC for the Fireworks.......
 
2011:  Married.....happily....... daughter now lives in DC.  THIS year, as I drove home from the July 4th festivities, I have reflected (as I do every now and then) on how my life is NOW vs "xx" years in the past in the various categories of my life:  Job, home, relationships, (marriage) income, debts, happiness, etc, etc.
 
The point of my story is this: ONE THING, no TWO THINGS have changed me....changed my life in the last 18 years.
 
First..... in 1993 I knew NOTHING about the Rapture, or End Times Bible Prophecy.  Now....I think I could teach a class on the subject!!  Knowing these things has truly CHANGED my life and the way I "LOOK" at THIS life.  And because of that, how I LIVE my life has been affected, too.  
 
and
 
Second......I can now look back over the last 18 years......or over the past 26 years.....(age 56 now) and I can SEE God's hand moving in my life....to answer my prayers; to keep me from harm.....from failure.....and to see me thru again and again and again!!!
 
I still need help from God in some of the same areas of my life as I did then..... IF there is no Rapture this fall....then I will still need God working in my life for the strength of my work....my income.....my planning for retirement in 10 years.
 
But....
 
I rest soundly in the knowledge (and personal experience) that God does watch over me......over ALL of us.  He has come to my rescue dozens of times during the greatest trials of my life over the past 40 years of my adult life. He has NEVER let go of me...of my hand.
 
And for that..I will ALWAYS be grateful......
 
The DIFFERENCE between 1993 and NOW is this.......
 
I was all caught up in THIS life in 1993.....and now.......I can't wait for the NEXT LIFE....and the RETURN of Jesus Christ.  It seems so very very near, that I have a hard time focusing on things in this life each day...even focusing on things I know I NEED to be doing to "survive" THIS life..especially IF I "DO" get all the way to retirement in 11 years...
 
Ah.....the old phrase:  "He's so heavenly minded, he's no earthly good!"  One needs to guard against that risk.......you DO still need to be doing something for God.......and for your family.....and for others....  you can't just qui, sit in the hammock and wait for the Rapture....no matter HOW MUCH you might like to do that !!  lol.....!
 
But I know THIS:  God has ALWAYS seen me through......no reason now to think He won't.....no matter what happens!!
 
Anyway.....just sharing...
 
TICK TOCK,
Randy