[Thursday's Devotional] - The Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain When I met Lucie, I asked her if she wanted to go to Rome with me and she said that because of the connection with my ex-wife she didn't feel she could go. I hatched a plan.  I knew my friend from America was coming over for a couple of weeks and I asked him if he wanted to go to Rome, he agreed and Lucie reluctantly said OK. On our first evening we said good night to Chuck and I said to Lucie as it was such a beautiful evening we should take a walk - I pretended it was all last minute.  I knew exactly where I was going. We wondered through the back streets of Rome until we came to the Piazza which holds the Trevi Fountain. We sat in the cooling late evening, eating ice cream, watching the world go by and I then reached into my pocket, pulled out a ring and asked her to marry me. Thankfully she said yes. The reason I mention this story is single-fold.               One, there are always second chances in life.  Just like our relationship with Jesus, we can always turn back to him, regardless of what we have done.  I felt like I would never find happiness again after the breakup of my first marriage, Lucie showed me otherwise. At the time I was just beginning my first steps back into the Church. A friend of mine had convinced me to come back to Church. When I look at the Trevi Fountain, I'm reminded of these two moments in my life as they occurred very closely together.  A new relationship with Lucie and a brand new shiny relationship with God. I have talked a lot about my decade in the wilderness, there are former youth group members who will remember my personal story detailing the journey back from darkness.  I always considered myself a fraud with my faith though. I didn't quite get it. I spoke to my friend about this and he pointed me in the direction of the Parable of the Lost Son. (Luke 15:11-32) Luke describes how a younger son squanders his inheritance on the high life, without care and ends up poor and destitute. He finally can take no more and returns home to this father, begs for forgiveness and it is duly offered.  In fact, his Father is so delighted he throws the best party to celebrate. Regardless of how lost you get, how far you stray from your path, how many of your gifts you squander.  Never forget, even in the darkest of times Your Father is looking out for you and when you turn back, a glorious welcome awaits. Steve Fogo   Twitter Website Copyright © 2017 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!