Don’t we all love a happy ending in a story? Remember as children when we would read about the prince rescuing the damsel in distress? The story would always end, “…and they lived happily ever after.”  Hallmark movies are a great example. In those movies, generally the couple who were destined to be together find each other, and they live happily ever after.

Wouldn’t it be nice if life were always “happily ever after?” I have turned to my husband more than once and said, “We need our life to be a Hallmark movie, then everything would work out perfectly!”

Today marks thirteen years that we got a call that took our breath away, an almost paralyzing call. Our son Bryan had suddenly died. No warning. No time for a hug. No time to say goodbye. Just a call to say that Bryan was gone. “Can I have a different story, Lord? Can we rewrite the ending so that it says, and Bryan lived happily ever after?”

Here is the thing about “happily ever after” stories. They are fiction. We might see the couple get together, or someone gets the exact job they wanted. What we do not see is that happily ever after will include broken dreams, unexpected turns in the road, and even the death of loved ones.

The reality is we do not live happily ever after….in this life. Life has trials and heartaches along the way. Sometimes in our story, divorces happen, bankruptcy comes, natural disasters occur, friends walk away.

Thank God for the joys we get to experience on earth. It is normal that as people we want to be happy, and that we hope for happily ever after. We will experience times of happiness while living on earth. I am grateful that I have experienced a good marriage, having children and grandchildren, traveling the nation as a speaker, having many wonderful friends. Thank God for times of earthly happiness, but the older I get, the more I long for “happily ever after.”  That will come one day when I cross over into eternal life, leaving behind the broken life of earth.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we must always be mindful that we are simply pilgrims walking through this earth. This is not our final home. Hebrews 11:13 and First Peter 2:11 remind us that we are sojourners, people who live in a place temporarily.

The story of Barbara is still being written, but I am confident of the ending. The end of my story will be, “She lived happily ever after.” I will be spending eternity with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Because I trusted Jesus as my Savior, when I leave this temporary home on earth, my address will change to the streets of gold in heaven where I will live happily ever after!

I wish I could promise you that everything will work out like you desire. Of course, I cannot! What I can promise you is that if you know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you will live happily ever after.

It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus,
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ.
One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase,
So, bravely run the race, till we see Christ!“

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them, He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” – Revelation 21:1-4