Teresa and I have always loved taking a trip to the mountains – whether it be for a day, a week, or now, for fifty days. We are headed west to celebrate our fiftieth anniversary, with plans to visit New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, and the Dakotas.

For me, part of the joy of such an adventure is all the planning that has to be done before the journey even begins. I have spent countless hours researching, looking for places to park our camper for the night, or for a few nights, at the different locations we have chosen to visit. I have also labored over deciding what we could do – and what we would not have time to do even though we would love to do it – in our limited time at each location. Believe me: there is so much to see at each place we plan to visit, so pick-and-choose has been a major task in planning this trip.

The excitement has been building for several months, and the day has finally arrived in which we have embarked on this much anticipated vacation/celebration. (For anyone who might be interested in traveling along with us, I will be posting pictures on Facebook at the end of each day – at least when we are in a location with wifi!!)

But, now to the point of this blog. All the time spent researching, reading, looking at travel videos, etc. etc. has caused me to ponder an extremely important matter: eternity. Life is a journey that will ultimately find its way into the eternal realm via death or the rapture of the church. Life, here and now, is the time for planning for that future beyond physical death. The Bible’s teaching is crystal clear: we will all, each and every one, spend eternity in one of two places: heaven or hell. There are no other choices.

The life we now live in these bodies of flesh and blood will one day end. Friends and family will gather at a graveside, listen to some comforting words from Scripture, and watch as our bodies are lowered into the ground and laid to rest. But before that moment, perhaps a few days before that graveside visit, physical life has ended, and we are ushered instantly into the eternal realm. Those who have been born into the family of God will be ushered into His presence, while those who are not of His family will be ushered into torment. Those ushered into His presence will then await the coming Judgment Seat of Christ and the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, while those not of God’s family will await the coming Great White Throne of God’s judgment.

The point is that now – in this present physical life – we are given ample opportunity to make plans for life after death. The journey, for the believer in Jesus Christ, should be one of continual and consistent seeking after the will of God, and the commitment to stay focused on finishing this physical life being able to exclaim, as did the Apostle Paul,

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

2 Timothy 4:7-8, NKJV

Right now, Teresa and I are enjoying a journey that has been in the planning stage for several months. But one day, we will enjoy that instantaneous journey which will take place when our last breath is drawn in this physical realm, and we are ushered into our final destination!

We are presently taking a trip hoping that you will travel along with us via pictures taken along the way. We would also love to see you on that ultimate and final journey when we finally meet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ face-to-face. Have you made plans for this most important of all journeys? If not, please do so before it is eternally too late. Trust Jesus today – and then we’ll see you over there.

Blessings!