Hello ,

Every marriage has its share of trials and troubles. But imagine going off on your honeymoon and getting victimized by six natural disasters! That's what happened to newlyweds Stefan and Erika Svanstrom when they left Stockholm, Sweden, for their four-month honeymoon in December 2010. First, they were stranded in Munich, Germany, when Europe was hit by one of its worst snowstorms. Then the couple went to Australia. In the city of Cairns, they were struck by one of the most ferocious cyclones in Australia's history. They headed south to Brisbane but discovered that the city had experienced massive flooding. So they traveled across the country to Perth. There, they narrowly escaped raging bush fires.

Next, the couple flew to Christchurch, New Zealand. Unfortunately, they arrived just after the city was devastated by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake. Later on, the couple went to Japan. But a few days after their arrival, Tokyo was rocked by Japan's largest earthquake on record. The family returned to Stockholm on March 29, 2011, after a much calmer visit to their last destination, China.

Looking back on the trip, Mrs. Svanstrom said: "To say we were unlucky with the weather doesn't really cover it! It's so absurd that now we can only laugh." But Mr. Svanstrom noted that the marriage was still going strong. He said, "We've certainly experienced more than our fair share of catastrophes, but the most important thing is that we're together and happy."*

Have you ever felt like life was one series of catastrophes after another?  Have you ever wondered (with tongue-in-cheek), if there is some cosmic target drawn on your back?  The scriptures are clear that the rain falls on the just and the unjust.  There can be a tendency to think sometimes, that believers struggle more than others.  Life is hard...but when we have a relationship with God, we can honestly say that through it all...He is good!

Have a great day and God bless!

Pastor Mike / The Open Word

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