WALKING ON WATER

Ten years ago, Leanna and I decided to do something really radical. It seems silly to me now that it was so far out of our box back back then but we decided to host a ladies conference on a five day cruise in the Caribbean. At that time we had never done the cruise thing and our Ladies meetings had been land locked. I had only been on the ocean a couple of times to fish and although I had caught a 9 foot 7 inch sailfish, I brought it on board while loosing my lunch. The Brewer tends to get sea sick.

So I wasn't sure if a long cruise would have me making a technicolor tribute to Disney or inspire me into talking to God on the big white telephone, but I was afraid it would. I hate to be sea sick.
Nearly a dozen cruises later, I can tell you, my fears were unwarranted and a big waist of valuable brain space.

CASTING BREAD

So we began to save up for that first big trip and the Lord put it on my heart to send another couple too. We were honored to have them with us and they would not have gone unless we had paid for them to go. They had a time and we had a time. The next year we did it again and again Leanna and I secretly paid for a couple to go the cruise. See, we started doing marriage retreats after that and every year Leanna and I would prayerfully consider a couple to sponsor for a week long cruise. We did this for at least seven trips without telling anybody. There is a reason I am telling you now.

About six months ago, a couple in our church Approached me and asked me I would be willing to remarry them for their 20th anniversary as the renewed their vows. When I told them I would, they then told me they wanted to get married in Greece on a twelve night cruise through the Mediterranean. They would pay for Leanna and I to go and even for the plane tickets to Rome and back. A few minutes later, I woke up to smelling sauce and yes it was a true. A dream come true.

SMOKE ON THE WATER

Two days ago, I returned from this trip and let me tell it, it was far better than any trip I had given to anyone else. We toured the colosseum in Rome and threw coins in the fountain. We saw mount Vesuvius and walked the ruins of Pompeii. I got my girls and my mom a Cameo near Naples. Went to the Isle of Capri and I’m not talking about the one in Shreveport.

I also went to Athens Greece, ancient Corinth and even Ephesus in Turkey. I married my friends in Lindos bay on the Isle of Rhodes where Paul also preached and where they filmed the guns of Navaron. I mean come on! Not only had Paul the apostle been there but Gregory Peck and David Niven too!

Leanna rode a camel at the Pyramids in Giza and I ate Pizza in Sicily. On top of all this, we had a balcony stateroom on the Navigator of the seas and perfect weather all the way. A hundred dreams came true for me on this trip because of the generosity and love of some very selfless friends and I tell you it all started with God hearts for us to give a trip to some of our friends.

You are not going to out give God. You can’t out God -God. You can’t be nicer than Him or more generous than Him. Take it from a guy that has tasted and seen the Lord is good, give in a radical way when he tells you too. And believe me when I tell you, It won’t make you sick like you are afraid that it will.

2 Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver

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