Mary Wolf, a dear sister in Christ, gave me this personal story for publication. The names have not been changed; Mary feels that this makes the story more real. –Patti Jo A prelude to my Tres Dias experience happened in 1994 when a couple at my church offered to sponsor me on Walk to Emmaus. I said, “No but thanks,” as I wanted to wait until my husband could go first. He wasn’t a believer at that time, and I didn’t want to get too far ahead of him spiritually. In 2012, I was invited to attend a Tres Dias weekend. I didn’t hesitate this time, as I had recently lost my husband to cancer. Yes, he did accept our Lord Jesus as Savior before passing. Eric, my hairdresser, and his wife, Sara, walked with me though Wayne’s cancer, praying over me and my family. They would be my sponsor. I came to Tres Dias expecting a restful weekend–no phone, no distractions and time for prayer. And it started off pretty much as I had anticipated, apart from the chicken song and singing for my dinner! But I knew I had come to the right place and that God was up to something. That was confirmed when I received my seat assignment at the Table of Ruth, named after my favorite person and favorite book in the Old Testament. Then Father God favored me again when we were given the scripture for the weekend: Isaiah 43:18-19:

“Forget the things that happened in the past. Do not keep thinking about them. I am about to do something new. It is beginning to happen even now. Don’t you see it coming? I am going to make a way for you to go through the desert. I will make streams of water in the dry and empty land.”

After my husband passed, I was constantly asking God, “What are you going to do with me now, in my singleness?” I felt the verse provided confirmation that I was heading in the right direction, and I felt something new was beginning to happen. But it was Saturday that rocked my world. I was alone that morning in the rollo room when I took out my journal from home to reflect on the weekend so far. My bookmark is a laminated copy of Wayne’s obituary from the newspaper, complete with my favorite picture of him. I immediately thought how God had provided a way for Wayne to be on the weekend too! All those years I had waited, and the Lord honored that. At Saturday dinner, I took a seat among the 130 ladies. I glanced at the little gifts left on my place mat from the kitchen team. I suddenly burst into tears and just wept. On the table was a card with just one word written: “Beloved”– which is what I had called my husband. And if that wasn’t enough, when the men arrived for the serenade, my sponsor was directly in front of me! A hundred men encircled the tables and God set Eric right in front of me!! And when these men of God turned and prayed for us, standing guard, I knew that I would never be alone, that these brothers in Christ would be there for me. The Sunday morning chapel held a revelation that I knew, but somehow had forgotten. No one took a seat next to me. I thought, do I smell bad? But Father God was saving the seat for Cheryl. During worship I was overwhelmed with thoughts of the future, the uncertainty of going it alone as a widow. Suddenly Cheryl took my hand and spoke this truth, “Jesus is walking beside you, and will go with you always.” It was as if she had heard my unspoken words. In my 4^th day, I knew that all of this had been the Trinity speaking to me and comforting me. I was delivered from fear and doubt and into God’s definite and fixed purpose and plan. I had approached God with a broken heart, and He offered a new life in His unfolding love.