Easter Wrap-Up

This weekend our family is in need of prayer.  Our Meaghan is in the hospital and the situation is grim.  Yet I can assure you that no matter what happens, beyond the shadow of a doubt we are trusting and resting in the assurance of God's love, grace, mercy and peace, which He promises in abundance to His children.  Please join us in praying.  Thank you!

The grief of Friday.

The emptiness (and anticipation) of Saturday.

The overwhelming joy of Easter Sunday!

“Why do you seek the living One among the dead?  He is not here, but He has risen." 

(Luke 24:5-6 NASB) 

I hope that you made time to let it soak in this year.  I hope that you found a church that preaches the Bible yesterday.  I hope that the pastor of the church you attended spoke with the same passion that we found at our church.  I hope that after worship you were able to look around you and find the thrill of all that God has accomplished in your world over the past year.  

2013 was a challenging year for our extended family.  There was a stroke (in my generation, not my parents'), two of my in-laws lost fathers, there was the tree-incident, little Judah's birth and rushing over to the NICU across town, and there was a cancer diagnosis.  In the middle of all of that, Mr. Marvelous had a back injury that kept him off work for about 6 weeks, pneumonia, a probable torn meniscus in his knee, and his on-going, monthly bout of respiratory infection.  

BUT GOD....

My brother is completely healed from his stroke.

 The in-laws have the comfort of the assurance of heaven for their fathers.

Matt is so much recovered from the tree-incident that he is back to working on trees.

Judah was home by Thanksgiving and is doing great.  The doctors find no residual effects from his early birth and illness.

Nancy is half-way through chemotherapy.  Not only does she look great, she was able to hostess the Easter gathering this year!

Mr. Marvelous is doing well this month and has found some good doctors who are a tremendous help to him.  

And we are thankful for all of it.

But I can tell you right here and right now, that no matter what, whether we had seen all these amazing miracles and all these evidences of grace poured out on us or not, God is good.

It's not about what we have or what we get.  It is all about the eternal hope we have through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  My family does not lead a charmed life.  We have had 

(and continue to have!) our struggles and trials.  But in every trial, every hard situation, every dark moment, we have the confidence and assurance that a loving God is in control of every aspect of our lives.  To quote the hymn, "Our hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness".  Not on having good times, good health, financial success.  Only on Jesus' blood and righteousness.  

  Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.  I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:11-13  NASB

May His peace, His mercy, and His grace fill your hearts and your homes this year!