it is finished. . .

Easter is nigh,

we await the hours to pass until the dawn breaks

I have participated in a prayer vigil

for our church,

our ministers, the members,

the ministries within the church,

the ministries that connect with our community,

the missionaries local and global,

and for those who will attend church tomorrow,

perhaps one of the few times they enter a local church building.

Lord, give us all ears to hear

& respond to the message

of this most holy of days,

Easter

Easter will have arrived.

I have anxiously anticipated this year's Easter

with daily Lenten devotions and journaling

which has made the season more blessed, more joyful, and rich.

I have savored more of the days since Ash Wednesday,

appreciating the dark days, the rainy days,

the signs of new growth on trees, flowering bulbs

peeking up out of the dark soil,

sounds of birds singing,

kids playing outdoors,

and sun on my face that is warm

Our traditions are simpler now that the kids are grown

Attending church on Easter is the highlight for us now

Lunch with local family is valued more each year as we

lose family members one by one to death.

And we have also added a few,

new little sweet faces,

some will be near, some far,

one is very far away,

but all are close to our hearts

and in our shared prayers

Easter is also the high point in our faith calendar,

it is the HOPE filled celebration that makes

a expresses our great joy and gratefulness for the

relationship with the God of the universe

that is now possible and practical

Christ is the resurrection and the life....

He offers us life eternal,

life with all the richness, depth,

and fullness possible.

Life as we long for it, seek it, and attempt to achieve.

And He offers it to us in community,

He with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

us with them, and with fellow believers:

in our church body,

in our family's,

in our neighborhoods,

at our place of work,

in our interest groups.

Life includes ups, downs, births, deaths,

success, failure, heartache, heartbreaks,

joys unspeakable, tears, laughter,

duty, service, pleasure, and pain.

Life is best when lived as one

follows the Master,

shares with fellow believers,

welcomes in new believers,

and shares with non believers.

He has placed eternity in our hearts. . .

and He offers us eternal life through Jesus Christ.

May your Easter be one of great joy

in your heart, soul, mind, and strength!

With gratefulness to God for what He has done

through Christ Jesus.

And for anticipation in what He has planned that is yet to come.

He is risen!

He is risen indeed!

Truth For Life

Jesus said to her,

I am the resurrection and the life.

He who believes in me will live,

even though he dies;

and whoever lives

and believes in me will never die

John 11:25-26