Happy Easter!!!

"And he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.' "

- Mark 16:6 (ESV)

     Today we celebrate our King, Jesus Christ, who conquered the grave so that we could be saved. So come all who are weary and find rest at the cross (Matthew 11:28).

"Above all powers above all kings
Above all nature and all created things

Above all wisdom and all the ways of man

You were here before the world began

Above all kingdoms above all thrones

Above all wonders the world has ever known

Above all wealth and treasures of the earth

There's no way to measure what You're worth

Crucified laid behind the stone

You lived to die rejected and alone

Like a Rose trampled on the ground

You took the fall and thought of me

Above all"

-  Above All (written by Leonard Le Blanc & Paul Joseph Baloche)

And the Walls Came Tumbling Down!

"By faith the walls of Jericho fell..."

- Hebrews 11:30 (ESV)

     The thought of being hurt often causes us to throw up walls, and push others away. Sometimes it can be so hard to get close to someone, because we already have it set in our mind that they will mess-up. People will mess-up - we are HUMAN, we all do it. But God helps us to fix wrongs; he helps us work out problems. We just have to let Him tear down our walls and help us to fully trust in Him.

     It is so hard to let go of the things we hold so tightly to, and that's a reason why we do build up walls. We are afraid that if we trust someone they will hurt us. We are afraid that if we take a chance we will fail. We are afraid that if we follow the path that God is calling us to, it will mean losing all our hopes and dreams. However, when we build up these walls, we often shut out those who are closest to us.

     In the Bible, God sends Joshua to tear down the walls of Jericho, and maybe that is what we need - for God to send someone to tear down our walls. Someone who will help us let go of the worries and the fears that we keep bottled up inside of us. And you know what? God did send someone, who can do just that. Jesus can tear down our barriers and help us let go of our burdens. He will take it from us...all we have to do is ask, and believe in Him.

     We will never truly be happy, until we let God tear down our walls and take away our worries. Once we do we can fully enjoy our relationship with Him and our relationships with others.

Flowers Cover the Earth

"If we had no Winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; If we did not sometimes taste adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."

- Anne Bradstreet

     Spring is here and it is so wonderful after such a cold winter. But would spring be so welcomed, if we did not first endure the chill of winter? And the same goes with peace; we cannot truly see the benefits, unless we know the feeling of war.

     When we face conflict it is hard to see any point to it, all we know is that we want out of it now. But when it is over we are strengthened through the adversity, and we are delighted by the peace we have as a result. We often do not learn how to truly treasure something, until we have felt the pangs of loss. 

“Perseverance must finish its work so that you may mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

 - James 1:4 (NIV)

     Perseverance through our trials molds us into the men and women God has called us to be. Even when the going gets tough, we should keep our eyes on the greatest goal. For all that we do - all that happens to us - is part of a bigger picture. Even though it is so hard to remember this during our hard times, we should pray that God will help us keep our eyes on our true Happily Ever After. And enjoy the spring that comes after the winter.

"Winter is past, 

the rain has stopped;

flowers cover the earth,

it's time to sing."

- Song of Solomon 2:11 (CEV)