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He Is Risen…And I can’t Keep Quiet!

I love Easter! It always makes me giddy and I can’t keep quiet about it either! The Good News of Christ’s Resurrection is the best news ever to mankind.

As one of our pastors said this morning at the Sunrise service: “Every Sunday is a ‘mini Easter'”. How true that is. May we celebrate His resurrection not only on Easter, but every.single.day of our lives.

By the way, you can download the above photograph to your desktop when you visit Laced with Grace (just don’t hot-link it to the site or claim it as your own :))

He is Risen!!!!

Love & peace,
Iris

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Yet there is Hope

Cross

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.””~ John 11:25-27 (ESV)

There are days when your heart is heavy; you don’t seem to find a grateful heart or thought. Your husband is less then nice to you; your child(ren) live their lives as they please; your friend’s job is eliminated; your friends abandon you; you have to spend money that you had set aside for a specific purpose…Plainly said: your are exhausted from life’s blows.

Over the last several weeks I have found myself crying more often then in previous years. I had feelings of anger and hurt; I don’t understand the whys. Is there really a purpose in all of this? Does God hear my prayers and pleas? I have to trust God that there is a purpose.

Tomorrow we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection; my favorite holiday. Why? No matter what life throws at me, no matter how hard the evil one tries to discourage me, I have hope. A hope of a brighter tomorrow; a hope that God will answer my prayers in His time; a hope for life everlasting in the presence of God. God is faithful to see us through until the end.

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” ~ Hebrews 10:19-23 (ESV – emphasis mine)

My prayer is that tomorrow we will celebrate His resurrection with a renewed hope.

Have a blessed Easter Sunday,

Photo & Content Copyright © Iris Nelson

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Thankful Thursday ~ Carlos Whittaker’s Message

In the month of January we are meeting over at my friend Lynn’s blog “Spiritually Unequal Marriage“. Please stop by her blog in order to leave your link for this week’s post.

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” ~ John 14:6 (ESV)

My friend Lori posted a video from Carlos Whittaker on her blog. I noticed that the message was 54 minutes long, so I had planned on viewing it later last night and some today, breaking it up in two sessions. Low and behold, I could not stop listening (so I went to bed a little later than usual). If you have time, I highly recommend you listen/watch the video. I was blown away; I laughed, I cried and I cheered (hubby thought I was nuts 😉 ).

Carlos spoke so much truth about how we want to draw non-believers into our churches, but sometimes we forget the why. There were so many things I took away from that message, but one in particular: Our own story draws people so we as believers need to “see Jesus’ face with fresh eyes”. Amen, brother!!!!

Really, think about why you want non-believers attending church (your church in particular). Is it because you have the coolest music, the best sound-system? No, not really; it is because of Jesus, His life and resurrection. We want others to hear about His love, mercy, grace and redemption.

So, this week I am thankful for Lori (posting the video) and Carlos Whittaker’s message. I hope you will find time to listen/see it.

What are you thankful for this week? Please hop on over to Lynn’s blog to read other TT bloggers and link to your own post.

Thanks for stopping by today. Remember: Jesus is the WHY!