Hard Things - but Sunday's Coming!

We have learned to expect tough things to happen Easter week. This week has been no exception. Monday afternoon Stephanie Brown unexpectedly passed away at the young age of 25. Mark and I were there as her mother (two months after saying goodbye to her husband) said goodbye to her daughter. We were also there as she told Stephanie's sister what had happened. I can't imagine a harder thing than to see and share in the grief of this family.

Stephanie loved God and loved kids. She was planning to leave for Africa to serve when her father died. After a break, she was still planning to go. God had other plans. He called her home. Stephanie was a joyous person. I loved her smile.

This morning Ryan is doing a funeral for a family who unexpectedly lost a mom and grandma.

I got a call Monday night that another servant in our church was in the hospital. Another is going in Thursday for a procedure on his heart.

I am thankful that the builder on our house is a strong servant leader in our church and also a prayer warrior, because the house isn't even on the radar of priorities this week, and he gets that.

Today at lunch the staff is gathering to eat together and to watch videos that people have done sharing their Palm Valley Church stories. It will be such an encouragement, I am so looking forward to it.

All of this is happening during passion week. Sunday is Easter and I can't wait! Last year we watched a great video from TD Jakes about easter that I'll not soon forget. Through all that life throws at us, we need to remember that Sunday's coming. This week it isn't just any Sunday, it's Easter Sunday. This is the day we celebrate the magnitude of God's love for us. We celebrate that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Not only did He die, He was buried, and on that very first Easter, He rose from the dead, conquering sin for all time so that our sins can be forgiven. We are invited to have a relationship with God, and all we need to do to enter that relationship is to accept what Christ did on the cross. Accepting that gift means that we give up our selfish desires, dying to our own lives, to live for God and through His power.

It is weeks like this that I see and rely on the strength and power of God the most. My hope and prayer is that I, we, you, will continue to strive to live in that strength and power every moment of every day, until we see Him face to face. Stephanie is with Him now, and I am sure that she has a bigger smile on her face than we ever saw.