...to all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning. Isaiah 61:3

Sunday, April 12, 2009

God Is Bigger Than The Boogey-man

So...I wrote this blog back at Easter. Just now getting around to posting...

What an amazing Easter. God really showed up in an amazing way today. Not that he doesn't always, but today we really had a buzz. So much so that I wasn't ready to leave even after five hours, two services and Sunday School. I had a moment where I just wanted to thank God for being so amazing and faithful and for allowing me to be a part of such an incredible team. As I was thanking Him for all His blessings, I realized some significance about today. Four years ago to the day, my life was changed - both completely and forever. During that time, and as painful as it was, I never felt alone. God was always there with me, His Holy Spirit comforting me. In the days that followed, I often felt panic, fear, anger, resentment...but I was never without Hope.

Now, four years later, that terrible day fell on Easter Sunday and I realized as I sat in church, "Hey, it's not about me." No huge revelation there, but something so much bigger than my pain happened today over 2,000 years ago. My God is bigger than death, than Hell and the grave. He is bigger than my past and my pain. The power that brought Jesus back to life from the dead is the same power that God used to reframe my life and my future. God took my brokenness and put me back together.

My life didn't end four years ago. Here I am, four years later, living in a borrowed garage apartment with my almost-seven year old. God has been faithful. I look around and know I never thought I would be here, but today, on this day, there is no where else I'd rather be.