Happy Easter!

I just wanted to share a little bit about what Easter means to me this year. The entire Bible is centered around Easter and these truths:
- God is perfect
- we are all sinners; all humans that have ever been created have sinned and are not worthy to be in Heaven with a perfect God
- Only a perfect substitution could take our place in the punishment we deserve for our sins
- Jesus is  God, He was perfect, and He became a sacrifice, a substitution for our sins

As we've been describing the story of Easter to Lydia, she has asked some great questions. One of them went like this:
"I am confused. If Jesus is God, and they are the same person, then how could "God" die and also bring himself back to life?"
My answer was a reminder to myself of one of my favorite parts of Easter - God's power. I told her that God is so powerful and perfect, He could die and even raise HIMSELF from the grave. No one else could do that (to which she heartily agreed!) Talking to children about what you believe is a great way to re-examine your own faith and discern what you truly believe.

This year, Easter is bringing me hope beyond the craziness of life. It reminds me of eternal peace and forgiveness of sins that cannot be shattered, but only strengthened, by the hard times in life. Sickness of grandparents, threats of war, uncertain futures and completely uncontrollable situations will not last forever. Even when I feel like they might and I am scared, I have many scriptures in the Bible to remind me that God is in control. (For example, Psalm 139.)  I can trust God to fulfill these promises of peace and hope and a future because He was able to do much more than that on Easter....He was able to beat death. Jesus, Immanuel, came to experience all we have to go through on this earth including death; and He BEAT it. Praise God!