2016 Easter message.

-
A long time ago......I had a conversation with someone that made me kind of  catch my breath, and choke on my tongue...I wasn't sure how to respond and as I freaked out.....God said to me:  "Breathe.  Swallow.  Apply Grace."  Quietly.  Firmly.

Those conversations and interactions happen more frequently now, with time and as an older, seasoned woman.  His words echo in my heart daily......Breathe.  Swallow.  Apply Grace.

Today was no exception.  I tried hard to breathe....swallow...and apply Grace.....and as I worshipped in my church and had a meal with my family and took a nap and then made my baby boy giggle with kisses and tickles... I can say this.  The Lord breathes.....swallows....and applies Grace to me every day.

I think this is why...and how.

Jesus, the son of God, came to Earth as an infant and lived as a Human (Christmas).  He had a ministry for 3 years and then the world He lived in killed Him.  In His Death.....He battled Satan....who is evil, personified.  Satan is hurtful, destructive, all-things-not-God.  Satan wants to rob us of our salvation, our joy, our peace, our purpose.  He makes it his life's work to do that....especially in the lives of Christians.  I.  Hate.  Satan.

Jesus was in the grave for 3 days......or so the story goes....and then He kicked Satan's butt and defeated him.....and...Jesus won.  Jesus is the victor.  Jesus is the King.  and this too:  

Jesus is Alive.

That is Easter.  Jesus wins.  Every day.  I'm on His team, by the way, so today and every day I can declare Jesus Christ as Lord.......I also win.

I am flawed.  I am less than.....I am in need of my Savior every day.  Easter says I have His blessing and His power, His forgiveness, His grace.  His redemption, His salvation.....His victory.

Holy cow.  I do.  So do you.  Jesus is here and Jesus is extending His hand to each of us every day....salvation from hell, eternity with Him......Grace for each of our days.....and a better life here and in life eternal.

Please choose Him.  If you don't know how.....let me know and I will put you on the path.

Breathe.  Swallow.  Apply Grace.....to yourselves and every single person you meet.  

Comments

  1. Jen SandbulteMarch 27, 2016 at 7:10 PM

    Breathe, Swallow, Apply Grace. Your wise words years ago have gotten me through some of my darkest times!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Superbowl musings, Niki-style

-
 Last week I walked dogs in unexpectedly warm late winter afternoons.  I realized that when I don't walk regularly it matters.  This week I wanted to walk again but I am such a wimp and if it is cold or windy or rainy or all of those things put together, I don't want to walk outside.  I spend my work days in and out and in and out and cold and warm and cold and warm.....but today I needed to walk.  It was cold and windy and rainy.   I started my walking app that tells me when to walk slow, speed up, slow down, speed up and eventually cool down.  In my home office space in front of a cooking competition.  I looked ridiculous walking in place, dancing and prancing, moving foward and backward and working up a sweat but I got it done.  I sure did.   I got groceries because we were out of milk and I got food for "superbowl Sunday" which is not that different from any other Sunday evening.  My parents come over and we have snacks and drinks and then we eat together and clea
Read more

Family

-
Image
  These are my people.  My big kids gifted me for Mother's Day with a photo shoot organized and paid for.  It has always been hard for me to schedule family photos so this gift is extra special.  We did the photos late summer/early fall.  Our smiles do not reveal how hot or windy it was that day.  Yet and still we managed to get some really great pictures, thanks to our sweet and competent photographer...Cassie Beth.   Here is the thing.  This photo tells so many stories...so so many stories.  Each of the 9 of us could be a story, a novel on our own.  Then if you pair up any of the 9 with another, there are more stories to tell, and in groups of guys or girls still other stories to tell.  Looking at Roger and I....chapters and chapters of stories...and separate us out each of us is also a story.  Our lives are stories. I have told my kids over and over that their lives matter.  They were created by God to do something in this life that will expand His kingdom, give Him Glory and ma
Read more

mid-summer check in on being Aware

-
 I remembered today that I had been doing a monthly reflection since January.  I missed June...and apparently July.  Here we are on the second day of August and I find myself aware of it...aware of how June flew by and July slipped by and now I'm settling into August....aware.  June was a full month of ball games and volleyball competition and vacation.  It was also the last month of my fiscal year of my work as a public health nurse and that means there are lots of reports due and documentation needed to make sure we get funded again.  June was a lot and it was awesome...and hot....and busy.   July slowed down a bit with more nights at home, more lazy pool afternoons and a break from the heat.  We caught fireflies and we cooked more meals at home.  We decided to tackle a huge project long overdue and tore out carpetting in our main living area.  This carpet has been there for over 40 years.  It was gross and disgusting....suffice it to say that I am very, very aware of how unsettl
Read more