Last year, I spent Easter with Caleb and Haley at Haley's grandparents' house. This year, I spent it with Tyler and Lara, and actually also with Lara's parents too! John and Jenna joined us as well, dear friends of Tyler and Lara's. I got to take a few photos right before we packed up to head our separate ways again. The original Easter plans of sunny photos outside on the grass were foiled by the rain, but we found a cozy sunlit spot on the floor that did the trick instead!
These are Judah's godparents! I love getting to know Tyler and Lara's dear friends a bit more through the years.
And of course I just love getting to see Judah grow and change so quickly already!
I hope you had a chance to "ponder anew what the Almighty can do" (as the song goes) and know the Lord more deeply by remembering the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection! What hope we have in him. It is by his death and atonement for our sins that we are able to actually die with him and be raised to new life with him. We are then brought back into acceptance by the Father and adopted as his sons and daughters! What hope, what encouragement and what joy, despite all the troubles we face.
I guess you could say hope has been a common theme in my thoughts these past few days.
I won't lie - it's been a hard past couple of weeks (months?) and Easter itself was bittersweet as well (I get homesick at Easter time), but the reality of the redeeming work of the Lord on our behalf is still so comforting to be reminded again and again. How quickly we forget that we are not those who have lost hope, who grieve and are discouraged because of fear of the future (1 Thess. 4). There is joy in knowing we are Christ's, only by his grace by repentance and faith, and we can't be separated from him, no matter what.
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39
Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
(- Praise to the Lord, the Almighty)
Oh Claire, this is such a dear post. I feel for you and wish you didn't have to go through these transitional days. And yet I know...they will eventually become dear to you, and will be the thread that weaves a stronger, more beautiful, rich faith that will hold you well for years to come. And on another subject...those PHOTOS!!!! Oh my! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!
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