From Rubbish to Restored


SLOW DOWN!!! My husband Tony shrieked as I drove down the street. I thought there was mortal danger ahead and nearly caused some myself, but no – he wanted to scan the yard sale we were passing.
And that’s why I don’t drive when he’s in the car. 
But this week, he was passing a house in lovely Franklin Lakes when he spotted an amp sitting at the curb. Being the master guitar player (and garbage picker – you didn’t hear that from me) that he is, he couldn’t resist. He stopped, and the owner told him that the amp was broken and Tony was free to take it. And being the master Mr. Fixit that he is, he did just that. He took it home and repaired it to work perfectly! 

This is life with Tony. 


Sometimes we feel like that amp – broken, useless, good for nothing but the garbage heap. At one time, we were new, clean and fresh, but life was hard. We might have been treated badly. Perhaps we were ignored or overlooked. Maybe we made some bad choices that hurt others or ourselves. And now we feel wounded or inadequate.

We feel like the amp out on the curb might feel – broken, defeated, alienated, separated from what could have been.
What we need is life with Jesus, the original Mr. Fixit. He takes our broken pieces and makes them like new.
Throughout Scripture, God restores His people, their health, their wealth, their hopes. He restored nations and order. He restored  “the crushed spirit of the humble and revived courage of  the repentant” (Is 57:15). He brought “sparkle to eyes” (Ps 13:3)
Jesus comforted the alienated and the outcast. He healed the infirmed. He made people useful and vibrant again. And He still does this today. If we let Him.
Will you let Him in today?  Will you enter into life with Jesus? How can I pray for you, beloved?
  

“In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” 1 Peter 5:10

And we have a winner!

Thanks so much for the entries to win the $25 Amazon gift card! I LOVE connecting with you, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading your wedding stories from the hysterical (getting left at the reception with no ride home!) to the misty-eyed (a 9/11 firefighter’s daughter wore his ring in her bridal bouquet to have him walk her down the aisle). I’m so grateful and with permission may share some of the stories with you.

The sad part is that there can only be one winner. I mean with all sincerity that each of you are winners to me!! My receptionist, Stef, picked the winning ticket, and it’s — drum roll please! — Shannon Romein! Congratulations to Shannon ~ and blessings to all of you who entered as well as those who didn’t!

Profiles in Courage

Last night, I saw the movie “42.” It was excellent on so many levels, but mostly because it told the story of the faith and courage of two great men , Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Jackie Robinson’s story is well known in history, the first black man to play in major league baseball. His number “42” is retired on every team in baseball. Not because he had the courage to fight, but because he had the courage not to. He endured humiliation and persecution and he did not speak up against his accusers. He modeled the behavior of our Savior.

Branch Rickey‘s story was as powerful as Robinson’s. The team’s general manager was intentional in his search for a black player to integrate his team. When Jackie asked him why, Rickey told the story of a time when he was a young player and didn’t stand up for a black man. As a man of deep faith, it bothered him all his life. He was finally in a position to right a wrong he had committed.

2000 years ago, another young man persecuted followers of Jesus Christ. Paul went from town to town looking for Christians to jail and kill. On one road to Damascus, he encountered Jesus Himself. Paul’s life was transformed and he spent the rest of his life fighting FOR Christianity instead of against it.

Two years ago, a high school friend found me. We had a falling out in our senior year. She seriously hurt me and we stopped talking. I can’t remember what she did, only that I never wanted to see her again. Years later, she searched for and found me on facebook. We began to correspond and then reunited when she made a trip back to NJ. The first thing she wanted to do was right the wrong she had committed and asked for forgiveness. We’re now close friends and because she was so good at keeping in touch with people, I’ve had the joy of reconnecting with several of my long lost friends. Most importantly, we’ve discovered we’re both believers now which doubled our joy.

It’s never too late to right a wrong we have committed. In righting his wrong, Branch Rickey changed history, and not just in baseball. He was a catalyst for the entire civil rights movement.

We can change our history. If we have offended someone, we must do what we can do to make things right. Paul says in his letter to the Romans:

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God,….Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Rom. 12:18-20

“So far as it depends on you” – we must do what we can, but only what we can. Don’t fret about what others do or how they respond. They are responsible for their actions as we are responsible for ours.

Do you have a relationship in need of repair or a wrong that needs to be addressed? I encourage you to pray and seek what God would have you do to restore peace with all – men, women, and children.

And please leave a comment with how I can pray for you.

PS – Don’t forget to enter the contest for a $25 Amazon gift card giveaway! Click here for details. If you’re already a Blog subscriber, Twitter follower, or Facebook friend, just let me know. And if you have a wedding story to share, I’d love to hear it! 

A Celebration Contest and Giveaway!!

I’m so excited about my new blog design. Many thanks to Traci Little for her genius, creativity, and overall ease to work with.
To celebrate, I wanna have a little fun and give away a $25 Amazon gift card. You get one entry for each of the things you do on this list and THREE entries for the last one!

1. Follow or subscribe to my blog!      www.susanpanzica.com 
If you already are a follower or subscriber, just let me know in the comments under this post. 

If you’re not, to subscribe just enter your email address in the box “FOLLOW BY EMAIL.” Then go to your inbox, open the email from Feedburner, and click on the verification link. You must click the link to activate the subscription.

2. Share your email address with me. I promise not to share it with anyone else and not to bombard your inbox! In the future, I hope to send a quarterly newsletter that will bring encouragement, enthusiasm, and an eternal perspective to your day.

In sending the address, replace @ with (at) and . with (dot) to prevent spam. 


3. Follow me on Twitter @sapanzica (or let me know if you already do.) 

4.  Friend me on Facebook – susan.panzica (or let me know if you already are.) 

5. Here’s the big one! I’m looking for a wedding anecdote to include in a chapter in my WIP book. I know you have one. Everyone does! So what’s your story? It can be funny or poignant about your own wedding or someone else’s.

If chosen, your story will be included in the chapter of my book about our identity as the bride of Christ. Names can be changed to protect the innocent ;D

Please email your story & your contact info to me at: susan(at)susanpanzica(dot)com 

Please note that I reserve the right to be judge and jury in selecting the winning story. Also, limit the story to 500 words or less and if editing is required (again at my discretion), I’ll contact you with the revised copy.

DEADLINE FOR THE CONTEST IS MAY 8 – a week from today! 

Image courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Frying Pan Theology

Not long after our church’s Easter breakfast finished, sounds of the worship music filtered down from the sanctuary as everyone settled into their seats. Well, not everyone. Liz and I were still in the kitchen with the last of the cleanup detail. There was that one last pan, the one covered with baked on egg.




I scrubbed, “sudsed,” scoured, and rinsed. Each time I thought I got it all, but the rinse revealed the truth – still more work to do.  

Liz looked over at my struggle and said, “Just let it soak. We’ll get it later.” ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Which is just what we did. 

How much did that pan remind me of my life? 

When the pan was full of fluffy eggs, I couldn’t see the crusty residue practically laminated to the pan’s bottom and edges. When I’m busy and so full of activity, I don’t notice other deep down issues that start getting embedded and ingrained in me. Things that begin to corrode and cause destruction. Things like selfishness, jealousy, pride, anger, bitterness.

But in His graciousness, God uses struggles and hardships as tools to reveal to me areas that He wants to work on. Then too often, in my own strength, I start scrubbing and scraping trying to remove and improve like I did with the eggs. After much elbow grease, I thought I had gotten it all. But the rinse revealed that while I made some progress, there was still more work to be done. And I can’t do it by myself. 

With the eggs, I needed the dish detergent to do chemically what physically I could not. And I needed to fill and immerse the pan in water and just let it soak. Let the water do the work of softening the hardness. 

In life, I find myself trying to clean up my act in my own strength which isn’t very effective. I need to be immersed in the Lord and His Word to soften my hardened heart and to remove the impurities that are stuck inside. I must partner with Him in the transformational work He wants to do. Paul says to “…be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. … Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”  Rom 12:1-2

MY job is to present myself “a living and holy sacrifice … and not copy the behavior and customs of this world,” and then GOD will “transform (me) into a new person by changing the way (I) think.” 

It won’t happen in an instant any more than a rinse of the water released the caked on egg. It’s a process that took time in the sink. And it’ll be a process as I soak in His presence and His promise: 

Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,  and to present her to Himself  as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Eph. 5:25-27

What a beautiful promise that is! A scrub-free eternity! What do you think about that?

What are we to do???

Media and social media alike are overflowing with images, rants, prayers, commentaries related to yesterday’s Boston bombing. Here are three things I read this morning:

I’m on Day 18 of a 30 day Early To Rise challenge and receive an automated email every day.This just so happened to be in paragraph 2: 

“If it is true that one person can change the world with their evil acts, then we also know that one person can change the world through their kindness. One ignorant person can cause tremendous damage, and one wise person can alter the course of history.” – Andy Traub


Then in today’s Jesus Calling  by Sarah Young: 

I am calling you to a life of thankfulness. I want all your moments to be punctuated with thanksgiving. The basis for your gratitude is My sovereignty. I am the Creator and Controller of the universe. Heaven and earth are filled with My glorious Presence. 

When you criticize or complain, you are acting as if you think you could run the world better than I do. From your limited perspective, it may look as if I’m mismanaging things. But you don’t know what I know or see what I see. If I pulled back the curtain to allow you to view heavenly realms, you would understand much more. However, I have designed you to live by faith, not by sight. I lovingly shield you from knowing the future or seeing into the spirit world. Acknowledge My sovereignty by giving thanks in all circumstances. 

  • We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Cor. 5:7
  • Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thess. 5:18


And on facebook, I read Nate Dorka’s post to his HS youth group:

Some thoughts on the bombings in Boston today:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Devastation. 

Doctors are working on some folks to patch them up, working on others who lost a limb and are struggling to stay alive… Others, including an eight year old boy, weren’t as “lucky”.
We call for justice. Built into us is a NEED for justice. 

And people are going to be looking everywhere for someone/something to blame. There will probably be blame placed on the head of security or maybe even government officials.
We want to blame an enemy. 

What should our view be as Christians? What should our response be? Aren’t we called to LOVE our enemy… even the enemy that killed that little boy? But can there be justice in that?

There is an enemy. He is a thief who “comes only to steal and kill and destroy.(Jn 10:10)” The bible calls him our advisory and tells us, “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.(1 Pt 5:8)” 

This thief, lion, devil is our enemy, and he’ll do all he can to keep people in the darkness.
“But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.(Jn 11:10)”
Jesus tell us “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

These folks that do unspeakable things are simply in the darkness. They don’t know the life that Jesus, in his mercy, gives.

Jesus tells us, “…I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.(John 10:10)”
“they” includes the killer of that little boy. 

So… What should our response be towards the bombers from today?
Pray for them. 

“(Jesus talking to Saul/Paul in Acts)…so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

Pray that God would be glorified by the transformation of their hearts, and that these people would become followers of Christ. 

As far as justice goes, well.. We were all once in the darkness, and deserved death. It’s by God’s perfect mercy and grace, and by Jesus work on the cross and power over death, that we now live.

To Nate’s words, I would just add this. There are some that cannot rest until justice is “properly” served, even though they may forgive and pray for the offender. To them, I’d say that God says we reap what we sow (Gal 6:7). It is up to Him to provide the consequences to the offender. I can rest knowing that justice is in His hands, the same hands that provide grace serve justice meted as HE sees fit. 

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The Moses Conspiracy – A Book Review


My good friend, Susan J. Reinhardt, published her debut novel last month. I’m thrilled to present her and her latest release, The Moses Conspiracy, to you. I met Susan first at a writers’ conference and we became fast friends. She has guest-posted here on my blog in the past. Her writing is simply stellar. The Moses Conspiracy is a fast-paced Christian page-turner set in the near future.  Here’s the synopsis followed by my interview with Susan.
Here’s the synopsis:
A trip to post-terrorized Washington, D.C. in 2025 and a buggy accident in Bird-in-Hand, PA set in motion events that expose a diabolical plan to destroy the Christian community. Ellie and John Zimmerman find themselves embroiled in a life-threatening investigation, fighting a shadowy enemy.
Convinced it’s now safe to visit D.C., Ellie and her firstborn, 8-year-old Peter, travel to the nation’s capital. Both mother and child make an effort to enjoy the sights, but they’re unprepared for the challenges they face. Her nightmares come true when she and Peter are separated.
Back home, John witnesses a neighbor’s buggy accident. The suspicious circumstances and law enforcement’s refusal to take them seriously prompt him to take on the role of detective. He and a tenacious reporter band together and vow to find out what’s happening in Bird-in-Hand.
Extended family squabbles erupt when John’s sister, Annaliese, faces off with Ellie for blowing her D.C. experiences out of proportion. She’d rather ignore the warnings than deal with the growing danger.
John and Ellie can’t decide whether her trip and his involvement with the accident were such a good idea. People are getting hurt, and their own family receives ominous warnings. Turning back the clock is not an option, but going forward could initiate more violence.
The small community is shattered when the unthinkable occurs. Will family, friends, and neighbors band together or allow fear to prevent them from taking action?
Caught between strained family relationships and a faceless enemy, the couple rely on God for wisdom and protection. Little do they know that He’s working on their behalf each step of the way.
The scabs of a past tragedy get ripped open, and the truth of their second child’s death is revealed. While they may expose the culprits, will they survive the heartache it brings?
And here’s the interview with Susan:

Tell us a bit about yourself and about your other writings.
Thanks for having me on your blog today, Susan! I’m a widow, a stepmom, a daughter, and a follower of Jesus Christ. Writing is like second nature to me, but for a long time I didn’t think of myself as a “writer.” About 10 years ago, my late husband urged me to pursue publication. I’ll never forget the day when an editor asked me if I would write a devotional for her ezine. It was a total deer-in-the-headlights moment. Since then I’ve written numerous devotionals, short pieces, and been published in 3 anthologies. I’ll talk about the major shift into fiction when I answer the next question.

What inspired you to write The Moses Conspiracy, a futuristic faith-based novel?
My husband and I spent a day in Gettysburg around Christmas 2004. As we stood in the town square, surrounded by old buildings, I “heard” the voices of the forefathers, but they were fading away like distant echoes. When we arrived home, I tried to write a poem, a short article, anything, but failed. After 8 months, we were discussing the Gettysburg experience, and he said, “That’s it! That’s your book, and you’ll write it in 4 months and call it Ghosts of the Past.” I thought he was crazy, but soon caught the vision. The title changed to Echoes of the Past and later to The Moses Conspiracy. In 4 months, I had a 55,000 word manuscript. After going to a conference, I discovered my fiction skills were less than stellar, and the long process of creating something publishable began in earnest.

If The Moses Conspiracy was made into a movie, who would be your ideal choices for casting the characters?
LOL! I haven’t given it any thought at all. One thing I do know: I’d want whoever played the characters of Ellie and John to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. 

What is your favorite scene from the book?
I have a lot of favorites, but it’s tough picking one without creating a spoiler for the reader. Let’s see, the chapter where Ellie is in the ER was both fun and gut-wrenching to write. I drew upon my many trips to the hospital with my husband, mother, and myself over the years. I was convinced they were going to put our names on one of the cubicles and reserve it for us.  

What’s up next for you?
There are 2 more books in the trilogy that I’d like to see published. One has a working title of, “The Scent of Fear,” which features a character from, “The Moses Conspiracy.” Ellie, John, and Peter also have roles in this book. The first draft is finished, but the manuscript needs editing. The third book has a working title of, “Lost and Found.” I’m not crazy about that title, and it will probably change. Most of this book is still bouncing around my brain, begging to get out. 



You can order the book from: Amazon, B&N, or Kobobooks.com 

Here are the links to connect with Susan on Facebook, Twitter, Blog. 

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When it just doesn’t make sense…

Who can explain it?
The suicide of a godly young man after years of battling mental illness.
The cancer that relentlessly ravages a child’s body.
The loss of a job leaving a family destitute.
The car accident brutally killing a vibrant 20 year old girl.
The addiction rendering a boy’s brilliant mind vacant and dashing high hopes for his future.
And that’s just this week.
As I sit at my computer right now, my son and his friends are in the basement practicing a song their band will perform in Friday’s talent show. It’s hard to tell if more singing or laughing is taking place. And I think… how fortunate we are, but what about tomorrow? Are there any guarantees?
Well, yes and no. There’s no guarantee of a blissful Beaver Cleaver life. God didn’t promise us an easy life. In fact, He promised just the opposite (John 16:33). But He did guarantee that He’d be with us (Heb. 13:5). If God didn’t spare His own Son, is it right for us to expect that He should spare ours?
We ask “Why?” We want to understand. But our understanding is limited. We are finite created beings who wish to make sense of God’s infinite mind. My dog tilts her head with a puzzled look on her face when I change one of the usual patterns she’s accustomed to. If she could, she’d demand to know why – what’s going on, where are we, why are you feeding me that, what’s that Gentle Leader thing on my face??????? Could I explain my actions to her in a way that she could fully comprehend? Not in a million years. She simply lacks the ability to reason as I do.
Although God sometimes is gracious enough to allow us to understand, to learn and grow through our pain, much of the time He doesn’t let us in on His reasoning.  “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts'” (Is.  55:8-9).
Yet sometimes we feel if we could just make sense of it all, if we had a reason, we could make it through. The truth is – if we always understood, we’d be tempted to rely on ourselves rather than seeking God. The very essence of faith is that we CAN’T see what’s going on, and yet we trust. (Heb. 11:1)  Frankly, if little ol’ me could fully understand God, He’d be way too small a God for me.
On this journey we’re traveling, God’s Word is a “lamp to our feet and a light to our paths.” (Ps. 139:105) It is not like a stadium floodlight that makes the night as bright as day. It’s more like a flashlight in the dark allowing us to see one step at a time. Perhaps if we could see more, we’d run the other way. But God takes hold of our hand providing the peace and the strength to continue forward with trust that someday we will know. “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely” 1 Cor. 13:12

My reading this week took me to a hard passage of Scripture “…if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps.” 1 Pet. 2:20-21

The choice is ours. We can either be like the soft egg which hardens in boiling water or like the hard carrot which is softened by the same boiling water. But we could also be like the coffee which when immersed in yet that same boiling water is transformed into another being, still made of coffee and water but so intertwined, so inseparable that it has a new identity.


When Jesus was on the cross, He not only bore our sins – He bore our sorrows too (Is. 53:3) By His wounds and suffering, we are healed of ours. (Is. 53:5) 


If I don’t understand anything else but this – that my suffering is producing Christlikeness in me – then I have not suffered in vain. If I can avoid resentment and bitterness, if I can say “Father, forgive them” while still in my suffering, I will be transforming into His image.

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Cor. 4:17-18

Father, our prayers are with the Warren family, but also with all those others who are suffering through their losses. May their pain be lessened by Your presence.
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In The Middle



Today we are in the middle.
Yesterday was Good Friday –
the pain of suffering,
despair, heartache,
the event that left us full of tears

Tomorrow is Easter –
the joy of new life,
resurrection,
rising from the ashes of pain

Today we are just in the middle-
the preparing for tomorrow’s feast,
tomorrow’s worship,
tomorrow’s new garments


Do you ever feel – in the middle? Having survived tragedy or loss, but still waiting for the future hope and peace that is promised? We must wait, but not as those with no hope. It was while Jesus was waiting that He set the captives free.

When I was in Israel, one of the most powerful moments for me was at the Garden Tomb. I entered the empty tomb, and after my eyes adjusted to the darkness, saw the white garments folded on the stone bench. Turning to exit the tomb and enter the light, I saw a rough, wooden sign that read:

“He is not here;
he has risen,
just as he said.”
Matt. 28:6


Seeing those words in that place was a powerful reminder that He has risen – JUST AS HE SAID! What else did He say?


We have been healed:

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”-1 Peter 2:24


We have a future:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

So we must:
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” – Titus 1:2
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:2-3

Today, while still in the middle, this is my prayer for you:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13

May you have a most blessed Resurrection Day! May you rejoice with Him who rose from the dead to give you eternal life, who endured the darkness to bring us with Him into the light. And may you be preparing for the ultimate feast, worship and garments yet to come!!

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