Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
-John 20:11-18
With Mary as the first witness, the tomb is empty! Jesus is alive! Happy Easter!
Sunday, April 21, 2019
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Conclusions, by Will
I'm coming to loath the word "busy" more and more each year. The past five years of my life seem to be dominated by it, but I'm starting to have a little hope that it's reign will soon be coming to an end. School has dominated so much of my life since August 2014, wow that feels so long ago, but the end is in sight as I'm now in my final class. Six weeks from today, my career as a graduate student will officially be completed when I walk at commencement. It's been a long road, and I'm hoping it will all have been worth it.
The legal battle I've been in since 2016 had the final pre-trial hearing this month. There are still a couple of steps to take before the final hearing, but the end of this is (hopefully) quickly approaching.
Last July, I reached out to a couple pastors about seeking intentional discipleship with them for one year. The time I've spent with them has been good. I've been able to learn about leadership from an experienced and successful leader, and I've been able to talk about discovering a deeper relationship with God with a man who has endured suffering and remained faithful and obedient. It's now almost April, and the year I asked for is starting to wrap up.
My life has a lot of conclusions right now. I felt last June that I was given a one year time frame on this season of life, and everything seems to be sticking to that time frame. The issue is, I don't know what's next.
This has frustrated me for a while, and it feels like everyday I get more anxious and frustrated. I've always been a planner, it's just who I am, and the inability to really plan anything has been really irritating, especially since I have absolutely no idea what may be coming. I've looked at a couple opportunities, but nothing has worked out so far.
I've found myself being nervous about pursuing opportunities because I'm getting tired of rejection. And in this, I'm trying to trust. Trusting has been hard. Each day when nothing happens and I move a day closer to the end of the time frame God gave me I find myself doubting a little bit.
I don't want to live with doubt. I've heard so many stories of God providing for people in I know. I've watched Him come through for several of my brothers in the past two years, I've prayed with boldness and confidence for them and with them about these things, and I've watched God answer our prayers specifically. I want to trust that God is going to come through for me as well.
Every conclusion leads to a new beginning, waiting for that can be difficult.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
The legal battle I've been in since 2016 had the final pre-trial hearing this month. There are still a couple of steps to take before the final hearing, but the end of this is (hopefully) quickly approaching.
Last July, I reached out to a couple pastors about seeking intentional discipleship with them for one year. The time I've spent with them has been good. I've been able to learn about leadership from an experienced and successful leader, and I've been able to talk about discovering a deeper relationship with God with a man who has endured suffering and remained faithful and obedient. It's now almost April, and the year I asked for is starting to wrap up.
My life has a lot of conclusions right now. I felt last June that I was given a one year time frame on this season of life, and everything seems to be sticking to that time frame. The issue is, I don't know what's next.
This has frustrated me for a while, and it feels like everyday I get more anxious and frustrated. I've always been a planner, it's just who I am, and the inability to really plan anything has been really irritating, especially since I have absolutely no idea what may be coming. I've looked at a couple opportunities, but nothing has worked out so far.
I've found myself being nervous about pursuing opportunities because I'm getting tired of rejection. And in this, I'm trying to trust. Trusting has been hard. Each day when nothing happens and I move a day closer to the end of the time frame God gave me I find myself doubting a little bit.
I don't want to live with doubt. I've heard so many stories of God providing for people in I know. I've watched Him come through for several of my brothers in the past two years, I've prayed with boldness and confidence for them and with them about these things, and I've watched God answer our prayers specifically. I want to trust that God is going to come through for me as well.
Every conclusion leads to a new beginning, waiting for that can be difficult.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
The waiting game! Getting ready for child #3, by Aaron
So my wife and I are about 3 days away from the due date of our third child. We currently have two boys and our third child will be a girl. God has definitely blessed us in life, and we are excited to meet our little girl hopefully within the next couple of days. As we are about to close a chapter in our lives with having only the two boys, I have been reflecting on this current season with my family. It is very exciting to bring a baby home, but I am also feeling very sad to close this last chapter of our life. I will say it has been a somewhat difficult season with the boys, as they are getting older they know how to test you as a parent. They know how to push your buttons and they push those limits everyday. Some days can be very rough, but I don't know what I would do without those boys. They are constantly on my mind when I work, and they always put a smile on my face when I get home. Even in those difficult times, I feel like God is constantly telling me "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19-20). This latest chapter in life has brought my wife and I closer together. As I stated earlier, it has been difficult parenting the boys, but we have held each others hands the whole way. We ask forgiveness multiple times a week and have to apologize to the boys for our faults. But these boys are full of life, full of love and I'm so proud to be a part of their lives.
Now we are in the wake of starting our next chapter and as Father I am terrified to try to parent a little girl. I have the changing diaper thing down and holding a newborn baby I finally have down pretty well. I give our boys a bath the majority of the time and have gotten better at picking out clothes that actually match, so I have the little stuff down, kinda! Here are some things I have been been reflecting on as a Father and husband. Am I gentle enough? Am I slow to anger? It's pretty easy for me to get angry and yell at the boys without them even flinching. I've just been praying for gentleness and patience with our little girl (and the boys). I also am praying my youngest does not feel neglected. Sometimes I feel like I am not giving my oldest enough of my time, mostly because the youngest just gets into everything and we have to keep an eye on him at all times. I want all my children and especially my wife to know that they are all important to me.
So as we are awaiting the arrival of our daughter, I just wanted to say that God is good and we are so excited for her to join our family. As her father, I am already praying for her each day that she would grow up to know the Lord. I have been praying for kindness, hospitality, and joy to be a part of her. I am praying that she would be an encouragement to all those she meets. I pray that her older brothers would love on her and would protect her. I pray that her mother and I would be gentle with her and help create an environment in our home that points her straight to Jesus.
To all those reading that have children or are trying to have children, I hope that you are praying for your children. I pray that you are preparing an environment in your home that will point them to the Father. I pray that if you are having a difficult time in your life, that you would allow the God to minister to your heart. If you are trying to have children and cannot, the Father knows your heart. Tell Him that you are frustrated, and just put it in His hands. I can't tell you why, but I do know someone that will listen to your heart. If your kids are driving you crazy, ask the Father to help you. I mean He created all of creation, I have to believe He knows how to do this parenting thing way better than us. If you are reading this, please pray for my family as we move into this next transition. After our little girl comes, I will try to write another post soon about how we are transitioning and how the Father has been working in our lives as we parent our growing family.
God bless you all!
-Aaron
Now we are in the wake of starting our next chapter and as Father I am terrified to try to parent a little girl. I have the changing diaper thing down and holding a newborn baby I finally have down pretty well. I give our boys a bath the majority of the time and have gotten better at picking out clothes that actually match, so I have the little stuff down, kinda! Here are some things I have been been reflecting on as a Father and husband. Am I gentle enough? Am I slow to anger? It's pretty easy for me to get angry and yell at the boys without them even flinching. I've just been praying for gentleness and patience with our little girl (and the boys). I also am praying my youngest does not feel neglected. Sometimes I feel like I am not giving my oldest enough of my time, mostly because the youngest just gets into everything and we have to keep an eye on him at all times. I want all my children and especially my wife to know that they are all important to me.
So as we are awaiting the arrival of our daughter, I just wanted to say that God is good and we are so excited for her to join our family. As her father, I am already praying for her each day that she would grow up to know the Lord. I have been praying for kindness, hospitality, and joy to be a part of her. I am praying that she would be an encouragement to all those she meets. I pray that her older brothers would love on her and would protect her. I pray that her mother and I would be gentle with her and help create an environment in our home that points her straight to Jesus.
To all those reading that have children or are trying to have children, I hope that you are praying for your children. I pray that you are preparing an environment in your home that will point them to the Father. I pray that if you are having a difficult time in your life, that you would allow the God to minister to your heart. If you are trying to have children and cannot, the Father knows your heart. Tell Him that you are frustrated, and just put it in His hands. I can't tell you why, but I do know someone that will listen to your heart. If your kids are driving you crazy, ask the Father to help you. I mean He created all of creation, I have to believe He knows how to do this parenting thing way better than us. If you are reading this, please pray for my family as we move into this next transition. After our little girl comes, I will try to write another post soon about how we are transitioning and how the Father has been working in our lives as we parent our growing family.
God bless you all!
-Aaron
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