a beautiful day, a beautiful life

   Today is a great day.  Three days ago Christ was crucified, dying as an innocent man for our sins.  Each and every one of them, paying the price for eternity with Him, a price we could never pay because of the sin in our lives.  Our pride, our selfishness, our inability to forgive, our actions that bring Him all but glory...He died for every one.  But what makes Him our savior, what makes Him not just another worldly god, is that he rose again.  He defeated sin and conquered death and the grave on this day so that we may live with hope and confidence.  How great is our God?!?  To Him be all the glory.  

   This last week I got to be home and spend a lot of time with my family.  I was so excited to be home, the break couldn't have been more needed.  I got to spend a lot of time just slowing down, taking the chance to just sit and reflect on these last few months, and the month I have ahead of me before school is done and I head to Egypt.  As much as I am glad to see the light at the end of this tunnel known as spring semester 2010, it would be foolish of me to keep moving forward and miss all that I could have gleaned from this time.  I have grown so much spiritually and God has never been more real to me.  I've been convicted, challenged, and encouraged, and will praise Him through it all.
   I love the joy that comes along with Easter.  Not only is it beautiful outside, with spring on it's way, flowers blooming and everything is green again, but there is so much beauty in our lives as well.  There's beauty in our families and our friendships, in our challenges and our achievements, and more than anything in our love for others and our love for God.
   Three remain...faith, hope, and love... but the greatest of these is love.  His love was made perfect on the day Christ died on the cross and the day He rose again.  We will never find a greater beauty than that.  :)

   "I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe of the one who gave it all.  I'll stand, my soul Lord to you surrender, all I am is yours."

   "In my life, be lifted high.  In my world, be lifted high.  In my love, be lifted high."

....♥ C

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

                                                                                1 Peter 1:3

"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit."
                                                                                 Titus 3:5

 HAPPY EASTER!!! :)