House

We decided to go ahead and make an offer on this house before somebody else does. The housing market in our area is actually doing very well. Many of the other houses we've looked at and liked are already under contract. Hopefully the sellers will be good to work with and will negotiate with us! **fingers crossed**


and YAY for tomorrow being Friday!! It's been a long week...

Update

We had a wonderful Easter day! The church service was awesome as always. I was part of a Creative Movement team that performed in both worship services. We used dowel rods (yes, dowel rods) and learned motions to the song Arise my Love by Newsong. It was so cool, I will try to get a video loaded sometime... Then we went to my Grandparents house for lunch! It was a nice relaxing day spent with family!

Besides working all the time we have added softball to our lives. Kyle is playing on the Men's softball team at church. He has done very well in the three games they have played so far. They play about two games a week and the last few games have been cold and windy so we are ready for some warmer weather to play ball!!

We are also officially house hunters. We have looked at several already and are very excited about getting out of this tiny apartment! We are looking to buy around the end of the summer or the fall when our lease runs out. Fun times!!!

Not much else going on right now.... hope everyone has a great week!

He is Alive!!!

Christ the Lord is risen today!
Alleluia!!


"He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said..."
Matthew 28:6


Happy Easter Everyone!!!

Why Easter??

With it being Palm Sunday... we were challenged in church today to really consider the resurrection and it's meaning to us as Christians. Why do Christians celebrate Easter? Why celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of a man named Jesus? Because without the resurrection, we have no hope. The resurrection is the hinge of Christianity.

"For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, our faith is worthless, you are still in your sins."
- 1 Corinthians 15: 16-17

In the words of Dennis Rainey: "If Christ is who he claimed to be, and He didn't come back from the dead, then as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:16-18, our faith is worthless and "we are of all men most to be pitied" (vs19) ...The one thing that separates Christianity from other religions is that God conquered death. And sin- my sin, your sin- was atoned for."

Jesus Christ was our substitute. Don't you see?? We are all sinners, we must pay for our sins... "for the wages of sin is death..."Romans 6:23. Somebody had to die so our sin could be forgiven. We were supposed to die. Jesus took our place, my place and your place so we wouldn't have to die. He shed His blood on Calvary's cross so that we could be saved. What kind of love must that be. Not only did Jesus give His life so we might live, but he rose again! Death couldn't keep Him and the grave could not hold Him! Jesus wasn't just some good man, some prophet, he was the Son of God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Savior of the World. All you have to do is believe that you're a sinner, ask for God's forgiveness and you are saved from eternal separation from God. It's really that simple.

I am humbled at how much He loves this stinky rotten sinner. I just can't get enough of His love. He was truly changed my life and I don't know how I could ever live without Him. I don't know about you folks, but I can't wait to see the mansion He has built for me, dine at his banquet tables and walk the streets of gold when I get to Heaven!

God doesn't push faith in Him on anyone and neither will I. It's a free gift, you must decide for yourself if you will receive it. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:20. I can't make anyone believe what I believe, but I can promise you that you will never regret the decision to follow Christ, ever! It is the most important decision you will ever make.

If you're still not convinced, let me just say this. If I'm wrong about Christ, if this is all just a made up story, if none of what I believe is real... I'm still OK. I've lived a good life, I'm a "good" person, never done anything really bad... I'll go to Heaven if that's real, or I'll just be laid in the ground and decay away with no regrets... But what if I'm right. What if there is a God who created the universe, who sent His son to die for us, what if Heaven and Hell are real places? I'm going to heaven because I'm forgiven, I believe. I am certain of my salvation in Christ and I know without the shadow of a doubt that I'm going to Heaven. Do you have that certainty? Don't you want to know where you are going when you die? Do you want to live the rest of your life hoping you're good enough to get to where you want to be in the "next life"? Give it some thought my dear friend.... I love you and I want to spend eternity in Heaven with you!!

After speaking about the salvation you can have in Christ, I love what D.L. Moody had to say: "If what I have said tonight is a lie, then you have nothing to lose. But if what I have said is the truth, then you have everything to lose."

   Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
        Calling for you and for me;
      See, on the portals He's waiting and watching,
        Watching for you and for me.
      
      Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,
        Pleading for you and for me?
      Why should we linger and heed not His mercies,
        Mercies for you and for me?

      Oh! for the wonderful love He has promised,
        Promised for you and for me;
      Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,
        Pardon for you and for me.


            Come home;
            Come home;
            Ye who are weary, come home!
            Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
            Calling, O sinner, come home!