A Beautiful Day

5 years ago, none of my siblings, including myself, had any kind of relationship with God. 

My sister and I professed with our mouths to believe, but didn't live with it in our hearts. Our brothers didn't even have that.

Over 20 years ago my Mom, in a time of despair, heard the Lord speak to her, "read the first psalm, read the very first psalm." For 2 weeks afterward she said she felt an elation, a happiness nothing could touch. In an instant it left, but her faith did not.

So my Mom believed. I can remember her sometimes trying to read things to me about God and me being like oh Mom, I have to go, you can read that to me later.

And I know she prays for her 4 children.

About 5 years ago, in a time of despair, God slowly drew me to him and revealed to me that He was my Hope, my strength, my peace. My life was forever, eternally, beautifully changed and I began praying for my loved ones to know the same, including of course my siblings.

About 4 years ago, my sister, in a time of despair, had God do something inside of her. In an instant she just knew Jesus was real and felt His love and loved Him. She had a similar experience as my Mom in that for a couple weeks she felt the same elation and peace. She too said one day it left, but her faith has never left. 

I'm thinking he blessed them with the teeniest taste of Heaven!

So on the way to church this morning, my Mom, my sister, my 2 nieces (who both recently were baptized of their own choosing) and I joyfully sang praise music from our hearts together as we looked out the windows at the beautiful sunshine and fields and meadows and forests and budding trees and blooming flowers and scenic farmhouses passing by.

We were driving to a little church in Holly, my brother David's family church! Over a year ago he too accepted Christ as his savior. Even though he still struggled inside with some uncertainty and dragged his feet, his oldest daughter ended up becoming part of a great little church, and brought the whole family to be a part of it. My brother and his wife do all kinds of cool things with the youth group. And all 3 of their kids are involved and blessed by it. Even my teenage nephew Dalton, who would've thunk!!!!

So this Easter Sunday, all 3 of them, Alyson, 10, Dalton, 16, and Taylor, 17, on their own, have decided to be baptized and fully accept Jesus Christ as their savior.  Sitting there today with all of our precious family, our brother Scott and his family, and a large group of friends as precious as family, watching them standing as a family at the front of the church, was a true blessing.

Amazing Grace!

Afterward we went back to my sisters to prepare dinner. I wanted some exercise, so I decided to jump on the trampoline. As I jumped and jumped I felt like I could burst with joy. The trees with buds on them and the blue sky and the white clouds and birds flying and chirping and the fresh breeze and the warm sun on my face. My beautiful niece playing with my precious little daughter, toddling around the yard in her pretty little outfit. My loving family gathering together to celebrate. 

Blessed, blessed, blessed.

I have just lost 10 lbs. and I feel lighter and more comfortable in my skin and I just can't tell you how perfect and precious and free that jumping around felt like. All that blue sky above. I felt like I was jumping around in the sky, celebrating that I am His child, that I am a new creation. And that the people I love are coming to love him too! 

And He LIVES! 

Of the 4 major world religions, Christianity is the only one that doesn't have a big shrine or tomb where people go gather to mourn and cry and remember their dead leader.

Because our King LIVES! He's not in a tomb. And He comes to us. Right into our hearts. Right into our lives. Right into our circumstances. Right into the moments when we need him to guide us and give to us and lift us up and instill joy into our human aching needing hearts.

And now tonight I finished the day by watching a live Easter service online of a church I really love in Seattle. A large part of it was a baptism service, with worship music through the whole thing. And they have the words on screen just as if you were there. Might sound funny to some that I would stand at my computer and sing along, but it is about Him, and about praising Him. Whether there are five hundred with me, or 5, or just me. And so many people were getting baptized. Some who decided right then went up and were submerged right in their Easter clothes!

Jason yelled up the stairs at me to be quiet, that he was going to bed, lol! 

But just a perfect way to end the day. 

Going to bed on a full tank.

My heart overflows. My cup runneth over!

Psalm 23:6 

 ⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me 
       all the days of my life, 
       and I will dwell in the house of the LORD 
       forever!