Easter

As I have been pondering what Easter means, and trying to comprehend the sacrifice God did for us, I can't help but think God has an outrageous and crazy way of showing his love.

Reflecting on Easter this year has been a little different because now I am a mom. So, I was trying to imagine what God was thinking when He chose to let His own son, his perfect-without-flaws-son, suffer, be tortured, and get killed in a gruesome way. I cannot imagine EVER letting my son get tortured. Even if I knew the whole world was to be saved, I would not let my sweet boy die for anyone in this world. This world is full of hate, crime, and disgust. My son is full of joy, love, and sweetness. Why would I ever lay his life down for this sinful world?

But then it hit me, God must really have an outrageous crazy love for the people of this world. The most known Bible verse in the world explains it all... "For God so LOVED the world, that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." The God of all creation loves you, me, us, so much that he GAVE his only son to this sinful world so that we may choose an everlasting life with Him. That's crazy.

Although I can't comprehend ever giving my own son to save this world. I will forever be thankful that God did. So, dwell in the fact that God loves you, me, the world, so much that he let his own son suffer and die so that we may live.

But, most importantly, dwell in the fact that Jesus defeated death. He did what no other man could ever do. He rose from the dead. Now, that's even crazier than dying for this world.

SBM Commissioning Sunday

Commissioning Sunday is my favorite Sunday of the year at Asbury. It's when 350+ students and leaders march down the aisles of the church and stand before the congregation exclaiming that they are about to embark on a Spring Break Mission adventure. They are stating that they are giving their Spring "Break" to GO and spread the love of Jesus all over the world.

Every year on commissioning Sunday my eyes fill up with tears of joy. It's such an incredible picture of the Body of Christ: some go, some pray, some send, some mobilize, we all have a part to play.

Last year, I was 30 weeks pregnant, so the tears were a little different. As I sat there watching the students and leaders pour their way down the aisle, I found myself crying tears of jealousy and tears of sadness because I was no longer GOing but I was the one that had to stay home and send them out. I was always the goer. Last year was the first year I stayed home on Spring Break since I was in the 10th grade. GOing on those trips are a huge part of who I am in Christ today, and they gave me a sense of purpose.

As the time went on throughout the commissioning service my sadness turned into a great joy as I recognized I was about to go on a lifelong mission as a mom (corny, I know) and gain a new purpose. I became very excited when I thought about being able to share the love of Jesus with my own son. I started dreaming of the places I would get to go with him, the stories that I will get to tell him of my past trips, and the precious moments where I will get to introduce him to the God of all creation.

Commissioning Sunday is tomorrow. This year, I am overjoyed to be able to bring James to church and introduce him to one of my favorite Sundays at Asbury. This time my tears will be from joy, not only because of the 100s of volunteers that are giving so much to go, but because I get to share why we go with my favorite little guy.

Hopefully, I will get to go on those Spring Break mission trips again someday and hopefully James will want to go as well. But now I am filled with great joy thinking about my mission to love my sweet son like Christ does and I am forever grateful for that purpose.