Resurrection

Ladies, I must apologize. I stated in a previous blog that I wanted to share with you some of the pictures from the ladies conference last month. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to retrieve those pictures, and am not sure that I ever will. Therefore, I will just leave you with I had a great time and can’t wait until next year!

Now let’s get to business. Have you ever woke up with a heavy heart? Not by someone personally hurting you like a heart break, but your heart feels heavy and you’re not exactly sure why.  I woke up this past Sunday morning (Easter morning) feeling like this. I wasn’t in a bad mood, and I didn’t feel sad, but my heart just felt heavy. I didn’t have anything on my mind other than the day’s events: church and dinner with the family later. But still, my heart was burdened. I prayed that morning as I usually do, and prepared to enjoy my Easter Sunday. I just assumed that my heavy heart was just being a thing of excitement about the day’s events.

Well as Easter service went one, and my Pastor described in detail how Jesus had been beaten and bruised and hung on the cross for me, and rose three days later (Mark 15: 14-26);  it was as if my heart was becoming more burdened. It’s hard to explain, but I felt extremely blessed and sad all at the same time. I was becoming uncomfortable and began fidgeting in my seat. I couldn’t seem to shake what I was feeling.  While shedding tears under my frames almost the entire service, service began coming to a close, and Pastor began inviting everyone to the altar. Before I knelt down to participate in the alter call, I caught a glimpse of a friend whom I had not seen in a long time. She had stopped coming to church for whatever reason, but today she was here, smiling and happy. Immediately, it was if my laden heart was freed.

Now, some will argue “Easter is the only Sunday when most people attend church,” and that may be true for some. But I also see it another way. I see it as if my prayers for my friend were answered. I have been praying for her, and her family. And to see her on that Sunday morning just reminded me that God not only resurrected His son, but he gives us the opportunity to begin anew every day. With only His grace and mercy are we able to arise from our pasts, situations, and sometimes devastating circumstances. (Lamentations 3:22-23) “It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” He led her to His house on Sunday, and it really touched me. To make a long story short, I caught in the parking lot before we left, and gave her a big hug. I wanted to cry my eyes out and tell her how much I admired her, but I didn’t want her to think that I was crazy.  So now, I’ll just tell her; I love you and am so proud of you.

I hope you don’t mind me sharing my story with you. It just reminded me of how powerful our Father is. Many years ago, Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and just two days ago (as HE does every time we meet in HIS house), God lead my friend and many of us to His house to remind us that the purpose of this Son’s death, burial, and resurrection; was to save us. “Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him: But for us also to who it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,” (Rom 4: 23-24).

Lord, I love you and thank for the best Resurrection Day that I have ever experienced in my 26 years on this earth. Thank you for the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, your son.

KPA

Once raised by a Virtuous single mother, I am now a strong Virtuous, Fashionista, who is a woman of strength, that understands the power of my words, that is aware of GOD’s presence, is allowing my light to shine, whose growing to be more passionate about serving the Lord, who can listen without pride to constructive criticism, whose fear does not hold me back, who runs to the Lord first about everything, who strives to stay on GOD’s course, who is saved by the grace of GOD, who admits to being envious of others at times, who knows my worth, has a calming peace, who gives thanks daily, who wants to be a GODLY example to others, who is able to forgive my enemies, who has high expectations of me, who has been created in GOD’s own image, who lovingly submits to my spouse, who understands GOD's love, has an intimate relationship with GOD, supports Breast Cancer Awareness, with a family who honors me, Virtuous friends who love me, and with a giving spirit.