Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Easter Sunday

Kevin and I had a sweet opportunity to share with our congregation on Easter Sunday. We were given "Words of Love" and spoke on some of Christ's final words. This is what Christ gave to me a couple of weeks ago, and I don't want forget it or lose it.. It was such a God filled, ordained moment and I am forever grateful for it.

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.  When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,b here is your son,”  and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Some of Jesus’ final, last words. The last words He would ever utter. And these were some of the ones He chose. When asked to share a testimony on words of love, you know that the Father had every bit of divine interaction when choosing us.  We are undeserving of the story He has chosen to tell for us, and from the beginning of that story, we have said we wanted to always give glory to the one who ultimately deserved it.  I can’t think of a better way, or for that fact…a better day.

Many of you might not know that We struggled to get to the wild, crazy, fun, and sometimes insane amount of boys that we have. But it was a journey. We had three years of infertility, and wrapped between those years we had two very difficult and scary losses. A tragic story, that really looked hopeless, impossible, and needed spirit filled intervention. Our last lost was one that left me crippled both emotionally and physically. I was unable to try again for a year. And if you have ever tried to have a baby, a year is an eternity. Especially when you have been looked at with question and doubt…
Our first born son, came from deep deep love and sacrifice, much like the love of Jesus’ last words utter to his precious mother and his closest disciple and friend. Our first born son, was not born from my womb but from a womb of a precious girl who chose life and sacrifice. Our sweet girl, Jaden’s birthmom, chose in the moment of what looked like mistake, hopelessness, fear and tragedy, to act in the most sacrificial love that is possible. She gave her son to us. To Love as our own, to cherish as our own, to embrace…as our own.  Her love for Jaden, for us, has always to this day been a reflection of Gods greatest love in my life.


   
Jesus. In the greatest moment of love, made a choice of sacrifiing  his own life, and in that moment He looked upon his mother with affection. He remembered Mary, and in that moment spoke the deepest words of love to her. He was loving Mary deeply to give her a son, to love, to fulfill that mothers desire. He was loving Mary, by taking care of her. By letting her go, and placing her in the hands of John, he knew that she would take care of him, and that John would in turn would take care of her.
And he was loving John, by choosing Him…Jesus loved his mom, in that moment I believe Jesus looked at Mary and John with human love wrapped in Godly affection. He was seeing his mom and he knew the ache she would have, and he was looking at John, and knew what he was asking. What an honor for John…to be given Jesus’s mother to love and care for….And ultimately he was doing both of these things…to give them life. The greatest of all sacrifices, in his life alone.


5 years ago, a young 17 old mother, did the same. She gave life. She gave life to a vibrant, exuberant, ecstatic little boy….and she gave life, and healing, to a broken mother with the greatest desires. A story that Satan wanted to paint as tragedy, that God used as VICTORY.  Today we stand before a community we are proud to call family. A year ago this month we moved here unknowing what things God had in store for our family. In a moment of what looked like sacrifice…God has blessed tenfold. Great sacrifice always brings great reward. We can remember that today of all days. The greatest sacrifice ever given, a son, a life, for forgiveness and eternal heavenly union with our Father. Sorrow, for a moment. Joy for eternity. We must always look to the cross in every situation we are faced with. Looking at the cross will remind us that with tragedy, sorrow, loss, and hopelessness was nailed to that Cross…But Victory always come, Victory is ours, Victory is in the name of Jesus. HE HAS RISEN.