Dear Church Family,
Hello everyone! As we come into what I believe to be the most holy of all our seasons, I reflect upon what Easter means to me. For me the celebration of this beautiful time is one that means a great deal to me. As as I look back over my own life, I recall a time when I was that lost soul, the blind person who was wandering around this world and attempting to live within the realm of the darkness of our society.
I remember that time so real that as I take tally of it I am so thankful that God touched my heart. I can still see the events that started this experience that changed my life for good. I remember working at the local hospital within our community and going into work early one morning to do the duties that I was required to do. After completing many of them, I decided that I would go to have breakfast and on the way something pulled me into the chapel within the hospital. I remember standing in the room and just looking around. I believe that it was like 20 minutes but in all reality it was only a few minutes. I truly did not understand what was happening. I just did not know why I was in the chapel and did not know why I was just standing there. I suddenly heard someone at the door of the chapel and heard the lock on the door being locked. I was scared and turned and went to the door right away. I did not want to be locked in no chapel for any time. I hurried so quickly out the door that if someone was near I would have run them over. Later, I then remembered calling and talking with my wife and told her what had happened. She then asked if perhaps I wanted to talk to someone about it. I must be honest and tell you at first I wasn’t sure if I wanted anyone to know what had taken place. As I look back over these times, I believe it was because I wasn’t sure if anyone would believe me. Before long, I said yes. Later that night as I knelt on the bedroom floor, I asked Jesus to come into my heart and to forgive me of all my sins. From that moment on, my life was changed, my heart belonged to God. The things that I enjoyed and the things that I thought brought me the greatest comfort were nothing compared to the joy of knowing that Christ lived within my heart.
I am sharing this with each of you because, for me, Easter truly is the Celebration of the Resurrection. For one time I was dead and when I committed my life to Christ, I now had new life. I was a new person, behold the old past away. But what about you? Do you know Jesus? Do you realize that He died and rose again for you, for me, for all of us? All we have to do is to accept Jesus Christ into our hearts and believe. So during this Easter Season, let your hearts receive Christ. Let your life be changed and made into something beautiful. I remember one of our songs in our United Methodist Hymnal titled "Because He Lives". The song goes like this:
God sent his Son, they called him Jesus;
he came to love, heal, and forgive;
he lived and died to buy my pardon,
an empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.
The Chorus
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow;
because he lives, all fear is gone;
because I know he holds the future,
and life is worth the living just because he lives.
How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
and feel the pride and joy he gives;
but greater still the calm assurance,
this child can face uncertain days because he lives.
The Chorus
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow;
because he lives, all fear is gone;
because I know he holds the future,
and life is worth the living just because he lives.
And then one day I’ll cross the river,
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;
and then as death gives way to victory,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know he reigns.
The Chorus
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow;
because he lives, all fear is gone;
because I know he holds the future,
and life is worth the living just because he lives.
So in closing, do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If you do not, please allow me the honor of sharing what Christ has done in my own life and what I know He can and will do in your life. Make this Easter be the best that you have ever had. Happy Easter and may the Lord bless you and all of your family.
In God’s Service,
Pastor Pat, & Renee’,
Chris & Michele,
Nicole, Bailey & Jason
Tabitha, McKaylah, Bradley & Ryan
