On the other side of death...

For the 'religious' I ask you a question:What would Christs life be with it ending in death? What would've happened if He never rose again? What happened if he lived a testing life *with joy but what if He endured the cross only to die? Sounds strange doesn't it?

Yes it does! He had to rise! He had to ascend! He not only endured but overcame.  He rose! This symbolises His victory! The redemption! After the pain there was relief! It was all weighed together for our good! He had rule! He conquered the evil one! The sting of sin was taken! Death was defeated!

So what happens if we as Christians walk around everyday suffering, ailing, paining, persevering?  We have a saying in our family when things aren't a hundred percent 'I'll survive'.  Yes, we can persevere! We can keep going! But it shouldn't end there.  Perseverance should not be the end.  It is not our goal to just 'survive'.  Our goal in life is not to simply pass through.  This reminds me of what my lecturers have on repeat 'you should not only pass through university but university should pass through you!'.  The same is true for life.  We should not only exist.  We should not only pass through life but life should pass through us.  Life is for the taking! Christ not only died but rose again! He came that we should have life to the FULL.  Not only that we should persevere and struggle but enjoy and smell the roses.

Yes, most of the times that I write I am writing to myself.  Reminding myself.  Today marks 3 years since my life was drastically impacted.  A moments impact echoing into the rest of my life.  2011- a year that wrecked me.  A year that changed my life.  A year that issued much pain.  Lets just say I hung tightly onto the promise, 'the darker the night the brighter the day!'.  VERY TIGHTLY!  A year where I was physically immovable.  Stunned.  Gobsmacked.  I've lived and worked through the pain of that year.  I'm ready now to live on the other side of that pain.  I'm ready to rejoice.  I'm ready to count the gain.  I'm ready to recieve all that which was stolen a hundred fold.  I'm ready.  I. am. ready.

As I take hold of all that which Christ has died for (and risen for) won't you do the same? Won't you join me in living life to the FULL.  To embracing life! To seizing the moment! To being thankful for air in your lungs!

Many of my hopes in life have been trashed.  Many of my dreams not reached.  Many have gone amiss but my biggest dream is Jesus.  He is my hope.  He is the one I cling to.  He is my dream.  I may loose precious people, earnings, belongings, pets, material things but I have Jesus.  And because I have Jesus I have everything.  I choose to trust that He is not like any other human who has failed me.  I choose to believe that everything that He has allowed to happen will work together for my good.  I choose to trust.  Not because it's easy but because He is trustworthy.

May you choose the same.
May you trust God with your life.
May you have the courage to dream again.
May you have the courage to live life to the full.
May you take hold of all that God has done for you.

Much love,
Sarah.