It is finished, and it is just beginning!

Mark 16:5-7
"As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 'Don’t be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, "He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you."’”

Our favorite day of the year, hands down, is Easter. We enjoy Christmas because it's the start of the journey. We enjoy celebrating each other's birthdays, as well as those of our family members. We enjoy Thanksgiving for the food, football and family, and the chance to thank God for His blessings. But Easter is the best. Besides the beginning of Spring, it is the celebration of the new life offered to us through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.

Jesus' last words on the Cross before He died were "It is finished." There is so much rolled into that expression. His earthly teaching, His carrying our burdens to be buried forever, His victory over death itself, all were wrapped up in that expression. He had accomplished what He was brought on the earth to do. It all was finished. My sin is paid for, once and for all.

Today was a special Easter for us. We remember that three years ago, the first time Tammy got to attend church after her first bone-marrow transplant was Easter in Louisville, with Julie and her new boyfriend (soon to be her husband). David Lee came with us, so we were able to celebrate as a family once again.

Then last Easter, Tammy once again was in the hospital on Easter. The doctors told us she probably wouldn't make it until this Easter. We knew that God could change that, and we trusted that He would. But we also knew that He could choose to bring her home and that our last Easter with Tammy could have been spent in the hospital.

We are so blessed that not only is she still around, but she's doing amazingly well. We were at church today, and nobody had to come up and say, "It's good to see you here." She's been in church since just after the first of the year. Our focus was not on the fact that she was able to attend. Instead, our focus was completely on the celebration of Jesus Christ's resurrection.

We hope you have special plans today to celebrate the greatest gift ever, the gift of eternal life because of His sacrifice for you. And while His mission on Earth, and His victory over death, is finished once and for all, our celebration will continue forever! Our life with Him is just beginning!