This is the reason...

I've been asked numerous times, how do you do it? How do you cope and go on with life after losing a child? How are you not depressed? Well, for me, it's simple. It's because of today, Easter. This is the reason. The resurrection. My hope is in Christ and that one day I will spend eternity with Him and with my precious little Lucy. 

Now don't get me wrong, it's not always easy. I don't want to paint this picture that it doesn't bother me that she's not here, because it does. I miss her dearly but know she has it so much better in the presence of God. It's simply because of what Christ did that makes carrying on possible and worthwhile.

I believe in the living, true God. The God who sent His Son to be born of a virgin, live a sinless life and then die the cruel death on the cross for me and you. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." 

The best part of this is that He didn't stay dead. My God is not still hanging on a cross. 3 days later He rose again. You can read the accounts of Jesus' resurrection in all 4 gospels.

Christ suffered so we could live eternally with God. 1 Peter 3:18 says,"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the spirit."

We are unrighteous and unworthy of God and His love for us. Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." However, His love for us is greater than we can ever imagine. He demonstrated this on the cross. Romans 5:8. "But God demonstrates His love for us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 

"The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus," Romans 6:23. We can't earn this gift of eternal life. No matter how good of a person we are or how many times we go to church or give to the needy or any other good deed it WILL NOT bring us to Christ and give us eternal life in Heaven. Titus 3:5, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy he saved us, by the washing and regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. 

Here's the way. God is looking at the heart. He wants your heart. Romans 10:9-10, "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised  Him from he dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." 

So you see, you have to not only believe but admit you are a sinner and need a savior. Then you must ask God to forgive your sins and come live in your heart. This my friend, is when you will have the peace that surpasses all understanding. I don't worry about a lot of things and feel okay about the path God has put me on because I have full assurance that the God who loved me enough to die on a cross for my sins is going to get me through any tough time I encounter. 

The best part is, when I die, I know exactly where I'm going. Straight to Heaven to see my Lord and my Lucy.  

I serve a risen savior, he's in the world today...you ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart! 

If you made it to the end of this, thanks for reading. This is my heart and I wanted to share the thoughts that have been running through my head today.