Weekly Magazine | Because He Lives: Hope, Joy, and God’s Good Plan
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Dear Friends,
What’s your favorite Easter memory?
Maybe it’s getting dressed up for church, sitting down to a big Easter dinner, or spending the afternoon laughing with family. Maybe it’s pastel dresses, lilies, and the familiar sound of “He is risen!” filling the room.
Or maybe your story looks different. Maybe you didn’t grow up with faith as part of your home. Maybe you’re still figuring out what Easter really means, or wondering why Jesus had to die in the first place.
Wherever you’re coming from, and whatever brought you to this issue, we’re so glad you’re here.
At its heart, Easter is the story of love that refused to give up. It’s the declaration that death doesn’t get the final word. It’s the good news that because Jesus went to the cross and walked out of the tomb, we are offered forgiveness, freedom, and new life.
He rose because He loves this world—every generation, every story, every person. That includes me, and you, and everyone.
So whatever you’re carrying this week, we pray you feel lifted by the truth of Easter. If you have questions or need prayer, please reach out on our contact page. We would be honored to walk alongside you.
Encouraging you in God’s truth, and wishing you a blessed and joy-filled Easter.
We Can Always Trust in God’s Good Plan | Crista Moriah Simonowich
Crista reflects on how God’s definition of “good” often includes struggle. Through Scripture and personal reflection, she reminds us that the Cross was not an accident—but the fulfillment of a loving plan that still shapes our lives today.
A Glimpse of Paradise | Sandra Byrd
Through a view of Mount Rainier’s “Paradise,” Sandra invites us to consider how Easter reminds us that this world is not our final home. Even now, we experience small glimpses of heaven that anchor our hope.
Grace and Joy in an Unexpected Easter | Dyann Shepard
An unplanned Easter service becomes an encounter with God’s presence. Dyann shares how worship isn’t about perfection or presentation but about Christ meeting us wherever we are.
Also:
We Can Always Trust in God’s Good Plan
Finding Hope in the Middle of Hard Seasons.
By Crista Moriah Simonowich
Are you puzzled by the way your life is unfolding? Is this season uncomfortable?
I can relate to these feelings!
On Good Friday last year, I was seated in the conservatory of a local spot, drinking a half-sweet coffee to intentionally mark the bitterness of the Cross.
My mom had gifted me Loved to Life, a Lenten devotional written by Ann Voskamp. Despite my scarce reading in the weeks leading up to this particular weekend, I skipped ahead to the portion covering the day of Passion—highlighting and annotating amidst the sound of fountains and birds.
God writes challenges as part of our narrative—and Jesus’s life was no exception. Maybe you’re wondering how your story parallels such a moment in history. Would you pause and ponder the sacredness of the Crucifixion with me today?
What is a Good Plan?
Ironically, the brutality, death, and burial all those Fridays ago really made way for the most beautiful and good plan ever accomplished.
Isaiah 53:10 declares it so: “But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands” (NLT).
This sheds a unique light on our thought process—and on our idea of goodness. I don’t know about you, but my definition of an acceptable plan is usually much, much different than what heavenly wisdom orchestrates.
Does “good” to you typically exclude the grittiness of struggle, heartbreak, trials?
