When my daughter was born, it was 3 years to the day after my husband and I met. We married the same year we met so we celebrated all our 3's that year. Now we are celebrating her 6th birthday along with a few other family birthdays all at once. The day before her birthday is the anniversary of my baptism. There are so many reasons to celebrate in this life. Today, my youngest officially started potty training! (Yippy!) I also think of one year ago around this time when I signed a contract to have Advantage Books begin work to publish my book. A year before that, I had finished writing it. I also think of Spring beginning this month. I absolutely love springtime weather! That right there is reason enough to celebrate!! I bought my husband a big BBQ grill for his birthday so he can celebrate Spring with everyone he loves. Last week I bought the first of some bulbs to plant in the shady spot on the North side of my house.
You see, dark places don't have to stay dark. Anniversary dates of crisis and trauma events don't have to carry the same weight year after year of cyclical depression. There is a light that was offered to us in two outstretched palms of a dying man. Did you know there were widespread resurrections the moment Jesus died (Matthew 27:51-53)? One of my favorite citings of liberation via Calvary begins back in Exodus chapter 32 when 3000 people fell dead the day Moses descended from Mt. Sinai upon receiving the Law only to find the Israelites enmeshed in idolatry with his own brother as the host. Fast forward to Christ's ascension at Pentecost, which was 50 days after his resurrection from the grave. When the work was completed and the Holy Spirit became the seal of Salvation, 3000 souls were saved (Acts 2:41) that day! God came to redeem the darkness Satan intended and shine his light into it because the Light ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wins. His light is not beyond reaching your darkness.
Can God restore to you the years the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25)? Absolutely! Can he redeem your life from the sins you've been swimming in? Absolutely! Can he do anything beyond what we can ask or imagine? Without a doubt, he can! Redemption is God's business.
So I challenge you today to think of one thing to celebrate. Celebrate the first time you said "Hello" to that obscure someone. Celebrate the first tiny sprout in your garden. Celebrate the daffodils. Celebrate the goofy stray dog someone dropped off in your yard. Celbrate your salvation. Celebrate the day you got engaged. Celebrate a special friend. Celebrate the day you learned to change the oil in your car. Celebrate each time you choose light over darkness. And if you absolutely, positively can't think of a single thing to celebrate, might I suggest you try something new and celebrate the fact that you did!
I plan to have my cake and eat it too. How about you? As I eat my cake, I will pray for the sweetness of Christ to lavish you even in your darkest place where you may be this very day. May his salvation resurrect you from impending death that feels as though it fills your every fiber. May you rise from the ashes of winter and find that your Savior has been with you through the valley of the shadow.
Lots of love,
Lisa
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