Easter is the pinnacle holiday of our Christian faith! It is the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection–the only hope we have for life after death!
The grave is a problem most of us don’t like to think about much, but this year, this season, our mortality is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. We can try to avoid talking about it and try to delay it, but the grave is coming for 100% of us.
That’s the bad news–the good news is that Jesus gives His followers total confidence of a glorious life after the grave because He went first. Because He has been raised, we can be certain that we will also be raised (1 Corinthians 15). So even the sting of death’s separation from our dearest loved ones is minimal in comparison to the eternal reunion we will have!
That’s why Easter is so special. But this year, it might take a little extra effort to make it feel special. Let’s all start thinking now: What can our family do at home that would make this, the best celebration of our faith, extra special? I recommend the three Fs: special Food, extra Fun, and discussions of Faith.
This week’s NCBC Kids At Home message will also be about preparing for Easter…preparing our hearts. I hope your family will tune in Sunday to watch Lindsay and Emily answer some of life’s biggest questions: Why is our sin a problem? Why can’t we rescue ourselves? And more! And just a little teaser: You might want to hone your paper airplane skills!
Also: Have you heard about the amazing work Days for Girls is doing in providing homemade masks for our medical community? It’s inspiring how they have quickly mobilized their ministry team from meeting one human need to meeting another incredibly urgent need.
Because of this, our next local missionary partner for NCBC Kids offering is going to be the Days for Girls NCBC Team.
Please continue to disciple your kids to be generous givers to God even though we cannot gather in person. Would you please help your kids mail in their financial gifts to the church to support the amazing work of making masks for our healthcare workers? Our address is:
New Covenant Bible Church
Attn: NCBC Kids
3090 North Center Point Road
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52411
Finally, many of us are filled with a sense of guilt or failure every day because we don’t feel like we are doing this quarantine thing right. None of us have any experience being alone with our families for weeks–so how could we possibly know what to do or how to do it!?!
Be kind to yourself. You don’t have to be perfect, just faithful. Let’s just get through one day at a time, with baby steps for our own situation. Maybe just for today, you pray for God’s strength to not yell at your family. Maybe just for today, you ask for God’s strength, minute-by-minute, to not be rude. Whatever your need, He will provide it for you like daily bread if you ask Him in faith.
I am praying for you all generally, but if you would like prayers specifically, please don’t hesitate to let me know how I may serve you.
With love and concern,
