Holy Week Reflections

Yes, I have returned from my travels south, and will certainly have comment on it later, but today is Good Friday, and I had the pleasure of having my weekly prayer time with my best friend Erica today, and I want to post here some of what I reflected on with her.

I've been working hard this year, and I think I didn't realize until recently how impossible this year should have been for me. A few weeks ago I stopped and realized the significant number of changes and challenges I've experienced since last June:

1) moved back to my home country
2) moved back in with my parents
3) started a new job
4) started a graduate program
5) lost a grandparent
6) watched my dad struggle with keeping the surviving grandparent healthy and well
7) felt very uncertain about the future of my church due to financial issues
8) planned a trip to a country I've never been to
9) lost the other grandparent on that trip
10) got sick 3 times
11) gained a new, non-English speaking member of my family
12) since September, I've spent the year without of my best friends (in Africa)
13) been part of the preparations for the other best friend's wedding in 3 weeks

There have been other things too...trying to maintain a healthy diet that I can believe in...missing friends in other states and not having time to visit them...making new friends...I could add other things.

When these things started to occur to me, it dawned on me that no one person should be able to handle this many things in one year. I think I kind of turned around to see how long and how far Christ has been carrying me this year. Because I shouldn't have been able to get through all this without falling apart. But God has brought me through this. And He's still bringing me through this.

About two weeks ago I hit another change, a bump in the road, whatever you want to call it. And that was my moment of saying, Lord, I don't think I can handle any more this year. I'm praying He doesn't send anything else. But I'm so blissfully at peace knowing that if He does, He'll give me the strength to get through it.

So today, as I reflect on the meaning of today, the remembrance of Jesus' death for me, I'm also thinking about how He sacrificed Himself on earth so that I could have a relationship with Him. A relationship that means He covers me. I don't see any benefit to Him: I get redeemed, He has to take care of another sinner. And so tonight I'm just marveling at this kind of love. And so thankful that He shows it to us.