Hi praying friends,

Once again, thank you for your ongoing prayers and support - and for the kind words many of you wrote last week as you join us in praying for a miracle in our funding. Some of you asked for that giving link - here it is!

This week on the church calendar is the most meaningful for me. Everything pivots around this week. Christ came, incarnate God - fully God and fully man in a way I cannot completely understand, suffered, died, and 3-days later rose again.

What was it like for God-man to suffer? To know he could call out for rescue, but to choose to be beaten, to be humiliated, to be nailed to a cross as a criminal, to be mocked, and to forgive his crucifiers?

What was it like for him to be in torment in the garden as he prayed, begging for another way, but submitting himself to the will of the Father (with whom he had union for all eternity)? What was it like to cry out when he felt abandoned by God?

What was it like for Jesus to be dead? To harrow hell? To be resurrected - coming back to the flesh that had died and both inhabit and transform it?

I have so many questions about Easter, yet it brings me so much hope. Everything has changed because of Christ's resurrection. Death is not final. The broken world we live in will be restored. Hope instead of despair!

What does that mean for you, this year? For me, Easter is proclaiming "Hold on! Don't be Afraid! He is risen!" Our current giving system is such that, for all I know, all the money we need was given last week, but I won't know about it for a little bit. I know there are people I could call to get a more moment-by-moment update, but instead I want to sit in the hope of resurrection. The doubts are huge - and I think it is unlikely that the money is there yet, but I do believe that Easter is coming.

This week is a full one in the gallery. Our Art O'Clock event is tonight, and tomorrow we close an exhibit with an Artist's Talk. On Monday, we are hosting an Easter Monday brunch with some new ministry friends in the gallery.

Pray that God continues to use the space!

If you didn't watch the video last week, here is the link again:

https://youtu.be/pOsgTUDQyu4

Some other prayer requests.

1. Pray for Caleb as he finishes up his Bachelor's Thesis. He has just a few short weeks to get it done.
2. We have a plan to publish another book in April . and the deadlines are tight right now!
3. Can you pray for my mom? She broke her arm severely in January and had surgery. Several of the screws used in that surgery have become detached, and she will need a new surgery. Please pray for that to happen quickly. This will start the whole recovery time over, so please also pray for quick healing!

How can we be praying for you?

Blessings,

mike