We’re doing very well out in the country; enjoying some fine Arkansas spring weather, getting our lawns and flower beds in order, gardening, sitting on the porch watching the sunset before retiring a little bit later than usual. The evidence of God is all around us. We can see this evidence when we decide to look. Someone said, “You can learn a lot by listening.” Stop. Look. Listen. How simple!

This coming Sunday, April 8th is “Easter Sunday” according to the calendar. Many will be present for worship this Sunday for the first time this year, maybe for the first time since last “Easter.” The Enola Church of Christ will meet for Bible study at 10:00 and then gather for worship at 11:00 just like we always do. We will return at 5:00 on Sunday for our evening assembly, just like we always do. We remember the birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and the promised return of Jesus Christ our Savior every Sunday when we gather together as the Lord’s church. I am so very happy to be a member of the church of Christ, to be able to find our name in the Bible (Christian and church of Christ), to be able to look in the Bible and see that we are organized just the way God authorizes (Elders overseeing the church, deacons serving in specific areas of ministry, preachers preaching and serving, members loving God and loving and serving one another), to be able to look in the Bible and find that we are worshipping God in spirit and in truth as God has instructed us, to be able to see God’s plan of salvation and know that we are following His plan in every way, not adding to it nor taking from it. Of course we are still learning and growing. The Bible is a deep well of spiritual water. Every drink we take from God’s word just increases our desire for another. Our faith comes by hearing God’s word. Our hope lies in the promises of God in His Son Jesus Christ. Our love and our life rests in His love and in His life. God is our all.

Our sermon series, “Growing in Gladness” will continue this Sunday with a lesson about the Lord’s Supper. Do we realize what a blessing it is to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus every first day of the week just like the early church did (Acts 2:42, Acts 20:7)? Do we realize how blessed we are to follow God’s instructions to examine ourselves every Sunday as we eat the unleavened bread and drink the fruit of the vine (1 Corinthians 11)? When we “break bread” together we look back to the past. We look ahead into the future. We look at where we are now. I hope you will be present for this lesson on Sunday morning.

On Sunday evening we are studying about God’s great power. God is able to hear and answer our prayers according to His will. It is true. Sometimes God says, “Yes.” Sometimes He says, “No.” And sometimes He says, “Not yet.”

As I close this week’s blog I would like for everyone to remember and pray for the Mulhearn family as we all mourn the passing of little Stella. She is resting with Jesus in Paradise. She cannot return to us, but how wonderful it is to know that in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we can go to her one day.