Welcome to the Peacewaiting website and socials. I created this online presence ahead of the release of my book, Waiting for Peace. I hope to announce the official release date for the book soon; Lord willing it will come out this spring. In many ways it’s been a long time coming. I completed the first draft of the book some four years ago. In the time since then, our life circumstances have changed pretty significantly and in many ways God has brought the blessing and restoration I longed for in the book. But at the same time, of course, we always live with the reality that our daughters, Willow and Ember, are no longer on earth with us.
Because of that reality, it’s fitting that this first post and website release comes on Good Friday. We only call this day “good” as those who have the whole perspective. It certainly must have felt bad to Jesus’ disciples at the time. Their teacher, best friend, and savior was being tortured and killed, presumably bringing to an end his entire ministry. We of course know that it was not at all the end. It was just the key part of God’s story. Christ’s death was the means by which God satisfied his wrath over our sin. And Christ’s resurrection, a mere three days later, was the sign that God ruled over death and we would have life eternally.
If there’s a part of the gospel experience that I feel most differently about since losing my girls, it’s the hope of the resurrection. I had that hope before. My theology hasn’t really changed. But my approach to it has. Jesus came back from the dead. Paul says that “in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.” (I Cor. 15: 22-23). And so, because Jesus came back from the dead, I know that Ember and Willow will also come back from the dead. That sounds weird to say, but at the end of time, it will happen. And I also know that though I will surely die (unless Jesus comes first), I will also come back to life, and so will all of those in Christ. So Easter is a time to celebrate our leader and Savior is alive, yes, but it’s more than that. It’s a celebration that death itself will have an end and life and goodness will be restored and there is a great and glorious future to look forward to.
But of course, that time is not here yet. We are here on earth, waiting for peace, feeling the pain. Much like the disciples who watched Jesus die, everything may feel out of order now. But it’s only Friday, and Sunday is coming.
✝️🩷🙏