Mom was Wow! Mother’s Day 2017

Hope Chicago celebrated Mother’s Day by honoring the Lord and the Mother’s Love. The only word to describe Mom was Wow! (as the decorations demonstrated) The day started off with a spirit-filled worship session led by our extremely talented Moody Bible students. As an added bonus, a special Thai song was performed by Rose and her Mother, whom recently arrived here for the first time from Thailand.

 

We had several Mothers in attendance, some that have been with us for a while and some visiting for the first time. Our Mothers (and one Mother-to-be) were presented with loving gifts and special prayers were bestowed on each one of them. It was a very special day as J. Garcia presented the message before he went on a mission trip to Thailand. It had been a while since J. last visited us and we have been blessed by his presence ever since. His influence can still be felt through the Moody Bible students today. 

He even gave a heroic and stirring testimony he encountered about pulling a mother and son from a car wreck on his way to Chicago that day. Service was followed by a delicious lunch with our Mothers being the guests of honor and getting served first. Overall, it was a beautiful day and a great way to celebrate the ones who nurtured us on earth and being blessed by the love of the Lord eternally.

By : Tyler V.
 

Grasping the Love of God (Easter 2017)

Easter always reminds me of two major things in life: my sins and the love of God. 
The original sin in the Garden of Eden was man's disobedience to God's command (Genesis 3:6). Adam and Eve hid in fear and shame, and they blamed God for their mistakes. My life was a bitter, broken battle after I accepted Christ as my Savior. 

Although I trusted in His power to save me, I didn't surrender all of my sins for Him to be my Lord. Sin causes separation from God because it dethrones Him from His rightful place in our lives. He is our Creator and our Father. Denying His words means disobeying His commands. Ravi Zaccharaias once said, "Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay." These are wise words considering that all sin leaves us with shame, guilt and fear. It promises great pleasure and happiness, but never lives up to fulfilling them. Sin is a hopeless situation that we cannot save ourselves from. 
We all need the Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 73:26 says, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." The love of God is a beautiful and amazing thing. 

He gave His Son to forgive our sins and grant us eternal life. He sent down His Spirit to counsel us in wisdom and truth. The life of Christ was powerful, but the power of the cross and what was accomplished was far greater. In love, Jesus bore our wrath for the Father to redeem us. 

By power, Jesus was resurrected from the grave and Satan was defeated once and for all. Jesus has risen and He is coming soon. Easter at Hope Chicago Church was such a blessing from the Lord. From the caring fellowship to the powerful message of God by Pastor David, I am amazed by everything God is doing. God is so faithful for His provision and blessings in our prayers. Hallelujah, amen!

By Chelsea Herr