The History Channel

Marc and I were watching a special on the History Channel about Easter the other night that I found interesting. The program was based on an attempt to either verify or falsify the claim that Jesus lived, was crucified, buried and rose from the dead. Apparently, the experts on either side of Christianity, which is based almost entirely on the belief that this is truth, do not argue that Jesus lived, that He was crucified, that He was buried or that He went missing from the tomb where He was buried. The question is, "What became of His body?"

His followers from the beginning claim that he was resurrected from the dead and walked and talked and even ate among them. On the other side, the strongest theory is that the body was stolen and that His followers were hallucinating due to grief. Sure, maybe they saw Him, but it was because they were all (all in the same room at the same time, as well as on other occasions with two or three together) so stricken with heart ache that they could see and feel and question him, simultaneously in one joined hallucination. Those experts who didn't necessarily believe the hallucination theory but also do not believe that Jesus was and is who He claimed to be, the Son of God, the Savior of all, God incarnate, still find it fascinating that these people who followed Jesus and were entirely destitute upon His death, fearful and hiding and utterly lost without a clue of direction suddenly all became incredibly bold in telling this story that seemed impossible, that God had walked among them in the form of man and all were welcome to surrender to His love and be changed forever. Even if they made it all up, unlike any other who had come and claimed to be the same as Jesus of Nazareth did, the Messiah, the movement never died out but instead has spread to this day.

We were not there and did not see such things with our own eyes, but we believe that this is Truth. This is the pivot point for all things in our life. This is why we believe in goodness, why we strive to be better, why we rejoice in the life of our son and have confidence that our lives serve great purpose. It is why we pray and the basis of how we pray: only unto God, asking in the name, for the sake of Jesus, and so that all who know us may know that anything good in life comes from our Maker and anything difficult is possible to overcome because He carries us through. There is no other, no Secret, no mantra.

I don't know what each of you reading this blog believes, but I want you to know what we believe because it is what fuels us, our joy, our strength, our purpose. There is nothing else worth while.

On that note, I would like to ask you to join us in prayer for Marc's cousin Alex who, it has recently been discovered, was born with a chiari malformation. His cerebellum (in the back part of the brain) is not properly contained and has slid back and is putting pressure on the brain stem where the automatic actions such as breathing and swallowing are controlled. He has had symptoms for years, but they were accredited to Lyme disease. He is 14 years old now and is preparing to have brain surgery to correct it, as best as possible. We believe that what is impossible for man to do is simple for God, so please pray with us that he would be completely restored to the high schooler he was made to be.

Thanks. Blessings from the DeSantis family, including a totally seizure free Lucas!