Victoria Strader: please remember.

hello, hello! long time- no talk!

before anything else, can we celebrate Easter on a random thursday in june?

He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
Through His bruises we get healed.
We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost.
We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong,
on Him, on Him.

He was beaten, He was tortured,
but He didn’t say a word.
Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered
and like a sheep being sheared,
He took it all in silence.

After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God’s angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn’t move.

The angel spoke to the women: “There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed. “Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ That’s the message.”

The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples.

{Isaiah 53, Matthew 28; The Message}

i pray that these precious words will be written on my heart, and yours today.

i just got back from seattle, washington with my youth group from high school. each and every person in this picture is so absolutley precious to me, and i'm so thankful for the blessing to spend a week with them! it was so humbling to be on the other side of the country, partnering with Paradox Bible Church, pastored by Pen Cook. He was an amazingly inspirational person to be around, simply because of his genuine passion for Jesus, and for his humble heart. More than anything else, it was wonderful just to see God moving throughout Seattle, and to learn about the culture there. You wouldn't think that within the US, the outlook on Jesus could be so different from place to place, but it really and truly is!Prayer walking through the University District and around the campus of University of Washington was genuinely life changing. I am always so excited to look for ways in which my prayer life can develop! Silly moment = i even got to see the UW Theta house!! I would have snapped a pic, but it wasn't the appropriate time, really. oh well, the image is in my nog forever! I also so loved getting to spend some time with a selection of the homeless population downtown. getting to give them some lunch, and to just sit in the park, feeling the breeze, and talking to them was my favorite. we got to learn all about their stories, how they got where they are, and share the gospel with them. i was so blessed to share conversation with a homeless lady named Stacy, to pray with her, and to hear all about her family members, scattered across the US. my heart hurts just thinking about these moments, wanting to relive them. we also spent some time serving a local community center, and it was just great to do some labor that could truly help out the community, and give the people there a beautiful picture of Christ.

i don't think i planned on writing all of that. so, i'll add some happy instagram pics. bc, let's be honest. we all like those! :)

until next time.