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Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matt. 27:46 (NIV)

“It is finished.” John 19:30 (NIV)

Lord Jesus, we feel conflicted about calling the day of your crucifixion, “good.” That there had to be a day when you would take the judgment for our sin is not good at all. But that you would freely, fully, and gladly give yourself for us on the cross, is never-to-be-surpassed goodness. It is quintessential, unparalleled “good.”

From your heart and cross, came these two impassioned cries. “Father forgive them” (Luke 23:34) and “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). The first required the second. The second secured the first. Together, they humble our hearts, silence our words, and fuel our worship.

And then there’s the third this-changes-everything cry. “It is finished.” There’s nothing more to be done, concerning our salvation. Once and for all, perfectly and fully, we have been reconciled to God. The Just died for the unjust, the Beautiful One for the broken ones, the Lamb of God for the rebels from God. We praise, bless, and adore you, Lord Jesus.

A million-years-plus into our life in the new heaven and new earth, we will still be filled with childlike wonder and ceaseless gratitude for the gospel. Because you were fully forsaken, we are forever forgiven. Because you exhausted God’s judgment against our great unrighteousness, we now live by the gift of your perfect righteousness. Because you love us so extravagantly, we can love each other with kindness and hope.

We bow our heads in awe, raise our hands in praise, and surrender our lives with joy. So very Amen we pray, in your all-glorious, all-grace-full name, Lord Jesus.

Smith, Scotty. The "Goodness" of Good Friday. The Gospel Coalition. April 19th, 2019.  https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/scotty-smith/goodness-good-friday/

Dear MCC Shine Volunteer,
You are amazing! We wanted to thank you for the time and effort you give to the Shine ministry at Mountain Christian Church. Most importantly, we wanted to let you know how God ministers through you! You are part of a body of believers who volunteer for Shine and together we have been able to touch the lives of teachers, staff, students and families of A. Montoya Elementary!
Here are just a few of the quotes from the recipients (we left the notes from the kids as written – very cute!)

• Thank you so much for all that you do for us at A. Montoya. We love the Adirondack chairs in the library and garden. Thanks also for the yummy goodies you bring for us.
• Many thanks for all you do. I especially appreciate the prayers and treats throughout the year! 
• I greatly appreciate the blessing that you are to our community!
•  Shine you are asum! (awesome)
•  Shine I luve you!
•  You’re the beast! (best)
• Thank you Shine for helping our school shine and all your hard work.
• Thanks to Shine they made my life better.
• Thank you for helping our school. You guys just made our school a more magical place.
• Thank you Shine for donating money and food. I hope you still have money. Thank you again!
• Thank you for helping our school.
• God bless you all and I hope God provides all your guys' needs. It was a big blessing to me and my kids and we are very grateful. Thanks!
• Just wanted to thank you again! What a blessing you have been! When I get to heaven I’m gonna look for you and we can jump up and down with JOY for the greatest gift of all JESUS!!!
• I am beyond thankful for all you guys have done for me and my family, words can't express! You all were so very friendly and welcoming, such amazing families. You truly are angels. God bless you all and blessings to all of you and your families.
• I am beyond grateful! This has been a very stressful and trying year for us. God bless you all.
• I'm overwhelmed! I can't believe what I received. I'm in tears. I've been feeling so overwhelmed and so hopeless at times and this is such a blessing. Thank you so very much. I can never explain how much all of this means to us. You and Shine are our Santa Claus this year.
  
  

As a Shine volunteer you are sowing seeds of the gospel in everything you do. Every small act of support is a seed that God can use to change their lives forever. You make an impact!

In Christ,
Marcy Bryant, Felisa Palfery, Davinia Rizzo, Frank Malizzo, Melissa Feldner, Chris Willadsen, Kari Christian – MCC Shine Core Team

“ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” - Matthew 5:15-16

 Kay Willadsen blesses our church body so much.  She has previously served on Deacon Council and helps lead our Women's Community Bible Study among the other many ways she and her husband, Chris give of themselves to Mountain Christian.

Philippians 3:10 “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of
sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.”

Philippians 3:10 has been my “life verse” for almost 40 years. Early on, my focus was on the “knowing Christ.” That was my heart’s desire. But, as the MS progressed, I knew I needed “His resurrection power” to proceed on in weakness. Then as I began to know my Lord better, learning how to keep myself in His love (Jude 21), God put a desire within me to participate in
the fellowship of His sufferings. Christ’s love was compelling me to live no longer for myself, but for Him who died for me and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

This began the great adventure of doing the Romans 12:1-2 thing – in view of (because of) God’s mercy, offering my body, a jar of clay filled with the treasure of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:7), as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is our spiritual worship. So, I do not lose heart. Though outwardly I am wasting away, yet inwardly I am being renewed day by day.
(2Corinthians 4:16) I pray every day for an eternal perspective, with my eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter (or finisher) of my faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

March is Disability Awareness Month and that's a good time to remember God’s promises. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18) Colossians 3:1-4 calls us "to set our hearts and minds on things above, because we died, and our lives are now hidden with Christ in God." There could be no safer place, as we follow our Lord in triumphal procession, spreading everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

I have told many of you that I think I am “the most spoiled rotten handicapped person in America.” Have you seen my “transformer car” with a wheelchair folded up on the roof? And my power chair I have at home? And my wonderful husband, who does the shopping and gardening and caring for the “Willadsen Funny Farm”? Things I used to be able to do! Yes, I am
over abundantly blessed! And grateful! I have learned that “gratitude is the on-ramp to joy.”

I want to share the following note my sister received yesterday from Ani Boghigian, a young Christian woman in Syria, who has lived through war, persecution, and earthquake. She has an eternal perspective, finding her strength and joy in her Lord, not in her circumstances.

People say, “These young people are unable to have a life, are unable to enjoy their youth.” I want to tell them, “Do not pity us. We are growing in courage, we are grasping the different realities of life, and we are gaining the will power by facing these struggles. Pity the young people who live in very comfortable circumstances, who have not experienced the loss of their loved ones, who have not fled their homes, who have not experienced losing their treasures. Therefore, they have not learned dealing with the big and small troubles of life.

They used to accuse us young people saying we were weak. But now we are so strong that we can smile every day. They used to say we didn’t appreciate anything. But now we even appreciate the comforts of a good night’s sleep. They used to say we lacked faith. But now our only hope is in God. The war strengthened our hearts, but the pandemic and the earthquake did not harden them.”
Ani Boghigian, Aleppo, March 2023

Joni Earickson Tada, one of my heroes, says “The weaker I am, the harder I lean on Jesus. The harder I lean on Jesus, the stronger I know He is.” So, find your strength in Jesus. It will always be enough! (2 Thessalonians 3:5)

One of my favorite experiences is boating along the rivers of the Peruvian
Rainforest. The rivers and trees are immense. Butterflies, monkeys and birds abound. Words cannot do the beauty of the jungle justice. But, then we stop the boat, the breeze goes away and the bugs begin to feast. Few endure the heat and bugs except the Indians who live in much the same way as they have for hundreds of years. They live off the land with no electricity or running water and extremely little communication with the outside world. They are largely forgotten.

Jorge Alvarez who directs AMFA does not forget these people. Jorge has been working in this jungle for over 20 years meeting two fundamental needs of these people—clean water and Christ. MCC has teamed with Jorge to sponsor the installation of one or two water wells per year. This past year a sponsored well was drilled in Nuevo Panailll serving a community of 459 souls. While in the community hygiene training, kids camps, movie night and the well dedication were all used as opportunities to share God’s word.

The engagement does not end with freshwater. Rather, MCC is also working to seed churches in the jungle. We are sponsoring Edgar, Fernando and their families to minister to villages where wells were drilled. We are supporting Edgar, Fernando and their wives to attend a Bible Seminary focused on equipping indigenous pastors. Edgar, Fernando and their entire families travel from their homes deep in the jungle to Pucallpa three times each year to attend Seminary. This involves a difficult 200-mile trip by boat and bus. Although their education was suspended by the Pandemic they are back on track and have finished about 1.5 years of their three-year program. We hear that they are very good students and are very eager for the Gospel. When they are not at school they are back home putting their new skills to practice. MCC has also helped in the construction of church buildings for the new pastors.

The remoteness of these jungle villages makes it difficult for churches and pastors. Toward this need MCC is sponsoring Pastor Victor to travel around to these isolated churches to encourage, teach and reinvigorate the body. Pastor Victor will travel tens of miles by boat and foot to visit these communities every month. Alternatively, Pastor Victor will organize revivals and workshops where pastors and Christians alike will gather to study and worship together.

The most exciting part of my boat trips in the jungle is to see how the villagers come running to the riverbank waving their hands and shouting Jorge or Victor. This is highly uncommon as the Indians rarely trust the Peruvians. But through Jorge and Victor’s hard work and dedication they have earned the Indian’s trust and more importantly they are putting their faith in God.

You can play a part in this ministry by praying for Jorge, Victor, Edgar, Fernando, their families and the whole AMFA team. You can also help support the ministry through designated gifts. Finally, cards or notes (in Spanish) are always welcome.