Laughter

Last night I was listening to the song He's Alive by Laura Hackett. It is soo good. And I found myself laughing. Joyful belly laughing. By myself laughing. It was delightful! Because there is one part of the song that says this: "Death where is your sting? Grave where is your victory?" Which to many of you may not seem that funny, but to me it was so funny. Really. Death has been defeated. We don't have to be afraid to die. God has given us the opportunity to spend eternity with him. The grave has been overcome. Jesus rose from the dead! And all I could do was laugh.

It's so easy to see the darkness in the world. I have found that to be especially true in Cambodia. The sex trade is all around, brothels disguised as hair salons, coffee shops, karaoke bars, and massage parlors. Sex is a commodity. Human life isn't valued. Then there's the scars of the Khmer Rouge. I went to Teul Sleng, the genocide museum on Saturday. It is surreal to stand in the room where someone was tortured and killed, the blood stains still present on the ground. It is sickening to see the tiny cells that people, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, sons, daughters were held. It is disgusting to know that over 20,000 people were killed in that small compound and that only 7 people survived imprisonment.

Sometimes I forget that the battle has been won. Satan, death, the grave...they are going to lose. We know the end of the story. Jesus is coming back in VICTORY. Oh what a blessing! Oh what a joy! Oh man..I bet heaven is going to be full of laughter. And I'm so thankful for Easter Sunday to help me remember why I am able to spend eternity in heaven. Even though I don't deserve it. I'm so thankful that there is a promise of HOPE to share with the people of Cambodia.

Peace, love, and laughter!