An Uncontainable Joyous Easter Blessing from Access-Life

The day of COMPLETE VICTORY is HERE! HAPPY EASTER. :)

HE IS RISEN! He has walked the road, fought the battle, risen from the dead and conquered ALL!

Our prayer here at Access-Life is that we all rest, enjoy and walk in that VICTORY he has given us TODAY, tomorrow and EVERY DAY.

We hope you enjoy the attached artwork and verse I put together and may it encourage you in knowing we are always victorious because He has RISEN and is ALIVE.

Access-Life Presents “Real Life” by Chad Van De Griek: April 14, 2022 – The Love Behind Easter

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

It can be so easy for me to take verses in Scripture like John 3:16 for granted. It’s a verse that I have been incredibly familiar with from a very early age. I can recite it completely without much mental effort. And while I certainly view  memorizing scripture as a positive thing, I think I can sometimes forget how beautiful and impactful its words truly are.

I know God loves me. I do. In fact, I often point to this verse as a reminder of that reality. However, my actions don’t always match this mental catagory. I have a difficult time taking it from my head to my heart. Instead of reading a verse like John 3:16 and applying it to my own life, I often only apply it to the lives of others. God loves the whole world, God loves everybody. But does God truly and deeply love me? Sometimes I am not so sure.

This doubt in the divine love that Christ shows is ultimately sourced in my inability to see myself as someone who is worth loving and worth sacrificing for. But, I often am perfectly able and willing to see the rest of the world as made in God’s image, loved, and worth sacrificing for. I often allow my familiarity with my flaws and imperfections to override my familiarity with the truth that is found in Scripture.

I am learning that I can’t let my own view of myself hold me back from experiencing the love and grace that God always offers. I naturally will assume that I am not worthy of that kind of a divine gift. But, I have to remember that God’s love is just that, a gift that I am not worthy of. Coming to terms with the fact that I can’t earn God’s gift of love is hard for me. I often want to try to pay God back or show God that I was a good investment. But, that isn’t how love works. It’s not dependent on me or how I feel. I have to trust that God loves me regardless. I am just as worthy and deserving of love, not because of anything that I have done or how I see myself, but simply because of who God is. That is what I hope to cling to and celebrate as we remember what Christ did for all of us on Easter. May we remember what Christ did and see the beauty of a divine love that could never be earned.

Access-Life “Spring Fling Day”: March 26, 2022 – 4 Events, 3 States, 1 Message

Well, our first ministry SPRING FLING DAY is in the books! FOUR outreaches in ONE day in THREE states. It is amazing what God can do when His people come together to pray and bless in JESUS name. :)

There ae so many volunteers to THANK especially our area LEADS: Woody Conradt, Jodi Hersey Wunsch, Tiffanie Frazier Marksbury and Jean Malacko. However, a BIG SHOUT OUT goes to our Access-Life Ministry Support Lead, Kendahl Hancock who put everything together behind the scenes so the fun could be had by many and the EASTER story shared at each venue!

Above is a photo collage with highlights from each area: Coppell, TX, Eustis, FL Nashville, TN and West Palm Beach, FL. :) Hope you enjoy the SMILES as much as we did and are ready for our next Outpost Adventure!

#ALSPRINGFLING, #EASTERISCOMING , #DISABILITYMINISTRY

Access-Life Presents “Real Life” by Chad Van De Griek: March 10, 2022 – Unchanging Belief

Chad Van De Griek

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

It can be difficult for me to comprehend a hope, a joy, and a peace that isn’t solely rooted in circumstances. When things are good, it is obviously much easier for me to feel hopeful, joyful, and full of peace. And then, of course, the opposite is also true, when circumstances aren’t as awesome as I would like, I often find myself struggling to have any joy, hope, or peace at all. It is easy to grow frustrated and even apathetic when life doesn’t go well or meet expectations. It really is like Scripture says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12a, NLT).  So, how do I trust in God when my heart feels sick and hope feels long gone? As I continue on my journey with Jesus, I have discovered that this question is one that I constantly wrestle with. But, as I was mentally rehearsing how I wanted to write on this topic of hope, I realized that the answer was staring me in the face the whole time. As I look at trying to be hopeful in the midst of difficulty, I realize that the tail end of the verse in Romans chapter is absolutely paramount. Hope abounds “in the power of the Holy Spirit”.

I am learning that hope can’t be placed in fickle things. Circumstances change and unmet expectations are inevitable, so our hope can’t be placed in them. Instead, it is vital to place it in what is more steady, firm, and unchanging. When the Spirit is the source of our hope, that hope and the peace and joy that comes with it can remain even when circumstances aren’t the best. It all has to be rooted in God’s consistency and faithfulness, which is admittedly easier said than done.

When hope feels long gone, may our source of hope, joy, and peace be sourced in the God of hope. When circumstances change, difficulties arise, and expectations go unmet, my prayer is that our hope abounds through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Access-Life Presents “Real Life” by Chad Van De Griek: February 11, 2022 – Love that Quiets the Storm

Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing

This is one of those Bible verses that always stops me in my tracks. Each time I read it, I almost immediately get quiet and begin to introspect. My internal dialogue becomes interrogative. Do I really believe those words? Do I trust that God is in my midst? Do I really think that God actually rejoices over me?  Am I really worthy of all of the singing and exaltation? I know what the answers should be. I know how I want to answer, but oftentimes, my response to these questions isn’t very positive or adamant. I struggle to see myself as someone who is worthy of being divinely rejoiced over. I often can’t see why God would want to be in my midst. 

As I was reading over the verse and mentally rehearsing what I would write about, one line in this passage kept jumping off the page and grabbing at my attention. I absolutely love the thought that God will quiet me with His love. As I traverse through times in life that are difficult and make me question why God would waste time loving someone like me, I realize that it is that same love that quiets the storms and ferocious waves of the chaos that I am fighting through. The same love that I often feel undeserving of, and try to push away as a result, is what I need to cling to tightest. 

Something that I have been repeating to myself a ton lately is the fact that God’s compassion and grace towards me is much deeper than I could ever fathom. God is in my midst, not because I feel deserving or worthy of it, but because God’s love is simply that vast. God’s willingness to save, rejoice, and sing isn’t dependent on me. Rather, it all comes forth from an endless supply of grace, love, and compassion. 

If you find yourself wrestling with any of the same thoughts and feelings that I have described, my prayer is that we would trust the love that God offers, and in times when that is a fight, may the chaos be quieted. God loves you. God sees you. God hears you. God rejoices over you. God exults over you with loud singing.