April 2026

Letter from the Committee

The Life

Hosanna! Hosanna!

Right on the tail of Easter, these words should call to mind the story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem before His death and resurrection. Do you know what this hail actually means? Literally translated, the term means, “Save us, please.” Not only does it carry a plea for salvation, but also Christendom adopted this term as a song of praise in acknowledgment of the One who can and did save.

Matthew 27:24b-25: “[Pilate] took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.’ And all the people answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’”

How tragic and harrowing are those words. Yet, how gloriously paradoxical it is! He utilized the cruelest, grossest act of rebellion to achieve the most selfless, miraculous, and loving act of salvation and restoration. Does it make your heart ache in acknowledgment and longing?

As spring leads us from a dormant and dead landscape into a vibrant one, we shed our winter “blues” and joyfully greet the new life and light all around us. Spring fever can get the best of us! Let that feeling be a reminder of the much deeper gift of Christ being the very life within us. The Morning Star has risen, and it is His breath in our lungs.

Right now, our broken world is burdened with conflict (as it has been throughout history), and individually we have each known dark days. We live in a world still marked by the wounds of sin and evil. In the midst of all of this, it can feel like the life we hold is… losing the fight. While it can sometimes feel cliché, the enduring exhortation is for us to take heart, because Christ triumphed over it all. In our daily battles, His presence within each believer (Ezek. 37:14a) is what sustains us and weeds out the seeds of twisted truth our enemy sows. We must remind each other of this truth, because night must yield to the dawn.

Psalm 16:11: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy.”

The spark of humor in someone’s eyes, the fragrance of a fresh bloom, the splash of a spring rain... these things point to the true nature of our Creator, Savior, and Lord. May His life within you be full and satisfying. May the everlasting light of His life in you overflow so that you may contagiously live, joyfully pouring life into everyone the Lord places in your path.

Your Stoa Alumni Committee,

Samuel Durand (AR), Nicole Kaiser (MT), Elizabeth Stapleton (OK)

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