Did you ever have a Cleopas kind of day? He was one of the men moping along the road to Emmaus on that first Easter Sunday. Not knowing he was walking with Jesus, Cleopas complained about the events of the past few days:

“…but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” Luke 24:21-24 (NIV, emphasis mine)

Like Cleopas, it’s often only in hindsight I see God’s hand and His plan; in the midst of my crises, I’m more likely to accuse Him of being an uncaring and inconvenient Lord!

Can you think of a situation that didn’t turn out as you expected? When, like Cleopas, what you thought would happen didn’t, and what did happen, wasn’t what you thought. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick…” I have been heartsick over deferred dreams. Have you?

Thank goodness for those amazing women! Ladies, this reminds me of YOU!

You are the AMAZING WOMAN who walks alongside your neighbor, learns her about her present sadness, asks about her present knowledge, and tells her that Jesus is alive. He is real. He is present. He loves her, and He can help! You live out the Scriptures and lead her to Jesus!