Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Easter is my Favorite

This is a re-post from last Easter.  Every word is still true for me today.  I pray it is true for you.  Let Jesus' resurrection take on a new meaning in your life this Easter!


It has nothing to do with the Easter Bunny, Easter Baskets, or the horrid Easter grass and plastic eggs that end up ALL.OVER.MY.HOUSE., months after Easter has passed.

For me, Easter is memories of my childhood. Easter meant getting a NEW dress. Emphasis on the word NEW. I was the youngest daughter in my family. On top of that, I also had a female cousin in- between myself and my older sister. So, hand-me-downs were pretty much all I had. Now, I had pretty nice hand-me-downs. I am not complaining here. My children have second-hand wardrobes...I am okay with this. However, Easter meant wearing something NEW.

Easter was getting up EARLY on Easter Sunday morning and going to the sunrise service at our church. Shivering outside with all of the congregation. Singing, “Up from the grave He arose...” and watching for which person was going to fall out because of standing for too long with their knees locked. It was hugging your family, your church friends, and all of the people who have known me since, well, birth.

Easter meant breakfast. After the sunrise service, we all headed to the fellowship hall to enjoy eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and homemade goodness. The deacons of our church were our waiters. We laughed and gave them a hard time. They secretly loved it. The joy that filled that room was something I will never forget. Eating breakfast with 100 of my closest friends and family.

I know, I know, Easter is more than clothes, getting up early, and food. However, these memories played a part in the foundation of my faith. The part that Easter is a BIG DEAL. For me, Easter is a bigger deal than any other holiday I celebrate...even Christmas...GASP!

On Easter, Christians focus on Jesus Christ; his life, death, AND resurrection. God didn't just send his Son to be a good guy and die a martyr's death, but God sent Jesus to BRING HIM BACK TO LIFE.

God wants to give US life. Dead life? Let God resurrect your life. Dead marriage? Let God resurrect your marriage. Dead relationships? Let God resurrect your relationships.

Time and time again, in my life, God has resurrected. He sees our pain, He sees our struggles, and WANTS to give us life again. In the Bible, John 10, Jesus tells the Pharisees that he is the Good Shepherd. He came to guide us and give LIFE, to resurrect us.

This Easter, let Him bring you back to life. Let God resurrect the dead places that nothing else can reach. My friend, you will rise again!

He arose! He arose! Hallelujah, Christ arose!

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Leah

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