I desire for everyone to see and experience Easter in it’s full beauty. Easter Sunday is such an amazing celebration and a day filled with joy.

The way that I have celebrated Easter Sunday has changed among the past few years. As a young kid growing up, Easter was about the sibling that could gather the most candy filled Easter eggs, picking out a nice dress to wear, and waking up knowing that the “Easter bunny” had come to my house. This was the innocent magic of what I knew Easter to be.

As I have grown up and experienced Easter on my own, it has been very different to say the least. As a college student who is far away from home, I celebrate Easter with my friends. I do not get an Easter basket filled with jelly beans and chocolate bunnies but I do get to spend time with my community and friends while feasting on delicious food and celebrating the most amazing Sunday of the year!

Easter has become a party for me. I would have never thought that I would be the person overjoyed about a Savior and Son named Jesus. He has changed and altered my life forever. Easter is ultimately a joy inside of my heart that is shown outward because of my faith. True joy of the Lord comes from within.

If you are familiar with Jesus’ story leading up to this Holy Sunday, then you know that his journey was tough. It is important to take time to study and understand the events and emotions that Jesus was going through. This will prepare your heart to celebrate the life of Jesus. I certainly have dug deep in my Bible to learn about this story and I encourage you to do the same.

Jesus was crucified, put to shame, and beaten to death. He was buried in a tomb, only to rise from the dead. Jesus did not die for our sins only to end the story in that moment. He is a much greater writer than that! Yes…you read that correctly, Jesus has resurrected and conquered death. He is so powerful that he brought himself to life once again.

There is so much joy and hope in this truth. You might ask how someone coming back to life brings hope. Jesus’ life brings hope because it reminds us about our union with Christ, restores anticipation for beyond this life, and declares triumph over sin and death. This explains the magnitude and power of Jesus.

This is the most significant event to happen in history and there were no witnesses to see the occurrence. How could there be no witness? We surely want to hear about the event from someone who was there and experienced it. However, there is no witness. No person could bear the weight of beholding this event. This is the true testimony of our faith. This belief is enough for us to know that Jesus is alive. He told us that He would return and He did. For if we had evidence and witnesses to ask, then our faith would not be necessary. God wants us to believe in him, simply when he declares, not by abiding to a list of evidence and rules.

Without this resurrection, our preaching and our faith is useless. Our reason for following him is based upon this faith of ours. This event is the reason that we believe in Jesus Christ.

I encourage everyone in this time leading up to Easter to see the holiday in a different light this year. That may look different for everyone, whether it’s asking a friend whom you know is a believer in Christ about Easter or researching the story of Easter Sunday for yourself.

Whatever that may be, I hope more than anything that you can experience the beauty and freedom that is found in Jesus. I pray that you would seek out Jesus in this time and experience an Easter like never before. Know that the Lord desires a relationship with you and is inviting you into his Kingdom this Sunday.