Dear Friends,

There are so many beautiful traditions attached to this time of year, like waking up early and putting on our Sunday best before we head out to church. Beautiful brunches with friends and family and watching kids frolic through vast lawns in search of the golden egg. The crisp spring air hitting our backs, causing a soft chill to run down the spine, reminding us that we have survived yet another winter. Traditions are amazing, but truly it is not in the traditions that we find beauty. It is what we make of the time we have on this earth, and the lives we invest in.

I learned this truth two years ago while waking up to an Easter that would look very different for me. As I readied myself not with my Sunday’s best for church, but for another day spent in the hospital with my sister who was battling cancer, I couldn’t help but think of traditions. As I focused my mind on what the true meaning of Easter was, I had a thought, “The Comfort of the Cross brings peace to the sting of death.” It was a powerful moment, and as I narrowed my thoughts towards the beautiful cross, and the hope it means for so many, my phone rang. It was the hospital calling with the news that my sister had taken a turn for the worse.

I remember thinking if I could just get to her, I could cheer her on and she would be ok. She would be ok, but it was not because of my cheering. She would be ok because her hope was rooted in Christ. Because of the cross, she would enter a place where suffering and pain would no longer be her story. That year I would not miss the traditions of a normal Easter because I gained the most treasured investment of time, holding my sister until she breathed her last breath. As heavy as this story might feel, there is a beautiful hope woven within it.

We are going to be challenged on this holiday, where change will be on all sides of us. Embrace the beauty of time, and of being able to have loved ones close. Embrace the truth that because of the cross, there is hope for better days ahead! I am so thankful for each of you! I am praying that you find hope and comfort in this season, and cling to that which cannot be taken from you – faith.