John 3:16-17 (NIV)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
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Happy Easter! I hope you enjoyed your celebrations from home this weekend.
I absolutely love Easter. Every year I get a fresh sense of excitement for what God has done for us. Following Jesus was the best decision I ever made… And to think I was only 7-years-old when I made it!
Here’s a photo of 7-year-old me with my mom:
I remember the day I decided to follow Jesus so clearly. Somehow I won a contest that I didn’t even know I was in and I got to be the queen of the Sunday school (the church’s program for children) for that day. I was sitting with my friends when they called my name. Then they sat me at the front of the room, robed me in a purple cape and a tinfoil crown. Still to this day, I have no idea why they did this, but nevertheless, I ruled over my loyal Sunday school subjects with grandeur and grace!
That day the lesson was about heaven. They asked all the kids to close their eyes and raise their hands if they weren’t sure if they were going to heaven or not. I wasn’t sure if I was or not, but the problem was… I was a queen. And queens do not raise their hands to ask questions.
So I asked my mom about it and she recognized that holy moment. She pulled over to the side of the road and explained to me that none of us are perfect. We’ve all made mistakes and done wrong things that have separated us from a perfect God. But God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die in our place and pay the penalty that we owed for our sin. Not only that, but three days later He rose again and defeated death so that we could live and have a relationship with God both now and for eternity.
I am so grateful to my mom and Sunday school teachers and all the people in my life who introduced me to Jesus.
I call this the best decision I ever made because God is always with me. He is my loving Father and carries me through all the highs and lows of life. Even in the midst of our current COVID-19 crisis, I know He is with us and we can trust Him through it all.
If you’re not a follower of Jesus, know that He loves you and wants to have a relationship with you. I invite you to give prayer a try and ask Jesus to come into your life today.
REFLECTION: If you’re a Christian, I would love to hear the story of when you made that decision. If you’re not a Christian, what comes to mind when you hear words like “Jesus” or “Easter"? Feel free to email news@chelseaamber.com or reply below to share your thoughts and stories with me!
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Here's a song for our Easter celebrations:
LYRICS:
Death Where Is Your Sting
By Cory Asbury
Verse 1:
For God so loved the world He gave his son
To bear the weight of sin, He bled for us
From heaven's highest place, He took a fall
And there was just one life laid down for all
Chorus:
Death, where is your sting?
Grave, where is your victory?
He's alive, He's alive
He is risen
Verse 2:
Behold the vacant tomb that held our Lord
That grave became the stage for Heaven's glory
Behold the risen King in open skies
He is the Resurrection, He is the life
Chorus
Bridge:
No weapon formed against us will prosper
The gates of hell won't stand
Your church will rise from glory to glory
In the name of Jesus
(x2)
Chorus (x2)
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