Happy Easter 2020, Friend! 😊

Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays. I love spring time with plants growing back and blooming in beautiful colors, birds chirping happy songs, the sun rising higher in the sky, more daylight hours, warmer temperatures, creatures peeping at night, open windows allowing fresh air inside.

I also love remembering how Jesus defeated death and sin, forever bridging the gap between us and God. That there is no sin that is unforgivable except denying Jesus. In Theo Hanson's talk this past Tuesday we got into some pretty heavy stuff including abortion and he gave his take on what a person should do if they've been through this process. Interestingly, another friend of mine had just shared a couple days previously his story of what he went through emotionally when his girlfriend in college had an abortion and how Jesus helped him heal from the emotional trauma form the experience that landed him in a psychiatric hospital for two months:

https://www.facebook.com/david.tyldesley.902/videos/285954209061707/

I loved a lot of things about Theo's talk and I can't wait for you to watch or listen to it here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZy73hQzFGM

If you have some free time tonight here are also a couple of Easter-related things you may enjoy watching as I have! 💓

Jesus: (A play performed in front of a live audience and recorded which is only available through tonight and comes highly recommended by friends!) JesusEvent.com

The Chosen: (This one really gets to my heart, especially when listening to interviews with the actors and producer!) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBXOFnNTULFaAnj24PAeblg

Jesus' heart is tender toward us in our hurts, and He understands our struggles. Even though He is God, He humbled Himself to become human and went through all the human experiences of growing up and becoming an adult. This is why He is such a great comforter! He can comfort us in sickness, loneliness, betrayal and all forms of darkness. The best thing of all (which hurts to think about) is that He died on the cross for our sins. Perfect, humble, born in a manger, fisherman foot-washing, leper-loving, tax collector and sinner-loving, paralytic-healing, carpenter by profession, despised by religious leaders, Messiah and Savior of the world, Jesus, came to die for you, and for me, so that we could be with Him and the Father in perfect heaven forever!! Otherwise, we will unfortunately have to pay the penalty for sin, which is death (Romans 3:23), ourselves. But He has given us the choice and the opportunity to accept the gift of salvation through Jesus' sacrifice!!

"For God so loved the world that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

That's our God!! If you would like to have eternal life and have your sins forgiven forever (no matter how bad they feel), all you have to do is say is something like this (God doesn't care as much about the words as much as He cares about the attitude of your heart): "Dear Jesus, I know I have sinned, and I'm sorry. I want You to be my Savior. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins so that I can have eternal life. Please come into my heart and take away my sins, and help me be the kind of person you want me to be. Amen." If you've prayed this prayer for the first time I'd love to know so that I can encourage you and do my best to answer any questions you have!

I pray you have a wonderful evening and week, Friend! I will talk to you soon. 😊

With His love,

Bailey

Matthew 28:6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.