New mindset for my path forward

As a child my favorite holiday was Christmas for obvious reasons, the selfish enjoyment of receiving presents. As I got older, Thanksgiving became my favorite holiday. I simply loved reflecting on the intangible gifts in my life that I was grateful for and taking time to be with family. As a father that has traversed his own challenges and is experiencing and anticipating future challenges for his children, I have come to appreciate Easter as something truly special.

The resurrection of Christ has become personalized in my life. I remember periods of my life when I felt stuck in a proverbial grave with no hope for the future I had once envisioned. I remember feeling trapped from season to season and sometimes returning to those shackles after a season of hope seemed so real. That continued path of hopelessness created an assumption in my mind where I told myself the lie that my mistakes deserved shame and that this cycle would be lifelong. For all intents and purposes, I was dead. BUT GOD…The love of God saved me.

I remember standing in church listening to a song when the refrain repeated “Dead man come out of that grave.” Overcome with emotions, tears poured down my face through the remainder of the congregation singing. At that moment I knew I was alive again as my understanding of God’s love was clear. My previous paradigm of sin = shame = inability, suddenly shifted to sin experienced through the love of God = a new opportunity. I had a new mindset for my path forward and began my journey out of my grave.

Easter represents the triumph of Jesus over death. To me, it also personally represents the power of God’s love that transcends and overcomes our earthly sins. When you feel hopeless or feel that the chains of this world are too much to carry, just remember one thing. The battle has already been won.