John,

Two thousand years ago, late on a Friday, two men laid Jesus in a tomb after he had been beaten, whipped, crucified, then impaled with a spear. He was tightly wrapped in a burial cloth and seventy-five pounds of incense was placed on top of his lifeless body. The tomb was sealed and guards stood outside the grave to keep away anyone who would dare challenge Roman authority. It was a dark end to a dark day. 

But, on Sunday morning, that lifeless body took a breath. 

Life, hope, and forgiveness walked out of the grave into a world that was lifeless, hopeless, and bitter. The first Easter morning, God’s message of grace and a second chance was displayed in a way that continues still today.  

I was baptized on an Easter Sunday morning decades ago. This day is my yearly reminder of not only God’s offer of love for the world but His love and forgiveness for each person, including me. 

I respect every person’s personal faith journey in life, but I am so grateful for the truth, correction, and love I have experienced daily in my own walk with a risen Savior. 

Happy Easter.

In God We Trust,

James & Cindy Lankford