"The angel said, 'Don't be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid His body.'"
~ Mark 16:6
If you were born on Easter, as I was, you may be as thrilled as I am to have a birthday linked to that wondrous day we commemorate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!
As a young girl, I often wondered how long I'd have to wait for my birthday to fall on Easter again. Finally, when I turned 11, it happened. My parents even had a special birthday party, and sometime after that, I asked my mother when I could celebrate my birthday on Easter again. "How long must I wait this time?"
Amazingly, somehow, she was able to determine that it would be many years away—not until the year 2022. This was decades before Google, of course, and my response to her is still implanted in my brain. "Well, I doubt I'll live to be that old!"
Through my growing-up years, I remember my pastor-father calling my sister and I early on Easter Sunday mornings, "Rise and shine, it's Resurrection Day!" with such a jubilant tone in his voice.
So, you see, Easter has always been a day of expectation and rejoicing for me and for our entire family. I still have goose pimples when I blend my voice with the congregation singing joyfully, even tearfully, "Christ the Lord is risen today. A-lle-lu-ia!" The powerful message of the Cross and the empty tomb never grows old, does it, friend?
Christ's conquering death gives us hope as believers. He broke the chains so we can be free from the grip of sin. Our Savior Jesus is alive and intercedes for us, cheering us on, to our heavenly Father. Amen and amen.
Easter Blessings!
—Beverly Lewis
1) My fall novel, The Orchard, is on track for release September 6. If you'd like to receive a 40% discount and FREE shipping, simply preorder from: bakerbookhouse.com (They ship only in the US.)
2) I'm already well into the writing of my Fall 2023 novel titled, The Heirloom, which features Ella Mae Zook, Hickory Hollow's Wise Woman, as a secondary point of view character. More about that later.
3) My handcrafted Easter cards are available through April 9. They're going fast, so place your order today at our secure website: www.AmishCheer.com
4) Thanks, as always, for your enthusiasm for my novels and for the Amish Cheer cards. Your prayers continue to mean everything to me. Blessings abundant!
