This is Easter week 2017 and as I think about Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, I can’t help but drop to my knees in gratitude.  I see the bloodied cross followed by the empty tomb and I hear my God, UNAPOLOGETICALLY, saying,

“I LOVE YOU THISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS ETC… (TIMES INFINITY) MUCH!”

I don’t hear a hint of wishy-washy, or lukewarm. I don’t hear Him tip-toeing around being associated with me; in fact, I hear Him proud to be seen with me.

I see my Heavenly Father take my place in the form of a Man, so that I can wrap a tiny portion of mind and my whole heart around the extravagant extremes He’s was willing to go to and delighted to do so in order to provide a way for me to spend eternity with Him.   That is not a timid, powerless, loveless Father, now is it.

I smell the sweet aroma of Christ, as His Spirit brings restoration from ruins. I smell wildflowers springing up, as the empty cross and tomb water the ashes, preparing the soil of my heart for the colorful floral carpet that runs rampant with new life.

If my God openly (as far as the east is from the west kind of openly) and unapologetically expresses His ridiculous love for me by becoming my sin and giving me His righteousness, the least I can do is openly and unapologetically express my love for Him in a public post, a love letter that is a tiny fractal of the love HE gave me first. (Fractal is my new favorite word:)

Jesus said,

“Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?” Matthew 10:33 MSG

Jesus is a Gentleman and will never force Himself on me, which means He would let me leave if I chose to.   BUT OH MY GOODNESS, WHY WOULD I EVER WANT TO DO THAT? I DON’T AND I WON’T!

Jesus said,

“…Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath. It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That’s what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others’ sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:15 MSG

So, this is my Easter declaration, my love song to my Jesus, a memorial stone marking the reason for the hope that I have and just one more way to not let God’s abundant grace go wasted!

I love you Jesus! Thank You, God, for sending Your Son to rescue me. Thank You God for becoming a Man so I could get a glimpse of Your Glory.

Without You I am nothing. I was a lost mess in desperate need of a Savior and I got One. I took Your Life Line, Jesus, and I am never looking back!

I love that Your Spirit lives in my heart. I don’t really understand how but I am oh so grateful.  When You said that the same power that raised Jesus from the grave lives in me, well now, that was a crazy game changer. I believe You but I sure don’t always walk around like I do. Jesus help my unbelief. I want to live radically different from this Easter on. I believe there is always more of You that You want to reveal and I want that more, please.

Your Holy Spirit empowers me to boldly proclaim Your Name; so, I am BOLDLY PROCLAIMING THAT I AM YOURS AND YOU ARE MINE.  Thank You for loving me unapologetically. I am so proud of my Jesus, please forgive me if I have ever been wishy-washy or lukewarm.  I have been ashamed of a lot as I look back over my life but I have never been ashamed of You, my Jesus. In fact, You alone took the shame word away and turned me into Your radiant girl, shining from the inside-out, Your light spotlighting the Father.

So Jesus, I could go on and on but I will stop typing for now. You changed my heart from stone to flesh and You wrote Your name on me.

THANK YOU!

What will you unapologetically declare this Easter?