What Easter Means to Me by Joelle

Hi Friends,

This week, in the rush of me getting ready to go to Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, Joelle came home from school with an assignment -- to write an essay on what Easter means to her. So yesterday, we sat down and she wrote her essay. I was so touched by it, and I thought you would enjoy it too.

So, as you prepare your heart and mind for Easter over the coming week and a half, here's what one 6-year-old had to say about Easter:

WHAT EASTER MEANS TO ME

by Joelle Schalesky

Easter is a very important holiday to me because it’s when I celebrate when Jesus rose from the dead. I like Easter because it’s about God.

A long time ago, Jesus went to the cross and died for our sins. They put him in a tomb, which was like a cave, and rolled a big rock in front of the hole so no one would take his body. Then, they put Roman guards in front of the rock to make sure nobody would steal Jesus’ body. One day passed. Two days passed. Then, very early on the morning of the third day, the ground shook, and the big stone rolled away.

Some women came to the tomb and saw the stone rolled away. They thought someone took the body, but when they went inside they saw an angel. The angel said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here! He is risen!”

Later, Mary was crying in the garden. A man came up to her. She thought he was the gardener, but then he said, “Mary!” She looked up and saw it was Jesus. Jesus was alive again!

After that, Jesus was seen alive by lots of people. Thomas even put his fingers in the holes in Jesus’ hands and side. Jesus still had the holes from when they nailed him to the cross and stuck a spear in his side.

Because Jesus rose from the dead, we don’t have to be afraid of death anymore. We can go to heaven. I can see my horse, Oreo, again because Jesus beat death for all of us, even animals.

So, I love Easter because I love to celebrate how Jesus rose again and beat death for me and everyone. Easter is a wonderful holiday!