On the blog today, I’m excited to introduce you to my friend Katie. I met Katie while our husbands were studying at Dallas Seminary together. She has been a constant encouragement in my life through her faith and creative communication. I pray you’ll be refreshed and encouraged by her words in this time!
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Dear Momma,
Easter is going to look different this year. Instead of dressing up with bows and bow ties and sending your kids off to children’s church we will all be at home watching the Easter service from our living rooms. It may not be traditional but it can still be incredibly special.
I don’t know about you but this whole quarantine, virtual school, not being able to go anywhere has had me running the gambit of emotions. From the highs of more family time to the lows of… unending family time. Top it off with stresses like financial loss, being sick, rainy days and an extra work load its a recipe for a mommy meltdown.
Here are three things I am doing to prepare my heart for an Easter in quarantine:
- I am setting my mind on things above. For the first part of the quarantine I was taking advantage of not having to set my alarm but I quickly realized that my time with the Lord was getting pushed out. I began setting my alarm and pressing in to the disciplines and routines I had already established pre-quarantine. Time with the Lord is a non-negotiable. His Word reminds me to store up my treasures in heaven, not get bogged down with the troubles of this earth. Right now, it’s almost impossible to not let our minds run wild with worry unless we are constantly pushing it back with the Truth of God’s perfect Word.
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
1 Peter 5:10
2. I am lowering my expectations. So much of our hurts come from unmet expectations. We can come to these expectations by comparing our lives to others seemingly picture perfect lives on social media. I am putting my phone down and lifting my eyes up. What will make Easter special for MY family? How can we bring glory to God through our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection? How can I disciple my children to see the wonder, hope and joy that is only possible because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
“But it is true! Christ has been raised from the dead! He was the first One to be raised from the dead and all those who are in graves will follow. Death came because of a man, Adam. Being raised from the dead also came because of a Man, Christ. All men will die as Adam died. But all those who belong to Christ will be raised to new life.”
1 Corinthians 15:20-23
3. I am committing to CELEBRATING Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus’ Resurrection is what makes our salvation possible. We have so much to celebrate! This will look different for every family, but for me I am committing to joining in the fun instead of just facilitating it. It’s when I get face to face, eye to eye with my kids that the gospel is communicated most clearly. I want my kids to see that my joy is not contingent on what is happening in the world, it is tied solely to Jesus. Billy Graham put it this way, “Earth’s troubles fade in light of heaven’s hope.”
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
1 Peter 1:3
Easter will look different this year, but it can be one that really showcases the hope we have in Jesus. Right now the world looks hopeless. But here’s the truth: the world has never been where we should find our hope. We get blinded by it’s charms, but with it’s charms stripped we can look full into the face of Jesus and declare: My hope is in You!
ABOUT KATIE: Katie Bowman is a chaplain’s wife and a mom to three children: Greyson, Violet and Shepherd. She has her Masters in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary and enjoys reading, theology, photography, and anything creative. She lives in a suburb of Dallas, TX and loves connecting with others through Instagram, her blog and Facebook.
