Every Christian Book is About Easter

 

Dan Balow has written:

As we near Holy Week, I know the assertion that every Christian book is about Easter won’t change anything in publishing. The seasonal best-seller lists, bookseller promotions, online keyword searches, and publishers require marketing hooks to advertise. But let’s face it: All Christian books are really about Easter Sunday morning. Christian books all have a key pivot point of their message in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Christmas books, where Jesus joined human history as Emmanuel, are just Easter prequels. But for marketing’s sake, we call them Christmas books.

Read it all here: Every Christian Book Is About Easter 

His Resurrection Breaks Us Free

 

Tree Seed Pods Identification Guide: 75 Species

The Seed Pod

By Hope Ellen Rapson

I walked along a quiet lake today,

And found a seed pod along the way.

Long and leathery, it outlined so tight,

Tomb-door shapes, darkly out of sight.

Each had a slightly different shape,

Some a gothic arch, some a rounded cape.

All are bound until sun, soil, and rain,

Allow the casings that restrain.

To rot or tear away, setting each one free,

That they might, in strength, grow the tree,

From where they first originated,

And for which they were created.

So, we, in some unmeasured season,

Will be released, revealing the reason,

Our restricting pods were closed to grow,

Us into the likeness of Him we know,

Broke from His cave of death,

Bringing new life and spirit-breath

To those who lay entrapped by sin.

Indeed, we need not strive to win,

Or make the changes we think just,

But only love and know, obey and trust

All God has powerfully given,

In Christ who, then and now, has risen!

The Death of Death

The Death of Death

Hanging on the tree,
Breathing his last breaths,
He cried out to His Father,
“Must I suffer this cruel death?

Yet let Thy will, not mine, be done,
And while I still do breath,
Oh please remember Thine only son,
And give Me strength Thee to please.”

Great drops of blood stood on His brow,
Great nails pierced hands and feet.
A jeering mob looked on below,
and He went on, His father soon to meet.

Yet love and mercy filled His heart,
“Father, forgive them I plea,”
He chose to save them, in His love,
“Father, I give My spirit to Thee.”

Now heart diminishes its beat,
But death has died, not He,
Death has been defeated now,
He died for sinners we.

Loving Father, accept my praise,
For You have saved us all.
Death has taken its last toll,
The cross its bitter gall.

--Chandler Hamby

What Easter is About

The following poem was crafted by two of my students working together.  Sometimes group writing produces good work, and I consider this to be worthy of publication.

Genesis 3:15

Unnatural laws push us

to remember how things were.

Our gloom brings back the Treasonable Trick.

Yet the peace foreseen

is inevitable,

wondrous.

- Dior Hartje and Courtney Rupp

George Herbert's EASTER

Rise, heart; thy Lord is risen. Sing his praise
Without delays,
Who takes thee by the hand, that thou likewise
With him mayst rise,
That as his death calcined thee to dust,
His life may make thee gold, and, much more, just.

Awake, my lute, and struggle for thy part
With all thy art.
The cross taught all wood to resound his name
Who bore the same.
His stretched sinews taught all strings what key
Is best to celebrate this most high day.

Consort both heart and lute, and twist a song
Pleasant and long;
Or since all music is but three parts vied
And multiplied,O let thy blessed Spirit bear a part,
And make up our defects with his sweet art.

I got me flowers to strew thy way,
I got me boughs off many a tree,
But thou wast up by break of day
And brought’st thy sweets along with thee.

The Sun arising in the East,
Though he give light, and the East, perfume,
If they should offer to contest
With thy arising, they presume.

Can there be any day but this,
Though many suns to shine endeavor?
We count three hundred, but we miss:
There is but one, and that one ever.

George Herbert, 1639

Happy Easter!

This poem was written by Piper Todd, age 6. Piper also drew the picture of the rabbit surrounded by Easter eggs.


Bunny Joy

Sunny day Easter egg hunt
behind the school
where children and parents
with smiling faces
find surprises
pet soft bunny fur
and flopping ears.
Easter is great and good
Easter joy is for everyone.