photo cred. Janet Plock

Easter is this weekend. Holidays are hard when you’re the parent of a child who brings you heartache. How old they are doesn’t matter. If they struggle with a potentially life-altering issue, have estranged themselves from you, are incarcerated, or have with some other situation, everything changes.

On special days, you hurt even more … much more.

Memories from when your child was young and innocent flood your mind.

You can’t help but remember your cute little girl all dressed up in her Easter clothes. Her beautiful smile would catch your breath. You can still see your precious four-year-old son looking adorable in his suit and tie. His impish smile melted your heart. What fun you had, surprising them with baskets full of treats. Happy memories of Easter egg hunts now only bring tears and a lump in your throat. Those days remind you of what you’ve lost. How could you forget?

Now we wonder if our children will ever even like us again or want to spend time with us. Others would be satisfied just to know their child is alive.

Bittersweet Holidays

Bittersweet holidays. The sweetness of the past alongside the bitterness of the present.

Is this how you feel? Please hold on to Easter’s timeless messages of hope. They are as relevant for us today as they were on Resurrection Day over 2,000 years ago.

God often digs a well of joy with a spade of sorrow.  ~ anonymous

Easter’s 3 Messages of Hope

photo cred. Dena Yohe

1.You never know what tomorrow might bring.

In this moment, we can’t see what God is doing, but He is at work. He is always working, although we are usually unaware. His hand moves behind the scenes, creating surprises when least expected. Read John 16:33 and Matthew 28:1-7 for a few examples.

2. God longs to comfort us with His presence and love.

Jesus, the perfect, spotless Lamb of God, suffered, bled, and died for us (and for our children) so that we could have the gift of eternal and abundant life (John 3:16; John 10:10; Romans 6:23). He gave His all so that we could experience all the blessings and goodness He has in store for us.

3. Because of Jesus’ suffering and resurrection, we don’t have to suffer alone.

He is with us now and forever. We’re never alone in our troubles (Matthew 28:20b; Psalm 23:4 and Isaiah 41:10).

Jesus walked a lonesome path to the cross, so that we will never walk alone through this life.

I grew up going to church, singing the hymns of the Judeo-Christian faith. The words of an old one came to mind as I wrote this post. They capture my heart’s prayer for you, dear friend, and for your sons and daughters. The hymn is: “At The Cross” by Ralph Hudson. You can listen to different renditions on YouTube or wherever you listen to music. Here’s an arrangement by the Gaither Vocal Band recorded in 2012. And this is another jazzy version sung by TD Jakes recorded in 2020.

At The Cross (the chorus)

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,

and the burden of my heart rolled away.

It was there by faith I received my sight,

And now I am happy all the day.

“Only in the gospel of Christ can hurting people find such incredible hope.”   ~ Randy Alcorn

You never know what tomorrow might bring. God longs to comfort you with his presence and love. He suffered on your behalf, so that you don’t have to suffer alone. These three simple truths give us a power-pacted dose of hope. Thank God for His wonderful promises.

Pray with me: O Father, we pray that this Easter our prodigal loved ones will finally see the light of the gospel in the cross of Christ. Please give them an understanding of the meaning of Easter for themselves, so that the burden of their hearts will roll away. We want ours to roll away. The weight has crushed and broken us beyond what we thought possible. Help our sons and daughters have the faith to believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God. And may they receive 20/20 spiritual vision so that they will know the joy of the resurrection, both now and forever. This is the hope of our hearts at Easter. In the name of Jesus, the Messiah, the Lamb of God, the Resurrection and the LIfe, who laid down His life for us all. Amen.

***If you’re tired of suffering alone, please join us for one of our in-person or online parent support group meetings listed on our website under “Support Groups“. Scroll to the bottom of the states where you’ll see “Online Groups”. You could order a copy of the book we use in our meetings (our Parent Notebook), or read one of our books. Click here to see all of them. They’re full of encouragement, hope, and practical tips to help you thrive again.