Easter: A Living Hope and a Thankful Heart
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
Spring has this way of slowing us down just enough to notice what’s around us. The days get a little brighter, flowers start showing up on sidewalks and in backyards, and life feels like it’s pressing a quiet reset button. With Easter sitting right in the middle of it all, April has always felt to me like a season of renewal—one that invites us to pause, breathe, and really take stock of the things we have.
But here’s the thing: when life is busy, it’s easy to move so quickly that we forget to notice those blessings at all. The everyday stuff—the meals we get, the roof we live under, the chances we have to study or pursue hobbies—can fade into the background until we’re reminded how much they actually mean.
Think about it: the lunch your parents or guardians packed that you might have rolled your eyes at and discarded in the cafeteria. The roof over your head that you don’t even have to think twice about when it rains. The fact that we get to shop for clothes when seasons change, or that so many of us have the chance to pursue hobbies that cost more than we realize (oh… if you’re a ballerina, hockey player, or part of any activity that requires lessons, uniforms, or gear, you know what I mean). That privilege isn’t small—and it often comes from people who sacrifice more than we know so we can live comfortably.
So, here’s your first challenge this month: go hug your parents, guardians, or close ones who consistently support you. Thank them. Out loud. They do way more for us than we often acknowledge.
The second reminder? It’s Easter. And Easter isn’t just about long weekends, chocolate bunnies, and pastel-colored everything (not to say those things aren’t fun of course, still love those Easter egg hunts to this very day). It’s about the ultimate gift of renewal and hope.
In 1 Peter 1:3 (ESV), it says:
“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.”
That’s the heartbeat of this season: a living hope that gives us the chance to pause, to be grateful, and to let that gratitude shape the way we live.
Stewardship isn’t just about managing money or the environment—it’s also about caring for the relationships, communities, and responsibilities we’ve been trusted with. Easter reminds us of the hope we’ve been given, and in turn, how we can carry that hope into the spaces around us.
So, as April unfolds, let gratitude be your reset button. Notice the things you usually brush past. Say thank you more often. Take care of what’s been placed in your hands, whether that’s your family, your friendships, your schoolwork, or even the planet itself.
And here’s the bonus part: don’t just let gratitude stop with you. Pay it forward. Write someone an encouraging note, offer to help out at home without being asked, volunteer your time, or simply smile at someone who might need it. Gratitude has this ripple effect—it doesn’t just renew your own heart, it has the power to renew the hearts of those around you too :)
P.S. Go give one of my all time favourite worship songs a listen: Gratitude by Brandon Lake.
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