Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. In many ways, this is the most encouraging story ever told. The story of how Christ has died and paid the ultimate price for all of our sins. And better yet, he has risen and will one day return to earth to reunite with all faithful believers. That is the most essential element of the Christian faith; the death and resurrection of the Christ. Although Christ has paid the price and offers immediate forgiveness of sins and a “peace that passes all understanding,” there are too few takers of that offer. Look around you. How many people do you see that are actually free from worry and stress. How many people are burdened by feelings of insufficiency, guilt, inadequacy, desire for vengeance, distrust or other negative emotions. These emotions are toxic to our health and destructive to our lives. Repeatedly, the Bible assures us that we can lay our burdens down at Christ’s feet, then simply turn and walk away. But it is so often the case that we make a feeble show of doing so, then turn and continue to carry these emotional loads with us, wearing on our minds and deteriorating our bodies. Our minds and bodies are not separate things. The body is an extension of the mind. If our mind is not healthy, our bodies will not be healthy, regardless of the medical procedures that we undergo, the exercises we perform or the nutritional supplements we consume. Worry, guilt, stress and strife keep us from enjoying the vitality and joyful life that God intended for us. It doesn’t have to be that way. Today as you celebrate Easter, you can also make a choice to improve your life from this day forward. You can make an intentional choice to take the words of Scripture literally, and begin learning how to leave worries, guilt, and ill-feelings toward others at the foot of the cross. To do otherwise is to take the whole Easter story in vain. Notice I said “begin learning how to.” Although this is a refreshing concept that is unique to the Christian faith, actually becoming adept at simply leaving negative emotions behind takes time. It also takes practice. This practice is called prayer. My mother’s father died before I had a chance to get to know him. Knowing the children that he raised, however, gave me an insight into his strength of character and goodness. He was a coal miner and died an early death from black lung disease. He had 11 children and adopted another. My mother grew up in a small board and batten house with no running water and certainly no electricity. Those “good old days” were not so easy. My guess is that the stress I know is nothing compared to what my grandfather must have experienced as he tried to provide for his family and keep the children healthy in such an environment. I have learned that my grandfather had a secret method of dealing with the struggles and difficulties of life. He had a “prayer closet.” Obviously, in a house without actual closets, there was no physical room where he retired to pray. Instead, there was a small grove of trees that formed a living canopy not far from that modest house. My grandfather chose that grove to spend time with the Lord. He literally would visit that spot on a daily basis to be alone with the Master to share his concerns, plead forgiveness for the day’s mistakes, and leave his burdens at that place. Now, my aunts and uncles all share that kind of faith in God. They don’t live perfect lives. But they do live lives that are dependant upon the grace, mercy and forgiveness of God. That is the daily offer of the resurrection. Christ died for all of us. Not only are we invited to accept the offer of eternal salvation, but to learn to trust in God and allow him to teach us to live a daily life of joy and contentment. Happy Easter to you and your family. Dr. Mark Kestner mkestner@DrKestner.com