It's been almost two weeks since Easter Sunday - the day we celebrated the resurrection of our Savior.

I don't know about you, but the weeks leading up to that day always bring me to a special place of reflection and renewal. This year, I read through my friend Lisa's 100 Days with Christ Bible reading plan to prepare my heart for Easter. (You can download a copy free by clicking the link.)

But now here we are several days later, getting back to the daily routine.

If you're like me, maybe you're crawling out of bed at 5 a.m. to get ready for work.

Or maybe you're tackling an overloaded schedule of errands and to-do lists.

Maybe you spend the day chasing youngsters and then mustering up just one more ounce of energy to cook dinner.

Most likely, we're all crashing into bed, ready to rise and repeat the same scene the next day.

If we're not careful, we can forget the beauty of what Jesus did for us. Not just through carrying the cross, but also in the time that followed the day He left the grave.

This year I discovered 5 precious gifts Jesus gave us.

Easter gifts.

He knew we would need them. And even though He gave them to us in the events surrounding Easter, He meant for us to enjoy them each and every day of our lives.

On days when monotony overwhelms us.

On days when exhaustion overtakes us.

On days when we're tempted to just go through the motions, His gifts long to be unwrapped.

Click the link here to read about the 5 Gifts Jesus Gave Us on Easter.

May these gifts rejuvenate our spirits and saturate our hearts when we're tempted to return to life as usual.

Which gift will you unwrap today?

Blessings,

Kristine

There are times when we feel like no one understands what we’re going through. When we feel alone and long to talk to someone about the struggle.

If you’re in that place today - the place of deep yearning to have someone who will listen - I hope with all the sincerity in my heart you will know this. I understand how you are feeling right now. And even though God may seem a million miles away, He hasn’t left. Not for one second. He spoke this truth to you and me…

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 ESV

There are others who understand too. Who’ve walked the road you’re walking now, and they would be honored to pray for you through the struggle. I share about this in today’s devotion below. I share it with the hope that it will bring peace in your difficulty, hope in your troubled time. Even as I write these words, I am praying for you.

My heart hurt for days, and I knew it wasn't over yet. I faced a long, treacherous road ahead. But today, the clouds had lifted just a bit. What made the difference? Asking a certain friend to pray. She was the one who could honestly say she understood my struggle.

There's something remarkable about knowing someone else has walked this road and survived. (Tweet this.)

Something helpful. Something hopeful. Because when you are right smack-dab in the middle of the hurt, hope is the only thing that puts your feet on the floor the next morning and sets one foot in front of the other, over and over again.

When you feel the deepest hurts, God may bring to mind one person who’s been there.

You may see her every day, or she may be someone you haven’t spoken with in years, but one thing is certain. If you ask, she will be more than happy to pray with you every step. All it takes is a simple text.

“Will you pray for me?”

It’s difficult to understand how someone feels if we haven’t experienced it. But someone who's been on the same boat knows where to find the life vests.

And even if I’m afraid to reach out to someone, I can know without a doubt that Jesus understands. He bore every pain we feel. He identifies with every hurt, and our pain is not beyond His healing reach.

So the next time you find yourself in a situation with the kind of heart hurt that makes you want to curl up in a corner and hide from the world, remember God is right there with you. And if you need someone else to pray, send that text or email. She understands your struggles and can lift your name to the Father when you don’t have the strength. Those knowing prayers will make each step easier than the one before.

But know this dear friend, even if your request for prayer goes unanswered, Jesus can use the loneliest times to give us new hope. New joy. New life. Breathe in that truth today.

Blessings,

Kristine

Need prayer or help through this time of pain? Focus on the Family offers pastoral counseling services at no cost to you. Click this link to learn more.