A love so unconditional and selfless that it bore our pain. A Savior so merciful, He chose the cross for you.
Have you ever stubbed your toe so hard it brought tears to your eyes? Or had a headache that made it hard to concentrate, or a stomachache that made you curl up in bed? Pain has a way of making everything else feel blurry. We want it gone. We want it fixed. Now!
But there’s another kind of pain that’s harder to treat with a band-aid or a pill.
It’s the kind of pain you might experience at school:
When a friend leaves you out.
When someone says something cruel behind your back.
When you try your best but still feel like you’re not enough.
When you walk down the hallway, you feel invisible.
Jesus intimately knows that pain, too. He's not a distant figure, but a compassionate friend who understands your struggles.
As we move through Holy Week, toward Good Friday and Easter Sunday, it’s easy to think about the cross and the empty tomb. But slow down. Take a moment. Let’s remember what Jesus felt and what led Him to the cross.
The night before He was crucified, Jesus went into a quiet garden to pray. He knew what was coming: the beatings, the mocking, the rejection, the nails in His hands. And He prayed with so much sorrow and stress that He sweated drops of blood (Luke 22:44). His heart ached. His body would break. But His love for His creation never wavered.
He said, “Father, not My will, but Yours be done.”
Jesus obeyed. Not because it was easy. Not because He had to. But because He loved the Father. And because He loved YOU.
He chose to suffer so you could be free. He chose rejection so you could be accepted. He chose pain so you could find healing. His sacrifice offers you hope and comfort.
Even when He knew the people He came to save would reject and mock Him.
Even when He knew the world would beat Him, spit on Him, and crucify Him.
Even when He felt utterly alone...
He still chose the cross because He chose YOU.
“He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
So when you’re hurting—physically, emotionally, socially, remember this: Jesus understands. He didn’t just come to save the world. He came to walk with you through the school hallways, through friendship struggles, through heartbreak, through pain. He is with you, even when it feels like no one else is. Jesus’ resurrection promises forgiveness, unconditional love, and a new beginning.
And He didn’t just die, He rose again.
So that you can live forgiven.
So that you can live free.
So that you can live for all eternity.
So that you can walk in joy, even when life is hard.
So that you can live forgiven, loved, free, and victorious in Him.
Have a beautiful and meaningful Easter.
Remember what Jesus did for you, my dear, beautiful girls.