Easter is the celebration of an event that changes everything. It changed the lives of those who witnessed it and it is the change that we are looking for in the deepest, darkest parts of our lives. Life can leave us empty but because of an empty tomb, we can find new birth and living hope!

Holiday and family traditions can be wonderful parts of our lives. In the Jewish faith, Passover is a celebration anticipated all year. During some of the last moments of his life, Jesus uses this setting to do something that most of us would not. He leaves us an example of how to live and it begs the question, what does love require of me?

Finding joy is a buzzword in our culture today with the philosophy of decluttering our lives of stuff no longer needed. It's a great idea but leaves us a bit short in understanding real joy. In some last words with his followers, Jesus shares a strategy of joy that seems strange and foreign. Yet once we engage with this amazing love it might change us forever.

People love to refer to Jesus as a great religious teacher. He taught life-changing principles, he taught us to love, to be good. But Jesus also made bold statements about himself. It was the main reason why the religious people of his day hated him. One of the boldest statements Jesus ever made leaves us with very few options. Either he is or he isn't and even if we might object to it, we have to decide.

If we knew our time left to live was short, our lives would probably take a much different trajectory. We would handle ourselves differently, spend as much time with the people we care for deeply, speak our last words with purpose. As we move closer to Easter, we explore some of the last words and actions of Jesus and discover life-changing words.

One of life's greatest faith questions is "What does God want from me?". Jesus answers this question as simply and profoundly as possible as he directs his followers to the simple idea of loving others. As we love the least, we love Jesus. And that is all God wants from us.

Follow God's plan and you will discover an entirely different life. You will begin to discover margin, breathing room. What will we do with that margin?

Our personal finances can be sources of great anxiety, fear and worry. On the outside everything can look okay but on the inside there is nothing but stress. We need hope and in a letter to a first century church, Paul gives us a promise of hope. If we let God have first, God will meet our needs.

Very few people want to be called selfish or self-centered. Yet if we were honest, most of our financial choices tend to be all about "me". We want to build our little kingdoms and we shut God out. But when life gets hard, its so easy to run to God to get his help. What if we had a different plan? What if we involved God at the beginning? It all boils down to priorities and God desires #1.

When it comes to personal finances, we all have different roadmaps. Maybe this is one of the reasons why it can be so confusing and frustrating and worry-filled. Everyone has a goal when it comes to finances - we want something - but our goals don't always match up with God's. In a moment of incredible generosity, King David helps God's people understand the right direction when it comes to who we are and who God is.