I’ve had this basket for years.  It has a flat back.  I laid it on the table and made a cross from two twigs tied together. Then I placed the candles inside the handle of the basket.  Just use materials you already have at home. Don’t purchase anything. One single candle is sufficient to light your way through the Word.

This is my favorite time of year- the days leading up to Easter.  It’s such a sacred time.  Thousands of Christians around the world are preparing their heart for our Lord and Savior’s Resurrection Day celebration.  Many of you have already started nightly devotions with your family.  If you haven’t it’s not too late.  Start this week!

When our children were growing up we always turned the lights off in the house, along with the TV, computers and phones for our devotion time. We lit our kerosene lamp in middle of the kitchen table or in the family room and all eyes watched the flickering light illuminate the pages of the Bible as it was read.

In preparing our hearts for Easter, let’s focus on Jesus.  Every night after dinner (or when it is sufficiently dark outside) turn everything off, light your candle(s), and read the Bible aloud to your family.

We’re going to be reading a chapter a night from the book of Matthew.  When we finish chapter 28 (which is the final chapter) we’re going to read the last two chapters of Mark, Luke, and John for the last week leading into Easter Sunday. Discuss the chapter each night with your family in depth and close in prayer.  I doubt you’ll want to turn anything back on.  It will ruin you for any other entertainment.  Take your time.  This is the most precious time you’ll spend with your family.

Don’t ever get discouraged if you miss a night.  Just pick up where you left off.

There are seven candles inside the arrangement.  We lit all seven candles February 13.  And each week leading up to Easter we snuff out one candle.  By Good Friday we’ll have no candles lit and we’ll focus on what Jesus endured.  Easter Sunday we’ll relight ALL candles and talk about what His resurrection means to us.

Easter is my favorite holiday!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. We must go into all the world and be this light to the nations. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14