Happy Easter!

I do not "work" on Sunday, but I woke up at 5:00 am this morning to a raging thunder and lightning storm, which prompted me to go to my prayer room to listen to music instead of lying in bed awake. As I listened to the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir sing "All Because of Him," I realized it was Palm Sunday, and I felt compelled to share what came to my mind. I recalled a Palm Sunday sermon by Rev. Roxana Atwood I heard nearly three decades ago in which she said, "Don't you dare come Easter Sunday service if you haven't come for Maundy Thursday or Good Friday services!" 

As I contemplated her admonition, I realized it illustrates one principle of Productive Environment Institute, "In every organizing process, things will get worse before they get better." 

In case you are not familiar with the story, Jesus rode into Jerusalem with the people cheering and shouting for the man they thought would be their king. On Thursday, known as Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday, referring to Jesus' commandment to the disciples to "Love one another as I have loved you." Jesus gave it to His disciples in the Upper Room while they ate together in what we call "The Last Supper." (Side note: I will never forget the power of being in that room on my trip to Israel as everyone sang the Doxology.)

The following day, which Christians call "Good Friday," Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried. 

How many times have you, like the disciples, been in a situation longing for something better? You put your hope into an idea, a project, a relationship, a business with great expectations just as the disciples did on Palm Sunday as they paraded into Jerusalem. But down the road, you found yourself in a situation that seemed far worse than what you had before you began! 

If you've been around me long, you've heard me say, "It will turn out right in the end. If it doesn't, it isn't the end yet." My favorite verse in the Bible supports my philosophy. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (KVJ) 

On Easter morning, what seemed impossible became a reality. The story is more unbelievable than any book or movie you've ever read! Jesus rose from the dead! 

From the time I first began organizing professionally 40+ years ago, my prayer was that my clients would feel the love of Jesus whether I mentioned His name, which I rarely, if ever, did because I was so afraid of offending someone. Today, I feel different because of my story. At age 11, I tried to commit suicide, and in my 40s, felt hopeless. I checked into a hospital for depression because nothing I tried to overcome my despair lasted. While there, under the guidance of a God-inspired art therapist, through a childish-looking collage of pictures cut out of a magazine, I realized Jesus was the answer. 

When I was a little girl, I repeatedly heard the Easter Story, but I couldn't accept that Jesus died for me because I felt too unworthy. In the collage, I had glued the famous painting "The Light of the World" by William Holman Hunt, of Jesus knocking on the door. When I realized that there was no doorknob on that door and that I had to invite Him into my life, my world changed forever! 

And so today, I look forward expectantly toward Easter Sunday, and to what it represents. The world in which we live today is so broken, but this world is not my home, so I can look forward to my Heavenly home where everything will be right! 

If this story makes no sense to you, or you have questions about what it might mean to you, I hope you'll reach out to me. There's nothing I love to talk about more! 

Happy Easter! 

The Jordan River 2016 | Rededicating my life

Photo Courtesy: Barbara Hemphill