Through Lent, the 9:00 am Children’s Church kids took an extended walk through “Happy Day,” a song suggested to us by Leap of Faith, our worship band. It gave us a new window into the Easter experience. It has a wonderful energy and lyrics that are global and personal, telling a story of God’s presence in our past, present, and future.

“Sing it out. Jesus is alive. He’s alive… Oh, happy day, happy day.”

The song was written by Tim Hughes and has been shared by Leap of Faith for 10 years.

As we moved through it each week in Lent, one lyric filled my heart:

“I'll never be the same… forever I am changed.”

Band leader Hurst shared his thoughts with us and called “I’ll never be the same” a “brilliant closing declaration.” I love Hurst’s use of “declaration.” As we’re singing, we’re declaring, telling each other and the world, we will never be the same.

I explained to the kids that the celebrations of Easter—worship, family, egg hunts, Easter baskets, new clothes—will fade, but the power of Jesus and His Resurrection is eternal and available and accessible beyond the holiday.

But as I shared, I started to get a little anxious.

Am I? Are we? Changed? Was it really a declaration this year? I want it to be more than a lyric. I want it to be a truth, an action.

As Easter fades this year, let’s pray into change. Let’s—individually and collectively—come through the 2024 Easter experience declaring our new energy and new imagination and new intention.

On April 7, as the sun sets around 7:52 p.m., from wherever you are, with whoever cares to join you, let’s pray together into change.

Lord, thank you for creating this change in us. Please help us use this change in ways that reflect your love and light to more people, on more days.

Lord, help us share this change in the familiar places, in families and neighborhoods and workplaces and schools.

Lord, help us share this change in the ways we recognize new opportunities and new relationships.

Lord, help us share this change in the ways we see and respond to needs in our communities, our nation, and the world. Lord, give us light on our path, lead us to people and places where we can continue to declare our hope and joy and love.

If we carry the change forward, there will be more happy days in more hearts. Celebrate, Jesus is alive. He’s alive. Happy Day!