This year’s Easter Weekend was a completely different experience for me. I was miles away from my family in a different state. Being in a completely different state on this Holy Weekend revealed so much to me. I experienced, witnessed, and ministered throughout the weekend and there were so many emotions that came with it, I wanted to take a moment and write about it.
1. MORE THAN A PHRASE: He is Risen
I wanted to take a moment to write about “He is Risen” because every year on social media I see this phrase pop up everywhere. Although I love to see people proclaiming Jesus’s resurrection, something inside of me didn’t sit right with my spirit because it seemed like another trendy phrase to post on social media. I remember writing in my notes yesterday to write about what “He is Risen” means to me and why I post/share it.
I felt led to write what it meant because, I wanted all those who watch and read my stories to see it is more than just a phrase, but it is the action of Jesus conquering death and in doing so there’s an open door for transformation in our lives. Jesus’s resurrection is the declaration of a new creation, redemption, passion, and unconditional love.
Through Jesus’s resurrection, I was a broken girl who sought validation and satisfaction in external things that only brought temporary fulfillment. “He is Risen” turned my brokenness into purpose. My old self died when Jesus went to the cross, and He made me a new creation when “He is Risen.”
It is more than just a phrase. It is an acceptance of transformation.
2. EXPERIENCE WALKING IN OBEDIENCE
For Easter service, I knew I wanted to go to church and experience one of two churches: “UPPERROOM DALLAS” or “WATERMARK COMMUNITY CHURCH.” I was torn between the two churches because one was recommended by a friend, and it reminded me of my church back home, but it was 10 minutes farther than where I was staying. The other one was a church I had listened to for a very long time, but I wasn’t guaranteed a seat. The church gets impacted that if you don’t come early, you won’t get a seat in the main prayer room. I was more inclined to go to UPPERROOM, but the idea of me not being able to get a seat hindered me and made me entertain Watermark. Both churches are amazing in their own way, but I knew I should go to UPPERROOM, but yet external factors made me entertain something else.
It wasn’t until I Facetimed my sister when she told me that I needed to start walking in favor and believe I am supposed to be there, and to believe I will receive a seat. When she told me that, I knew it was my confirmation to go to UPPERROOM. As a result, I was able to get a seat, I met a brother in Christ and we shared testimonies, I experienced the most authentic heart of worship at a church, I did not want to leave its presence. Everyone from every age and demographic having such a heart of worship was so refreshing to witness! It was overall an amazing experience and when I was telling my parent’s this story my dad said to me “I’m glad you were walking out of obedience to have that experience.” – it is so true! We have to continue to experience walking in obedience; especially in this generation when the voices and noises are loud, it clouds you from hearing the Holy Spirit and it disrupts your judgment.
My encouragement for those who are reading is to experience walking in obedience. Let the spirit lead you and go towards the choice your spirit is drawn to!
3. BE IN POSITION FOR YOUR VISION
“Be in position for your vision” is the phrase God gave me when I decided to take an assistant coaching job. The past few months I have been humbly questioning why I was even coaching because I am technically the third coach on roster, and the coaches I am under are both my parent’s age with professional volleyball experience and so many years of volleyball coaching – I often questioned why I was even needed on staff. This weekend was probably the first time I got an answer to all of my internal questions. On Saturday, I had a whole conversation with a handful of my players about God, faith, the bible, the resurrection, saving yourself for marriage, etc. It broke my heart because a lot of my players who go to faith based schools are so misguided from their teachers who are teaching false doctrines (evolution, anti-bible, rejecting biblical accounts, etc.). I shared with them why I believe what I believe and a breakdown of my faith, but it was in that conversation when I got the confirmation of the God-given assignment I am on – to plant seeds to the girls I coach. I am not forcing my religion on them, but merely just answering questions they have asked me and in doing so being a positive role model and staying true to my walk.
I am sharing this moment with you all, because I didn’t understand why I was placed on this team, but the conversations I had this weekend with most of my players confirmed and answered why I was there. My hopes and prayers are to plant seeds, and be a walking testimony of God’s love and to showcase how real He is in my life.
4. WE ARE WITNESSES OF THE RESURRECTION
This was a phrase the pastor at UPPERROOM mentioned and it clinged on to me. I think this statement is so powerful because we really are witnesses of the resurrection. We may not be Mary or the apostles during that time, but right now in this generation we are living witnesses of Jesus’s resurrection to the nonbelievers.
What comes to mind when I say this phrase is the act of surrendering my life, and dying to myself so I can be made into a new creation through Jesus. When Jesus died, so did my old self and desires. When I make this claim, I am saying to people “the version of me that rooted my identity in pride, athleticism, and conformed into the world died, and I was resurrected with Jesus and now I am alive full of purpose, passion, and love.” Our testimonies create a way for us to be testaments of the resurrection to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Written by keilani mayo
EASTER WEEKEND. DALLAS, TEXAS. APRIL 2022.