the arena was dark, and the doors were open to the cool night air. i sat with my legs crossed and stretched my arms up to the ceiling. "as far as the east is from the west...that's how far he has removed our transgressions from us..." they are completely gone, set incomprehensibly far from me. so i crawl up to the throne of this huge God with my nose pressed to the ground, and he shakes his head at my hesitance. he'd like me to come with a little more confidence, because if he's told me once, he's told me a thousand times that i am forgiven. and nothing that i've ever done or not done, said or not said can possibly ever come between us again. easter is all about jesus. we were lost - we had no hope - and then God did something about it. so Jesus came to earth and shook up the entire world with miracles and radical teachings, disappearing and reappearing, turning water into wine, and finally, conquering death itself on easter. and this God loves me. this God would humble himself enough to tell me that he misses me, that he values me, and that nobody can take my place. what could be more important than knowing that i am utterly loved and accepted, completely forgiven, and that i stand now in the shadow of a cross that changed everything? God, how can i thank you for that? how could i ever go back to life the way i knew it before i found out about you? you've changed everything i ever thought i knew.