An Easter Blessing

April 14, 2025

Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of the Messiah of the world, Jesus Christ. His story of condemnation goes right with a cynical skeptical world. He was a righteous man who loved and protected the struggling people from the religious and political elite, and the elitists were able to kill him in one of the most painful and humiliating ways possible. That was supposed to be the end of it. In a cynical and skeptical world, it is!

Then, amazing stories surfaced that can shatter the cynicism, if we will let it, and turn us into resurrection disciples who believe in the miracles of God. Here is an amazing Easter resurrection story to stir your soul to come closer to Jesus this Easter. This is a true story that I have adapted from Allison Massari (www.allisonmassari.com).

As a child, I learned that there was wonder and brilliance, but I also learned the reality of intense sadness and pain in the world. More than anything, my parents wanted me to believe that good could prevail; they wanted me to believe that no matter what, even in the darkest of places, beauty and love could bloom.

When I was seventeen, I was handed a newspaper clipping. It was one of the most painful things I had ever read, about a little 2-year-old baby by himself in the closet of his home, playing with a Bic lighter. Within seconds the entire closet and all the clothes were consumed in fire around him. He was completely helpless. His body was burned so completely, the doctors didn’t know if this small child would live. I was so affected by this story. I didn’t know what it was, but something about the story would not let go of me. It was one of those situations where you pause and think, “There is no good that can come from this.” I felt hopeless. I carried that story with me my whole life and never forgot that little baby.

Then, when I was 32, I would be burned badly in a car accident. I too was consumed by fire all around me in an enclosed space. I was watching myself in a horrific scene – burning alive. I was trapped and unable to breathe when a total stranger ran towards the colossal blaze, kicked in the window and saved my life. The pain I went through was beyond my ability to explain. I should be dead, but I came through. I healed.

After my accident, I understood at the deepest levels the needs of other burn survivors. I was compelled to create a program for teens with burn injuries, and with the help of volunteers, my dream became reality. The program has been running for over a decade now, through the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte, Colorado. The minute these kids get off the plane, there’s a jam-packed schedule. There is snowboarding, ski lessons, dog sledding, and ice to name a few activities. The week is full of adventure. I’ve witnessed again and again how the right attitude changes everything for these burn victims.

One participant was an extraordinary young man named CJ. His face and body were burned in totality, and his fingers were gone except for nubs an inch above the palm, and he had a very charismatic smile. Year after year, he would throw parties, play music, and get the snacks. He was that person who walked into the room with such a quiet assuredness that you quickly forgot he was burned; his love just burst out of his body.

One day I was on the phone with CJ. We were talking about life, brainstorming ideas, and catching up. For the first time I asked him about his story. He said, “Did you ever hear the story of the baby with the Bic lighter? That was me.”

I was silenced. It took me two weeks to call him back. I was so stunned. I finally contacted him and told him how I knew of his story when he was just two. We were both speechless. There was love there. It was real. My whole life, I needed to know if that little baby was okay. Not only is he okay, he’s an incredible person. He’s my friend.

Even in the most painful of places, in the most tragic and horrific of stories, love and beauty can unfold in ways we never imagined. Paul writes, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Do you love God? That is the key to the truth of this statement. I hope you will let the light of Jesus Christ’s resurrection shatter any darkness in your life. He is risen! He is risen, indeed! (To learn more about Al Earley or read previous articles, see www.lagrangepres.org. You can purchase my book, My Faith Journal, at Amazon.com, a compilation of 366 articles as a daily devotional).