Journey with Jesus from Palm Sunday to Easter

A warm bath and soft jammies. A cozy blanket, the rhythm of a rocking chair, all settled in on Mom’s or Dad’s lap. And now the best part:

Storytime.

Our evening routine when our kids were much younger often felt a bit frenzied: dinner negotiations with willful toddlers, baths that somehow got mom and dad just as wet, persuading our kids’ busy little bodies slow down long enough to usher in a good night’s sleep.

Despite the fact that mom’s and dad’s eyes are sometimes the first ones to fall heavy, reading to our kids every night remains one of our favorite bedtime rituals. Because whether it’s Berenstain Bears, Lord of the Rings, or the indefatigable DogMan, we all enjoy the arc of a good story.

Can I make a not-so-flattering confession?

Sometimes I let the book pages “stick together.” It’s true. If the bedtime routine was taking a snail’s pace, I’d see if I could cut a few corners here or there.

Did it work? Sometimes. Did it work for long? Nope.

Here’s the thing about stories: you want to experience the FULL story. My kids didn’t want the “weary mom abridged version.” They wanted the full book – cover to cover.

And honestly, I guess I can’t blame them. If you’ve ever walked into a movie late you know what I mean. While everyone else is enthralled at a seemingly pivotal moment, you look around and wonder “What’s going on? Why is this so important?”

In just a few short weeks we’ll celebrate Easter, but if we only talk about the Resurrection, we’re giving our kids the abridged version. They’re missing out on the full story. If we want our kids to understand the power of the Resurrection, they have to feel:

👉 the sorrow of Good Friday⠀
👉 the injustice of Pilate⠀
👉 the betrayal of Judas⠀
👉 the drama of the Last Supper⠀
👉 the tension of Holy Week ⠀
👉 the triumph of Palm Sunday

We have to tell the story with context, meaning, and explanation.

We created our Holy Week Family Worship Guide to help you and your family do just that: journey with Jesus from Palm Sunday to Easter.

About the Author

Jess Ray

Jess Ray is a worship leader, vocal director, and recording artist from Houston, TX who serves alongside her husband, Dave, at Salem Lutheran Church. She and Dave are the creators of Doorpost Songs, a series of songs and resources designed for kids worship, multi-gen worship, and family worship. Dave and Jess are the parents of three rambunctious kids, Evan, Jackson, and Addison.