Though there’s fresh snow on the ground here in Chicago, spring—and Easter—are just around the corner. To help people get prepared spiritually for the Easter celebration of Christ’s resurrection, Willow Creek Community Church is offering a series of online devotionals distributed through the Willow Weekly, an email newsletter sent out every Tuesday to more than 20,000 recipients. The devotionals can be read either online or printed as hard copies for use later.

Over the course of the next six weeks, Willow’s Easter Devotionals take readers on a spiritual journey that begins and ends with God’s personal and unconditional love for mankind. Each week’s devotional centers around a different key word. Week One, for example, focuses on “Create,” an investigation of God’s intentionality and tenderness in creating each human being. The devotions include five sections:

§ Pray—A simple prayer of surrender opens each devotional.

§ Read—Five daily scripture passages explore the key word theme.

§ Reflect—A series of thought-provoking questions, with space for journaling provided, provide opportunity for personal reflection.

§ Respond—Practical next steps help participants live out the key theme during their week.

§ Pray—A Psalm relating to the theme word is suggested as a closing prayer.

As an added bonus, musicians from Willow Creek’s worship teams are providing original worship songs that can be either streamed or downloaded onto an MP3 player. “Our team is glad to be able to offer music that might help people connect with God,” says Willow’s Worship Director Matt Lundgren.

No matter your pre-Easter tradition (or lack thereof), Willow invites you to join the rich tradition of Christ followers who for centuries have invested the weeks leading up to Easter as a time for spiritual spring cleaning—humble reflection and sacrificial surrender.

Read the Easter Devotional.

Subscribe to the Willow Weekly email and receive a link to each week’s devotional.