The Love That Chooses Us — Even in Our Pain

Easter has always been a celebration of hope, but this year, that hope feels heavier. Walking through the loss of my only son, Aurèle, has reshaped my understanding of love, sacrifice, and the Father’s heart. Grief strips life down to its essence. In my pain, I found myself returning to the cross, not for answers, but for the One who chose suffering for us.

What overwhelms me about Jesus is that He chose the cross, fully aware of the cost. He wasn’t pushed, trapped, or overpowered. He volunteered.

“No one takes my life from me… I lay it down of my own accord.” — John 10:18

Even in agony, Jesus never changed. He didn’t retaliate or withdraw. He remained the same gentle, compassionate Savior who welcomed children, lifted the broken, and loved the overlooked.

In my grief, I began to understand something I never wanted to learn: love costs something.

My loss showed me the cost of love…
But the cross shows the choice of love.

I would have done anything to protect my son.
But God did everything to give His Son—because that’s how much He loves us.

If my loss shook my soul, the cross reveals a Father whose love is deeper and more sacrificial than I can comprehend. My grief became a window into God’s pursuing love—a love that pays the highest price for redemption.

Losing Aurèle hasn’t answered everything. But it has made this clear: the Father’s love is not theoretical. It is costly, intentional, and full of passion for His children. If my heart can break like this, His must have broken even more. And yet, He gave His Son anyway.

That is how much He loves us.

And this love doesn’t just comfort, it commissions. We are called to carry the gospel to hard places, not only in the world but within our own hearts. The mission doesn’t pause for pain, God works through it.

This Easter, may His sacrificial love send us again. Carrying hope, even from wounded places, because Jesus showed us the way.

A Quiet Moment That Preached to My Heart

Our girls ask me every night to sing “Yes, Jesus Loves Me.” This week, the words felt different. It’s not just a song, it’s a declaration.

Loving like Jesus requires surrender and trusting that God truly holds everything, even when we can’t see the way ahead.

And that, too, is Easter.

A love that chooses.
A love that costs.
A love that carries us, even in our pain.

Lucy Okenkali
Volunteer-Wasaidizi and Growth Teams
Gabon