Nestled in Christ

There’s something charming about Matryoshka dolls. They’re classic, simple and represent personal memories as well as countries’ cultures.

My aunt gifted us blank Matryoshka dolls for Christmas, along with supplies and an adorable book. And here it is, close to Easter, and we’re finally embracing the gift … and oh, how fitting that ended up being.

There is deep meaning in these simple dolls. Each one nestles within the next … And all except for the first and the last are being protected while also protecting. How symbolic. We are being protected by Christ, as we protect those we love. And it is no coincidence that Christ is called the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and Omega.

Christ was chosen in the premortal life to be our Savior. His role was foretold by prophets. We have loved Him since the Beginning. And because of His perfect life, death and resurrection, we can look to Him for life after our imperfect mortal life. For in the End, with Him, we will have no end. What a gift! Hallelujah!

Christ’s life and resurrection offer us an amazing promise of peace – a peace that surpasses all understanding. It eases the sorrowful sting of death, for in Him we shall be made alive. All He asks of us is to believe and follow Him. What gets me the most, is that His atoning sacrifice was done for each one of us. One by one, He nestles us. He envelopes us. He becomes part of us … as we strive to become like Him.

So, this Easter season, we’re looking a little differently at our Matryoshka dolls. We painted our own dolls, ones to represent each one of us. We can remember that He did it for each one of us when we look at them.

And here’s a fun and faith-filled idea: I printed beautifully hand-written phrases from Heidi Swapp, cut them out and nestled them, one by one, into the dolls. The phrases go exactly with the Easter message! The words are classic, simple and sweet – they represent personal application and a whole world’s redemption. I’m planning a Family Night where we’ll open each nesting doll, discuss the nestled message and then watch this new Easter video. I am sure the Spirit of Christ will fill our hearts, because it fills mine even just planning for it!

Guess what … That same Easter family lesson is available for you! You can download Heidi Swapp’s Halleljah Easter creation for free, right here:

Download Heidi Swapp’s inspired printable in black here.

And here it is in a gorgeous gold!

Don’t have Matryoshka dolls? No worries! You can use clean, crisp nesting envelopes! What matters most, is that the message of Him and His gift is the focus. He is the gift! Hallelujah!

You can also see how we used the “He did it for you” card as part of a family service project – it’s on my last blog post (here).

Christ really is in the details of our daily lives. As we open our eyes with faith, we can discover Him in our ordinary, everyday MOMents … I love that the message of my book continues to teach me each day! And did you see that the book is on sale on Amazon? Here’s a link Everyday MOMents: Discovering Christ in the Details of Motherhood.

Oh, and one last thing … in case you’re wondering what our personalized Matryoshka dolls turned out like … Smile at these self-portraits. Even our pup showed up!