God-winks and Easter Lillys

Spring is in the air, and unlike the last one, Holy Week occurs somewhat later this year, so it is not as cold. In addition to weather, symbols of the season are all around us—especially in the stores filled with Easter décor, candy, chocolate, and everything needed for that Easter basket. Although not as popular as Christmas in the consumer market, it still draws many people into the spirit of giving. After all, who doesn’t like to have an excuse to eat more chocolate?

For Christians, this is the most important of religious holidays, because it celebrates something impossible—the resurrection of Jesus from death and the grave. This figurehead of faith came back to life and countless people in one generation witnessed this miraculous event.

Nature itself echoes this cyclical rebirth in season. Countless flowers, dormant during winter months, now bud and blossom into vibrant colors and life again at the advent of Spring. The most widely recognized flower symbolizing Easter is the lily. This tall, elegant plant with trumpet-shaped, pure white flowers emits a sweet, delicate fragrance. It is mentioned throughout the Bible and is the traditional flower used to celebrate the holiday. Signifying the themes of purity, hope, and resurrection, the lily serves as a great representation of Christ’s resurrection.

Many parents name their daughters after this beautiful flower with many variations on the spelling. I’ve met many of these Lillys throughout my life, but in the last nine years, it has become an endearing name to me, because I am convinced it is God’s way of gifting me with so many more blessings than I could ever imagine possible. Let me explain…

I began working at the Community Church of Santa Rosa Beach in the Spring of 2016. Our church will celebrate its 75th anniversary on October 8, 2025. It has been a great service to our community and has birthed several ministries throughout its rich history (read more here: https://srbcc.com/our-story). Over the last 19 years, it has housed the Community Church Preschool as a ministry to the families in our area. The preschool has become an extra blessing to me and my wife because it has provided us with an opportunity to build relationships with our preschoolers and their families. This is very special to us because we were not able to have children of our own despite many prayers and seeking medical options. God had a better plan to have us influence more tiny humans than we ever thought possible.

Throughout many years of unexplained infertility, we dreamed of having children—even deciding what we would name them and why. The name that always came back to me was Lilly. I had a great-aunt named Lillian. I knew her throughout most of my childhood and adolescent life. She was my Granny Pauline’s oldest sister. I used to go to her house with my Granny and her sisters because Aunt Lillian was the hairdresser. Aunt Lillian and I bonded as friends rather quickly, and she always made the best chicken and rice for me. She had the sweetest spirit and was so kind. She passed away on January 27, 1997, but the impression she made on me is still with me to this day. I resolved that if I ever had a girl, I would name her Lillian (but call her Lilly) in honor of my sweet Aunt Lillian. I grew very fond of that name.

My wife and I have made peace with God about His will for us not to have children of our own. As we slowly released our wishes to God’s will, He healed our hearts in a way we never imagined. God always planned to bless us with more children than we could ever dream of having on our own. We are so grateful that His ways are better than ours. He knew the desire of our hearts and met them in such a special way.

The Community Church Preschool has brought hundreds of little ones into our world that we could love and encourage, along with their precious families. That would have been enough, but God always goes above and beyond. Every year since I began at the church (and my wife with our preschool), God has always had a Lilly there to remind me of this gift. Not one year has gone by without a Lilly, and I always look for them. Sometimes, I have had multiple Lillys. Every time I see a Lilly, it just makes my heart burst with gratefulness for God caring enough to say, “I love you, and I remember you.” Easter Lillys keep springing up all around me. I officiated a wedding a few months ago, and a little girl came over to me and introduced herself—can you guess what her name was? That’s right—Lilly. It's remarkable to witness.

I am so glad God gave us the blessing of Easter Lillys—not just in springtime once a year, but over the last nine years of our lives. I cannot wait to meet the new ones and try to keep in touch with the older ones—many are now in middle or high school.

Take the time to stop and smell the lilies this season and remember they symbolize hope and new life—for us, they also bring comfort and joy!