From April Fools to Easter Truth: The Prank That Backfired…and the Truth That Changed Everything

April always comes in with a little mischief, doesn’t it?

April Fool’s Day.

A whole day dedicated to tricking people…lying just enough to get a reaction…and then laughing when they fall for it.

Now listen…I have pulled somedooziesover the years.

I mean…award-winning, Oscar-worthy performances.

One of my personal favorites goes back to a couple years after Chuck and I got married.

We still owned our house in April Sound…couldn’t sell it to save our life…but we had the sweetest women renting it. They were actually security guards in the neighborhood, and they took such good care of the place.

One day, they called to let me know they had found a gas leak on the water heater a couple days prior and had already taken care of getting it replaced. Just keeping me in the loop.

And y’all…immediately…a thought popped into my head.

A terrible. Wonderful. Slightly evil thought.

I told her my idea.

She laughed…like really laughed…and said, “Oh, I’m in.”

So I hang up…pick up the phone…and call Chuck at work.

He answers, and I go full serious mode.

“Hey…I’ve got some bad news about the house in April Sound…”

Pause.

“There was a gas leak…and an explosion…the house is gone.”

Now in my head, I am fully expecting panic. Shock. Maybe even a little dramatic “WHAT?!” moment.

Instead…this man…my husband…calmly says:

“Well…are the women okay?”

I said, “Yes, they were both out of the house when it happened.”

And then…

He says…

“Great! I don’t have to deal with the house anymore!”

Sir.

SIR.

Do you know how long I set that up?!

He didn’t just miss the prank…he bulldozed it and kept on going like it was a blessing.

I just sat there like…well…that didn’t go how I planned.

Now don’t get me wrong…I’ve had my wins.

There was the time I told him I was pregnant…when we were definitely not trying to have more kids.

He fell for it.

That one? Solid gold.

But this year?

I didn’t even try.

Not one prank.

And honestly…I think it’s because life itself has been doing enough unexpected plot twists lately that I didn’t feel the need to add to it.

You ever feel like that?

Like…we’ve got enough going on…we don’t need to manufacture chaos…it’s already showing up uninvited?

But then…just a few days after April Fool’s…

Something else came.

Something that makes every joke, every prank, every temporary distraction feel really small in comparison.

Easter.

And I know…I know…

Most people hear “Easter” and immediately think about the Easter bunny, egg hunts, baskets, chocolate…all the things.

And listen…I’m not against a good chocolate bunny.

But that’s not what Easteris.

Easter is Jesus.

It’s the reminder that He willingly walked into unimaginable pain…torture…betrayal…

For me.

For you.

He was beaten.

Mocked.

Crucified.

For me.

For you.

And then…

He died.

For me.

For you.

And just when it looked like the story was over…

Just when it seemed like darkness had won…

He rose again.

Alive.

Victorious.

Not as a prank.

Not as a trick.

But as the greatest, most life-changing truth this world has ever known.

And because of that…

We have hope.

We have forgiveness.

We have access to a Father who loves us more than we can even wrap our minds around.

So yeah…

April may start with fools.

But it doesn’t end there.

It ends with a Savior.

And that…is no joke.