"Lord I want to be like Jesus in my heart"
I believe the purpose of Lent is to be just that, more like Jesus and as we sang those words during ash wednesday service last night it rang true in mine {yes we ALL went to church last night for the first time since Leah}. Growing up, my family did not participate in Lent and I thought it was just something Catholics did. You know, so and so has given up "chocolate" for Lent- sucks for them moving on kinda thing. It was not until Adam and I joined the methodist church that I learned about Lent
Lent begins 40 days before Easter {ash wednesday} and its a period of self examination, penitence, prayer, and fasting. In a nutshell its a time when you are supposed to grow closer to God and however you choose to do so is up to you. The forty days that leads to Easter, Jesus went into the wilderness, fasted and just "thought" about what was about to happen - he was to go to the cross soon and rise 3 days after {Easter}. Fasting is a form of penitence.
Our pastor does great to explain to us that lent is not just about fasting its about growing closer to God. Remember- Lord I want to be like Jesus in my heart. A few years ago, Adam and I decided that we would do just that and found it very rewarding. First we would study a new book of the bible, give our time to habitat for humanity, and finally give unused clothes/belongings to goodwill instead of the typical fasting for lent. Last year I gave up facebook- I decided that time spent on facebook could be used to read my bible.
This year as we begin the season of Lent with our ash crosses, I am reminded all over again the purpose of this season. Pastor John tells us not to just look back and "apologize" but to look toward the future. So this year, I am not giving up facebook or chocolate {trying to lose all this baby weight so I prob should} I am going to look inward and focus on my relationship with HIM. My goal is to finish the book of Ephesians {which I was supposed to start in January} and to listen to at least one series from Louie Giglio {passioncitychurch.com}. This may not sound like much, but in my life right now I have little "my" time with Leah requiring so much of it. The hour I spend watching tv will now be devoted to reading my bible - something that I should be doing anyway.
Sara
Lent begins 40 days before Easter {ash wednesday} and its a period of self examination, penitence, prayer, and fasting. In a nutshell its a time when you are supposed to grow closer to God and however you choose to do so is up to you. The forty days that leads to Easter, Jesus went into the wilderness, fasted and just "thought" about what was about to happen - he was to go to the cross soon and rise 3 days after {Easter}. Fasting is a form of penitence.
Our pastor does great to explain to us that lent is not just about fasting its about growing closer to God. Remember- Lord I want to be like Jesus in my heart. A few years ago, Adam and I decided that we would do just that and found it very rewarding. First we would study a new book of the bible, give our time to habitat for humanity, and finally give unused clothes/belongings to goodwill instead of the typical fasting for lent. Last year I gave up facebook- I decided that time spent on facebook could be used to read my bible.
This year as we begin the season of Lent with our ash crosses, I am reminded all over again the purpose of this season. Pastor John tells us not to just look back and "apologize" but to look toward the future. So this year, I am not giving up facebook or chocolate {trying to lose all this baby weight so I prob should} I am going to look inward and focus on my relationship with HIM. My goal is to finish the book of Ephesians {which I was supposed to start in January} and to listen to at least one series from Louie Giglio {passioncitychurch.com}. This may not sound like much, but in my life right now I have little "my" time with Leah requiring so much of it. The hour I spend watching tv will now be devoted to reading my bible - something that I should be doing anyway.
Sara
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