The Lenten season began on Ash Wednesday, March 1st. It is a season of 40 days (not counting Sundays) and ends the Saturday before Easter, which is April 15th this year.
During this Lenten season let me encourage you to keep your life centered on Christ. According to the United Methodist Church Book of Worship, “Historically, Lent began as a period of fasting and preparation for baptism by converts and then became a time of penance by all Christians”. Some folks choose to give up something for Lent like chocolate or Netflix. Well, maybe this year you might want to focus on working on a spiritual discipline. Perhaps this Lenten season you might pray more or spend more time in scripture or standing up against injustice. Or, take a look at the Lenten devotional book, 40 Things to Give Up for Lent, written by Phil Ressler, who lists 40 things to give up on— from fear of failure, to excessive business, to anger. I encourage you to look up the book title to see the complete list.
May this season be a time to walk more closely with Christ and to be aware of how Jesus sacrificed Himself for us.
Blessings,
Pastor Karen H. Whitaker