“Finding Jesus in the Quiet” “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

Today is Ash Wednesday and kicks off our season of Lent.

While many Christian’s across the world are finding “things” to give up for lent (I hope you are among them as well), I hope you can also find things that add meaning into your life as well.

One temptation we find when we are deciding what to give up is quickly finding something we don’t really like anyways.  For example, I don’t drink soda.  If I was to give up soda for the season of Lent, would that really be a sacrifice?  No, of course not.  However, if I was to give up coffee for Lent, that would be a sacrifice.  A deep and personal sacrifice…

You can give up other things as well that you don’t “consume”.  You can give up being too hard on yourself (take a vacation from berating yourself!), give up judging others, fast from anger and frustration, fast from anxiety and worry, and a number of other unhealthy stressors.

In addition to giving up something for Lent, again this year I want to challenge you to pick up something or some things that help you draw closer to Jesus.  I want to invite you to consider adding healthy things to your spiritual “diet”.

You could join a bible study, if you don’t already you can begin reading a book every day, pray more consistently alone and with each other, meditate, volunteer to serve the least of these, and even participate in church activities.  Adding spiritual practices can be a very spiritually healthy thing to do when it draws you closer to God.  In fact, in the past, my practice of adding has often been more rewarding than the practice of just giving something up.  Adding spiritual practices is a force multiplier!

This Lenten season we will have a Lenten refection on each Sunday leading up to Easter.  We will hear from our laity on a variety of ways of enhancing your spiritual life during Lent. This will be a short 5-10 min. reflection at the beginning of our service. 

March 1- “Praying/Reading” for Lent

March 8- “Giving Up” for Lent

March 15 “Adding to” for Lent

March 22 “Trying New Things” for Lent

March 29 “Giving to” for Lent 
April 5- “Getting healthy-spiritually, mentally, physically” for Lent

Join us each Sunday for ideas and strategies for enhancing your Lenten experience and deepening your faith life.  May this Lenten season be the season you more fully lean into God and the grace, love, and hope of Jesus Christ.

May it be so,

Rev. Lou Ward