Join me for Lent

Throughout my life, Lent has never been a part of my spiritual life. I grew up in a very Catholic town, so I was very aware of Lent, and went to the St. Mary's fish fry dinners on Friday nights almost every week as a kid with my parents and grandparents. That still does not constitute celebrating Lent. 

I celebrate Advent, and have been a part of churches that celebrate Advent. Advent is beautiful as each week we prepare ourselves for the coming King. Doesn't it just make sense that we would do the same as we prepare and worship the One who takes away the sins of the world? If it wasn't for Easter, Christmas is not all that important. 

I do think there is a significant difference between half heartedly giving up addictive items for Lent, and looking carefully at the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross and deciding to sacrifice as a response. 

This year World Vision and InterVarsisty have partnered together to create a "Lent Experience." They don't say experience, I do, because I am not sure what to call it. If I had to call it something other than experience, it would be Bible Study/Prayer Time/Process Time/Watching Videos/Learning about sacrifice/Seeing how other people sacrifice/ Actually sacrificing/ sacrificing with other people/advocation/education.  Experience sounds better, right? 

The Experience can be as little or as much as you want to make it. Each week of Lent (6 weeks) is a different theme. 

Check out the website Watch the video. If you are interested, feel free to sign up. I will be blogging on my experience, sharing what I am learning and inviting you to the same. 

Why am I making a big deal about this? 

1. I think it is a good discipline for Christians to set time aside this time of the year and refocus their life as they look to the cross. 

2. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice on the cross. As a christian, I both want to celebrate and worship Him for that, as well as follow His example to make significant sacrifices in our lives. 

3. Our church has been reading the book Radical, and asking how then shall we live? This is a great piggy back to Radical and what my pastor has been preaching/teaching/challenging and exhorting us for the last 8 months. 

4. As a community of believers, let's make sacrifice, stand up for our faith and be the hands and feet of Jesus. 

Please join me!! 

A thought before we start....

"To get ready, ask yourself what sacrifice means to you. Spend time thinking about how our generation can sacrifice to change ourselves and the world around us—and to ultimately reflect Christ’s sacrifice for us. "

Are you in? Leave a comment. 

Did you answer the questions about sacrifice? Leave a comment. 

Have questions? Leave a comment. 

You get the idea.