My Lent Challenge...

Growing up in a Southern Baptist church we really didn't emphasize Lent as much as some other denominations do.  Sure I KNEW what the season of Lent was and what it was about but the emphasis on really giving something or more than one thing up wasn't really placed on it like it is in my church today which is Methodist.  I love this season....it has quickly become one of my favorites since we joined Christ United about two years ago now I guess.  I have found that this season reminds me to be more intentional about my time and communion with my Maker, I feel more aware on a daily basis of His presence and authority over my life...and through the "giving up" I am constantly reminded of not just sacrifice in general, but HIS sacrifice on the cross for me...what an UNREAL MINDBOGGLING truth.  Wow.  Takes my breath away when I really allow my heart to ponder on what He did for me. Dirty ole me. Praise Him.

I've also been reminded probably more this year than years past that Lent isn't JUST about giving something up - it's also a season to add additional things in.  New habits, new challenges for yourself - positive influences....

All of this is leading up to what I have decided to give up and add in for Lent this year.  Since I've recently started a pretty strict diet thanks to the wedding AND the fact that I want to be the healthiest I can be at every age, there really wasn't any food or drink that I could give up that would really be a challenge...and I want a challenge.  I was reading a facebook friend's post yesterday about Lent - (yes, I realize I am starting a day late!) and she was posting about how her pastor had suggested that you didn't neccessarily have to give up a physical thing - it could be an attitude, anger, any number of things along those lines - - this post got my wheels to turning and this morning I came to an understanding with the Big Guy what my 40 Day Lent Challenge needed to be...

I am giving up anger that I have held in my heart.

We all have anger right? We hold onto things that people have said or done to us - not realizing for a while, usually, that it is eating away at our spirit - rotting away at the joy our Savior intends for us to have in our hearts. This past year has been filled with things that have not only hurt me but made me really angry. My parent's losing their home - a lot of anger. Another issue that I am working on a post for coming soon - anger. Relationships that don't look like what I've dreamed about or feel like I've prayed for - anger anger anger. And why? What good does this anger in my heart do for me? It makes me lash out at the tiniest of things, it steals my joy, it prevents me from being the child of the King I was intended to be.  So this season I am giving up the anger in my heart.

You might ask...okay, but what does that look like exactly?

For me it looks like - not choosing to talk about these things bitterly, and if that begins to happen - walking away from the conversation.  That looks like me giving these things up to Jesus every.single.day. and I'm aware that some days giving them up once will not be enough - I can imagine I will have days where I take things to Him over and over and over again in one day.  It looks like me choosing my words wisely - speaking in love - making an intentional effort to take up my cross daily and follow the King.

This may seem like a crazy thing to "give up" for Lent but through a good bit of prayer I feel like this is what He has called me to.

In addition to that I wanted to "add" something in to my life that I'm currently not doing but that's positive for me...so, my challenge in this area is to begin blogging at least one time every day for the next 40 days.  I know this is going to be a BIG challenge for me because I get too busy - I "don't have anything to write about" - excuses go on and on but I have found throughout my life that when I'm writing, I feel better - I learn things about Jesus as I write, He speaks to me as I pop my fingers across the keyboard - and the more I write, the more I realize I have to write about. 

So giving up anger and beginning to write every single day are my two challenges for this season...

I'm thankful to begin this journey - and I'm exciting about all that He has in store for this Easter season...

He is RISEN! He is RISEN INDEED!