Fasting, Seasonal Reflections

Why Fast? 5 Surprising Reasons to Embrace Spiritual Fasting

Growing up the focus was always on making sure we were fed. We lived, laughed, and loved around the table. Meals were everything and treats were the solution to every problem as well as the perfect means of celebrating every joyful moment. We had a generous, loving, and happy home. When I was first introduced to the concept of fasting, I could not wrap my brain around why anyone in their right mind would ever think that voluntarily depriving oneself of such a bonding, healing, and delicious necessity could possibly be a good thing.

I fought the concept tooth and nail for over 10 years.

But, somehow, despite all my best efforts and my long list of excuses, I could not silence the incessant tugging at my heart that somehow fasting was more than just a good idea (or a bad idea), it was a calling.

Endurance, Seasonal Reflections, When life is Hard

How to Embrace Your Cross – 2 Practical Steps

Is it even possible to Embrace a Cross?

We all have crosses. Maybe they are objectively horrible, or only intolerable to us. But we all suffer and it is always more than we can handle. Matthew 16:24 exhorts: “Take up your cross…” and yet our tendency instead is to want to run from that which causes us pain, to fight it, to escape it, to avoid it.

It seems paradoxical to think of finding joy in the midst of so much pain, but it is possible.

This is how we fall in Love with our crosses and learn to embrace them.

But, what does it mean and how do we do it?

Seasonal Reflections

Rediscovering the Purpose of Lent

What is the real Purpose of Lent? Why do we have this season anyway?

Why all the focus on “sacrifice”? Why do we fast? How do we decide what to “give up” or what to do? Why make resolutions anyway?

It is true that Lent encourages us to make sacrifices, to “die to ourselves” like Christ, to give more, to work harder, to move outside our comfort zone but if that’s all we see, or if we think that we do those things as ends in themselves, we are sorely mistaken. In fact, misunderstanding the purpose of Lent is the #1 reason so many people resent Lent AND why they are making all the wrong resolutions.

Let’s reverse this epidemic.

Seasonal Reflections

When Your Lent Feels Like a Desert…

Do you dislike Lent? Does it feel like a season for annoying rules and complaining? Do your good intentions feel somehow unappreciated or worthless? Does your extra prayer or acts of service seem empty, aimless or uncertain?

Hatred for Lent seems to be an epidemic…. I’ve never met anybody who liked it, so I started to think maybe I was crazy (Because I LOVE Lent). But, a couple years ago in prayer He gave me this revelation that changed everything!

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