lent

dear friend.

i haven't written to you in so long because i haven't known how to say anything to you. jesus has been doing a work in my heart i haven't even known how to process in the last five months. a hard work that is leading me to so much beauty.

but today i write to you because we are in the midst of this beautiful season of lent and my heart is overjoyed. and i want you to join me in it. sixteen days in. because it's a time to repent and remember the beautiful sacrifice that was made on our behalf. the calendar days marked with traditions are there to remind us of the King we follow and choose daily to serve. and this whole season of Lent is there to remind us that we are dust and Christ is the one who redeems us.

in the devotional i'm going through in the midst of this season, we found ourselves in the story of Adam and Eve and Jesus' response to the original act of sin on ash wednesday. and i've spent a lot of time reflecting on being from dust and returning from dust and i love that image because we are nothing compared to Christ.

but here's the thing: part of the dust thing is our struggle with sin and being tempted and our giving into that. because we're made from dust and because we'll return from dust, all the in between parts are filled with a constant struggle of sin and temptation. with being disappointed and enveloped in selfishness. and that's really hard. women endure painful childbirth and our desire is for our husbands; we seek affection from all except the True Romancer of our hearts. and men will eat from the ground and endure hard work to harvest the earth. and there are so many other sins that tempt and distract us. love of money, idolatry, lust, pride, anger...

as leaders of the junior class for our collegiate ministry, we described ash wednesday to students who hadn't truly understood the tradition. during the discussion, this phrase was used to describe the lenten season: "it's a time we lay down our pride in repentance." this season is about repentance. because we're all from dust. and those who come from dust suffer in sin, separated from God.

"God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart." psalm 51:17

so, friends, let us come to repentance, remembering that Christ is the center of our lives and it's only because of His sacrifice we are saved and can claim power and love through the Holy Spirit.

i can't encourage you enough to dig into this lent season for yourself. repent and come to Jesus, asking for His glorious gift of eternity with Him. recognize your need for Him. prepare your hearts for the coming of Easter and the heartbreaking death but beautiful resurrection we recall in those candy-filled days. it's what we believe, let us remember.