Lent

Angie/Bethany, have you been able to spend any time on Lent? Has the journal helped at all?

meether369 wrote:Angie/Bethany, have you been able to spend any time on Lent? Has the journal helped at all?

I was going to use the journal but I LENT it to a friend!

You probably got really excited when you thought of that one, eh?

Overall, this Lenten season has been fabulous! Although, like I said in today's thread, I am not doing so great at refraining form social plans, etc. But, God is really working in my heart. It has been phenomenal.

I have gotten behind a bit in my Lent Journal readings--i had just finished reading 1 Cor and so I wasn't so excited to read through it again. Which is kind of weird. So I am trying to get over that and just read. Although, it's kind of been cool to go back and forth between the Message and NASB this time through...so maybe I will continue with that.

So, just curious...am I alone in the Lent thing?

I have been posting in an effort to encourage discussion on the topic and share in an experience with you guys. But, I won't post about it if no one else is taking part. I don't want to seem like I am just cataloging my experiences for you guys.

meether369 wrote:So, just curious...am I alone in the Lent thing?

I have been posting in an effort to encourage discussion on the topic and share in an experience with you guys. But, I won't post about it if no one else is taking part. I don't want to seem like I am just cataloging my experiences for you guys.

Sorry. I for one have done Lent, but not this year. Feel free to post your experiences, though, regardless of the participation of others.

I am living vicariously through your Lent experiences, so I am glad you are posting.

I am sad that I have let it go, it does change Easter so much to observe Lent.

I am in the middle of trying to work so many things out in my life, and as is typical of me, the first thing I let go is the God stuff....and the other stuff would probably be working out better if that wasn't the case...

So, I hope to continue to hear what you are experiencing!

Mine was lost in the flood of '10.

meether369 wrote:So, just curious...am I alone in the Lent thing?

I have been posting in an effort to encourage discussion on the topic and share in an experience with you guys. But, I won't post about it if no one else is taking part. I don't want to seem like I am just cataloging my experiences for you guys.

I'm doing Lent (and it's going really well) but have been so incredibly busy that I can't really keep up with everything posted here.

As for my personal experiences, my breakfast pledge is working out amazingly. Haven't had anything but a super healthy breakfast in 2 weeks and what a huge difference it makes. Actually, I'm pretty much eating all 3 meals incredibly healthy and I feel so different.

I've also been practicing this Lenten Carbon Fast thing that's also going well. And I've definitely increased the amount of mental space I'm giving to God. Megan and I have even started saying a short prayer every night together (mostly just me praying and her being with me while I do it - which is pretty nice since she's a non-believer). I think we might start saying a morning one as well.

I've also been trying to personally read and pray a bit more, as well as talk to others about God. I attended an event at this Irish bar in my neighborhood last week called "Theology on Tap" which my church just started up. Basically they have a speaker speak on a theological topic and then there's questions and discussions in a casual environment. (Oh, and free food and discounted drinks!)

I've also had a couple of interesting personal thoughts on God that I might try to share in a separate thread.

That's awesome, dave!! Thanks for sharing!

Oops, sorry, I didn't realize others had responded. I just wanted to make sure it was still applicable to post. It's kind of difficult to put yourself out there and have no one respond...

Today's message was wrapping up a series on Marriage and the point was that in every relationship, gaps surface between expectations and experience--what we want to happen and what actually happens. Our choice is to fill that gap with "Believe the Best" or "Assume the worst" about the other person's behaviors and intentions. When assuming the worst, we always end up being right but sacrifice the most important thing in our life. In believing the best, we welcome the other person to trust, love, hope, and protection with us. Believing the best about someone else is seeing them better than they see themselves. The ability to do so is impossible without leaning into Jesus, who is the definition of love and believing the best. He makes the impossible possible.

So, I felt it push on tender places of woundedness regarding my failed marriage, but more importantly, the realization struck me that in my relationship with God, I have been assuming the worst to fill the gap between my experiences and expectations. And for the umpteenth time this Lenten season, I felt remorse and conviction. It's kind of crazy how the same message keeps coming to me...

God is faithful, I think and He will make sure we get the message until we are convinced.

Apparently, he has A LOT of convincing to do over there!