forty days.

lent is one of my favorite times of year... but it was not always. not until college anyway. Ryan is definitely a spiritual leader to/for me. way back since the beginning. He has always challenged me and forced me to think about my beliefs and thoughts. Anyway, lent was never a big deal to me, until freshman year when ry talked to me about it, and explained the season of lent in a totally different way. since then i have taken a whole new approach to this time and season. my friend blair is a divinity student (at Vanderbilt though) she blogged about lent and i really enjoyed it. its much more eloquent than anything i could write. so enjoy.

"The holy season of Lent is before us. One of my favorite times of the year. There is a calmness that ensues. The air is filled with a renewed focus. Concentration. Stillness even.

Maybe it is because people give up drinking coffee (or sweet tea) and eating chocolate.

Maybe it is because there is lots required of the faithful, of disciples during these forty days.

Prayer. Repentance. Forgiveness.

Remembering.

Going without.

Coming into peace.

Living a gospel of hope, even though you know what happens at the end of the story. The really sad events of death. Death of destructive habits. Death of grudges. Death of the one who loved neighbors, strangers, and enemies.

Living a gospel of joy, even though you know what happens at the end of the story. This is a different type of anticipation. This anticipation faces death, first. Yet, there is joy in that morning sunrise. There is a new creation.

A calmness. In the midst of preparation. Anticipation. A waiting that requires strength, will power and...hope. A longing for the moment of restoration. Forty days. Forty days to forgive.

Ash Wednesday is upon us, friends. A new calm. A time to remember. Going without. Yet coming into a...new...peace. "

Ash wednesday is tomorrow. due to work i will be unable to attend any service- i am highly disappointed, but perhaps i will have my own service tomorrow night. tomorrow begins a journey forty days long that will encompass many things, including a trip to Guatemala. I am going to take people water- so my focus of this lent is water. its going to be a journey for sure that will take me to another country, but its going to be a season of growth and for that i am excited.

enjoy your next 40 days.
learn. grown. be challenged. go outside the box.

love and peace.
d

ps. need an idea. here you go. join me in this journey...


Don't fast. from Living Water International on Vimeo.