What does Lent have to do with me?

As a child I never heard people talk about Lent – except maybe when Mom instructed me to clean the fuzz out of the clothes dryer (“Lint” and “Lent” are two very different things, but they sure do sound the same down here in the south, especially to a 3^rd grader).

As I grew older, I saw Lent as a 2^nd try on your New Year’s Resolution.  Did you fail at giving up sugar in January?  You can always try it again in March!

When I finally discovered that Lent is in fact a 40-day season Christians set aside to prepare for Easter, I assumed it was for someone else.  All I had ever done to prepare for Easter was pick out a frilly dress and ask my mom to make green bean casserole for lunch.

I do not think I even knew an evangelical Christian who observed the season of Lent. 

And yet, as I've explored more, I've grown to appreciate the season of Lent, not for the external actions with which we often associate it, but instead for how it helps me refocus on what truly matters – the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Instead of seeing Lent as an opportunity to lose a few pounds, impress my friends with my self-discipline, or re-start a failed New Year’s resolution, I've learned that Lent can be a wonderful time to intentionally spend 40 days reflecting upon the glory of the Gospel. 

Starting today I’ll be fasting from something I enjoy, but what I fast from is definitely not the point of Lent: Jesus is!

I’ll also be reading through the Passion Week recorded in the Gospel of John, meditating on one chapter per day.  I’ll start today in John 12, read through John 21, and then begin again until we celebrate the Resurrection together on April 20^th. 

Not only this, but I’ll be praying for opportunities to talk about what I’m learning with those around me. What a wonderful opportunity to start a spiritual conversation and share with someone about what Christ has done for us!

Here are my questions for you:  Would you be willing to try Lent this year?  What could you do to intentionally focus on magnifying Christ and His sacrifice over the next 40 days?  How can you use this season of reflection to talk with others about the One who has made all the difference for you?

Emily Anthony loves collecting polish pottery, hiking in the mountains, helping teenagers with their algebra homework, and talking with women about what God is doing in and through their lives.  After spending six years serving as a missionary teacher to third culture kids in Budapest, Hungary, Emily returned to the United States to pursue Masters of Divinity in Women's Studies here at Southeastern. She recently began serving as a ministry assistant for Embrace Women's Missions and Ministry at the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

Re-blogged from Alison's blog, heperfectlypursues

A few friends and I meet every Wednesday to worship and pray together. This past week, the mood seemed heavy. It had been raining all day, it was freezing outside, and we are in the middle of midterms. It was obvious that we were lacking joy and that we needed to come before the Father to refocus and to cast our cares on Him. We worshiped and got our minds off of ourselves and our circumstances and onto the Lord who is sovereign, good, and wise. After a few songs, one of my friends asked us the question: what gives you joy?  

We all just sat there for a moment and eventually started throwing things out there. Just going to be real, watching Baby Mama brings me immense amounts of joy. It then started to get more specific and personal…We are all thankful that Ephesians 2 describes the reality of our lives. It gives us joy that we were dead in our sin and separated from God when He made a way through Christ for us to know Him and walk with him. We also agreed that laughter and time spent with friends brings us much joy. The kindergarten teacher in our group shared how she loves helping kids learn and obey. The intern at a church said that he loves sharing what God is doing in his life through sharing his testimony. I realized that nothing gives me more joy than helping younger girls walk with Christ.

During my fall break a few weeks ago, I got the opportunity to spend 2 days in Chapel Hill. I literally got to sit outside the union one afternoon as younger girls that I absolutely adore came to catch up with me – one after another, hour after hour.  I got to hear how some of these girls that I discipled in college are now discipling freshmen at UNC and they basically told me over and over again about how much they love God. I seriously could not stop smiling the entire day.

I am so humbled at the goodness of God. He gives us gifts and passions for His glory as well as our good – to serve others as well as to give us joy. What are you passionate about? What part of God’s heart and concern for the world has he given you? What present reality makes you mad? What consistently comes to mind at random times of the day or keeps you up at night? What is life-giving to you? What gives you joy?

Whatever it is, pursue it. I’m not kidding. 

Alison Singewald says, "My life consists of God’s perfect pursuit of me and my imperfect yet striving pursuit of Him. I grew up in Wisconsin but am more than content living in North Carolina. I graduated in May 2011 from UNC-Chapel Hill and will forever be a Tar Heel." Alison is currently pursuing her masters in Biblical Counseling and LPC (licensed professional counseling degree through the state) at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC.