Are You Giving Up Something for Lent? Or Adding Something In?
—Grace & Truth Linkup

While my own church has never fully participated in Lenten practices, I still like to honor Lent on my own. Jeff and I visited a neighborhood church on Ash Wednesday to begin the Lenten season this year.

Sometimes for Lent I give something up.

But other years I like to add something in.

Are you doing anything differently during the 40 days of Lent this year leading up to Easter Sunday on April 17?

For our featured post this week, Sarah Howley shares four practices you could try for Lent. (And even though Lent has already begun, you can still jump in.)

We’re likely all familiar with three of the practices she mentions:

• Lament
• Fasting
• Prayer

But what intrigues me the most about Sarah’s list is this fourth practice:

• Integrate

“Rather than abstaining during Lent, there are also those who choose to add to their lives at lent.”

If you’re reading a Lenten devotional or Bible plan during this time, you’re integrating.

For 2022 I’m using Kate Bowler’s Lenten devotional, “A Good Enough Lent: A 40-Day Companion to Read, Reflect, and Pray,” alongside her book, Good Enough. (You can sign up for Kate’s emails and free reflection guide here, if you’re interested.)

But I’m also adding in a yoga journey with Adriene. During these 40 days of Lent, I want to be more aware of the body God gave me. I’m adding in this healthy practice to better appreciate this gift of my flesh from God and be more grateful to God for it.

Yet I’m also aware of this: Even if we are adding in something extra during Lent, we are also giving something up. Maybe it’s sacrificing a chunk of time for a yoga practice or giving up your regular reading for a Lenten reading.

The point of Lent is to focus our minds more on the final days of Jesus’s life, his death, and his resurrection. It’s to reveal our own need for change and ultimate celebration of victory in Christ. It’s to draw us closer to Jesus and his love for us, and in turn to spread more love to others.

So whether you take something away or add something in—or do neither (that’s okay, too!)—during Lent, creating an intention to live more aware of the love of God is always a worthy practice.

Read all of Sarah’s post here, then add your own links below.

Four Biblical Practices for Lent

Are you doing anything special for Lent? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for sharing, Sarah! Here’s a button for your blog.

I’m linking at these blog parties

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

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3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
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LAUREN SPARKS
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LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
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TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
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