Soul Journey

On Ash Wednesday (April 9th) we began the forty- day season (excluding the Sundays) Lent. Most of us associate Lent with the practice of “giving something up” like unhealthy foods or a bad habit. While these might be steps that connect us closer to God, they often become “shoulds” (like loosing weight) instead of ways we can grow in our faith.

In Lent we redirects our sights away from ourselves. We are not called to feel guilt about our flaws but rather we are called to focus on The Holy.

This season reminds us that the one who creates us and calls us to bring our broken selves to God for healing and wholeness. And at the end of the season Easter is when we celebrate our wholeness in Jesus the Christ. The 40 day journey to the cross and resurrection is one we use to intentionally create the space for that healing process to begin.

Instead of giving up chocolate or ice cream (which for most of is more of a desperate attempt to lose weight, than a spiritual practice) I invite you to join us on A Soul Journey (off the beaten path). Each week the congregation will be invited into a spiritual practice of the week. I will also offer a daily practice here on the blog. These practices are meant to draw us closer in relationship with God, both as individuals and as communities.

I pray these practices will not become a “laundry list” of to-do items. The goal is not to “check” them off as the days in Lent pass by hoping we might then become more religious. They are an invitation to broaden, deepen and open our awareness to God’s presence in our everyday lives.

Perhaps you will choose one practice to engage in each day over the season of Lent. Or you might find it helpful to change the practice each day. Regardless of what appeals to you most, join God in this time of growth and renewal of who God creates us to be.

Day One: Ask for help. Lent begins when we recognize that we can’t do everything ourselves and we depend on God’s grace for our lives. Experience God’s grace by asking for and receiving help for something we can’t do on our own. (I found this suggestion on the sight ‘Sacred Screaming’ and I agreed it was the perfect place to start.)

Blessings on the journey,

Karen