Select Page

Lent was not a part of my life growing up so I truly did not consider making it a practice in my life until my adult years.

Giving up something for an extended amount of time has helped me to focus on the meaning of sacrifice.

Sacrifice has often been thought of as the surrender of something loved or enjoyed in the hopes of gaining something better or prized.

As the month of February rolled around, a feeling began to grow inside me to sacrifice more deeply, perhaps more significantly or at a greater personal cost. The more thought I gave to this, the more I realized the Lenten Season was a way to focus on the sacrifice that Christ made for me.

He willingly gave of Himself, sacrificing His life, so that I would gain mine here in this life and for all eternity.

This idea of Lent and sacrifice is not so much a giving up of something for ourselves to gain a greater prize. Perhaps it is truly that we sacrifice in order for others to gain or benefit.

Could it be we have this all backwards? This is the question which has been burning on my heart.

As some of you may know, I have been involved with The Lulu Tree for several years. This ministry has woven itself into the depths of my heart and brought my life such joy as I continue to serve.

And so today, as Lent begins, I am joining with the vision board and team and partners on a different sort of Lenten fast. Let me explain …

Many of us live where we have the comfort, ease, and privilege of heading to a store to get what we need and desire.

But in Sierra Leone and Uganda, there are seasons of drought and famine where many have learned to deal with hunger as a normal part of their lives.

As a vision board and team, many of us will be giving up:

  • 1-  coffee daily
  • 1 – ice cream daily
  • 1 – donut or sweet each day
  • 1 – treat daily
  • 1 – fast food drive thru meal

The Lenten season will begin today, March 1st and go through April 15th.

“Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need.”
(2 Corinthians 8:14, NLT)

We will be saving up the money from any “excess” to give to those of our Lulu family in Sierra Leone who will be going through a famine season this summer.

 If we are called to be transformed into the image of our Lord then we are also called to sacrifice.

Perhaps in sacrificing this Lent Season, we may come to discover that this life we live is not just about ourselves. It may very well be that in sacrificing, we discover the life of Jesus hidden in us. And perhaps we will find that in losing ourselves, we truly do find life.

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?”
(Matthew 16:24-26, NLT)

And we will find that there are purposes He is looking to accomplish through each one of us for the benefit of others.

Our plenty for their need.

 

*If you would like to join us, we would be honored to have you join us in the fast from our excess. Will you also help us by sharing our graphic with your family and friends and on social media. We would be so grateful.

 

Today I am joining … Three Word Wednesday and Tell His Story and Coffee For Your Heart and Woman to Woman .