Lent 2026
I grew up catholic and to this day the two people I have seen walk out their faith in the most beautiful way was my grandmother and great aunt (they were sisters). I got a close behind the scenes view. They were my mentors and best friends for all my life. They taught me so much about life by the way they lived and very little on what they said (although they were strong willed and very opinionated) :)
During the times some of us walked in rebellion, they always spoke and believed the best about us! They prayed and they believed that the Lord was big enough to take care of things and they put their trust in him! They were faithful to pray, very humble, poor, hardworking, very self-sacrificing, very family-centered and focused. They lived quiet lives and worked with their hands. They were the biggest givers and lovers of people! All who met them were impacted by their kindness and love. It changed the atmosphere of the room! I can only pray to live the kind of faith that they had!
I tend to side with Charlie Kirk on how I feel now being a bible believing, praying in the spirit Christian. I don’t have regrets that I am not stuck in religion and the oppression that the traditionalist practices can bring. BUT I do I feel there is A LOT lost on the ways of old in the modern non-denominational churches I have attended. There is so much to say about this, but the bottom line is one of the things I love about the Catholics and Lutherans is the humility and tradition (i.e. Lent). I don’t pray to Mother Mary or pray the rosary although I have appreciated the context of the prayers they pray and know many of them. In fact, I still have my grandmother’s catholic bible and her rosary sitting on my bookshelf in my office. It reminds me of her life and faith, and I draw strength from it now that she is gone.
Back to Lent, to me, those that practice the remembrance of it, it is a sacred time of remembering all that Jesus went through to get to the resurrection. I love that we start with Ash Wednesday and remember that we are not equal to God and HIS glory; however, because of what he did we GET to be. I love that we take a day to remember that we are in fact only ashes. It forces us to pause, get very low before God the father and for that moment try to imagine how big God really is. To fall on our knees and look up to the heavens. It is a time of sacrifice, repentance, prayer and remembering what the cross was really about!!
I wholehearted believe that this is not something to enter with a religious mindset and that you must do this for Jesus to love you. In fact, you are not doing this for Jesus AT ALL!! This entirely about you cutting the noise and drama and drawing close to the him.
I don’t know about you, but I love to Join the 21 day fast and prayers to start the New Year with the nondenominational folks; however, I equally love to join the Catholics, Lutherans and others who take time and space for Lent. Both are such Holy and sacred times fasting!
Join me during this Holy time starting tomorrow! Please pray for me as I wrestle through some heavy things in my own life and know that I am praying for you too!!