What do you know about Lent?

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Hey friends!! Welcome back! This post I have a nice intro to greet you! Excuse me for just getting straight into it last time. If you're wondering how things with stopping breast feeding are going keep reading. If you need a backstory check the link here https://www.gardenofarose.com/post/getting-my-boobs-back .

Update things are going fantastic! It's been 10 days as of today and as mentioned previously the 1st week was a mess but after all of that I am feeling 100%. I still have these acne breakouts, my boobs are pretty much empty, and they back to pre-pregnancy/breastfeeding softness (can't speak to the previous shape though hahaha), the headaches have gone away, and my weight has pretty much stayed the same. I was worried about my weight because some people noticed that their weight went up after stopping breastfeeding.

So now that we got that out of the way lets get into the post for today! So I decided to participate in lent this year! I had always heard of it but I had no idea that Christians could participate! I know that might sound dumb to you but you don't know what you don't know. I was at the chapel getting ready for bible study to start and we got on the topic of lent. From there I asked all of the questions, the main one question/statement being "I didn't know that Christians could do lent". From there my wheels were turning. I even found out that my mom participated! I was like since when mom? And why didn't you tell me? It's so amazing when you are an adult and you ask you parents adult questions.

Here is the definition of lent according to Britannica

"Lent, in the Christian church, a period of penitential preparation for Easter. In Western churches it begins on Ash Wednesday, six and a half weeks before Easter, and provides a 40-day period for fasting and abstinence (Sundays are excluded), in imitation of Jesus Christ’s fasting in the wilderness before he began his public ministry. Almsgiving, the practice of giving money or food to the poor and performing other acts of charity, is also encouraged. In Eastern churches Lent begins on the Monday of the seventh week before Easter and ends on the Friday that is nine days before Easter. This 40-day “Great Lent” includes Saturdays and Sundays as relaxed fast days."

One of my questions was "isn't fasting and lent the same thing"? One of the answers that really hit home was that during lent you aren't giving up something to gain the likeness of others or you aren't participating in lent to be a show off such as not eating bread to look good for the summer. Instead lent is a private time between you and the Lord when you give up something. The something really depends on what you and the Lord decide.

I'm not going to lie I was afraid to participate in lent because 1 I had never done it before and 2 I didn't know what to give up at first and then thought it wasn't a reason for me to participate because I can fast instead and do it for a shorter period of time.

If you ask me lent and fasting are similar however typically people fast when they need to hear clearly from God or to sacrifice what that they enjoy to hear from God. Now, with lent I feel like it was different because I wasn't asking God for anything and I wasn't giving up anything because I needed his help making a decision (more reasons why people fast). But more so because I wanted to experience a more intimate relationship with him. With that being said I gave up a few heavy hitting things but I knew that this journey or this "yes" to God was going to be different. The reason why it was different this time is because I was willing to learn and willing to obey fully! Without all of the distractions of certain things I was able to focus on my time with Jesus and not rush through my bible studies or my time with HIM! In doing so I have found that he has rewarded me tremendously and I am forever grateful! I wasn't asking to be rewarded just to have time with him.

At this point in time I won't be revealing what I gave up for lent since it's still ongoing but I will say that thus far it has been a life changing event. I have thanked a special someone a few times whom I won't mention because I didn't get her permission to place her name in this post before hand. Butttt I do feel like with all of the information that she has given to me it has lit a new fire inside of me and I've been encouraging all of the people I know to participate in lent.

God wants us to share the good news that we find in the bible and our testimonies with anyone that will listen! The book mentioned below helped me to share the gospel even more. Even though we have entered Holy Week and lent is over in 5 days I wanted to post this NOW so that you can get prepared and ahead of the game for next year or even prepare yourself for fasting for a future time not necessarily a year from now. I didn't ask my husband or children to join me this time because I wanted to try it for myself. It's a different feeling when you say YES to Jesus and you mean it! It's different when you can't wait to spend time with him. It's different when all of the things that you have given up are all that you want but in the end you want Jesus more!

Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness with the devil on his heels! I'll put it like this, it ain't no way! The amount of times that I slipped up in almost 40 days it's no way that I could've remained faithful like Jesus did! Because Jesus paved the way and told the devil to flee from him that means that we can too! Lent has taught me that I am stronger than when I first started, I am able to do hard things when I trust in HIM, and that I can take the information that I learned and pass it on to others who might not know or who need more understanding.

Here is the book that truly helped me with the lent journey! I encourage you to purchase it! Since the book was given to me I will gladly purchase the book and gift it to the 1st person who messages me regarding the book.

https://amzn.to/4a51m4k

Other helpful tools such as bible study plans that I am am using can be found on the YouVersion Bible app.

-Easter Explained: An 8-Day Guide to Celebrating Holy Week

-Experiencing Jesus Together Through Lent

As always here is a scripture to end the post.

Psalms 12:6-8 TPT

For every word YAHWEH speaks is sure an reliable. His truth is texted, found to be flawless, and ever faithful. It's as pure as silver refined seven times in crucible of clay. Lord, you will keep us safe, out of the reach of the wicked. Even though they strut and prowl, tolerating and celebrating what is worthless and vile, you will still lift up those wo are yours!

Thank you for reading! I pray that this post is meant for the people that need to see it. Please share it with someone that you can bless!