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-Â 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 .
I love this so much!!! I’ve never done Lent because, like you, I didn’t learn about it growing up. I always thought it was just a catholic thing. But I began researching it and found it’s not! This year I’ve joined the She Reads Truth Lent study and plan to sacrifice as well. I’m so excited for this season!!
Thanks for linking up with us st Woman to Woman’s Word Filled Wednesday. God bless!
Jenifer, I always thought the same as you. I’m excited to see what God will bring about in each our lives as we humble ourselves before Him! Blessings!
Oh I love your Lent decision you are all doing! Reminder of what I wrote today and what you are doing~ Doers Of The Word! Prayers and yes “Our plenty for their need”
It can be so easy to read familiar words and not be moved to action. May this Lenten season change and move us!
You know I love this! I have tweeted, pinned, and will share on FB.
And, I have made a donation to LuluTree! Love helping these women. xo
Thank you so much, Susan, for the donation and the shares. They are much appreciated on the part of The Lulu Tree! xo
This is awesome!
Your encouragement is so appreciated, Barbie.
I agree with Barbie above, “This is awesome!” I love that “Our plenty for their need”. I am thinking of what one thing can I give up. Wonderful blog post. We never practiced Lent either growing up and honestly I have never given it too much thought. But I do think it’s a really great thing to participate in.
The older I get, the more I am realizing that our Lord sacrificed for the benefit of others. My desire is to be more sacrificial, more generous, so that the lives of others would be blessed in Him.
Joanne,
Whether it’s your work with the Lulu Tree or mine with RCF, Inc., I think we both see how much others, who live in desperate poverty, go without while we live in utter abundance. I am going to give up and I’m going to give to this Lenten season. I’m giving up sweets (Yikes my weakness) and I am going to give to in a very tangible financial way to RCF to raise funds for a vehicle that our school so desperately needs. Thanks for your encouragement here to remember the great sacrifice Jesus made for me when I’m craving chocolate….
Blessings,
Bev xx
Oh Bev, may God bless you and RCF greatly this Lenten season. I will be praying for the Lord to meet all the needs of both ministries.
Love and Blessings! xo
I love this! I love that the focus of your fast is about others. 🙂
It’s the focus the Lord brought to mind. May my focus be on Him and those He loves so deeply.
Our plenty for their need. I love that and I love where your heart is!
Thank you, Sarah. I am realizing more and more that even our little can make such a big difference in the lives of others as we all combine our efforts.
This is a great idea for Lent. I love that it’s not just giving something up but also using it to benefit others.
It has made the sacrifice much more meaningful to me.
As I prepared for Lent this year, I was surprised (read: ashamed) by how much I did not want to sacrifice. I told my husband that I was “debating” giving up sweets for the 40 days. Sweets! Something that my body and soul can easily function and thrive without! And, yet, I did not want to give them up simply because I am so accustomed to having what I want when I want it. Thank you for sharing this reflection. It encourages and, perhaps more importantly, challenges those us for whom the spirit is willing but the flesh is so, so weak.
Melissa, I so agree with what you have shared. I can remember a number of years ago, deciding to give up sweets. My focus then became so consumed with how many days were left. And then the question became … “is this {and I would be thinking of something sweet} a cheat? And I admit that also with embarrassment. But the Lord is wanting us to not be filled with shame but rather, sacrifice with the right focus and grow in Him. Thank you, greatly, for sharing!