Hello, dear hearts! Popping in here really quick to share some Lent resources and thoughts.

What comes to your mind when you think of ash?

Smoke from a wood stove floating into cold air? Desolation and destruction? Campfires and music? Death? Repentance?

A little bit of all those come to my mind. And the stories throughout scripture of people humbling themselves before the Lord and seeking their God with tears. Sackcloth and ashes were tangible pictures of mourning and repentance for early Israelites. Christians are not called to dress in sackcloth or pour ashes on our heads, but we are called to repent, and to mourn, and to realize the immensity of our hope.

Today is known as Ash Wednesday, the first day of the 40 day period leading up to Easter known as Lent. Lent is a time of seeking the Lord by giving up something (certain food, entertainment, or habits), or seeking to implement something new and life giving.

I’d love to share some Lent resources with you all.

I know I’ve talked about the liturgy book, Every Moment Holy, before on the blog. The people behind it are offering free Lenten liturgies and a liturgy writing guide. I’ve been looking at it, and I’m so excited to use it.

There are reflections, scripture, and prayer for every week leading up to Holy Week, and then every day during Holy Week. (:

I have found the resources from Every Moment Holy to be such beautiful, truth filled, and Christ honoring resources. Highly recommend.

Click here to sign up to receive the free liturgies and journal (:

For a beautiful post by Sarah Clarkson on how Lent is a season in which to rediscover love, click here. Sarah is another person whose work has really blessed me and I highly recommend.

For my fellow readers out there, here is a book list that Sarah Clarkson complied of “gracious novels” for Lent (The post says that it is Part 1, but I have yet to find Part 2).

Do you have any Lent resources or hopes? I would love to hear about them! Let me know in the comments, if you like 🙂

Yahweh, our Lord is gracious and so very good. So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord, for His going forth is as certain as the dawn (Hosea 6:3).

“The Lord utters His voice before His army; Surely His camp is very great,

For strong is he who carries out His word. The day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it?

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart,

And with fasting, weeping and mourning; And rend your heart and not your garments.”

Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil.

Who knows whether He will not turn and relent And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a grain offering and a drink offering For the Lord your God?

Blow a trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room And the bride out of her bridal chamber.

Let the priests, the Lord’s ministers, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord, And do not make Your inheritance a reproach, A byword among the nations.

Why should they among the peoples say, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

Then the Lord will be zealous for His land And will have pity on His people.”

Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭18‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
‭‭

Hebrews 4:14-16

That’s it for now. Have a blessed Lent, dear hearts. May we see Jesus as beautiful. Don’t forget, Jesus loves you so incredibly much. 😉 Until next time,

Josie