So this is the first year where we will go to an Ash Wednesday service. I am curious… apparently it will be a eucharist service ending with compline. But I don’t really know what to expect of the ash liturgy. Usually the evening services at church are pretty small, and my children will occupy the majority of my mental energies as they will be even more curious than I am. 🙂 But we are looking forward to this opportunity to worship the Lord and fellowship with His people in a new capacity, through the Ash Wednesday service.
Then every Wednesday until Holy Week we will be going to the church for “Lenten soup and lectures” where the whole church will have a soup supper together, and we will study this book together (discussion led by the author himself who is a friend of ours). Steven and I have already read the book, and while it is a short & “easy” read, it is also so deeply honest & raw that it cuts sharply and leaves an impact of blessing and grace.
I have been planning on giving up an hour of sleep every morning during Lent, to focus on prayer and Scripture. This (the actualities of the Lenten season) is all pretty new to me (we’ve been attending an Anglican church since last spring), and I love the beauty in a lot of these things. So this morning, at 6am, I spent a while with the Lord quietly in the darkness of my room. It was beautiful to speak to Him of my husband, my children, our church, our parents. It was good to lay desires before Him, and ask for His will to be done. It was a practice of faith in action. Even though the action seems small, just kneeling and speaking quietly with closed eyes and bowed body, it was big work. And I am eager to see what big things the Lord continues to do through small offerings of prayer, offered in a purposed and habitual way, more diligently planned (so to speak) than is my usual prayer routine.
For another thing, I am going to go through the book of Ecclesiastes, along with this commentary on it that my husband said was enlightening for him. I only read the first chapter of the book, and of Ecclesiastes, but I already agree. The Lord is so good.
May He bless His people, as we seek to follow Him and pursue the light of His countenance.
From dust we came, to dust we shall return. May we turn from sin and be faithful to the Gospel. May the peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.
…and for some beautifully enlightening reading, please read what our pastor friend wrote here on Lent.
This was such an encouraging post! I’ve never participated in any “lent” activities before or Ash Wednesday services either. However, I’ve been doing some reading on the subject and I can definitely see the benefit of “giving up” something in trade for more time with the Lord.
That book sounds like an amazing read; very humbling and definitely thought-provoking. I went to your Amazon link and put it on my Wish List 🙂 I’ve been looking for more edifying non-fiction books that will spur me on to a closer relationship with God and I think this one definitely fits the bill.
Praying for you as you seek the Lord every morning with your prayers and Scripture reading.
Love you!
P.S. 🙂
I went over to Toby Sumpter’s blog to do more reading and I love his articles/writings.
This one was esp. good and clearly written and I thoroughly enjoyed it: http://www.tobyjsumpter.com/marriage-for-glory-3-what-does-it-mean-to-obey-your-husband/
I wish I could send this article out to all of those (that I know of) who are confused about what Christian marriage looks like and what their role as a wife should be. I see marriages struggling and falling apart because the roles of husband and wife are reversed or not in line Biblically. In a world where same-sex marriages and egalitarianism ‘reigns’, we desperately need messages like this one! 🙂
Right?!! Toby has been a blessing to my family ever since he began preaching at our church… boy, that must have been 11 years ago? God continues to pour out His Spirit upon him, and spread Kingdom grace through him. To God be the glory. To us be the growth!
Yes, to us be the growth!! 🙂
So thankful that you share the edifying links! It’s great food for the soul.