For Christians, the season of Lent is an important one. During this season, which leads us to Easter weekend (featuring Good Friday and Easter Sunday), it is traditional to complete a Lenten sacrifice. Historically, worldly things such as alcohol, various foods, television, etc. are “given up” in an effort to pay homage to Jesus’ 40-day fast in the desert. Recently, the practice of “doing” as opposed to “giving up” has gained some traction; for example, many Christians now choose to spend their Lent focusing on increased prayer, church attendance, volunteerism, and philanthropy.
Like many believers, I struggled right up until Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent) to decide how I would personally observe Lent. During past seasons, I have given up alcohol, social media, and other things. I’ve also focused my intentions on problems such as hunger and homelessness, deciding to double down on my prayers and actions through monetary donations, volunteering, and keeping snacks and water in my car to pass out as needed. However, I just could not figure out what the theme of 2024’s Lent would be—until I broke out the Lent and Easter devotional guide that our church handed out the week prior.
The title of the guide, and the theme of our lead pastor’s sermon series for Lent, is A Walk with The Gardener. As a church, our 2024 Lenten journey has been a spiritual walk with our creator from the Garden of Eden to the Garden of Gethsemane. Simply put, we are starting in Genesis and ending in the gospels at Jesus’ tomb, making important connections along the way.
Drawing inspiration from my church and lead pastor, I realized what to commit to for my Lenten promise: a daily morning gratitude walk with my creator—and my dog. Each morning of Lent, before eating and regardless of weather, I am going for a short prayer walk with a heart full of gratitude, aiming to focus on one or two blessings to be thankful for. On Sundays, in addition to the walks, I am fasting until after worship.
Two weeks in, I am feeling refreshed and full of thanks. So, regardless of your particular beliefs, I encourage you to implement movement and gratitude into your daily morning routine.