And so the journey through Lent 2024 begins …

One thing I strive to do with meeting you here is to be authentic. So in full transparency, it was only on Tuesday evening that I actually processed in my brain that Wednesday would be the first day of Lent. Oh, Russ had mentioned to me over the weekend about St. Paul’s having their Ash Wednesday service at 6:30 on Valentine’s Day. But it didn’t sink in fully until Tuesday night. 

I had even laughed when I heard a guy ask a Hobby Lobby employee if they had Mardi Gras party favors. Mostly I laughed because I doubted Mardi Gras would be a big Hobby Lobby calendar celebration. It never dawned on me…Mardi Gras precedes Lent and we are here. 

For a number of years we have “Journeyed through Lent” here and I usually have a specific study thread in mind and obviously I have arrived ill prepared. 

But, journey we will. 

In the next 40 plus days, we will see where God leads us in this precious season of preparing to fully celebrate Easter. 

For today, I will share simply a prayer I was blessed to pen during a recent study of Psalm 23. I was able to participate in a class where we were gifted thirty minutes of complete silence to meditate on this beautiful and well-loved Psalm. 

Here is the prayer that grew from that time. I pray it blesses you with your own remembrances of our Good Shepherd. 

Dear Good Shepherd

Thank you for Your love and care for me all of my life. As I meditate on Psalm 23, I am reminded of the ways you have kept me on right paths. I am thankful for the rod of correction and the staff of guidance. Thank you for tables set, cups filled, anointing poured. Thank you for green pastures, still waters and your goodness and love that continue to follow me. 

Amen <3

I hope you will join me in the coming weeks and will prayerfully commit to allowing this season to be one where God works a new sense of His love, care and nearness in each of us.