Lent seems to have caught me by surprise this year. I remember the years where Lent seemed to be such a big deal, that I would make sure that everyone knew what I was giving up for Lent, and each year I would try to make sure I was giving up more than I had done the previous year. Often I wouldn’t make it all the way through the 40 days, and I recognise now that I may well have completely missed the point.

Last week I suddenly realised that we were approaching Lent, and even once I realised I kept forgetting and hadn’t really made a plan. But is this a problem?

Lent is a season, a season of preparing for Easter. Although that preparation has often been associated with giving up something, that isn’t necessarily the case. Some choose to read a book; some start to do something; there is also an organisation called 40acts, which encourages people to do a different act each day.

As I was starting to think about what I was going to do as part of my preparation for Easter this year, I felt it was important to decipher what I was preparing for. For me Easter represents life, it represents the fact that I am able to have a relationship with God, it represents the love that God has for me.

Therefore this should be the focus throughout Lent. If I’m honest because of my health recently I have lost track and lost step with God. I’ve felt a bit lost, confused and befuddled. Therefore Lent for me in 2018 is going to be about rebuilding that relationship, finding that path, and walking back in step, so that when we get to Easter, I am going to be prepared to worship the God who was willing to sacrifice it all for me.

At this present moment in time, 20 minutes before Ash Wednesday, I have no idea of how this is going to happen, but I’m going to consciously make the effort to try.

I’ll keep you posted