Lent: Preparing for Easter

Growing up, the Baptist churches I attended did not put a large emphasis on Lent.  The emphasis was always on Holy week and the stations of the cross, walking through the death and resurrection of our Lord.  I remember my Catholic friends talking about Lent because they were required to give something up for 40 days.  I have always treated Easter and the days leading up to the celebration as a time to remember the sacrifice of love and the miracle of the resurrection.  Easter for me is the reason I believe.  My God loved me so much that he sent his only Son to walk on the earth, die for my sins, and to conquer death so that I may live a life rooted in Him! 

Since one of my personal goals is to be more intentional in spending time in the Word, I felt an interest in participating in Lent.  This year I am excited to be participating in the Naptime Diaries Lent devotional, Follow.  It is a forty day study designed to guide the reader through Lent in preparation of the celebration of Easter.  There are eight sections each with a devotional and Scripture to read and meditate on throughout the week.  

Through Instagram I found out about the Children's Lenten Guide designed by OodlesDoodles Print Shop.  Complete with coloring sheets and accompanying Scripture, the downloadable files also come with memorization cards.  While Winston is a bit small for the memorization and will more than likely not quite understand the full meaning of Lent and Easter, I am excited to spend time telling him the story of Jesus and the wonderful gift he so freely gives.  I feel that it is a great time to be intentional about speaking these truths into his little life.  My goal is for us to do the color sheets and one craft that ties in each week.  

But more important than my goals, is my prayer is that this season will be a special time of worship for my family as we intentionally focus on the life and ministry of Jesus, the road to His death on the cross, and His miraculous resurrection from the grave triumphant over death.  I pray that Winston's heart will be soft to the Scriptures that we will read and that our conversations would be on a level that he can start to understand.  

Since Lent starts today, you are not too late to jump into a study.  You can purchase {for $12} the PDF version of Naptime Diaries study here or you can participate {for free!} in the She Reads Truth study through their website, app on your phone or iPad.  And for your kiddos, check out OodlesDoodles for your own copy of the Children's Lenten Guide.  

I'd love to know if you are participating in a study and if so, which one.  Also, share if you are doing anything intentional with your kiddos in the weeks to come!