Sunshine Days
Faith
Some of us might have been in church most of our lives without hearing the word lent. My mom was raised in the Roman catholic tradition, so she would mention it in passing. I would hear about "Fat Tuesday" & "Ash Wednesday," but I never really had any definitions for these phrases. Lent is a long-standing tradition in the church, but it has largely been ignored in many evangelical circles. I'm sure it was originally in hopes to make a clean break from the Roman Catholic traditions, but it is the "throwing out the baby with the bath water" kind of overreaction we unfortunately see all too often.
In recent years, I've been trying to find a place for this practice in the rhythm of my own devotional life & also happening across some great resources for my kids along the way.
Every year, new Gospel-centered Lent devotionals are released, so let's take a look at some new items & also some of the ones I've found or used in the past.
Lent is a time of spiritual reflection in the weeks approaching Easter. Similar to how Advent is a season of centering our focus on Jesus' incarnation at Christmas, so Lent is intended to help a believer focus on his or her utter need for Christ.
It begins on Ash Wednesday. Some Christian traditions will offer time during this day for their parishioners to come for a blessing & to have a priest/elder place either a small bit of ash on their forehead or they will use the ash to make a cross on the forehead. The ash symbolizes the dust that we as humans were made from & the dust that we will one day return to. It is a reminder of human finiteness & frailty.
In many peoples' distorted views of religion, Ash Wednesday is preceded by Carnival, which culminates in Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. The thought is that as of tomorrow, I have to give up something I really love, so I had better live it up for a week. (No wonder people think Christianity is a dull life full or repressed hypocrites!) Lots of regional & cultural nuances & traditions exist for these celebrations. You don't have to live under a rock to know that these celebrations are anything-goes type parties & that non-believers has taken something sacred & made it very much their own.
For the next 40 days, the Christian will give something up. Traditionally, Lent has been connected with fasting. Many people might choose to fast from meat or sweets. They might also choose something more challenging like fasting from certain meals or for an entire day. In the Bible, fasting is intended to remind us of our dependence of God. It is not supposed to be something you advertise to your Twitter followers or even your church. It's a very quiet practice that is usually just between you & God. In recent years, fasting has turned to more temporal things. A person might give up social media or smoking or alcohol. While those are noble things to attempt to control, it might or might not be what the early church would have called fasting.
Lent then runs until the Saturday before Easter. (The 40 days of Lent doesn't include Sundays.) On Easter, the feasting is back on as we celebrate our risen Savior!
The Daily Grace Company always has Lent resources available. This year they have a couple items like Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus. This study will take you on a 40-day study through Jesus' own words. They also offer a men's version of the study so that you could do this with your spouse. If you're interested, they also bundle their entire line to offer a bit of savings.
I am always impressed with the resources this shop offers. My kids love the books they get from here & I have enjoyed the books that I have read. They have a few Lent devotional options.
NGP only has one adult devotional that's marked for adults, but they have others that I hope you check out!
You can check out this post for some Christ-centered gifts for kids, too!
This favorite shop also has a guided Lent workbook for kids! Mixed in with the fun puzzles, this Bible study teaches deep theological lessons to your child & gives a wonderful presentation of the Gospel!
This mom-owned business produces simple yet meaty bible studies for kids of all ages. The Easter study they're offering this year is called Uncovering Mercies at the Cross. Different studies are available from the littlest ones to teens. There is also a parent guide to help you facilitate discussions with you family. This one is a little shorter than a 40-day Lent study with a 20 days of content. That might be more doable for some families!
TGBC has produced some of my family's favorite children's books in recent years. I particularly love all the free downloads that they offer to accompany many of their books. A couple of options they have for families are:
Here are a couple options from New Growth:
Maybe you're looking for something more simple this year or just need a more economical option; you've come to the right spot!
Hopefully, that's not a crazy-overwhelming list. There are so many great things out there, so please share any of your own favorites in the comments!
If you're interested in exploring more options for yourself, here's a post with some great Christian booksellers to check out.
Cheering you on!
Here are some other posts about the Easter season--
Christ-Centered Easter Gifts for Kids
Simple Ways to Celebrate Easter
{This post does contain some affiliate links. I receive a small commission when you make a purchase using these links. Thanks!}
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