And so the Lent Devotional for Women officially begins. Ash Wednesday. The day when we are reminded we are nothing but dust. Incidentally, the day when many people who were raised in the 70’s and 80’s have the song, “Dust in the Wind” stuck in their minds and ashes smeared all over their forehead. But enough secular talk, let’s get spiritual! That’s what we come into Lent thinking right? We’re here to get spiritually hyper-focused or laser-focused or just plain focused.
In the spirit of the Daily Advent Devotional for Women, I am going to be posting reflections, meditations, questions, and prayers here at The Littlest Way as part of our Lent Devotional for Women. These meditations will be short and to the point. I’m in a season of busy and setting myself up to try to read and then fail to read a lengthy devotional, well, I don’t have time for that. I need a fruitful Lent not a failed again Lent. Anyone with me?
You know what I want to accomplish this Lent? I want to love Jesus better. I’m tired. I’m worn out. I’m stretched thin. And He very clearly says people like me, people like us, are to come to Him. See, I do not need one more thing to do, say, make or pray. What I do need is to focus on loving Jesus more, just for today. That, by the way, is the theme here for our Lent Devotional for Women. One of my favorite quotes of all time happens to come from a young, little nun who became one of the most well-known saints of the 20th century, St. Therese of Lisieux.
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I know, it would be easier, more appealing, and have that “Holy” sound to it if our plans were to spend an hour in prayer, on our knees or face, at midnight, by candlelight. Or how about a bread and water fast three days a week? Maybe if we committed to reading the biggest, “holiest sounding,” and hardest to pronounce spiritual book we could get our hands on this Lent, then it would be a successful Lent–from the outside looking in. But this Lent Devotional for Women isn’t interested in the outside looking in.
Instead, and this is just a crazy, Lent devotional induced thought–What if all we really need to do is our everyday, ordinary, plain ‘ol daily life things with more Jesus love? Sounds pretty dry, dull and boring if you ask me. And when someone asks us, “So what are you doing for Lent?” What a lame sounding answer, “I’m going to love Jesus more, but just for today.”
And that, is what will probably make this a difficult season of Lent. Spiritual growth through in the ordinary day to day isn’t going to look like much. As a matter of fact, and you know I’m speaking truth here–chances are, it’s not going to look like anything at all.
We live this life all day, every day. 24/7/365. But this Lent we’re stopping to ask ourselves, “Do we live our all day, every day, ordinary day in the holy way of love?” This year, the holy way of our very ordinary day to day, will be based on the quote, “Nothing except for today.”
This Lent, let’s take a moment every evening to examine our hearts by asking ourselves,
“How well did I love today? Who did I love today? How did I show my love today?”
In the morning, let’s offer our day for love. Look over our plans for the day and ask ourselves,
“How can I go through my day with love? How can I do “that thing” with love? Who can I show love to today”
It is not so essential to think much as to love much.
–St Teresa of Jesus, OCD
Amen, sister!
Nothing except for today….Amen, sister!
Hi there, Jenny! I didn’t grow up with a big emphasis placed on Lent, more on Easter, so I’m learning from reading your entries and thinking about what it all means. One thing I know for sure, I can certainly get on board with doing less (my word for 2018 is “simplify”) and loving more like Jesus, for sure! That is my prayer… Thank you!
Welcome Liz and I’m happy you’re joining me this Lent. Yes girl, keep it simple and do not be fooled into thinking simple is easy.
For Lent, I’m going to try to go through “The Imitation Of Christ”. I think it is the second most popular book for Christians and yet I’ve never read it!!! So I’m trying that. My Lent hasn’t exactly started the way I thought it would. I’ve been sick yesterday and today and haven’t really been able to read much or even think. I’m just offering my pain to Jesus. “My” way of starting Lent isn’t apparently the way Jesus wanted me to, so who am I to complain!! Missed reading yesterday’s email, but I’m keeping them for further thought. Thank you for the time you put into them!!!
Oh yes!!! Lent has become a very special time for me!
Oh, that’s a great book! I read it maybe 20 years ago? Probably one I should pick back up again. I heard St. Therese the Little Flower had it memorized, or at least large parts of it.
Thank you so much for giving me something I know I can do. Like you I run my home and homeschool my kiddos. Some people think I have an enormous amount of extra time. With their varied activities, different learning levels, and household chores, nothing could be further from the truth. Your posts have been an inspiration for me. Thank you for always being so real and honest.
Welcome Anna. Let’s pray for each other this Lent. Let’s pray we can do less but love more.
That sounds like exactly what I need to do for Lent this year! I too feel like I have had too many failed Lents!
Hi Amy, I think it’s so discouraging to build ourselves up for this “Lenten experience” only to “fail” because life gets the best of us.
Thanks for sharing that. I feel the same way 🙂
Well then “Hey there Mary Ellen! Welcome to my own littlest way Lenten journey!” I’m glad you’re here 🙂
I am trying to love better but then was tested in that area. Didn’t react too well :/ I have been reading 33 Days to Merciful Love based on St. Therese by Father Michael Gailtey. It is a consecration prep for Divine Mercy Sunday. Has been great. Hanging on 🙂