Ash Wednesday, Lent, and a Pastor Who Never Grew Up With Any of It...
Ash Wednesday, Lent, and a Pastor Who Never Grew Up With Any of It...
Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent in 2026.
I’ll be real with you... I didn’t grow up knowing anything about this. No Ash Wednesday services in my childhood churches. No one talked about Lent, fasting, or giving things up. It just wasn’t part of our world. For a long time, I didn’t even think about it. If I did, I probably figured it was just one of those “extra” rituals some folks did, maybe meaningful to them, but not something I needed.
But the longer I walk with Jesus, the more I’ve had to check my own heart. It’s easy, when you grow up in a certain stream of faith, to think our way is the way. We can quietly judge or dismiss other practices without even realizing it. I was guilty of that.
God has softened me over the years. I see the beauty in Lent now, not as a requirement, but as a gentle invitation.
Ash Wednesday marks the start of the 40 days leading up to Easter. The ashes on the forehead (in the shape of a cross for many) come with words straight from Scripture: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). It’s a sobering reminder that life is fragile, our time is short, and we need God’s mercy every single day. Those ashes? They’re made from last year’s Palm Sunday palms, burned down to show how even our biggest cheers and celebrations can fade, but God’s love and kingdom never do.
Lent is about reflection, turning back to God (repentance), and preparing our hearts for the greatest news ever: Jesus’ death and resurrection. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness, fasting, praying, facing temptation, before stepping into His ministry (Matthew 4:1-11).
A lot of people choose to “give up” something during Lent. Not to earn points with God, never that, but to clear space. To quiet the noise. To say, “Jesus, I want more of You and less of the stuff that crowds You out.”
You don’t have to do any of it. Lent isn’t commanded in the Bible. There’s no rule saying you must put ashes on your forehead or skip coffee or scroll less. But if something in your life is pulling your attention away from Him, if there’s a habit, a distraction, even a good thing that’s become too big, what if you laid it down for these weeks? Not as punishment, but as a way to lean in closer to the One who went to the cross for you.
My heart for you today is simple: Don’t rush past these next 40 days. Slow down a little. Look inside. Bring the messy, honest parts to Jesus. Repent where you need to. Remember how loved you are. Draw near to the Savior who gave everything so you could have life, real, full, forever life.
Easter is coming. The empty tomb is waiting. But the journey there matters. Let’s walk it together, eyes on Him.
Jesus above all.
#AshWednesday #Lent #JesusAboveAll
(updated a little from last year)
Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent in 2026.
I’ll be real with you... I didn’t grow up knowing anything about this. No Ash Wednesday services in my childhood churches. No one talked about Lent, fasting, or giving things up. It just wasn’t part of our world. For a long time, I didn’t even think about it. If I did, I probably figured it was just one of those “extra” rituals some folks did, maybe meaningful to them, but not something I needed.
But the longer I walk with Jesus, the more I’ve had to check my own heart. It’s easy, when you grow up in a certain stream of faith, to think our way is the way. We can quietly judge or dismiss other practices without even realizing it. I was guilty of that.
God has softened me over the years. I see the beauty in Lent now, not as a requirement, but as a gentle invitation.
Ash Wednesday marks the start of the 40 days leading up to Easter. The ashes on the forehead (in the shape of a cross for many) come with words straight from Scripture: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). It’s a sobering reminder that life is fragile, our time is short, and we need God’s mercy every single day. Those ashes? They’re made from last year’s Palm Sunday palms, burned down to show how even our biggest cheers and celebrations can fade, but God’s love and kingdom never do.
Lent is about reflection, turning back to God (repentance), and preparing our hearts for the greatest news ever: Jesus’ death and resurrection. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness, fasting, praying, facing temptation, before stepping into His ministry (Matthew 4:1-11).
A lot of people choose to “give up” something during Lent. Not to earn points with God, never that, but to clear space. To quiet the noise. To say, “Jesus, I want more of You and less of the stuff that crowds You out.”
You don’t have to do any of it. Lent isn’t commanded in the Bible. There’s no rule saying you must put ashes on your forehead or skip coffee or scroll less. But if something in your life is pulling your attention away from Him, if there’s a habit, a distraction, even a good thing that’s become too big, what if you laid it down for these weeks? Not as punishment, but as a way to lean in closer to the One who went to the cross for you.
My heart for you today is simple: Don’t rush past these next 40 days. Slow down a little. Look inside. Bring the messy, honest parts to Jesus. Repent where you need to. Remember how loved you are. Draw near to the Savior who gave everything so you could have life, real, full, forever life.
Easter is coming. The empty tomb is waiting. But the journey there matters. Let’s walk it together, eyes on Him.
Jesus above all.
#AshWednesday #Lent #JesusAboveAll
(updated a little from last year)
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