Lent begins today and it’s not too late to start a new tradition of focusing on Christ and preparing for Easter with your family.
You might be surprised to know that the season I’m already looking forward to this year is Lent, which starts today with Ash Wednesday. I know, I know. Isn’t Lent the season for Mardi Gras? Isn’t that when some people give up something—like sweets or cigarettes or television?
But the season of Lent is much more than that. After many years of mostly ignoring Lent, a few years ago I began embracing it as a way to focus on Christ and prepare for what I believe is the most important celebration of the year—Easter.
Many families practice Advent, which is preparing for the coming of Christ. In a sense, Lent is the same for Easter. Lent is the season of time in which we prepare for the celebration of the Resurrection. In recent years Lent is enjoying a bit of rebirth as younger families move into more traditional churches and as Protestant churches include more historical church practices into their annual calendar.
Lent excites me because of its intense Christ-focus … and even more, its cross-focus. In my love for tradition and for history, I’ve rediscovered a richness in the traditional church calendar. After the meditations of Christmas and pondering the mystery of “God with us,” I can keep my mind and body tethered to walking with God as I ruminate on the pinnacle event that changed everything: the Cross.
One of my great dreams is that we would be able to elevate the celebration of Easter Sunday, which really should be called Resurrection Day. I would love to see this holiday elevated to the status of Christmas—not with gifts, but with the same kind of attention and fervor. So one reason I embrace Lent is it’s a great opportunity for moms and dads, in particular, to use that six-week period to teach their children the importance of the coming of Easter.
To help busy moms and dads teach their kids of all ages about Jesus, His sacrifice for us on the cross, and His resurrection which guarantees our future new and eternal life with Him, we created an easy to use decorative banner to count down the days to Easter. Included with the two-sided banner are two table-top flip calendars and a set of Resurrection Day Stories to read around your celebration feast.
Both calendars include very short weekly stories and a verse to read each day starting on Ash Wednesday. You’ll be teaching your children the wonder of God’s love for us and I bet you will learn a few truths too. And you’ll be starting a new tradition that can continue year after year.
This season of Lent can really be a time to capture your children’s imagination around what is meant to prepare for the Messiah. Lent can allow us to prepare our hearts, afresh, for what it meant that God became flesh—dwelt among us, was crucified on a cross, died on that cross on behalf of us and took the penalty for our sins, and then defeated death on the third day.
I’ve been really encouraged with your love for making holidays God centered. It’s encouraged me often to keep up the fight to make it a priority, and given me good ideas that have blessed me and my family. They have helped me grow in Jesus probably even more than my kids, but have definitely helped shape their holidays whether they realize it or not. Now i am writing my own christmas advent book.
Thankyou for all you’ve done over the years. I tell people your ministry raised my children. May the Lord encourage you as you’ve encouraged others. I pray often for you and Denny in your new stage.
I listened to an interview on Revive Our Hearts with you and Nancy Leigh Wolgemuth last year that really made me want to do more to make Easter/Resurrection Day important as a believer and follower of Christ. Thank you for making it part of your ministry to help others in this aspect.
Thanks for your reply. We’d love to have you join us in making much of Easter.
Hope you will find lots of ideas and great content from us!
Barbara