I’ve been trying to come up with a plan for Lent this year. Something that would nurture my relationship with God rather than just giving up a favorite food for the -umpteenth time.
I knew I wanted it to be something I could commit to, something I could learn from. Something realistic and intentional. And this year…I really wanted it to be something attainable.
I’ll be honest…each year, my intentions were good. On Ash Wednesday, my heart was in the right place and I planned to be “perfect” in my Lenten journey.
I wanted to be faithful. I wanted to feel enlightened. I wanted to feel successful and peaceful on Easter morning. I expected to be glowing from within with the light I’d received from my journey with God and the Holy Spirit. (Cue angelic music here).
As I’m sure you’ve already concluded…somehow, someway, I always seemed to fall short.
Life always got in the way. Easter morning would arrive and of course I celebrated God’s gift to us in the resurrection, but I also felt a pang of regret that I let Him down.
That once again, I failed in my pursuit of a deeper relationship with Him.
Because here’s the thing, in past years, I planned to…
Go to daily mass, failed.
Pray the rosary each night, failed.
Ok…pray just one decade of the rosary, still failed.
Stay off social media, failed.
The list goes on…
Truth be told, I just now, in this moment, realized how much “I” was in those past plans.
Maybe I was making Lent too much about me, and not enough about Him?
Fast forward to Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026 –
I picked up the reflection booklets offered at my church after receiving ashes. I took them for myself and my family. I knew I needed to spend some time with each of them. So, on Thursday morning, the day after Ash Wednesday, with my coffee in hand, I began reading.
But suddenly, I found myself writing.
Side note, I’ve always been drawn to the idea of writing, but always struggled with a topic. What could I write about that people might actually want to read?
Never once did I consider writing about God and my relationship with Him.
But today, today felt a bit different. As I write this introduction, I realize that God is already at work and I’m feeling his presence. He is firmly at the center of this project.
He led me here.
He took something I’ve always loved to do and turned it into something I never expected…
A blog about God.
So, during this Lenten season, I’ll read each passage in Growing in Grace and will post it here and I’ll accept God’s invitation to share my thoughts.
I’ll seek stillness in my heart and mind and I’ll listen for God’s guidance.
I pray He speaks to me in the pages of this booklet and fills me with the confidence and the humility to share my feelings…without fear, while I grow in His love.
I hear you Lord…and I pray you help me find the words.
