LENT Begins today ... an Important 40 day Journey!

Most years I mark this day with an explanation of LENT 40 Days
as I 
"BEGIN LENT IN JESUS' FOOTSTEPS"

{this is a 4 day YV choice of reading plans}

I am on a longer journey than 4- 6 days but 

I will not be here on my blog, except maybe on Sundays

since Sundays are not included in the 40 days.

However, I will be

"WALKING A JOURNEY TO THE CROSS 

WITH JESUS"

{another YV option for 40 days}

There is also another "Walk with Jesus" for 50 days and so many other really

good choices for 

LENT

time set apart

to commemorate

the 40 days

JESUS

spent in the desert

a period of preparation to celebrate our

LORD JESUS'

RESURRECTION

The journey between today & the celebration of

HIS RESURRECTION

is more than

40 days

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So I am not here today until after this time period - this post was done in advance - 
as I begin walking closer
"IN THE FOOTSTEPS
of the Savior"
JESUS
this
LENT
with
Max Lucado's new book & study guide
which Faith Gateway is starting on March 6th - April 10th
and, of course, I highly recommend this OBS
(even without the books, it's worth it)
Everyone can view Session 1 or
on You Tube
and
You Version
has one week sample plan
"Following Jesus When You Doubt"
(which shares the video also on day 3)
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Let's journey
"IN THE FOOTSTEPS..."
Following 
JESUS
to the Cross & the the Tomb
and
Beyond to His
RESURRECTION
(and ours)
<><><>
I also have a 50 day devotional with a local church
RISEN50 Reasons WhyTHE RESURRECTIONChanged Everything
🙏🙏
by Steven D. Matthewson(not a new book, 2013)
[this book is meant more for the 50 days from the Resurrection until Pentecost]
{I'm set with some really good guides-maybe too many}
<>
Have a Blessed Lent Journey!
I know that I will
I read these words in one of the YV Lent plans and agree:
"When we look around at the world today, we can see an awful lot of division and disconnection. Yet there is hope. A deep and thrilling hope. When we realize that we are one in Christ, everything changes. When we embrace togetherness – unity with creation, with each other, and with God – extraordinary things can happen. As you read any devotional for Lent, I pray you have a blessed Lent." Tearfund

********************************
There is another post set up already for this upcoming Sunday, February 26, 6 pm

JESUS, the ANSWER (10)

Section Two: JESUS the ANSWER

4. Bread for the Journey 5. Light in a Dark Place 6. An Open Door 7. The Good Life 8. A Grave Buster 9. A One-Way Street 10. The Root of the Fruit

As I continue and finish with JESUS, the Answer in my "52 Weeks with JESUS" journey for 2023, today's 10th Chapter brings me hope to look forward to spring in the middle of this cold winter and realize that "The Root of the Fruit" is where my faith sprouts from my early foundation and the seed planted that needed to be watered and nurtured to develop good roots. The strength of the growth and how it flourishes seems to be connected to the root. Lysa TerKeurst shares about the True Vine in day 7 of YV's plan "Finding I AM".

We hope that any seed planted will have good roots, strength to grow & flourish into a healthy one as it was created to be. The principle Scripture for this chapter is found in John 15:1-11, 16, where JESUS says:

I AM the True Vine

and my

Father is the Gardener

...

{the rest of this passage is just as important for our growth}

The following are the segments:

"The Root of the Fruit"

..."Left Behind" "Fruit Bearers" "JESUS Wants to Connect with You Personally" "JESUS Wants You to Concentrate on Him Perpetually" "A Diligent Pruner"

I can tell that even though these are subtitles & quite brief that I definitely need to grow,
be pruned constantly as JESUS nourishes me
so that I can finally mature (in my old age)
to bear fruit - much better and truly good
yet I realize that sometimes the root
needs some work & checking
I need the seeds planted
to flourish & grow
to beautiful
FRUIT
this is
the purpose
God has placed people
on this planet as His Image bearers
<>
PRUNING
is a painful but very
necessary part of the process
LENT
can be a fruitful time
to deepen your faith roots & flourish
40 Days set aside to bloom on the other side of this time
Looking forward to JESUS, the Miracle Worker & the Answer found in Him
the great
I AM
💧
and the
Master Gardener

"Lord, help me to recognize You as the Master Gardener who is the caretaker of my soul."

🌞

May the Miracle Worker, JESUS, meet you & your needs during this Lenten season as you go & grow deeper, may your roots be firm in Him so you can bear good fruit & receive a plentiful harvest! Let's plant & see many miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit through JESUS! 

Let us remain in JESUS as He remains in us

Rest in the True Vine

Thank JESUS

for being

our

True

Vine

Stay close to the Vine & grow in
Holy Spirit
fruit
(Galatians 5:22-23)
Let's not be afraid to get a good
Pruning
during the
40 days of
LENT
the
Master Gardener
can be 
trusted
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{I thought in the song "The Merry Old Land of Oz" from "The Wizard of Oz" - that the words were"snip, snip here... snip, snip thereand a couple of  tra-la-las"but after all these years, I just found outthat I remembered it wrong(sigh)it was "clip, clip..." and I was going to add the "snip, snip" part here for our pruning time.So please allow me an author's prerogative to change these words to fit}
😏