Sorry for posting this so late - I’ve been pretty sick over the last 24-hours. For whatever reason, I don’t seem to be able to stay healthy this Winter.

As we step into the first weekend of Lent, many of us are already feeling the weight of fasting. Hunger, fatigue, and the discomfort of changing habits can arrive sooner than expected. It surely has for me. If that is where you find yourself, that’s perfectly normal. Remember that Lent is meant to remind us of who we are and who we depend daily. That’s not always a fun process.

Fasting has a way of slowing us down and making us attentive. When our stomachs growl or our routines feel disrupted, we get to choose how we will respond. We can give up, push through in frustration, or to turn to God in prayer. Sometimes even the struggle itself can be a prayer - a sort of wordless confession that we are limited, but deeply loved.

This first weekend is not about perfection or proving spiritual strength. It is about learning to sit with our hunger and letting it point us toward God. If you stumble or feel weak, remember that Christ meets us precisely there. The purpose of fasting isn’t just pointless suffering for its own sake, but to allow us to clear some space in our soul.

So I encourage you to continue on, just one day at a time. Let this early discomfort shape your prayers and soften your heart. Lent is a long journey, and God is patient. As you fast this weekend, may you discover not just what you give up, but what you are being given - a deeper awareness of your need for God, and a deeper assurance that He is for you.

In Christ,

PD