Soul SONday

Happy Soul SONday Sanctuarians. We are coming up to a sacred time of the year, Lent. And we are drawing near Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, and it is February 13,  2013. Lent is the Christian season of preparation before Easter. Ash Wednesday  marks the first day, or the start of the season of Lent, which begins 40 days  prior to Easter (Sundays are not included in the count). Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ - his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection. Lent offers us all a very special opportunity to grow in our relationship with God and to deepen our commitment to a way of life. In our busy world, Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon our patterns, to pray more deeply, and to be generous to those in need. Last year for  Lent, The Sanctuary performed 40 Days of Action and Reflection. We focused on praying, forgiveness and reconciliation. It was a powerful experience.  This year as Lent draws near, we announce that The Sanctuary will honor Lent 2013 with Breaking the Chains: A Season of  Giving. At the beginning of this year we declared that in 2013 we are discovering God's divine providence and plan for our lives so that we may live and walk in His favor so that we may be sowers into his kingdom so that He can receive the glory out of our lives. To be able to be true sowers we must walk in financial wealth. However, many of us are dealing with financial pressure that is hindering us from being able to be true sowers unto the kingdom. This is not God's plan for his children. His word says that we should live in prosperity and in abundance  and the path to prosperity begins by breaking the yoke of bondage over our finances. Therefore, for the next 40 days  (February 13th - March 29th) we will  pray, meditate and give to break the financial chains that have had us bound. We will follow the example of our Lord and Savior who sacrificed his life for us, we will commit our lives to be of service in our time and resources. We invite you to embark on your own Lenten experience. If you would like to join us for powerful movement just visit the 40 Days of Lent: A Season of Giving for more details.

However, before we observe this Lent Season, we must understand what Lent is and what it represents. On this Soul SONday feed your soul with, "Understanding Lent"!