Chances are you’ll read this on a day when it’s once again snowy here in Maryland.  The forecast is for a few more inches of winter.  But there are also signs that spring is breaking thru.

There’s also a chance that you’ll read this on a day when there’s a bit of winter in your soul.  No one is immune from the bleak, gray and cold seasons of the soul.  Your prayers seem to be anemic at best.  Your passion for seeking God is a dim memory.  Your soul feels heavy and dead.  And you wonder if any of it is even real.

The good news is that you can cultivate your own spring-time for your soul.  That’s essentially what Lent is about.  During the next several weeks (beginning next Wednesday, March 6th) you can till the soil of your soul and plant and nurture the seeds that will burst into full bloom on Resurrection Sunday.

Maybe Lent has left a bad taste in your mouth.  Let me encourage you to try it again.  But try it as a gardener who is cultivating a fertile plot of soil in your soul, not as a drudgery or duty that you’re forced to fulfill.

• If you choose to abstain from some activity or luxury, do it because it will make your heart more receptive to your heavenly Father.
• If you want to add some spiritual practice to your routine, do it with the expectancy that it will help you hear your Creator speak into your life.
• And if you’d like to use a helpful resource, you can check out one of the following:

A Bible reading plan on YouVersion

A downloadable 9 week study plan

In light of our recent message on building a better posse, why not invite someone else to join you in your preparation for Spring?

You may be experiencing a winter time in your soul, but spring is just around the corner!

-Pastor Mark