Rachel Held Evans: 40 Ideas for Lent 2012

I discovered we’re getting a lot of visitors from Rachel Held Evan’s blog.

For the past few years she’s been compiling some good Lent Resources.  We linked her 40 Ideas for Lent entry back in 2010.  (I never did any blogging during Lent 2011)

I just discovered her 40 Ideas for Lent 2012 entry. She includes:

10 Questions to Ask Yourself

10 Book Recommendations

10  Disciplines, Fasts, and Rituals

10 Meditations

I like her 10 questions for self-examination, particularly questions 7 & 8

1.  When I wake up on Resurrection Sunday morning, how will I be different? 
2.  Is there a habit or sin in my life that repeatedly gets in the way of loving God with my whole heart or loving my neighbor as myself? How do I address that habit over the next 40 days?
3.  Is there anyone in my life from whom I need to ask forgiveness or pursue reconciliation?
4.  What practical steps can I take to carve out time for daily contemplation?
5.  What spiritual discipline do I need to improve upon or want to try?
6.  What are some things in my life that I tell myself I need but I don’t? Can I give one or two of them up for 40 days?
7.  Why am I giving this particular thing up? How does giving it up draw me closer to God and prepare me for Easter?
8.  What am I going to tell myself when self-denial gets hard?
9.  Is it necessary/helpful for me to share the nature my fast with others or should I keep it private?
10.  What do the ashes mean to me this year? What  does baptism mean to me this year?

Make sure to check it out!

Rachel’s previous 40 Ideas for Lent posts are here:

2011

2010

Thanks Rachel for your links to Lent & Beyond.

TitusOneNine – a great Lent resource

Originally TitusOneNine was known best for its Anglican news & cultural, economic and political analyses posted by Kendall.  But these days it is also a “go to” site for WONDERFUL prayers.

Here are several of the entries Kendall has posted today for Ash Wednesday:

Food for Thought from Saint Augustine for Ash Wednesday

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Another Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Here is the category link for all the T19 Lent entries.

Finding Lent resources at Lent & Beyond

ALL LENT ENTRIES

Ash Wednesday entries & resources

Lent Devotionals

Lent Prayers

Lent Quotes

Lent Resources (including family & children’s activities)

There is also the sidebar menu on the right with “Lent Links & Resources” – it’s not been updated since 2010, I’m afraid, but I hope to get time to update it over the weekend

Here are indexes for ALL posts from each Lenten season:

• Lent 2012 index  (current as of March 14)
• Lent 2010 index [note: there was no special Lenten blogging in 2011]
• Lent 2006 – 2009 index

Iranian uranium

From DEBKAfile:

Western and Israeli intelligence experts have concluded that the transfer of 20 percent uranium enrichment to the underground Fordo site near Qom has shortened Iran’s race for the 90 percent (weapons) grade product to six weeks.

Psalm 40:4 ESV

Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after alie! 

God of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of glory,

We thank You for the spirit of wisdom and revelation You have granted Your church, for the enlightenment of the eyes of our hearts, and for the hope to which You have called us.   In Your immeasurably great power, You raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand in heavenly places, far above all rule and authority, and power and dominion, and above every name that is named.  You have put all things under His feet and made Him the head of all things for the church.

By Your mercy, we have been made alive together with Christ  and are seated with Him in the heavenly places.  In Christ Jesus, we say,  We bless you Israel with the spirit of trust in the Lord.  We bless you Israel with the spirit of  humility.  We bless you Israel with the spirit of truth.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, incline Your ear to the children of Israel.  Draw them up from the pit of destruction.  Set their feet upon a rock and make their steps secure.  

We testify of Your wondrous deeds and thoughts toward this nation.  Multiply Your wondrous deeds and thoughts, Lord.  Multiply them!  Amen.

Prayer needed for Abp. Nzimbi of Kenya

I’ve just seen the news that the former Primate of Kenya, Abp. Benjamin Nzimbi, has had a stroke.  Please keep him in your prayers!

Here’s the information courtesy of Not Another Episcopal Blog

Former Kenyan Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi suffered a stroke which has affected his left side and his speech.  Please pray that the doctors are able to administer to him in a timely manner so that these impairments may be corrected and he is restored to full health.

[...]

Lord, you instructed us to gather in prayer and you will grant our requests. Look upon your servant Benjamin and be beside him, give him strength, and if it be your will, restore his speech so that he may once again proclaim your name with courage and strength. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.