“By His wounds we are healed…” (Isaiah 53:5). Let that sink in for a bit. Sit down with a hot cup of tea and meditate on Isaiah’s words. I am healed because someone was wounded for me. Someone suffered, fasted, sacrificed, and ultimately died for me. Someone else hurt so I could be healed. Someone was broken so I could be whole. And not just someone, but Jesus–God in flesh. These words, thoughts, actions, and love move me.

This woundedness, this sacrificial love is why I observe, and maybe even celebrate, Lent. Because I am healed by His wounds, I want to give my devotion, my heart, my life, and my everything to Him. I want to know this Jesus who was hurt for me. I long to know this One who loved me that much. I want to know Him so deeply and fully that I want to know Him in His suffering and death.

My dear friend, Lilly Lewin, first introduced me to the practice of spiritual disciplines and contemplative prayer almost a decade ago. And I’ve never been the same. Every year, Lilly posts the history of, traditions, and ways to observe Lent. Check out Lilly’s website, http://www.freerangeworship.com. Awesome stuff! She quoted Ed Hayes from his book Lenten Hobo Honeymoon by advising us to “use the 40 days of Lent as a honeymoon, to fall more in love with Jesus!” That resonates way, way down deep in my soul. I want to fall so much more deeply in love with this wounded Healer.

The three core pillars of Lent observation are: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Each of these are tangible ways to know Jesus more, partake in His suffering, and fall in love with Him. Self denial is truly a beautiful thing. Love. Give. Serve. Pray. Because the 40 days are your honeymoon with Jesus, this is a personal time. You may not celebrate or deny yourself in the ways I choose. That’s okay. Lent is your precious, precious journey to the cross with Jesus, your wounded Healer.

Here are a two suggestions for each pillar to get you started:

Pray

• Pray/meditate by creating an art or prayer journal
• Each week (there are 6 weeks during Lent) have a specific prayer focus– orphans, human trafficking victims, those hungry, family members needing salvation

Choose one food item to eliminate

Refrain from watching movies

Save all change to give to a charity

Donate 10 items from your closet to those in need

Lent is such a sacred, emotional time for me, a healing time. This Lent, I’m embracing those wounds which healed me. Sit down with me in the silence with a hot cup of tea. Reflect, and be healed.

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for the cross. Thank you for the opportunity to know you in your suffering and death. Carrying my cross is dying to myself, my desires, my passions. I nail them to the cross. Death to myself means life with you; abundant life, more than I could ever think or imagine. May I never forget your beautiful, humiliating sacrifice. I partake in your death and remember by denying myself daily. This is an honor. And, this is difficult. Please give me the strength I need–Your strength. I love you, my Healer. In Your name, Amen.