Take the “Great Lent Challenge”

Traditionally, many people give up something for Lent. I am sure you all remember my struggle when I decided to give up chocolate a couple of years ago! Although giving up something we love is a good Lent exercise, so is adding something to our lives that we don’t normally do. So, my challenge to you is to “Bless “three people each week, with one of them being someone who is not part of our congregation.

Michael Frost in his book, Surprise the World, defines blessing someone in this way. “To bless others is to build them up, to fill them with encouragement for them to increase in strength and prosperity.” He suggests that words of affirmation are one of the easiest ways to bless someone. Some of the ways that you might do this is to send someone a note, e-mail, or text letting them know you are thinking of them, or that you have noticed something worthwhile about them. Others ways to bless include acts of kindness that lighten the recipients load, small gifts, or just spending time with someone.

The point to remember is that we expect nothing in return for blessing someone.

I hope you will each accept the challenge and help make our community and world a gentler, nicer place.