So, we are now in week 6 of Lent. Like I wrote before the last 5 weeks have been interesting – they started out with fervor and zeal and an excitement for what God was going to do in me this Lent and slowly live caught up – slowly I got busy and started spending less and less time in prayer, slowly God seemed farther and farther away instead of closer and closer.

Last night I went for a walk around my parents house (we are in Arizona now) – there are certain places in my live that no matter how dry I feel spiritually when I go there I can feel God – the walking trails and sidewalks in my parents neighborhood are like that. Maybe it’s because of all the many, many years that I used to walk them and pray daily – like something lingering from that time – whatever the reason whenever I start walking them again God feels closer. I guess they are a “thin place” for me. And last night was no different. It was refreshing right at the moment when I needed to be refreshed – don’t you love it when God does that?

Well, as those of you who read this blog know I have joined my friend Tara in praying for specific “patterns” and focuses for the weeks of Lent and as we enter this 6^th week, this last week of Lent the focus they have chosen is the future. Here’s what Tara wrote about this week:

We’ve already looked at patters within ourselves, patterns of confession, patterns of how we relate to our family, friends, and those who are "invisibles" or enemies. We've asked God to show us new patterns as we think about His Bride here in the US and give us new patterns of sight as we look at the rest of His world. So the question looming before us now is...how do we take these new patterns, new insights, new practices into the FUTURE and not fall back into old patterns?? Lent is not just about stopping or doing an activity for 40 days, but is about allowing God in that stopping or starting to change us and to live in that change into the future. This week spend some time in quiet reflection over the past 5 weeks. What has God said to you? Where has He convicted you? Where has He given you a new pattern to live instead of an old? Then pray over all that and ask God to show you what this looks like into the future - His future. Pray for future generations of Christ followers. Pray for the future of the Church in the US and the world. Pray for future encounters with "invisibles" or family and friends. Pray for your future as you walk in relationship with God.

I look forward to walking through this final week of Lent. I look forward to praying for the future – my own future, my families future, the future of the church, the future of the world at large. I look forward to finding quiet times of prayer even amidst the busyness this week. Most of all though I find myself today looking forward to Easter.

Rejoicing in the journey – Beth Stedman