Lessons Learned from Lent Season

​I learned a lot from giving up dessert, ice cream, cereal, and other major sugar cravings during Lent this year. Learning About Faith and Domestic Violence RecoveryAs I sit here writing on Easter morning, below are the messages from my heart of how I grew during the weeks leading up to Easter this year:

God never compromised on me yet I compromised on some food items (yogurt with my fruit; whipped cream cheese on my triskets). OUCH.

This was the first thought that came to mind after my morning devotion this Easter morning when I reflected on my “giving up” sugar for Lent. This spontaneous statement isn’t as heroic as great job Sue for giving up some things! Nope, it sounded more like Sue, make a note in your journal for next year as you haven’t mastered this yet. Giving up something I was so connected to did turn me to God many more times during the day!

I found myself talking to God during my snack craving time(s) and He was always there to coach me through my earthly cravings! I experienced multiple special moments when calming you’ve got this messages entered my heart. Regardless of my prayer challenges, life continued to go on. At one point during Lent I asked my husband what the Bible says about being able to adjust our Lent efforts when natural disasters like the coronavirus strike. He looked at me strangely to see if I was joking or not; He told me the Bible says to stick to it. Humm not the answer I was looking for.

But it's so true: regardless of what I am working on in my prayer time, life continues to go on. Boss’ aren’t happy; kids get sick; unexpected bills come in the mail; or something unexpected challenges my anxiety till the ugly cortisol rush arrives. Just because I am striving to do something in my spiritual life the rest of my world continues on in an often distracting (spiritual warfare?) kind of way. I am spiritually stronger with this experience. I started a prayer journal which is probably a really good idea due to my memory issues from my PTSD. I looked back at the beginning of the journal this morning and realized I was repeatedly praying for something throughout this Lent season! So, although I may go back to eating deserts again, the legacy of this Lent season will continue through my prayer journal. As I was reflecting on my spiritual journey, I obtained another layer of guidance on a project I believe I’m being nudged to work on. 
Could I have been more diligent on my diet? Absolutely! But, as I reflect on this Easter Day, I know the season brought me closer to God, closer to my prayer time, and closer to my leaning on God during the turbulence world of the coronavirus.
 
On a lot of levels my efforts proved valuable to improving my quiet time with God. Definitely a lot more valuable than the previous time I tried this three years ago. But, as I reread this draft copy, I’m inclined to maybe continue this spiritual growth I’ve encountered. Maybe I won’t be so quick to end my efforts just because Easter is here.
 
My prayer: remembering the Easter season way past the actual day on the calendar.
 
Blessings and safety to all,
 
Sue 
​Balancing Life Events During Recovery as a Victim​So many non-victims that I share my abusive background with can’t believe the horrific things my abuser did to me. But what I don’t believe I do a good job at describing is that my life continued on as I was being victimized
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