Life has “happened” to me in the past couple of months. Unexpected financial challenges, job stress, two family members having cancer surgery, and so on…

But on this Ash Wednesday I am filled with hope and expectation once again.

Lent always reminds me that God’s mercies are new every morning, and that I can start fresh again. On this first day of Lent…

• I look forward to journeying with Jesus toward Easter week.
• I look forward to returning to prayer practices that help me slow down, let go, and trust God more deeply.
• I look forward to remembering who God is and who I am in Him.

So even though it’s been a l-o-o-o-o-o-n-g time since my last blog, I feel led to reboot my blog as one of my Lenten spiritual practices. I say this with mixed emotions, since I have no idea what kind of life will “happen” to me in the next few weeks. I clearly have little control over my life circumstances.

But to the best of my abilities, I will trust God with the circumstances of my life and follow His lead in rebooting this blog.

So my question to you is…

• What areas of your life need rebooting this Lent?
• Are there spiritual practices God may be calling you to return to?
• Are there areas of sin that Jesus may be inviting you to confess and choose to live a different way?

As you ponder these questions, I leave you with a story of hope and rebooting – from Jesus himself.

JOHN 8:3-11

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’

They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?

‘No one, sir,’ she said.

‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.'”