Happy Ash Wednesday! A day that frequently tends to sneak up on us. Unlike Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s day, or even Groundhog’s day, Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and Easter wander around February, March, and April, making it difficult to keep up.

You may or may not know that today marks the beginning of Lent. A forty-day period on the Christian calendar leading up to Easter. Traditionally, many Christians will go to church and have ashes placed on their forehead in the

shape of the cross Often, Christians use this season to prepare their hearts for Easter by fasting, praying, or reflecting.

So as I've thought and prayed through Lent, the word cultivate came to my mind as if God was whispering, “take these 40 days and cultivate your relationship with me.” 

If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to arrive to church on Easter Sunday clad in your cutest, brightest sundress, but feel completely spiritually ill-prepared for the sacred celebration of Easter.

The good news is each year, we have all been given a forty-day period where we can get ready, so when Easter Sunday rolls around, as a favorite Atlanta Housewife sings, we won’t be “tardy for the party.”

I’m no gardener, but as the word cultivate has been mulling on my heart, I was thinking about a garden, and how when caring for a garden on any given day, you can weed, water, or plant.

So that’s my challenge to us: that each one of us will consider one way we can cultivate our spiritual gardens over the next 40 days.

Not because we feel pressure to do something, not because of guilt, but because we want this to be a season where we cultivate our relationship with God and take some time to take care of it.

A few ideas for “weeding”: 

• Prayerfully consider what is deterring your heart from God and commit to giving it up–I’m sure they’re different for everyone, but mine tend to consist of TV, celebrity gossip, Instagram, and Facebook.
• Are you over indulging in something? Consider letting that go during Lent and pairing back. Mine is usually sweets. While some may be able to just have one cookie...I need at least five!

Getting rid of the weeds is important because in all gardens, weeds hinder the growth of what should be growing there-beautiful flowers-like us- or nutritious vegetables to strengthen and feed us. Weeds spread and choke out the good things.

A few ideas for “watering”:

• Wake up 15 minutes early to spend time each morning in prayer Ask the Lord to guide your day, give you wisdom and lead you to where you need to be.
• Find a simple devotional you can read each day. A short, easy one is Jesus Calling , or you could try My Utmost for His Highest

A few ideas for “planting”:

• Sacrifice something you love to do and do something for others. Some will only drink water during Lent and donate the money they would have spent on coffee, soda, and wine to their favorite organizations that feed people. Feed the Hungry or Samaritan’s Purse are some of the best.
• Plant seeds of loving others–commit to doing one loving act each day for your family, neighbors, co-workers, etc.
• Pray for God to give you great ideas on what to do and who to bless.
• This might be the best Lenten season ever! Enjoy each day.