2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 6

A person engaged in a Lenten devotional prayer with candles and religious items.

Our First Rest Stop Today is the first Saturday of Great Lent, and the first day of ‘rest’ from the fast. That’s right. The fast is ‘eased’ today and tomorrow. Depending upon the strictness of your fasting, Saturday and Sunday are ‘days off’ or at least easier days of fasting. I love road trips and…

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2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 5

A person engaged in a Lenten devotional prayer with candles and religious items.

One thing I love about fasting is the purity of the food. Beans, vegetables and basic bread make up the bulk of my fasting menu. The past few years I have tried to stay away from pasta ‘just because’ of the starch. I know bread is starch, but I can’t eat soup without it. Today’s…

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2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 4

A person engaged in a Lenten devotional prayer with candles and religious items.

One of my favorite realities of Great Lent is sharing strategies with other Orthodox Christians. I exchange recipes and share stories of success and failures over the years. The joy of the Church is more than just gathering for worship. It is helping each other live life. We’re barely into Great Lent and much has…

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2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 3

A person engaged in a Lenten devotional prayer with candles and religious items.

One of the most common conversations I have with people is how much, or how little, God is willing to help us. Expressions like ‘God placed me,’ or ‘God chose for me,’ reflect the idea that God is actively reaching down and manipulating people. I don’t see it. What strikes me in today’s reading is…

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2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 2

A person engaged in a Lenten devotional prayer with candles and religious items.

Yesterday I wrote to you about how strongly I felt the Prophet’s warning and call to repentance. Today I’m still pondering Genesis. I decided to continue where it started for me yesterday. Here’s are today’s readings. Thus says the Lord: “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good things of the land.…

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2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 1

A person engaged in a Lenten devotional prayer with candles and religious items.

Today begins another Great Lent Journey, a journey to Pascha and the Kingdom of Heaven. Today begins another way for us to learn to love and live like God. Today begins another opportunity for us to change the way we think of life and death, heaven and hell. Each year I endeavor to offer our…

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Episode 473 – Changing our Heart for God

A priest speaking during a religious ceremony with a book in hand.

On the cusp of Great Lent, we are called to three challenges. All three challenges have one thing in common. We are called to forgive, fast and be generous, all to prepare our hearts for God. Great Lent isn’t about food and prostration. Great Lent is about changing our hearts for God. Transcript: My brothers…

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God Calls All People

Person using a large red megaphone against a black background.

Few things are more troubling than feeling alone in a room full of people. That is exactly how some feel when they come to Church. They feel judged. They feel alone. The worst is when they don’t feel loved by God. Sometimes we must be reminded that God loves us. I get it. Hearing that…

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Let Them Say Whatever They Wish

Three men in vintage attire engaged in a serious conversation indoors.

It is human nature to defend one’s honor. Our entire justice system is built upon protections against false accusations. That never stops others from speaking falsely about our character as Christians. Some even make up entire stories to smear our reputation. We’re not alone. Our Lord was smeared, lied about, and ultimately executed based upon…

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Something Big is Coming

Yellow sticky note with 'BIG THINGS COMING!' message on black background.

It happens to all of us. We hear about something big about to happen in our lives and we get anxious. We may even get excited if we know ‘what’ is coming, but just the idea of something big is enough to distract us from today. It is totally natural. When this happens, especially if…

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