“Empty for Lent” by Jennifer Hatchett

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When Pastor Emily shared the theme for Lent with me, I felt like it was chosen just for me.  I am trying to be EMPTY in 2016.  For those who don’t know me, I thrive on being busy and I have a problem saying NO.  I want to please people and help them and be someone my friends can turn to.  But in the end, I realized I was taking away from other things that need my attention. I need to empty out some things in my life.

One of my favorite Christian bloggers is Jen Hatmaker. She is a writer, mother of 5 children (two adopted from Africa), wife, church planter, speaker, and more.  I first fell in love with her and her incredible sense of humor when I read her book 7. Over the course of SEVEN months she emptied out her life to make more room.  The first month she only ate seven food items, the next month she only wore seven articles of clothing, the third month she gave away seven possessions EVERY SINGLE DAY! 210+ items!!! In the fourth month she gave up media. How much time do we spend on the computer, internet, facebook, texting, watching tv????  The next month, instead of giving up something or giving away something, she and her family developed seven new habits to reduce waste. In the six month she only purchased items at 7 stores to reduce spending and in the final month she wished to reduce the stress in her life so she PRAYED at seven specific times a day. WOW!  Praying to reduce stress, why did I not think of that sooner!

I read 7 over two years ago but instead of embracing the concept; I just fell in love with the author and moved on to other studies she wrote.  I wasn’t ready to give up items and certainly not stress. I thrive on busyness and stress.

Flash forward to 2016!  I don’t want to be stressed! I want to have time for the things that are most important to me. Time for my two beautiful daughters who will grow up too quickly and be off on their own before we know it.  Time for my wonderful husband, who puts up with me every day no matter how stressed and crazy I am. Time for myself and most importantly time for my Savior.

How do I empty out my life to make room for the important things?  I have started slowly.  I am getting rid of things. Lots of things!  Slowly but surely, I have been cleaning out closets, cabinets, drawers and more! The clutter is leaving and it makes me feel lighter. 

 I have also resorted to using a planner, a real hardback paper planner, not just my iPhone’s calendar. It has allowed me to see my family’s whole schedule for the month, which has in turn shown me when we are overscheduled and when we need free time for us!  I have even resorted to blocking off free time. Just because there is a day with nothing in it doesn’t mean I need to plan something to fill out time. It is ok not to be busy.

My final step and the one I am have not completely tackled as I write this  is making more time for God.  I read my devotional daily and I pray but I want 2016 to be the year where I develop a more meaningful relationship with my Lord and Savior.  As I empty my life out,
I hope he settles into the room I am making and fills it with his love. 

So as we enter Lent, I pray that all of us, as Christians, can empty out our lives so that our Savior can fill them with the Spirit and that we become better people by being less.


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