Lent is traditionally the 40 day season leading up to Easter where many people chose to give up something to prepare themselves for Easter. A few years back some friends at 40acts in the United Kingdom asked a simple question - “What if Lent was about more than just giving stuff up?” The answer was a Lent generosity challenge that became a movement of over 100,000 people on a mission to impact their communities by creating moments of radical generosity.
We all want to live lives of radical, community-transforming generosity. Many of us think it’ll start when we hit a life-changing event or hear a thundering voice from heaven. But the good news is that generosity is something you can choose now!
Every generous act matters and every moment of generosity moves you and your community forward, whether an inch or a mile. Imagine if you took the plunge and dedicated each of the next 40 days to generosity, beginning with your closest neighbours.
This year Lent begins on February 14th - which is so appropriate as we consider love and how to show it! So each day for the next 40 days (except Sunday's) here and on Instagram we'll publish an encouragement and challenge as we follow Jesus and consider ways we can live out God's love in a practical way. Just check the latest blog post.
There'll be 3 levels of challenge you can choose from: GREEN challenge - which is a great first step and pretty gentle, a YELLOW challenge - requires a little more risk and a RED challenge - which is an advanced step for those who are ready or just like to cannonball in there! So don't feel pressured - just step where you can!
There you have it - 40 days stretch before us. 40 days full of possibilities, opportunities and choices to make about living generously. So let’s gear up and get ready to give – wholeheartedly, creatively, even surprisingly, but above all, get ready to be generous and live out the love of God!
"the only thing that actually matters - is faith that expresses itself in love"
Galatians 5 verse 6