When I arrived at the pottery class, I found at my work station a slab of clay, a plastic fork and a carving tool. Our goal was to make a flower pot. Our class was led by a young student from the local art school who provided step-by-step instructions on how we were supposed to work with the clay.

The season of Lent is a lot like my first running experience. Five minutes in I knew I was in trouble. My eyes were watering from the cold, my legs felt like lead, and I couldn’t breathe. All I wanted to do was to stop running and go home.

I like soda. My preference is Sprite. Perhaps it’s the sweetness of the bubbly drink, or the fact that it’s not as heavy as Coke or Pepsi that continues to draw me in. Whatever the case, Sprite has always been my soda of choice. So, I was not surprised when the Holy Spirit revealed that, during Lent, I was supposed to fast from sugar, including Sprite.

Today marks the beginning of the Lenten Season. For the next 40 days, you will embark on a journey that will involve great sacrifice, but that will reap monumental rewards. These rewards are not tangible. They are spiritual, and include the opportunity to increase spiritual discipline and endurance while developing a deeper relationship with Christ.