ZPCBlog

About the author: Sharon and Steve Pierce have been ZPC Members since 1991. Their four children were active in ZPC Middle and High School Ministries, and they served as volunteer leaders. Both have been engaged in the Great Banquet Community. Sharon has served as a Lay Director of both the Girls Awakening and Women’s Great Banquet. Steve served as a Deacon, as well as on the Finance Committee and chaired the Community Assistance Ministry (CAM) for many years. Sharon has valued serving two terms as an Elder and chairing the Generosity Team. They love spending time with their four married children and seven grandchildren!

Did you love Easter as much as I did as a child? I can vividly remember the trips to J.C. Penny or Sears to get my three younger brothers and me our new Easter outfits each year; helping my Mom dye Easter Eggs; and then hiding the eggs in the yard for our Easter Egg Hunt! As we got older, my youngest brother, Randy, an exceptional trumpet player, was asked to play with the adults in a rousing version of Jesus Christ Is Risen Today! at our large downtown Fort Wayne Lutheran Church, with my dad singing in the Choir – choir robes and all, on Easter morning!

I cherish those Easter memories; but I also treasure more FULLY understanding, now, the miracle and GIFT of Resurrection Sunday!

I have often given up CHOCOLATE for Lent, because it really is my “sweet treat” obsession! It was a sacrifice, without a doubt…but I also think I secretly hoped I would lose a pound or two! That never happened! Last fall, I received a beautiful Lenten devotional book, What to Give Up for Lent That’s Not Chocolate, from a dear friend in Dallas who had forgotten she bought it for me the previous spring (so like her!). Written by Breanda Bogart, the book focuses on using Lent “as a hard reset to spend more time in Scripture and more attention focusing on the priceless gift that Christ gave us through his sacrifice on the Cross.” As I leafed through the pages, I knew I wanted the book and its messages to be my focus this Lenten Season…and what a spiritual gift it has been!

Thus, while I have treasured doing unique “random acts of kindness” each day, this Lent, I have loved even more focusing on creating my heart to be more like Jesus! While I strive for my actions and words to be Godly each day…I know that, far too often, my heart and mind wander away from Christ’s teachings. So I have tried to immerse my mind and heart in the lessons and scriptures which are helping to purify my soul…that is certainly my prayer!

What are some of those “practices” that are less than Godly that I’m working to give up, instead of chocolate? The list is long…

• Taking Myself Too Seriously
• Obsessive People Pleasing
• Staying In My Comfort Zone
• Craving the Next Gift
• Worrying That God Won’t Provide
• Doubting God’s Sovereignty
• Comparing Myself to Others
• Fearing Change
• Giving Unsolicited Advice
• Lacking Thorough Discernment.

…to name just a few!

There is powerful, scriptural guidance for each of these “flaws” I am hoping to correct--the kind of scripture that just makes you nod your head emphatically and say, “Yes, Lord!” out loud!

This Lenten “study journey” has been such a gift to me…opening my heart to listen more closely; studying God’s requests of us, his beloved children; and giving up those things we THINK represent happiness, like dark chocolate sea salt caramels or M&Ms, to truly rest in God’s arms, as our source of happiness!

A blessed Easter to you!

Prayer

Most Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for pursuing us, our hearts and our souls…even when we turn to worldly items which are fleeting. We praise and thank you for life’s greatest sacrifice…Your Only Son, crucified on a rugged cross.  May EVERY DAY be Resurrection Sunday in our hearts…hearts overflowing with GRATITUDE for your unconditional love!
Amen

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