I didn’t grow up in a church tradition that observed the liturgical calendar and so my understanding of Lent was limited to giving up chocolate and coffee for forty days. Why would anyone sign up for that?
As an adult, I’ve discovered that Lent is a much richer and meaningful tradition than I ever knew! Lent is the forty days leading up to Easter Sunday, a parallel to Jesus’ forty days of fasting and prayer in the desert. Christians have been observing Lent in various ways since the fourth century, but today it is commonly observed by fasting, repentance, and service in order to prepare our hearts for Easter.
The point of Lent is not to do without some modern indulgence or luxury, rather, it is a time for quiet reflection of our faith, spiritual renewal, and self-discipline. As such, it is the perfect time to seek God and deepen our relationship with Him.
This week, I’ve been taking a deep dive into the resources out there to grow in our faith during Lent, which starts March 2nd this year. I’ve included options for busy women/moms just like me, and also some resources if you’d like to observe this special season with your kids too!
**But first a note: this list is not comprehensive but it can feel overwhelming. Don’t attempt to do it all! My intent is to point you to some excellent resources and not to give you the impression that to be a “good Christian” or a “good mom” you should be doing all – or any! – of these ideas!
The Best Lent Resources for You (updated for 2023!)
Good Enough by Kate Bowler. These 40 devotionals are especially for those of us tired of striving for bigger and better and ready to accept that we can’t control everything in life.
Free Lent Guides: Bless the Lent We Actually Have by Kate Bowler. I love that there are options for individual use and group use!
Easter Matters: How the Resurrection of Jesus Changes You by Anna Nash and Katy Shelton. This forty-day devotional goes through the gospel of John for you to experience greater freedom and security.
Holey, Wholly, Holy: A Lenten Journey of Refinement by Kris Camealy. “Hope and encouragement for the journey of moving from broken in sin (Holey) to learning to surrender (Wholly) to claiming the gift of grace through Christ (Holy)”
Draw Near: a Lenten Invitation to Lay Down Shame and Embrace Intimacy with God. Written by Cameron Bellm for Catholics especially, this book takes a forty day journey with seven different saints as a guide.
40 Day Lenten Devotional and Scripture Writing Plan. I’m a fan of Sarah Geringer’s writing, and this printable has a short devotional, a reflection question, and a Scripture writing plan.
Your People Forever, by She Reads Truth. This is a deep dive into 1 & 2 Chronicles, featuring a reading plan and weekly prompts for lament, confession, and praise.
The Lent Project, from Biola University’s Center for Christianity, Culture, and the Arts. This is a FREE 40 day devotional that comes to your email inbox every morning, featuring a song, a work of art, a poem, and reflection on a passage of Scripture. I loved doing this one last year and am looking forward to it again!
The Lent Playlist, from Sacred Ordinary Days. This Spotify playlist features musicians you probably already love and some you may not have heard of before!
The Best Lent Resources for Your Kids
Easter Cards to go along with the Jesus Storybook Bible. This is a set of 16 gorgeously illustrated cards that serve as a countdown to Easter. Each card features a hand-lettered verse and a corresponding story to read from The Storybook Bible.
40 Acts of Generosity. This wall chart is available to download and print for FREE! Use it as a family challenge or just tackle a few, but it’s full of wonderful ideas.
Easter Blocks for Holy Week. These 12 wooden blocks (and tray) come with an 8 page guide to lead your family to reflect in wonder and in worship during the week leading up to Easter.
DIY Resurrection eggs. This is a great resource to make a set of resurrection eggs, a tactile way to tell the story of Easter. The free storybook PDF is helpful here too!
A Sense of the Resurrection. This ebook is a 12 day guide with a craft/activity for each day leading up to Easter. This is great for younger kids, and if you’re worried about all the crafts, there’s a coloring page option for each day, too!
A Lent Devotion Tree. This resource comes with 47 printable ornaments, one for each day starting Ash Wednesday. Read from the accompanying guide as your little ones color the ornament and hang on the tree!
Easter Videos from The Bible Society. These free videos are a short and engaging way to teach young children about Easter!
Printable Lent Paper Chain Countdown. If you’re looking for a super simple way to be intentional about opening your Bible with your kiddos, this is a great option!
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*Some of the links I share are from Amazon, where I’m an affiliate. This means if you happen to purchase through my link, I’ll earn a few pennies on the dollar at no extra cost to you!
*Feature Photo by Matthias Münning on Unsplash
Sarah K. Butterfield 