What are you planning to give up for Lent? Not that long ago we faced the New Year. We decided on plans which are called New Year's Resolutions. Those resolutions represented ways to improve ourselves, and create goals for our lives. Lent is a time before Easter when we make different resolutions. Tradition holds, during Lent, that we mirror Jesus’ sacrifice by giving up something. After all, Jesus gave up His life for us. Crucified and died on the cross for us to conquer death and sin. God’s unconditional love for us. Therefore we sacrifice something as a reminder.
We give thanks for our blessings and we ask for forgiveness. During this journey, we abstain from daily pleasures. Some common ideas for sacrifice could be giving up sweets or chocolate, meat on Fridays, social media, there are many ideas. Another sacrifice to consider is giving ourselves through volunteering our time, helping others, listening to others, or doing good deeds. Sacrificing our time, talents, activities is a selfless act.
The main theme of my newsletter is “giving up”. Of course, I don’t need to remind you not to give up Hope – We never give up Hope. What I have been sharing so far is giving up on the surface – physical ways – food, time, or activities. These are great. When we give up something for the forty days of lent prior to Easter, many times people focus on a sacrifice at the surface. Maybe it’s easier or maybe they want others to see what they did – so they give up sweets, meat, volunteering, or even spending time on social media. All of those ideas are terrific because – it’s a conscious effort in the right direction. As I said before, it’s a journey which takes time. The concept of giving up can be challenging because sometimes people are hesitant to give up something that may impact their comfortable way of life.
That's OK too because it's your choice. God gives everyone free will. The concept of giving up is also central to my new book just released - it's about giving up something to find meaning and potential fullness in your life. My book will be a blessing to anyone who may be experiencing some form of suffering: like anxiety, worry, stress, illness, grief, pain from failure, rejections, the list goes on. Anyone who has been a victim of bullying, felt the sting and pain from jealousy, envy, greed, and power. These types of suffering have all of the shadowed remnants of darkness that creep into our lives. It’s evil and if you dwell on it for too long it can destroy your soul.
Giving up that darkness will allow you to come into the light, to give you life.
I’m reminded of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (Eph. 5.8-9) “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.”
Giving up the darkness, means allowing yourself to heal. Therefore to heal, keeping in line with the central theme of giving up, I would like to propose that you give up “YOU” or “Self” or “ME”. Wait! What did I just say? Give up on me, but I control my life. I’m self-reliant, I’m an independent thinker, I’m the master of my own destiny and I like it that way! Are you sure that works? Listen up, I am the first to say I never enjoyed being micromanaged. In my life I have always been extremely independent and self-reliant. I handle doing things and I have been very successful trusting myself to accomplish much in my life. How can I change now – and give up on my control, my independence? Who do I propose will control and manage your life – your decision making, everything? My answer is God.
You're joking right? It's hard enough letting a person control me but now you're asking me to give up and let God control me? I can't even see Him. Remember this is your choice. I know it isn't easy but if you give up control, give up your habit of relying on you, the decision making, and guidance in your life, you will have a different life. I went through the unimaginable – even several careers before that. I was spinning, spinning, chasing, chasing careers, goals, and God said – it’s all wrong. So he sent me a gift – a 360-degree life altering disease. Yes a gift – a blessed gift. Trust in God who will give you back your Life – You deserve it! Listen to God. Trust in God. Let God lead you in life. He will lead you in the right direction. Let God take your worries, your burdens, your pain, your suffering. He will. My books just might change your life.
These messages are in my second healing book which is about letting God lead you to healing and becoming new again. The only way to let God lead you is by freeing yourself from everything that you know then you will find the answer. If you want to learn more about how to do this along with insightful guidance and authentic stories, I will officially be launching my book “Finding Life in Forty Days” this weekend. You can meet me in person at my book signing event (see below).
Book Release Announcement: My second healing/self-growth book “Finding Life in Forty Days” is launching this weekend! My book is also available now via my website or my amazon author page.
You deserve to be worry-free and live with hope! Carol-Ann has endured many struggles throughout her life. Remarkably, as a cancer warrior, she has found ways to live a worry-free life, full of hope and resilience, and you can too.
Pre-Launch Book signing event My pre-launch book signing event is taking place this weekend at my parish Sts. Cyril & Methodius (Slovak RM Catholic church) at 5255 Thornwood Dr., Mississauga.
1) Sat. Feb 17 (4:30 and 6pm);
2) Sun Feb. 18 (10am-10:30am, 12pm).
If you know anyone who may be interested in the above event, or someone who is seeking ways to heal in their life, please click the share button below to forward this post to them. Thank-you!
The following is another sneak peek of my next book trailer for my upcoming second healing book. I hope you enjoy it, share it, and I look forward to seeing you at my book signing events.
Final thoughts
A word about my signature bookmarks. I handcraft them myself. Each bookmark has a significance. My first bookmark reflected a star related my debut foundational book, “A Star in the Distance”, the beginning of the journey.
The heart bookmark is connected to my latest book, "Finding Life in Forty Days". The heart represents our heart and the importance of healing but also the unconditional love Jesus has for us in dying for our sins. Each book will feature a different signature bookmark. Available until supplies last.
You can also find me at My Author website where I will unveil messages of hope as I experienced them.
My books are all available through My Author website and My Amazon Author page
If you haven’t already done so, please consider following me on Goodreads author page and adding a positive review of my books. It would be most appreciated.
I will also be launching my collection of true inspirational stories in early 2024. I will post on social media and through this newsletter details of the future launch, author signing events, and author talk events on my website.
Stay tuned for more information on that, but you can get a glimpse of one of my recently published stories “A Wall of Flames” on my website and in the Christian magazine Agape Review www.agapereview.com/AWallOfFlames
I invite you to subscribe to my Free Newsletter: Write in His Light, from my Substack website here: https://writeinhislight.substack.com/. You can also find me at www.carolannlane.com where I will unveil messages of hope as I experienced them.
(Copyright: Author: Carol-Ann Lane. This blog has been published initially in my newsletter: Write in His Light. - which is Free to subscribe.)