Lent has a way of inviting us to pause.

Forty days.
Forty small decisions.
Forty opportunities to re-center our hearts.

For many of us, Lent begins with good intentions. We choose something to give up. We commit to praying more intentionally. We open our Bibles with fresh resolve. But somewhere between Ash Wednesday and Easter morning, the journey can feel… ordinary. Or difficult. Or quietly transformative.

So let me ask you:

How is your learning journey going?
What is God teaching you this Lent?

At the Upper Room Mission, Lent feels especially tangible. Every day, we see the fragility and resilience of people who are struggling. We see how easily dignity can be lost—and how powerful it is when it is restored.

Lent reminds us that faith is not abstract. It is embodied. It costs something. And it gives something greater in return.

40 Days of Dignity Challenge

This year, we’re inviting our community to participate in something simple but meaningful: the 40 Days of Dignity Challenge.

The invitation is straightforward:

Redirect the cost of one small habit—a daily coffee, a snack, a subscription—and give $40 for 40 Days. You can donate below.

Just $1 a day.

That one dollar becomes:

• A hot meal for someone who hasn’t eaten

• A warm shower for someone living outside

• A safe bed for someone who would otherwise sleep in the cold

But more than that, it becomes dignity. It becomes hope. It becomes a visible expression of God’s love in Vernon.

Lent has always been about more than self-denial. It is about making room—room for prayer, room for generosity, room for compassion.

What if this year, the thing we “give up” becomes something that lifts someone else up?

Perhaps your journey this year has been smooth and focused.
Perhaps it has been messy and interrupted.
Perhaps you’ve forgotten what you committed to give up.

That’s okay.

Lent is not about perfection. It is about posture.

If you haven’t started something intentional yet, there is still time. If you have stumbled, begin again. If you are growing in quiet ways, pay attention.

And if you feel led, join us in the 40 Days of Dignity Challenge. Let these 40 days extend beyond yourself and into the life of someone who needs practical hope today. 

I would love to hear from you.

• How is your Lenten journey going?

• What has been challenging?

• What has surprised you?

• Where are you sensing growth?

Please share in the comments below. Your reflections may encourage someone else who is walking this road. Thank you for being part of this community. Thank you for caring about those who are struggling. And thank you for allowing this season to shape you in deeper ways.

Grace and peace,