Happy Valentines/Galentines/Palentines – essentially whatever you’re celebrating tomorrow – Day! I’m hosting my bible study tomorrow night, so us girls have decided to eat dark chocolate, learn about Daniel, and be each other’s Valentines! Totally works for me!

Tomorrow is also the 1st day of Lent. I didn’t grow up in the Catholic Church – actually probably the farthest thing from it – I grew up Southern Baptist. But, when I moved to Tampa in 1994, our Methodist church observed Holy Week. I loved every thing about it. Up to and including the practice of giving up something from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. I liked having something as a reminder of the sacred season we’re in. This year I’m giving up Starbucks (don’t judge!) & shutting down Facebook.

As I mentioned at Christmas, I’ve become a huge fan of She Reads Truth. I will say my only “feedback” to the wonderful women in charge is the TINY font. I’m hoping I can get in touch with a few of them at some point, and ask them about Large Print versions. Ha! But, I digress.

I ordered these Lenten studies to give away this year. I opened one up today and realized it actually started yesterday (February 12). Oooops!! This is totally in line with my personality though – a day late, dollar short! But, we can catch up!!

She Reads Truth

I have 5 studies to give away. I will pick 5 winners at noon on Wednesday, February 14th. To register, comment below! I’d love to hear if you’re giving up anything for Lent. Oh maybe, what your favorite Easter tradition is, or any other fun fact you’d like to share with me!

Thanks for visiting me here, in this space. I love you very much! You make my heart happy.

-carmen

127 comments

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Growing up Catholic there was always a conversation around the dinner table about our fast & my mother would make us examine our heart to make sure we truly would value the fast. As a child you can imagine what that was like but as we got older she really pressured us to re-read certain bible passages if she knew we where trying to skate through Lent. Today I value that practice on many levels and for Lent I will give up sugar! I never realized how many things I use daily have sugar.; look in your spice cabinet, you maybe as surprised as I was. .

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I didn’t grow up celebrating lent as my family wasn’t Catholic or orthodox, but I married a man who grew up in the Greek Orthodox Church. After reading more about it, I thought it was such a special way to use a physical/personal sacrifice to keep Christ’s sacrifice in remembrance in the weeks leading up to Easter. It also helps me focus less on my wants and focus more on what matters ! We will be doing the traditional lent with no meat and I’m going to try to give up sweets as well 🙂

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I want the devotional – love your show.

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I love to hide suckers on Easter. I stick suckers in the ground all around the yard and let the little ones find them. My babies are older now but I still do this for little cousins and others. Its something different. Of course we still do eggs. The adults get to hunt eggs as well. They have special adult treats such as gift cards to McDonalds or something like that. You are never to old to have FUN

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I’m going to try harder to pray , learn more about God and to look and listen for Gods messages to me .

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Hi Carmen! You, Bill and Dave are such a riot. I love listening to you in the morning. For Lent I am giving up coffee. I am with you on the giving-up-Starbucks train.

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I have been following She Reads Ttuth since you mentioned them a while back before Christmas and I love it!

One of my favorite Easter traditions is from my Lutheran background. The Christmon tree (a tree decorated with white lights and white and gold Christian symbols- hand made by members of the church) once taken down, the limbs are all cut off and cross is made from the trunk of the tree and a large branch. At Easter the cross is covered in chicken wire and on Easter morning everyone brings fresh flowers to fill the cross. It is so beautiful. 🌸♥️

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You have sparked my interest in reading those books by listening to you talk about them.

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My favorite Easter tradition when my kids were little was making Resurrection Cookies and Resurrection Empty Tomb Rolls with a nice dinner. This year I’m low carb and sugar free and only have one teen still at home, so we’ll celebrate Holy Week and Resurrection Sunday with a nice lamb dinner.

I love the She Reads Truth devotionals, but have never done one of their studies. That would be such a blessing! I have been doing studies with a local group https://flourishgathering.com/about/. Mindy and Jenny have put together a few life-changing studies. The lastest was Job and I am waiting with anticipation for the new study on Ruth due out in a few weeks.

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I grew up Methodist, converted to Southern Baptist in my first marriage and now in my second married a Catholic. We are totally messed up when it comes to what denomination to claim. My favorite Easter activities include dying eggs still… even though two of my three children are grown. Whoever is home takes part. We always go to my parents for lunch on Easter day. The highlight is family pictures after lunch. There is never ever a serious one. As my sisters and my families continue to grow with new daughters in law the picture taking gets more comical every year. I gave up FB last year for Lent and it made a huge difference. I hardly get on any more. This lent I’ll do another Whole30 and give up sugar.

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This year I am giving up sugar. For a southern girl who loves her sweet tea this is huge. My favorite Easter tradition is going shopping for just the right hat and the building my outfit around it. I have been known to shop for 8 hours for a hat and usually go back to the first hat I saw.

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I would love to win She Reads Truth. After listening to the Lint discussion this morning on TMC, I decided to give up Facebook for Lint. And buy a satin pillow case 😉

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Hey Carmen! I’ve been listening to you and the TMC crew every morning since I moved to Tampa two years ago. Your insight, humor and laugh starts my day on such a positive note – I appreciate all you and your team does to spread JOY! I’m still very new on my walk with God and have been looking for good devotionals to help me become intentional with my Bible reading and studying. After hearing what great things you’ve had to say about She Reads Truth, I’d love to read through one of these! Happy Easter to you and your family!

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Love the JoyFM and especially starting my day with the Morning Cruise! I am giving up bread—I love bread. I will have to rely on the Bread of Life! 🙂

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For me, the two BEST DAYS of the year are Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. During the Ash Wednesday service our Lutheran Pastor would stand at the pulpit and read the 10 Commandments. As he read, he expounded upon each one putting into laymen’s terms what those sins may look like in today’s world. With the ashes marked on our foreheads and the condemnations on our hearts, you could just FEEL the heaviness upon everyone as we left the sanctuary. Throughout the 40 days of Lent, being able to reflect on my sins – the sins Jesus took to the cross FOR US (ME!) – is a profoundly humbling experience. So when Easter Morning finally arrives, once again the heaviness of Ash Wednesday is felt, but it’s as though a blanket is being lifted. We are no longer covered by that sin! IT. IS, PURE JOY!

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My best friend just yesterday told me about this same devotion. I always hear things over and over when the Lord is speaking to me… maybe I’m a bit dense…. LOL. Would love to win this devotion!

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Hi Carmen!! I have also decided to give up Facebook for Lent. My husband, daughter and I went through RCIA 4 years ago to become Catholic and that is what I have given up every year since. Sister Bea told us when we were learning about Lent that we should do something to add to our journey with Christ. So I use the time I would use to get lost in Facebook to get lost in my Faith 🙂 But this year, I have also decided to give back. So I am doing 40 acts of Random Kindness as well. I will be doing one each day! Today, I bought breakfast for the people behind me in line. 🙂
It was a great start!

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Happy Valentine’s Day Carmen! (and to Bill and Dave too!!) The JOYFM has been a blessing to me! I’m so glad you all are real and truthful!!! I appreciated your marriage talk this morning for sure!! We start Wednesday night services at our church during Lent usually with a soup or light supper to follow. The service includes the “passion readings”…. (following Jesus to the cross) and there’s just something about going out during the darker days of winter and then seeing each week as it gets lighter and lighter out until we reach Easter time! Having that weekly time out to focus on our Lord’s suffering makes Easter morning that much sweeter! God bless your Ash Wednesday and oh yes a Facebook fast was part of my plan too not for Lent but just to focus more on what counts! I love you guys thank you for all you do! Xoxoxo

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Happy Valentines CarCar… love that! I would LOVE to win this. I’m starting on a new path of reading more of devotionals, bible and other Godly books. THANK YOU for every morning. You guys really truly make my day. I listen to J93.3 ALL day long… 6:45 am to 6:30 pm. Much love <3

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I have been in a Baptist Church all my life and we never discussed lent. As I listen to your radio show daily, it tweeked my interest. I have been looking around for a bible study to do and sometimes God just has to put something right in front of you, as he did with this.
Thank you for this chance to win.

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Hello! I would love to read these. I’m looking for just this type of read! Please and thank you!!😊

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Hope I’m not too late! Would love to win!

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So I am a bit late. I would love to study his with you!

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Happy Valentines Day/beginning of Lent. I love celebrating Christ’s resurrection with my family each year. I especially loved when my then 6 year old accepted Christ a few years ago the day before Easter!

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I think that is why I would like to have this study. I don’t have any traditions, I honestly never observed Lent as a born again Christian. Christ found me at 21 I have 6 kids and would love to teach them early how to grow during lent. I myself want to grow deeply in my walk with Christ during this season. He saved me, my marriage, my children. I am so grateful for him. thanks and love you Carmen!

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Hey Carmen! I’d like to give up time for Lent. It’s my most prized possession. I plan to give up 15 minutes a day to devote to bible study. Also, I couldn’t agree more about February being a pink month. I just love it! Have a great day and keep up the hard work of sharing smiles!

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