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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My favorite part of Easter is time with my parents and family, talking about the resurrection, and our Church family.
We did not grow up practicing lent, as we are not Catholic, but Easter is still a time that we think of Christ’s sacrifice.

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I will be giving up drinking anything but water 🙂

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I love she reads truth!! Started the studies at the beginning of the year

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Easter has always been my favorite “holiday” there’s a different feel in the atmosphere as we remember what Christ did for us. Five years ago my husband made the day even more special when he proposed. ♥️ Now there’s even more reason to love the day!

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Easter tradition: my husband works for our church so it started to get hard cramming all our Easter traditions in on Sunday before he left for the day. Our kids are now considered VIP to the Easter bunny so he comes a day early on Saturday. We do all our traditions the day before so Dad can be there to share it with them. and then we get to do even more with our extended family on Sunday. So they get Double Easter!

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Carmen I started listening to you guys about 3 years ago and I truly love hearing your spirit and your laughter coming through on the radio in the morning . It starts my day off right and keeps me going with the wonderful lifting music and your happiness and joy that surely comes through ! Love you all !!

Laura

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My wife would love this

She says she’s giving up that diet Coke for Lent

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This will actually be my first year doing lent! I think I want to take the giving approach rather than giving up something. Each day of lent I will go out of my way to do something nice for someone with no expectation of praise. I’m starting with my mom! Since my husband has been away with the military she has been an enormous help with my son and a comfort in lonely times. Tonight I am taking My 1st Valentine (mom) out for a fancy dinner just to say THANK YOU!

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Due to travel schedules I really miss the start of a new study for women in our church have been thinking I needed to have something else to fulfill this space. One of these would be a great blessing to me. Thank you so much Carmen

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I grew up baptist but the last couple years have been more interested in learning miore about leant and Ash Wednesday. I have heard some people don’t give anything up but they give away. Either material things or service. Kinda cool I love listening to the morning cruise yal keep it real!!!
My parents are both passed away so our Easter tradition is attending sunrise service at the cemetery where they are buried It’s a sweet time

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I remeber first meeting my husband and we met this time of year, I had told him it was the start of Lent and i shared with him what was about. He smiled and said ” Great lets start today and forever giving up something and remeber why, and what we should be gratful for and all the goodness we have and worked for. I knew he was a keeper then and forever. Today a little over a year married we still stop and say what we are thankful for and bless, and we PRAY and keep the FAITH…love your show and you Carmen your personality is contagious and could listen to you all day.

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Good Morning Carmen,
I love listening to you guys every morning! I am giving up dessert for Lent, which is tough because I have a horrible sweet tooth! My church just finished a 21 day fast in January and I fasted Facebook, which was awesome…but my family up north might start to worry if I’m out of touch for another 6 weeks 🙂 Thanks for al the encouragement you give every day!
Amanda

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Fun Fact about my family is on Easter, we will Easter Egg hunt. But the way my family does it, is it doesn’t matter how old you are, you HAVE to Easter egg hunt until you can replace yourself (have children). Needless to say we have a bunch of 20, 30 and even a 40 year old that’s chasing after eggs on Easter! Lol

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Carmen, my mother passed away this past August after struggling with her battle against alcohol. Through grieving I have come home to Jesus Christ and have found a peace within my heart I know I would never have unless I turned back to our Lord. The Joy FM has brought my children and I closer as we praise with you each day, your station has truly become part of our daily routine we look forward too while we hustle through our daily drives. I would love to receive one of your bible studies, She Reads Truth. I have not been able to find a study which I feel connected to or know how to start and I have never completed one before but I feel now it is truly the next step for my faith. A wonderful way to begin Lent by giving up nightly tv/cleaning time and focus those last hours of each day studying our Lord.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Ash Wednesday/Valentine’s Day/first day of Lent!

Chelsea C.

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Tomorrow is my Birthday and this would be amazing to win. Thank you for the opportunity!

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I grew up Presbyterian and we practiced lent. It has become one of my favorite practices. Lots of memories. My grandmother says that when you give your something up, make it mean something to you so you remember. And be thankful everyday of what Jesus did for you. I’m giving up soda with the hope of never going back to it.

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Carmen I just love you and the Morning Cruise! I am 34 and a mother of 5. Three which are step sons and one biological daughter and a biological son. So his, mine, ours. I have taken my step children as my own and love them unconditionally. Between working a full time job, homework, showers, dinner, sports and serving at our wonderful church teaching kindergarten and 1st graders, , I find very little time to myself. When you started talking about this study. I made it my mission to take time for myself. If it means getting up earlier in the morning to take 20 minutes of bible study time. So I guess it’s not really giving up something. But to gain more time for Jesus and God of learning his word. Thank you so much for the wonderful give away. I pray I can win so I can devote more of my time to God!!!! Love you and love listening to y’all. Happy Velentines Day!!!!

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I’ve heard you mention these studies before and keep forgetting to look into them. Thank you for an opportunity to win one! I love Easter, because its the sign of all things new and a promise fulfilled!

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I would love this devotional for Lent! Thank you for your giving heart ❤️

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I’ve never been a part of a denomination that celebrated Lent but have been inspired to give up my sacred Coke this season. Lord help me ‘cause it’s going to be hard! 😳 As a busy mom of 4 it’s always been hard for me to attend a regular Bible study so I’m always looking for books I can work through on my own. Would love to try She Reads Truth!

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I’m giving up social media on my phone for lent. For Easter I Love doing the resurrection eggs with my kids. I would love to win the She reads truth study!

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I would love this. I practice the traditions off lent and this book looks beautiful.Thank you

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Growing up Baptist, I never celebrated Lent. I’m very intrigued! Because of this, I don’t know exactly what I would give up or what is meaningful in that way. I’m still learning. For Easter, my family always has a wonderful lunch after church. It’s simple but beautiful.

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Good morning! My home church in Bradenton isn’t Catholic but we practice Lent and Holy Week, and as a born-again Christian, it’s been important to me the past few years to get to know God better. In the past, I’ve taken things like listening to the radio while driving (sorry guys!) and replaced it with praying. This Lent, I’m going to try to give up thoughts of worthlessness and meditate on God’s Truths!

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This is my first Valentine’s Day as a single person. Not only is it my first Valentine’s Day being single, it’s my first Valentine’s Day as a tubie. What’s a tubie? It’s what people who have feeding tubes are called. I can’t eat by mouth because of a stomach disease (Gastroparesis) so I eat formula through a tube for about 18 hours every day. It’s been a rough year and I’m SO grateful to the Lord for holding my hand through it all. I’m also grateful to the Joy FM for reminding me every morning to thank our Lord and Savior for every breath I take! God Bless!
~The Single Tubie

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I like the color purple

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I have been looking for a good bible study to do, and this one sounds wonderful! I, too, love Holy Week. It’s such a spirit-filled time that puts my heart in the right place to prepare for Easter. Love listening to you in the mornings! Be blessed!

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I love the idea oF doing something for others!

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Good morning, I just wanted to say that I love you all at TMC. Last year my husband was undergoing cancer treatment, which was extremely difficult, we have two small children and all of the financial and busy work was on me. This year I have decided to give up all social media for lent, I hope to be able to make it permanent. Family has taken on a whole new meaning after last year.

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My valentines tradition is to eat dinner with my daughter, who is thirteen, her father, his wife, and their two young kids, ages 2 and 8 months, her sister and her mom. We started this three years ago and things are great between all of us. My daughters step mom is one of my best friends and I’m so very thankful and blessed to have her in my life. My daughter is lucky enough to have her for another positive influence. Along with her mom and her sister. We are all very very blessed.

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I started listening to you guys 3 years ago, my faith was down, my daughter was the one told me about you guys, you guys lifted me up, i grew up catholic in Cuba, i always give up chocolate, for lent, is the only sweet that i really like…thank you, for your prayers, i’m also a colon cancer survivor.
Odi Farramola,

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We don’t give anything up for lent but I do love the command to fast and put Christ first. <3

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My New Years resolution was to focus more on God. When you told us about the book “Free of Me” it was meant for me. I start it this month and that what I am giving up…. me. I want to give myself up and let God in. Let him be first. My coworkers and I are in this together and at lunch we do the books you tell us about. We can’t wait to celebrate every morning with y’all! We love you guys!

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Thank you Carmen! I can’t wait to turn on your show every single morning. I also grew up Southern Baptist and didn’t practice Lent even though it was preached about in the pulpit, I understood it’s deep meaning. I have from time to time participated in sacrificing something for the season of Lent, this year it’s coffee (not just Starbucks, but all coffee). God Bless you, Dave and Bill.

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Carmen,
One of favorite Easter memories is my whole family going to church and then we always had our big family reunion at whatever location the committee had chosen. It was always so much fun seeing how the families changed over the years. Sure do miss those reunions. JESUS IS ALIVE.

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Good Morning Carmen,
I would love to have one of these books, She reads truth, My favorite part of Easter is having mine and my sisters girls together, easter egg hunting. It brought love to my heart! I have recently lost my sister to Brain cancer, November, 2017 and now this Easter will be difficult for our girls. It will be the first without her. The easter egg hunt was all her idea and I will keep the tradition going, even though our girls are older now. She will be happy to see her faith and traditions carried on. She was a big fan of your station. it is all she ever listened to. I and her husband now are fans as well , as we feel it keeps her alive in our hearts. I have two people in my office that have this book and have said it is the best! i hope you You find it in your heart to pass one on to me

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Good morning! One of my favorite Easter traditions is playing resurrection eggs with the kids. So fun! I am giving up sweets for Lent. My husband decided to give up sweets so I decided to do the same thing. I don’t want to be the person eating sweets in front of someone who can’t eat them. So, I ate the Valentine’s day chocolate last night instead of on Valentine’s Day. Haha! Have a great Valentine’s Day!

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I’d love to have this, but if I win, I will be giving this to a dear lady that recently lost her husband of 47 years.

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The morning cruise has helped me survive this past year! January a year ago my husband, who was only 47 suffered a stroke and was then out of work for 6 months. Every morning I listen to the morning cruise and no matter what it was my saving grace. Whether it was songs you were playing or just the discussion. You have also helped bring my closer in my personal relationship with God. Four months after the stroke I was in a car wreck and hospitalized for 3 days. I so wanted the year to be over, however, again this helped me be faithful in prayer but I know I lack in devotions. Having two kids and having to do more as my husband is now limited ( He cannot move his left arm and is still working on his leg but he is walking) at times I’m just exhausted dealing with my on health issues. I have wanted so many times to tell you all but never really knew how. Please know how much you mean to those of us who tune in!!! You have helped me to continue to find Joy. My son recently wrote his college application and it was about his dad’s stroke. What was most important is that he stated that this helped show him the Man he wanted to become. He spoke of how we all stayed positive and had faith through the ordeal and never gave up. It helped me have validation that we were doing something right in our lives and really not screwing our kids up….LOL!

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I love the season of Lent… Growing up in the Catholic Church all my life, I have always “given up” something for Lent. The past few years I have really taken time to not only sacrifice something but to be MORE intentional and GIVE something back more to God and growing in my faith. It has been a long and hard few years but I have really learned to appreciate the TRUE meaning of Lent and get a lot more out of it then I ever did. It has been a wonderful time each year and a great way to grow and give. This year I am giving up sweets (because the holidays I have been having too much recently) but more importantly, I will be going to mass during the week and being more intentional about my quiet time with God. Look forward to the next 40 days! Would love to read this book.

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Good morning, Carmen! I live listening to The Morning Cruise on my way to work! Easter is my absolute FAVORITE time of the year!!!

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Carmen-

I love your sense of rawness- how transparent you are to your listeners and those who follow you on Instagram and your blog. What you see and hear is who you are and it’s so inspiring to be more authentic in how I am in my daily life with those I encounter. I also grew up with Lent and though I haven’t participated it in for a few years now I agree it was also a great reminder in this season of the ultimate sacrifice our heavenly father and savior endured for us to be free in them to those who believe!

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Good morning ! My favorite Easter tradition is going to sunrise service with family. Then we come home and have a big feast and do Easter egg hunts. I am a single 56 year old woman – so when I say family I mean my brother and his wife and adult kids and their kids. I have never been married or had kids but love being around all my brothers and sisters children. I love them all like they were my own. And I am the favorite Aunt !!! 🙂 Happy Valentines day and I love listening to you on your show. God’s blessing to you always.

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I would love to win she reads truth. I always hear you talk about it. For lent I have given up social media. I feel I should spend this time focusing on my relationship with God instead of the people of social media

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I am also a fan of She Reads Truth, and my husband enjoys He Reads Truth. For Lent we are not gong out to eat…something we do way too often. Participating in Lent helps my family focus on the true meaning of Easter… the death and resurrection of the Savior!

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I grew up Baptist. A few years ago is when I first heard about lent. I enjoying doing a fast or a devotional leading up to Easter. That’s a time for me to truly cleanse myself & get ready to receive ALL that God has for me.

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My favorite part of Easter is celebrating the resurrection with my family at church, singing beautiful praises to our risen Lord, hearing the truth preached from our pastor, lunch with the family and just being together. I love She Reads Truth! I was recently introduced to it at a Lifeway conference where both authors spoke. Thank YOU for speaking truth each morning on the show.. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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I so love the fact that this morning the joy fm has been so open with scripture and the fact we can have JOY and Hope in the during this time to remember who we reflect on and what God wants us to be in service to. We are taking the Beth Moore Study mercy triumphs. We also are doing the James study by Francis Chan. I do not think that it is a coincidence that Isaiah 58 was mentioned this morning. Thank you so much for your service God bless

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Giving up chocolate for Lent, and trying to add morning time reading the Bible. As a night owl who usually hits snooze 1 time too many, this is even harder than skipping my favorite food. I’d love to win this study!

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Oh I need this ! Just started bible study this year and I’m loving it 💙. One year my Easter chocolates were melted and all stuck in the Easter “grass” , My mom’s response was “We’ll you know Angel Florida is just too hot for the Easter Bunny 🤣 true !

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