For Lent I'm Giving Up: Anxiety

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YOU CAN ALSO LISTEN TO OUR ASH WEDNESDAY PODCAST AT:
Neighbors Abbey Denver Podcast - Ash Wednesday.

Today is Ash Wednesday and I had another Holy Visitation, the first one is here.  Yesterday I woke up thinking about the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" and especially Aaron Ivey's version. I've sung that version before and it's always filled me with strength and perspective.

Imposition of Ashes on Ash Wednesday

As you may know, I left the traditional church 10 days ago to pursue my dream to start a Neighbors Abbey and do city development. The process has not been easy and last week I experienced one of my worst panic attacks in years.

But today I woke up with a focus on surrendering Anxiety for Lent. It was a Holy Visitation.

Lent starts today Ash Wednesday when people  traditional give up something and take the "Imposition of Ashes" as a symbol of mourning and repentance to God.

As I listened to "It Is Well" and as I spoke to my wife about it, I felt God saying "This man lost his four daughters and near his wife in a tragic boat accident, returned to the scene of the crime and wrote 'It is well with my soul'", can you do the same?

So today, Ash Wednesday and for the next 40 days, I am giving up Anxiety.

I am giving up stressing over a job, unless it comes to me.
I am giving up worrying every day about money, about my future, about what I will do with my life as an almost 42 year old switching gears mid stream.
I am giving up tirelessly trying to make things happen.

Instead I will focus on the beauty of this Sabbatical, and focus on life giving things:

1. Neighbors Abbey podcasts
2. My Music
3. Exercise, yoga and eating healthy
4. Prayer and meditation, contemplation and retreat
5. Doing laundry, going grocery shopping and taking our children to the doctor

I know I will be tested, I already feel the impulse to get on the phone, email, make sure I'm out there pursuing things, but I'm resisting and instead focusing on things above.

The way I see it, this 40-day Lenten season is a Sabbatical of sorts, a time to regroup, to recalibrate my soul. After all, the charge before me is huge and there will be plenty of time in the future to worry about them.

There are so many things ahead of us, many questions still unanswered. But for the next 40 days, through Easter Sunday, April 24th, 2011 and the Resurrection of King Jesus, I will give up Anxiety and  store up treasures that last.

Have a great day.

Into the future,

davidTrig