With the start of Lent this past Wednesday, I’ve been thinking about the tradition of “giving something up” as a way to prepare for Easter.

Easter is my favorite holiday, and Lent is how I prepare my heart for it. This season is a journey to the cross—walking through God’s rescue story from the Exodus and the Psalms, through the prophets, and into the life of Jesus. Day by day, we follow Him from His baptism to Jerusalem, to the cross, and finally to the empty tomb. It’s a reminder of why Jesus came—and why Easter morning changes everything.