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Return to the Lord: An Ash Wednesday Invitation · HAVE FAITH LET IT BEGIN®

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  Welcome to a very special edition of Half Faith Let It Begin.
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  Today is February 18th, 2026. It's Ash Wednesday.
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  And today, I call this episode, Return to the Lord.
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  Today is Ash Wednesday. And today, we begin the season of Lent.
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  Now, maybe you're very familiar with Lent. Or maybe this is new to you.
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  Either way, I want you to hear this very clearly.
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  Lent is not about guilt. It's about returning.
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  Ash Wednesday reminds us of something both humbling and holy.
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  For dust you are, and to dust you will return.
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  Genesis 3, verse 19. Those words can sound heavy, but they are not meant to
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  shame us. They are meant to ground us.
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  They remind us that life is fragile, time is precious, and our dependence on God is real.
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  The ashes placed on the forehead are not a symbol of failure.
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  They are a symbol of surrender.
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  Surrender of pride. Surrender of self-sufficiency.
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  Surrender of the illusion that we can do this life alone.
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  And scripture calls us clearly. In Joel 2, verse 13, it says,
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  Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate,
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  slow to anger and abounding in love. Return.
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  Not perform, not pretend, not impress, return.
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  Maybe you've drifted spiritually. Maybe prayer has felt distant.
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  Maybe life has been loud, busy, overwhelming.
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  Ash Wednesday is an invitation, not a condemnation. It's God saying, come back to me.
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  And Lent is not about perfection for 40 days. It's about intention.
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  It's about creating space to pray more intentionally, to reflect more honestly,
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  to fast from distractions, to give more generously, generously,
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  to give more generously, to examine our hearts.
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  Lent prepares us for Easter because you cannot fully celebrate resurrection
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  if you have never sat with surrender.
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  This season, ask hard questions.
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  Where have I grown distance from God? Where did I need healing?
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  What needs to be laid down, but it also offers hope.
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  Because repentance is not punishment, it's restoration. And here's the beautiful truth.
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  He does not shame those who return. He welcomes them every single time.
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  So as we begin the Lenten journey together here on Half Faith Let It Begin,
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  I want to gently encourage you.
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  Take this season, this moment seriously, but not fearfully.
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  Reflect, but not.
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  Condemn yourself. Fast, but don't boast.
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  Pray, but don't perform. Let this be a quiet reset.
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  Over the next several weeks, we'll walk through themes of surrender,
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  forgiveness, sacrifice, renewal, and preparation.
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  This is a season to slow down, to examine your heart, to draw closer,
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  because Easter is coming.
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  But before resurrection, there's reflection. Before victory, there is surrender.
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  Before celebration, there is repentance. And God is not waiting to judge you.
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  He's waiting to restore you. Let's begin this journey together.
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  Let's pray. Lord, as we enter this season of Lent, soften our hearts,
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  reveal what needs to be surrendered. Draw us closer to you.
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  Help us return, not in fear, but in faith.
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  Thank you for your grace, your compassion, and your endless love. Amen.
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  And remember that because you matter and never forget. Have faith, let it begin.
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  Ash Wednesday starts right now.