Get Ready to be Thrilled this Easter: 27 Ideas to get there

Big Idea: 27 ideas for anyone to spiritually prepare for Easter by reflecting on Jesus’ death and character, to be thrilled for His resurrection.

Get Ready to be Thrilled this Easter!

I’m making a list and checking it twice for Easter Brunch. We have the extended family at our house. It is a big job but I enjoy it.

However, preparing for Easter should be more than preparing a meal and deciding on my Easter dress.

I am learning the value of heart preparation, reflecting on the death of Christ so I can truly be thrilled celebrating His resurrection. We can do this through the 40 days of Lent.  (Find out the dates for 2023 here).

Becoming more in love with Jesus

My husband was a military Chaplain for 30 plus years. He is a methodical kind of guy. He is a Protestant minister, raised as a Catholic, who embraces the spiritual disciplines.

I’ve learned a lot from him.

We strive to become more in love with Jesus, our Savior, as we reflect on His death and resurrection, and not follow formulas or rules but what is helpful for the soul.

27 Ideas to Spiritually Prepare for Easter

Here are 27 ideas to spiritually prepare during Lent, six weeks before Resurrection Sunday. Prayerfully consider something that is good for you to nurture. They are listed here in 6 categories.

Spiritual Reading

1. Read one of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John)

2. Read the Passion of Christ narrative in each of the gospels. Note similarities and differences.

3. Read a Lent devotional each day. There are many available. (i.e. American Bible Society Devotional)

4. Read a book about the Passion of the Christ ( i.e. And the Angels were Silent by Max Lucado)

5. Read a book on suffering (i.e. Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elizabeth Elliot)

6. Memorize verses or a chapter that pertains to the Passion of Christ. I like Isaiah 53.

7. Meditate (mull over in your mind, reflect, pray) on passages or words related to the Passion.

8. Use a Lent calendar. Many exist for adults and children. I like this one with a word to meditate on each day. 

Write

9. Keep a Lent journal of thoughts or activities related to Lent. Or make a scrapbook. This is especially nice if you include your family in various Lenten activities.

10. Send a card a day, or a card a week to a different shut-in, someone battling illness, or a missionary. Or write a note or letter to them.

11. Write a Bible verse about God’s love or Jesus’ saving act and tape it to your bathroom mirror where you look every day.

Pray

12. Keep a Lenten prayer journal.

13. Choose someone you know in need, or a ministry, and pray for them throughout Lent.

14. Walk your neighborhood and pray for your neighbors as you walk, even if you don’t know them. Pray for your town, your mayor, the local schools, etc. as you walk.

Help others

15. Volunteer for a church program, such as the nursery during Lent so others have a break.

16. Volunteer at a food bank or shelter during Lent.

17. Do a random act of kindness each week or each day.

18. Save some money (i.e. from skipping diet cola, daily cappuccino, etc) and give it to a ministry or service project. It doesn’t need to be from a sacrifice. It could be a gift in love.

 

Give something up

19. Give up a bad habit (i.e. smoking, snarky social media site, a raunchy TV show) for six weeks and consider giving up the bad habit long term.

20. Give up a time consuming activity (i.e. a TV show, playing Sudoku, reading novels) and use the time for a spiritually uplifting focus like Bible reading.

21. Choose a fast from food, deciding on the specific way you will follow it. Fast one meal one day a week. Fast a full day of the week except for liquids. Fast from eating red meat. Reflect on our Lord and use some of that time for prayer.

22. Take a fast from eating in restaurants. Consider donating money saved to a ministry need.

 

Use your hobby

23. Put up a reminder in your house like a meaningful picture on the fridge, or a cross figurine on your dining room table.

24. Make a craft with a candle, wreath or other decoration with a cross, a lamb, or something else spiritual related.

25. Use your hobby to create something. Write a poem or make up a song. A photographer or a painter may create a special image. A woodworker may make a special cross for the wall.

26. Love listening to music? Make a playlist of hymns or worship songs related to the Crucifixion and Resurrection and listen to them over the course of Lent.

Finally....

27. Attend a Lent related activity in your area. Ideas:

• Find a special exhibit (i.e. the Shroud of Turin, the Holocaust, art display on the Passion)
• Watch a powerful Christian movie (i.e. The Passion of the Christ, Ben Hur, Risen, etc)
• Attend a lecture related to the Passion of Christ at a local church or college
• Walk through the Stations of the Cross and pray with humility and gratefulness.
• Attend a community Good Friday service

That was a long list!

This long list should have something for everyone! Choose something and start practicing it now, in the middle of Lent, to become accustomed to it and reap the benefits on Easter Sunday!

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. Romans 15:4 NLT

Thank God for what He has done in sending His Son to rescue us! Meditate on that and be ready to celebrate Eternal Life on Easter Sunday!

Blog schedule for the month of March.

1. The when and why of Lent
2. What’s up with giving something up and eating fish?
3. Get ready to be thrilled this Easter
4. Ten reasons Lent is beneficial
5. 'Twas the week before Easter

Holy week: 'Twas the night before Easter

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Up next: Ten reasons Lent is beneficial

Previous post: Giving something up for Lent and eating fish on Fridays
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Reflect:

1. Have you ever spiritually prepared yourself for Easter? What was it? How was it beneficial?

2. Do you have another idea to add to the list? Have you seen someone else do a Lent activity that you’d like to try? 

3. Take a moment to pray that God gives you a desire to reflect on His wonderful sacrificial act. 

4.  If you have a suggestion of something that you have done that helps you, email it to me at dianewido@scripturespy.com or post it at the scripturespy facebook page! I may include it next year!

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