In the church calendar, Lent is a time for the people of God to reflect, examine, deny, and repent. The season of Lent lasts 40 days (not including Sundays), begins on Ash Wednesday, and ends on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. Throughout the Bible, 40 days/years marks a time of testing and self-denial, typically in a desolate place (see the temptation of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, and Luke and the Israelites in the wilderness in Exodus).

Whereas Advent is a season of hope, Lent is a season of examining brokenness. This guide will focus on different aspects of the brokenness around us - the brokenness in ourselves, in our homes and neighborhoods, in our city, in our nation, and in our world. The last week in the guide focuses on each day in Holy Week.

We pray that these readings, prayers, reflection questions, and practices will help you see the ways in which sin has distorted, twisted, and broken every relationship, place, and inch of this world. In examining and looking at this brokenness, we are not led to despair but long for a perfect savior who rescues and redeems his people from their sin.