As most of you know, it is Lent. I am a Catholic so traditionally we give up something for forty days, in addition to every Friday, we abstain from eating meat. The point in giving something up is to make some sort of a sacrifice to bring you closer to the Lord; some ask how does giving up soda bring you closer to the Lord. Well it is simple. Every time you want to drink that soda but don’t; you think to yourself why don’t I drink this, you are reminding yourself of the Lord’s ultimate sacrifice. So by reminding yourself of this sacrifice, you are becoming closer to the Lord. Some people say they love their religion because it is simple and they don’t have to give anything up for Lent, but really I am not obligated to give something up. I do it because I love the Lord, and if He can be hung on a cross for me, I sure as hell can give up soda for forty days for Him. A sacrifice isn’t just about giving something up, it can be doing something for Lent. For this Lent, I not only gave up energy drinks but I am reading the bible more. This is a great way to come closer to the Lord. By reading the bible, I am giving up my time to read and even think about what I had read and the message behind it. Tonight in Life Teen, Randall’s lesson was about sacrifice and it just really got me thinking about how important it is. Lent is a great time to reconnect with the Lord, if you have been a little disconnected. If you think it is too late to give something up, well guess what. It is not. I challenge you to make a sacrifice this week even if it is something as simple as saying hello to someone who you butt heads with. Believe me, it will be so worth it in the end. "If we only have the will to walk, then God is pleased with our stumbles."(C.S Lewis). So don’t be afraid to stumble with this sacrifice. It is the thought that counts.