Description

Lent is a season observed by many traditions with fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. It’s a rhythm that invites us into a slower pace, a kind of deliberate uncluttering of our lives. Surrender, in this context, isn’t giving up hope or giving in to pain—it’s choosing to release control of things that aren’t serving our deepest good so we can attend to what loves us and what we love in return.

The rhythm of 40 days: 

The number 40 appears in many stories: rain for 40 days and nights, Moses on the mountain 40 days, and Jesus in the wilderness 40 days. It’s a frame for descent, reflection, and renewal. Lent invites three classic practices—fasting or simplification, prayer or contemplation, and almsgiving or service. You can honor these in ways that fit your life: skip a habit that consumes you, spend a few minutes in quiet, and give a small gift or time to someone in need.

Introduce Dr. Glenda’s new book: 40 Days Closer to Him, a God-inspired wellness plan.  

If you want to improve physically, mentally, and spiritually, 40 Days Closer to Him offers a whole-person approach to enhancing your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. With

practical tools, scientifically based nutrition principles, and a straightforward exercise plan, you’ll embark on a 6-week journey toward your optimal well-being.

What you can expect:

• Key wellness tools to feel your best
• How to set achievable nutritional and fitness goals
• Macronutrient and diet basics tailored to your unique needs
• How to calculate your nutritional needs for optimal health and muscle building
• A 6-week exercise framework to develop lifelong fitness habits without the overwhelm
• Christ-centered meditation for daily renewal

Where to purchase:

• Amazon, or if you’re local, you can purchase from me.  
• Hard or soft, and Ebook are available 
• Cost $24.99 plus tax.  

Practical ways to surrender: 

Turning surrender into a daily practice.

• Daily micro-surrenders: Each day, choose one thing you’ll do less of, or let go of for the day. It could be unnecessary scrolling, snappy reactions, or overeating treats. Notice how your body and mind respond when you create that extra space.

• Short prayer prompts:  Try a simple prayer: “Be with me, God” or “Let me see you, Lord.” Repeat it for a minute or two, especially when you feel anxiety or unease rise.

• Fasting as release: Fasting isn’t a punishment; it’s a way to remind your senses that you don’t need what you think you do. It could be a meal you skip, a social media break, or a television-free evening.

• Almsgiving and service: Set a modest goal—one act of kindness a week, or a small donation, or volunteering an hour of time. The focus is on moving outward, not just inward.

• Non-traditional options: If faith-based practice isn’t your path, you can still surrender: a digital detox, a nature walk without headphones, writing a letter to someone you’ve meant to apologize to, or clearing one cluttered corner of your home to invite calm.

Cultivating a space for grace

Create a simple Lent ritual that fits your life. A small, dedicated space at home—perhaps a candle, a plant, a journal, and a few quiet minutes each day. Use silence to listen—not just for answers, but for what’s real in you, what’s tender, what’s thirsty for attention.

When the surrender feels hard, remember: grace is not about perfection. It’s about returning, again and again, to what matters. If life throws you a thousand curveballs, you can still choose a small, compassionate action in your next moment.

A practical 40-day plan : 

Here’s a simple, flexible plan you can start today:

• Pick one core focus for the 40 days. It could be “less screen time after dinner,” “one treat per day,” or “one act of service per week.”
• Create a weekly rhythm: Sundays for reflection and reset, Mondays for intention-setting, Wednesdays for midweek check-ins, and weekends for deeper rest or bigger acts of service.
• Each day, spend 5–10 minutes in quiet or journaling, reflecting on what surrendered space in you and what grew because of it.

Closing:

Lent invites us to a gentle practice of surrender—letting go of what we grasp too tightly so we can encounter grace more fully.  Reach out with your reflections, questions, or stories. 

Thanks for listening to the Well Life Podcast. 

May your 40 days be a season of spaciousness, compassion, and renewal.

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For more information about the hosts, please visit their websites and follow them on social media:

Dr. Glenda Shepard - Doctor of Nursing Practice/Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner/Certified Nutrition Coach/Certified Personal Trainer/Certified Intrinsic Coach

https://www.triumphantwomancoaching.com/

FB - https://www.facebook.com/glenda.shepard1

Robin McCoy - Certified McIntyre Seal Team Six Coach and John Maxwell Team Trainer/Speaker/Coach

https://www.thewellnessfactor.coach/

IG - https://www.instagram.com/RobinRMcCoy

FB - https://www.facebook.com/robin.mccoy1

Produced by KB Podcasts