Glen Lewerenz chatted with Catholic evangelist Kendra Von Esh about that classic Lent struggle: falling flat on our faces with our Lenten resolutions and wanting to just give up. (Sound familiar? )

Kendra got real about her past. Before her conversion, she was out there living a very ME-centered life, even during Lent. She’d do the whole “giving up something for Lent” thing, but it was all about self-improvement: losing weight, working out, and looking better.

Now, she’s learned that Lent isn’t about our personal success streak. It’s about growing closer to God, trusting in Him, and knowing that when we fall, we just have to get back up again and run to Jesus. Confession is so important. That’s what makes the Catholic faith so incredible. It’s like hitting the restart button every time we fall.

Not Just Anti-Chocolate Olympics

Glen pointed out that Lent isn’t just about denying ourselves sweets or running some spiritual marathon to prove we’re tough. It’s about getting real with ourselves… letting God heal our sins and weaknesses and clinging to Him when temptation hits.

Kendra emphasized how important it is to “stop, pause, and pray” when temptation comes. Instead of rushing to eat that cake, just ask Jesus for strength. The difference is learning to depend on Him rather than trying to muscle through everything alone.

Trading Vice for Virtue

The real goal is not just about giving up sweets. It’s about confronting deep-rooted sins and vices. It’s about swapping bad habits for virtue and growing in our relationship with Jesus. You can’t do that without a real prayer life.

Spiritual Battle Mode: Activated

Kendra’s advice is to call on Jesus during moments of temptation. She’s all about leaning into the Holy Spirit’s power to crush the enemy’s tactics.

Her Final Pep Talk:

If you’ve already messed up this Lent, stop beating yourself up and just start again. Lent’s not about perfection; it’s about persistence. God’s cheering us on, not waiting to judge us. Kendra encourages you to build relationships with spiritual besties: friends who will lovingly help you stay on the right path.

Lent’s a struggle, but you’re never in it alone. God’s got your back… and so do your friends in faith.

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