08-Lent: Leaving the Desert. Midway through this past weekend – following a few cocktails, a lengthy midnight walk, and a bit of meditation on a striking podcast by British writer Paul Kingsnorth – I somewhat dramatically laid down on my bed and gave up on trying to save the world. . . . keep reading

07-Lent: Gone is the Light. We’ve made it to the last week of Lent. Here in Winnipeg, after a long winter, we’re just now seeing the snow start to melt; puddles line the sidewalks and streets, and the geese are flying back. How fitting that the season of self-denial corresponds with a time when we ache for warmer temperatures. . . . keep reading

06-Lent: Encounter the Real. For the past year or so, ever since moving to Winnipeg, I’ve been inhaling works of non-fiction. It hasn’t mattered if they’ve been in the form of print, audiobook, or a PDF. Reading – or in some cases, listening – has become my primary hobby, almost an addiction. . . . keep reading

05-Lent: Politicizing the Desert. As an enthusiastic product of late-’90s evangelicalism, I was often reminded during Lent that I had given up candy or computer games or swearing for six weeks to get closer to God. . . . keep reading

04-Lent: Reclaim the Sensory. We’re now a few weeks into this Lenten season. For those who have boldly waded into this month-and-a-bit of renunciation: congratulations on your dedication. And for those who are observing from the sidelines (or who, perhaps, have decided to drop out of the running a little early): welcome to the conversation. . . . keep reading

03-Lent: Clear the Clutter. These days have served as a gentle – albeit messy, if one’s walking or biking – reminder that our landscape is undergoing a gradual transformation into a warmer, greener season. It’s surely a fitting metaphor for integrating Lenten rituals into our daily routines. . . . keep reading

02-Lent: Less Flash, More Ash. We can’t just talk ourselves into not participating in the game of relentless, destructive consumption. This requires a shift of morality, a reclamation of values. It requires a meeting of past teachings and future needs to help propel us into a new era. Ash Wednesday is a perfect time to begin. . . . keep reading

01-Lent: A Resilient Invitation. It’s that season again. If, like us, you’re located 40 degrees north of the equator, sludgy snow still occupies the sidewalks. In addition to the promise of a coming thaw and return of deciduous growth, this period also signals the commencement of a long-revered Christian ritual: that of Lent, beginning on March 5th (Ash Wednesday) and lasting until April 17th (Maundy Thursday). . . . keep reading