Best Lent Archives - Redeemed Online

How Can God Love Me?

March 8, 2015 by Andy Lesnefsky Leave a Comment

God loves me. It seems like the simplest of messages, in fact it’s the basic gospel message. Why is it so hard to believe sometimes? The reality is that we are sinners. The reality is we mess up. Sometimes it seems like darkness surrounds us.

The greater reality is God loves us perfectly for who we are. He loves us no less when we sin. He loves us no more when we do great things. The reality of God’s amazing love for us in highlighted is this Sunday’s Gospel:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

When we know the reality and depth of God’s love for us, this changes everything. It changes the way we encounter God, the way we live our lives, and the way we are not afraid to share the good news of the gospel. When someone is falling in love you can see it. My prayer is that you will continue to fall in love with Him and that this love will be visible to the people you encounter.

Sharing Online

Are you following us on Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? Pinterest?

Quick Social Media Tip for today:

If you haven’t yet this Lent, try a picture posting on Twitter or FB of something personal that represents your experience of God, i.e. a picture from a retreat, an image of Jesus that’s been important to you, etc.

For sharing on Social Media today:

1. What’s one way you’ve experienced God’s love in your life?

2. How have you seen God in a trial that you’ve overcome?

3. What’s something you are praying for this week.

The YouTube link to share with your tweets today is http://youtu.be/R4cf3isxtM0   Don’t forget to use the #ShareJesus.

Remember a Facebook Video share from our page is better than a Youtube Link on Facebook.

Taking it Offline

Plan an extra visit to church this week but don’t go without bringing someone with you.
Write and mail a note to someone you know needs some encouragement. Share a quick note about God’s love for them.
Say a rosary today- ask a couple of people for prayer requests and let them know you will be saying a rosary for them.
Pray for continued opportunities to witness to Jesus in conversations with coworkers, classmates, friends, and family members.

Love changes everything, but we must encounter that love first. That love is embodied in Jesus Christ. Meet Him in prayer today. #ShareJesus today!

What’s Your Mission?

March 6, 2015 by Brian Kissinger 4 Comments

It’s easy to be so caught up in the daily routine that we lose sight of the big picture. Even for those of us who work for the Church and whose calendars are full of Jesus-related events and programs, it’s hard to remember that the power of God is at work in our world every day.

In Jesus’ life on earth, everything He does is flowing from the mission that His Father has given Him. He is continually returning to prayer to hear the Father’s voice and to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to boldly follow the Father’s plan. Especially in events like the flipping of tables and the expulsion of money changers from the temple, we see that the Father’s mission for Jesus isn’t always socially accepted or convenient.

The Father has a unique and personal plan for each of us. He entrusts each one of us with a mission, and we are invited to hear His call each day in prayer.

Today, Ben Walther (@BenWaltherMusic) talks about how Jesus was always aware of His mission and the Father’s great plan.

Sharing Online

Quick Social Media Tip for today:
Under the like button on a Facebook Page you can sign up for notifications. This gives you a notification when a page publishes new posts. Use this for pages like ours or your your local parish page that you don’t want to miss out on new content from.

Question for sharing on Social Media today:

Recognize and affirm someone you know who is clearly following a call from God with their life
What are some needs in our world that God is asking us, as His followers, to address?
When have you heard God send you on mission?

The YouTube link to share with your tweets today is http://youtu.be/7rb5HxYv3nw

Don’t forget to use the #ShareJesus.

Why should you share the video from our FB page instead of youtube link? Facebook’s Autoplay feature means videos are more eye-catching than a regular post. Plus, Facebook videos get more organic reach in the newsfeed.

Taking it Offline

Take time today to ask the Lord to reveal (or remind you of) His mission for your life.
Look for an opportunity to bring God’s love and truth to someone you encounter today.
Pray for someone you know who is struggling to find purpose in their life.
Pray for continued opportunities to witness to Jesus in conversations with coworkers, classmates, friends, and family members.

Ask God today for a bigger vision for your life. Don’t settle for comfortable or convenient plans. Give God permission to flip things upside down in your life if that’s what it will take to follow His call.

God, give me a sign!

March 5, 2015 by Andy Lesnefsky Leave a Comment

“God if you love me do something to prove it to me.” Chances are at some point in your life you’ve asked or even told God to give you a sign. In Sunday’s Gospel, the people demand from Jesus a sign because they are mad He was flipping over tables. Today’s #ShareJesus video takes a look at if we should ever ask God for a sign and points to God’s ultimate answer.

How is Lent going for you? How are you doing with sharing Jesus? I want to encourage you to keep your eyes focused on the Lord and keep making an effort to share Jesus both on and offline.

Here’s a great quote from Pope Francis from Evangelii Gaudium to consider for today:

Now is the time to say to Jesus: “Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord, take me once more into your redeeming embrace”. How good it feels to come back to him whenever we are lost! Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy. Christ, who told us to forgive one another “seventy times seven” (Mt18:22) has given us his example: he has forgiven us seventy times seven. Time and time again he bears us on his shoulders. No one can strip us of the dignity bestowed upon us by this boundless and unfailing love. With a tenderness which never disappoints, but is always capable of restoring our joy, he makes it possible for us to lift up our heads and to start anew. Let us not flee from the resurrection of Jesus, let us never give up, come what will. May nothing inspire more than his life, which impels us onwards!”

Sharing Online

Are you following us on Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? Pinterest?

Quick Social Media Sharing Tip for today:
Tag a couple of people in a Facebook post who you think will like today’s video. Not only will it get their attention, but this can also call their friends attention to your post.

Ideas for sharing on Social Media today:
1. What signs has God given you of His love?

2. If the Cross is the ultimate sign, what does it speak to you?

The YouTube link to share with your tweets today is http://youtu.be/szKAoI5kog0

Don’t forget to use the #ShareJesus.

Taking it Offline

Take some time to consider what the cross means to you.
Share one way you’ve seen God in a visible way with someone today.
Look for God showing you His love through the people you will encounter today.
Pray for continued opportunities to witness to Jesus in conversations with coworkers, classmates, friends, and family members.

Let God’s abundant love for you change your perspective today. Be bold in the gospel. #ShareJesus today!

Focus Lent on Jesus

March 4, 2015 by Andy Lesnefsky 4 Comments

It’s so easy to be busy. How often are you tempted to answer the question, “how are you?” with “I am busy.” We get consumed by what’s immediately in front of us. Sometimes we are so busy we miss the people in our life and the chance to encounter them. We get consumed by our busyness.

Jesus, however, is consumed by the thought of God the Father and with us. This Lent he wants to encounter us. How crazy is that? The God of the universe wants to spend time with you today. Don’t be so busy you miss the encounter.

Sr. Miriam is back in today’s #ShareJesus Video talking about how we can focus our Lent on Jesus. One of the awesome things she talks about are 3 healing tools of Lent:

Prayer – heals our relationship with him in prayer.
Fasting – heals our relationship where we our broken within ourselves with fasting
Almsgiving- heals our relationship with others through almsgiving.

I pray that you will allow Jesus into all the areas of your life that are broken so he can resurrect them. Use the healing tools of Lent today!

Sharing online

Quick Social Media Sharing Tip for today:

Try to be as natural as possible. Sometimes when I am excited to share the gospel I can rush what I am writing and miss words or even misspeak. What is awkward in face to face communications can be even more awkward in written form. We should strive to present the gospel with grace. The good news is that the easiest way to do this is to keep trying and to let your writing flow out of your life experiences.

Ideas for sharing on Social Media today:
1. How are you using the 3 healing tools of Lent?
2. Where do you need healing in your relationship with God? yourself? others?
3. What can you use prayer for?

The YouTube link to share with your tweets today is http://youtu.be/tJ4wbUqgKb4

Don’t forget to use the #ShareJesus and don’t forget to share the video from our FB page vs sharing the YouTube link on FB.

Taking it offline

Give to a charity today- practice almsgiving.
Ask God to heal some brokenness in your life.
Do an act of charity for a neighbor (shovel their sidewalk, cook them dinner, bake cookies, etc) seeking nothing in return.
Pray for continued opportunities to witness to Jesus in conversations with coworkers, classmates, friends, and family members.

Free up some time to encounter people today. Free up time to encounter the Lord. I pray that God will continue to work in a new and powerful way in your life this Lent.

#ShareJesus today! We love to hear your feedback. Comment on this video and post below.

Angry Christians?

March 2, 2015 by Andy Lesnefsky Leave a Comment

This Sunday we see in the cleansing of the temple that Jesus got really angry. It’s a moment that calls each of us to look at our emotions and passions. What makes you angry?

Do you find yourself getting angry too quickly? Are you filled with road rage? Or perhaps your anger is deeper. Perhaps you feel hurt and hold a strong anger towards someone you loved deeply. I believe Jesus desires to not just love us this Lent, but to allow that love to transform us and break through even our deepest hurt and anger.

I pray today your anger can be, as Ennie talks about, an opportunity to grow in holiness. Let the little crosses of your life be moments of grace. If you are angry about something in the world, do something about it. Don’t just be angry.

Sharing Online

Are you following us on Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? Pinterest?

Quick Facebook Sharing Tip for today:
If you’ve been sharing, look back at your past #ShareJesus posts. When were the times of the day you had the engagement of your friends? Is there a certain style of post that seemed to work better for you (i.e. people seemed to comment or like more)? To be successful evangelists online, we need to learn from what worked and didn’t work.

Questions to consider on Social Media today:
1. What makes you angry in the world and what will you do about it?

2. What’s one little cross in your life that’s been an opportunity for you to grow in your relationship with the Lord?

The YouTube link to share with your tweets today is

Don’t forget to use the #ShareJesus and don’t forget to share the video from our FB page vs sharing the YouTube link on FB.

Sharing Offline

If you’ve hurt someone, ask for forgiveness or if you are holding anger in your heart towards someone, work towards forgiving them today.
Pick one thing in the world that makes you angry and resolve to do something about it this Lent.
Identify an area of your life where you are letting anger get the best of you. Pray that can be an opportunities for you to grow in holiness. Give it to the Lord.
Pray for continued opportunities to witness to Jesus in conversations with coworkers, classmates, friends, and family members.

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” St. Frances de Sales

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I would love to connect with you.