The Halfway Point
- Rev. Caitlin Childers Brown, Pastor and Minister of Service
- Mar 27
- 2 min read
Before having Basil, Ethan and I used to go on long hikes on the weekend. We were preparing for a pilgrimage, that was paused by Covid, often spending half a day walking 10-15 miles with our backpacks laden down. I loved that Saturday habit: we would get up early, pick up burritos, and head to a state park. The path we followed went along wooded trails, walked alongside streams and marsh, and ended at the beach. Because it was coastal Virginia, a 10-mile hike dramatically changed in landscape from something similar to Middle Georgia, to marsh and sandy beach. To plan for our hike, we not only needed bug spray, sunscreen, and water, we also had to check the tides—because much of the marsh path would become impassable at certain times of day and year. I adored those weekend walks but knew that I wouldn't make the mileage without proper planning and taking a few well-timed breaks to refuel and adjust.
This week marks the halfway point in Lent. The halfway point of Lent feels a bit like all the times we would stop at the halfway point on our hikes, eat a snack, rest our feet, and drink good water while looking at a beautiful lake around us. At that moment on the bench, I would often consider all that we had seen before, all that we would see ahead, and make preparations to finish the hike well. For hiking, that meant tending to any blisters, making pack adjustments, or reapplying bug spray.
In the season of Lent, reaching the halfway point means taking stock of our souls. It means pausing for a few minutes this week to check in with ourselves. Practically, it means considering if the practices we picked up are giving us life, and if they need to change to prepare us for Easter. Personally, I feel as though Lent snuck up on me, and this pause halfway through is a chance to still give a go at practicing a spiritual discipline during Lent. Wherever you find yourself this week, take a minute to sit on your proverbial bench and consider the journey ahead to Easter. What preparations do you need to make for the last few weeks to be meaningful to your soul? Where is Christ nudging you today?