Pray, Fast, Give

As we shift gears into the season of Lent, we begin to set aside distractions and focus more intently on God. In the Catholic church, this time is characterized by three pillars: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. And while the Methodist path isn’t quite as limited, those three pillars can be a great place to start.

To that end, Katie from the Look to Him and Be Radiant blog created an activity that your family can use throughout the Lenten season. It’s called “Pray, Fast, Give” and you can access her description (and printables!) here.

All you need is a piece of cardstock and a piece of regular paper. You’ll use the cardstock to create a simple pocket chart. Print it directly from the template OR use it as a guide and draw your own! Write “LENT” at the top, then fold up the bottom and use a stapler to create three little pockets – one will say “Pray,” one “Fast,” and...yep, you guessed it, the third will say “Give.” Your family can share one chart or each person can create their own using their own colors, their own fancy lettering, and their own personal touches.

Then brainstorm your “pray” / “fast” / “give” ideas. Katie created a printable for this as well, but some of the prompts are very specifically Catholic, so use it as an idea starter and come up with ideas of your own. This is where all of the great conversations can happen! Who can we pray for? What can we do without, even if it’s for just one day? What can we give to others to make their lives better? Come up with a BUNCH of ideas, then cut them into little strips and put them in the appropriate pockets.

You might choose one slip from each category each day, then try to accomplish all three by the end of the day, as Katie recommends. But if that feels overwhelming, consider just choosing one slip per day and rotating between the pockets. After all, the goal is to maintain your observance throughout Lent, not to accomplish a specific number of tasks, so set yourselves up for success! Replenish the slips as needed, and move through the Lenten season with focus and intention.

Share your “Pray, Fast, Give” ideas with us! We’d love to see your pocket charts and hear what’s on your idea slips, either in person or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.