Southeast Texas Youth Lent Ideas Part 1: Fasting

Lent in Southeast Texas – Ideas for Beaumont and Golden Triangle Youth Groups

Southeast Texas Youth Lent Ideas Part 1: Fasting

Are you looking for ideas on making this Southeast Texas Lent observance season impactful on your Southeast Texas church youth?

SETX Church Guide is working on a five part series on Southeast Texas Youth Lent Exercises.

Each article will focus on one idea- please feel free to use the ones that you think will be beneficial to your Southeast Texas youth group and discard those that don’t fit their needs.

Hopefully each of you will find at least one idea that makes a real impact on your Southeast Texas church youth.

Today’s subject is one of the core tenants of Lenten observance for many in the Southeast Texas Christian community: Fasting.

Fasting is an ancient practice used by Christians to focus both body and mind on Christ.

Traditionally fasting referred specifically to not eating. If you ever wonder if God talks to people in different cultures, it can be interesting to see how similar fasting practices are, particularly in the Judeo Christian faiths, but in Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist tradition as well.

Fasting from food can still make a big impact, but most in the Southeast Texas Christian community don’t do an overall fast from eating – some give up meat and eat seafood. Some give up meat entirely relying on a purely vegetarian diet during their Southeast Texas Lent observance.

If your Southeast Texas youth group eats out a lot, point them to EatDrinkSETX.com’s Southeast Texas Lent Restaurant Guide.

It has options for transitioning to seafood during their Lent observance or going completely vegetarian. Click here for their Southeast Texas Lent Restaurant Guide.

Go further having your Southeast Texas youth brainstorm ways they can keep to their Lenten observance at home and in public. Perhaps this will be the time for them to step forward and assist their busy moms with some of the shopping and food preparation to help ensure their Lent goals are kept in mind?

Not all fasting is from food. Some in the Southeast Texas church community fast from:

Television
Drinking (obviously some SETX Christians never drink, but for those who do this can be a big sacrifice)
Smoking
Using bad language
Talking about others
Jealousy

I realize you can fast from many different things but the harder the item to give up, the more of an impact it can have on your walk with the Lord.. If you find yourself saying, “There’s no way I could live without… then that’s probably what you are being called to give up.

Your Southeast Texas youth are very smart- they know how to work the system. Encourage them not to cop out by choosing something easier. It’s supposed to be hard.

Whenever they think about whatever they are fasting from and how hard it is, encourage them to redirect that longing to God.

Help them train themselves to focus mind and heart on Christ and not on the wants of this earthly life.

Invite your students to fast alongside you. Let them know what you are giving up and why it is hard for you.

Not only will they grow closer to God but they will also grow closer together as they support and encourage one another during this Southeast Texas Lent season.

Stay tuned to Southeast Texas Church Guide throughout Lent as we bring additional ideas for Southeast Texas church youth.