 often have we heard that word "repent?" Most of us tie it to some television evangelist that we accidentally passed while remote surfing. Some of us understand in more of the biblical aspect of repenting from sin. Honestly, what does the word mean? In its purest sense it means to change your mind. That is, to turn 180 degrees from the things that keep you from being a fully devoted follower of Christ. That's radical but then again Jesus was radical and the things he preached were radical. If we hear His words and believe them then we begin to live out a new paradigm. We turn from what we used to do and we turn towards what God is calling us to do. As an artist and a teacher I've learned that symbols allow students and me to put a visible hook in the air that gives us a memorable start date. When lent comes we desire so deeply to start on that journey of change but like every journey it needs a first step.  Traditional churches through the ages have used ashes placed on a person's head or forehead as a symbol to the start of Lent. It means more than just the start of Lent. Ashes are a sign that a person has internally and externally chosen to follow Christ and turned from their former life.  For example, Tamar, who "put ashes on her head, and rent the long robe which she wore; and she laid her hand on her head, and went away, crying aloud as she went" (2 Samuel 13:19) demonstrated a visible sign of repentance. We no longer "rent" our clothing, that is tear them, but ashes placed on the head is still common amongst Christians. In the book of Nehemiah it says that the Jews "assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with ashes upon their heads" before the prophet Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9:1). When Jonah preached in Nineveh the pagans repented then put on rough sackcloth and ashes on their heads (Jonah 3:6–10). In the New Testament Jesus says that if all the sinful cities of the past had seen the miracles that he performed they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes. You may not attend a church regularly or your church may not hold an Ash Wednesday service. You may not have an opportunity to join in a corporate expression of repentance and symbolic ashes but the purpose of this devotional is help you find a way to express it no matter what your situation. In
often have we heard that word " repent? " Most of us tie it to some television receiver evangelist that we unintentionally passed while remote surfing. Some of us sympathize in more of the biblical aspect of repent from sin. Honestly, what does the word entail? In its purest sense it mean to change your mind. That is, to plow 180 degrees from the things that observe you from being a fully devoted follower of Christ. That's radical but then again Jesus was radical and the things he preached were radical. If we learn His words and believe them then we begin to be out a new paradigm. We turn from what we used to make and we turn towards what God is calling us to do. As an artist and a teacher I've learned that symbols permit students and me to put a visible hook in the air that gives us a memorable beginning date. When lent comes we desire so deeply to start on that journey of change but like every journey it needs a first step.   Traditional churches through the age have used ashes identify on a person's capitulum or forehead as a symbol to the start of Lent. It means more than just the beginning of Lent. Ashes are a sign that a person has internally and externally chosen to succeed Christ and turned from their former life.   For example, Tamar, who " put ashes on her oral sex, and rent the long robe which she wore; and she lay her hired hand on her head, and went away, crying aloud as she run " (2 Samuel 13:19) demonstrated a visible sign of repentance. We no longer " rent " our clothing, that is tear them, but ash placed on the head is still common amongst Christians. In the koran of Nehemiah it says that the Jews " meet with fasting and in sackcloth, and with ashes upon their head " before the prophet Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9:1). When Jonah preached in Nineveh the heathen repented then frame on rough sackcloth and ash on their heads (Jonah 3:6–10). In the New Testament Jesus says that if all the extraordinary cities of the past had interpret the miracles that he performed they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes. You may not attend a church regularly or your church may not hold an Ash Wednesday military service. You may not have an opportunity to join in a bodied expression of repentance and symbolic ashes but the purpose of this devotional is help you find a way to press out it no matter what your situation. In
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often have we heard that word "repent?" us it to television evangelist that surfing. of us understand more of the aspect of repenting from sin. Honestly, does the word mean? In its purest sense it means to change your That is, to turn 180 degrees from the things that keep you from a devoted of That's radical but then again Jesus was radical and the things he preached were radical. If hear His words and believe them then we to live out a paradigm. We turn from what used do and turn what is calling us do. As an artist and a teacher I've learned that symbols allow students and me to put visible hook air that us memorable date. When lent desire so deeply to start on change but like every journey it needs a step. Traditional through the ages have used ashes on a person's head or forehead as a to the start of Lent. It means more than just the start of Lent. Ashes sign that a person internally and externally to Christ turned their former For example, Tamar, who "put ashes on her head, and rent long robe which she wore; and she laid her hand head, went away, crying as she went" (2 13:19) a visible sign of no "rent" is them, ashes placed on the is still common amongst Christians. the book of Nehemiah "assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with upon their heads" before the prophet Nehemiah 9:1). When Jonah preached in Nineveh the pagans repented then put on sackcloth and their heads (Jonah 3:6–10). In the New Testament says that if all sinful cities of the past had seen the miracles he they would repented in sackcloth ashes. You may attend a church your church not an You may not have an opportunity join a corporate expression of repentance symbolic the purpose of this devotional is help you find a way to express it no your situation. In
 often have we heard that word "rEpent?" Most oF us tiE it To sOmE telEvisIon evangelist tHAt we Accidentally passed whilE remoTe SUrfiNG. SOme of Us underSTaND In mOrE oF thE bIBlIcal aSpeCt of repEnting from Sin. hoNestly, what doES tHe word mean? in iTs purest sensE it Means tO cHanGE your MinD. That Is, to tuRN 180 degreEs from the ThINgs thaT Keep you FROm BeinG a fully devoted folLOwER of Christ. That's RadicaL bUT tHEN agAin jesus was raDiCal anD The thinGS hE PREacHEd were radical. if we hear His WOrdS and beLiEve THem theN we beGiN To lIve out a new pAradIgm. We turn From whAT we used TO do and wE turn tOwaRds What gOd Is CalLiNG us TO dO. As AN arTist and a TeAcHer I'vE leaRNED That SymBols Allow Students and me To pUt a vISibLe hooK in thE air ThAt givEs us a mEmoraBlE start date. When lEnt cOmes we desIre So DeePlY to stARt on thAt jOurNey of chAnge but LIke EvERY JoUrney it needs a first StEP.  trAditionaL churcHEs ThROugh the aGeS haVe usED Ashes PlacED oN a person'S head oR FoReHead as a SyMbol to ThE stArt Of LenT. it meAns morE than jusT the sTArt of Lent. Ashes ARe a sign that a pERsON HaS InteRnaLly and exterNallY ChosEn to FOlLow cHrist And tuRnED fROm their former life.  FoR eXample, tamar, Who "put ashes on Her head, and RENT the long Robe WHiCH she wore; and she Laid hEr hand on heR Head, and wEnt awAy, crying Aloud as shE WEnt" (2 SamueL 13:19) deMonStrAteD A ViSible sign of rePENtanCe. we no lonGer "Rent" our CloThiNg, tHat Is Tear them, bUt ashes pLaCeD oN tHe hEad is STill commOn AmoNgSt CHristIAns. In tHe booK of NEhEmIAh iT says thAT tHE jews "AsSeMbleD wiTh FastiNg anD In sAckclotH, and with aSheS Upon ThEiR heads" bEfore the prophEt nehemiah (NeHeMiaH 9:1). When JONAh preachEd in Nineveh the pagans repENted theN puT on roUgh sAckcloth aNd aShes on TheIR heads (jonah 3:6–10). IN the NEw tesTAMent JESUs SayS tHat if all thE SInfUl citIeS of tHe past hAd seen the miracles tHAt hE performed theY woUld hAVE rEpeNTeD In sAcKCloTH And ashes. You may nOt attend a cHuRCh Regularly oR YouR cHurch maY not holD an AsH wednesdAy service. you may not HaVe an OPPorTunity to joIn in a corPorate expREssioN Of RepenTanCe and sYmBolIc ashEs but tHE puRpose Of this DeVotionAl is hElP you find A way to express it no matter What yoUr sitUatIon. In
 often have we heard thatword "repe nt?"Mos t o fus t ie i t to some tele v isio n evangelist that we a ccide nt a llyp as sed w hile re m ot e sur fi ng . S om e  o f usund erstand  in more o f t he  biblical as p ec t of repen tin g from sin.Hon estly,  w hat doesthe  word  mean? In its  purest s en s e it m e ans toc h an ge y our mind. That is ,  t o  turn 180 degr ees fr om th e thi ngs  that keep  y ou fr o m being af u l lyd evoted follow er of Chris t . T hat'sra dic a l butthenag a inJesus was r adic al and th e thin g s he pr e ached w ere ra dic al.  Ifw ehe arHi s  wo r ds  an d  be lieve th em  t hen w e be g i n to l ive  out  a ne w paradigm. W e t urnf rom  what  we u sedto  do a nd weturnto wards what Godis c alling us  to  d o.As  an a r tist a nda t eacherI've le a rne dt h a tsymbols allow stud en t s  a nd me to  put a vi si b le hookin  th e ai r thatgive s  u s a memo rables ta rt  date.Wh en len tcom eswe de s ireso dee ply to s tarto n that journey of change but li k e  e v eryjou rney it nee ds a firs t st e p.   T r aditi onalch u rc h es through the ages  h ave us ed as hes placed on  a person' s h ead or f oreh e ad as a symbol to  thestart of L e nt. It m eansmore tha n just th e start of  Le nt.  As hes a re  a sign thata pers on  has in ter nally a ndext ern all ychosen to  followCh ri st  a ndturne d  from th ei r f or mer  life .   Forexamp le,Ta ma r , w ho "put as h e s on  h er  hea d,an d ren t th e  lo ng robe  which sh e w o re;an dshe lai d her hand on  h er head, a nd  we nt awa y ,  cryingaloud as she went" (2 S a muel 13 :19 ) dem onst rated a v isi ble si gno f repe ntance . Weno  lo n g er "r e n t"  ou rclothing,t h atis te ar  the m, butashes placed on th e  he ad is still c omm on a m o ng stC hr i sti an s . I n the book of Neh emiah it s ay s  t hat the Je w s " as sembled  with f astin g  and in  sackclot h, and wi th  ash e s  up on their h eads" be fore thep rophe t  N ehemi ah(Nehem ia h 9 :1).When J o nah  prea ched i nNineve h the  p agans re pented then put on roug h sack cloth  an d ashes o n t h eir  heads (J onah  3:6–10).Inthe  NewTes t ament  Jes u ssay s  that  ifa ll the si n fu l c i t ie s of the pa s t had  seen  th e  mirac lesthat he performed they would hav e re p e nte d i n  sac kc loth and ashes . Y ou m ay not a tt end a churc h regula rl y  or y our ch urch m ay noth o ld an Ash  Wed nes day servi ce.  Y o u may n ot  h a ve anoppo rt unityto joi n  ina corporate expres siono f  repe n tan ce an dsymboli c  ash es but the  purpose of  thisdevo tiona l is he lp  you f ind  a  way to ex p ress it n o mat ter wha tyour  si tuatio n. I n 
 often_have we_heard that word "repent?"_Most of_us_tie it_to_some television evangelist_that we accidentally_passed while remote surfing._Some of us_understand_in more of the biblical aspect of repenting from sin. Honestly, what does the_word_mean? In_its_purest_sense it means to change_your mind. That is, to_turn 180_degrees from the things that keep you from_being_a fully devoted_follower of Christ. That's radical but then again Jesus_was radical and the things he_preached were radical._If_we_hear His words and_believe them then we begin to_live out a new paradigm. We_turn from what we used to do_and we turn towards what God_is calling us to do._As an_artist and a teacher I've_learned that symbols_allow students_and me to_put a visible hook in the_air that gives_us a memorable start date. When_lent_comes we desire_so_deeply_to start_on that journey_of_change but_like_every journey it needs a first_step._ Traditional churches through the ages have_used ashes placed on_a_person's head or forehead_as a symbol to the_start of Lent. It means more_than just_the start_of Lent. Ashes are a sign that a person has internally_and externally chosen to follow Christ_and turned from their_former life.__For example, Tamar,_who_"put ashes_on her head, and rent the long_robe which_she wore; and she laid her_hand on her head,_and_went away, crying aloud as she_went" (2 Samuel 13:19) demonstrated a_visible sign of repentance. We_no_longer_"rent" our clothing, that is_tear them, but ashes placed on_the head is_still common amongst Christians. In the book_of_Nehemiah it says that the Jews_"assembled_with fasting and in sackcloth, and_with_ashes_upon their heads" before the_prophet Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9:1). When Jonah_preached in Nineveh the pagans repented then put on_rough sackcloth and_ashes on their heads (Jonah_3:6–10)._In_the New Testament Jesus says that if all the sinful_cities of_the past had_seen the miracles that he performed they would have repented_in sackcloth and ashes. You may not_attend a church regularly or your church may not hold an_Ash Wednesday service. You may not have an_opportunity to join in a corporate expression_of repentance and symbolic_ashes_but the purpose of this devotional is_help_you_find_a way to_express it no_matter what your_situation. In