I have returned from a week-long preLent retreat in the Mojave Desert. As we prepare for our Lenten journey with the Lord, may I share the following as an invitation for your companionship as we walk and pray together:

As Jesus invites us to walk with him in his desert journey, the desert in Scripture and Christian tradition is not only a vast emptiness but a place of testing, purification, and encounter—where distractions fall away and the heart’s deepest desires are revealed. Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness model a pattern of withdrawal, confrontation with temptation, and renewed clarity of mission.

Five core lessons the desert teaches.

• Reliance on God over self-sufficiency. In the desert Jesus fasts and refuses to turn stones into bread, showing that the spiritual life depends on God’s word and presence, not merely on satisfying immediate needs.
• Honest confrontation with temptation. The desert exposes the subtle ways power, comfort, and fear can seduce us. Lent invites us to name these temptations and practice resistance with Christ’s help.
• Embracing spiritual dryness as growth. Desert saints and modern witnesses report long seasons of feeling God’s absence. The desert teaches that consolation is not only the proof of God’s presence and that dryness can deepen trust.
• Simplicity that reveals priorities. Stripping away noise—media, busyness, consumer comforts—helps you see what truly shapes your heart and vocation.
• Formation and mission. Time in the desert prepares and clarifies purpose. Jesus returns from the wilderness ready to begin his public ministry. Our Lenten desert should similarly orient us toward loving action.

Practical ways to live these lessons for Lent.

• Short fasts with intention. Choose one comfort to set aside (snack, social media, extra screen time) and replace it with a 10–15-minute prayer of Scripture reading.
• Daily examen in the desert mode. Each evening, name one moment you were tempted, one moment you felt God’s presence, and one small step you will take tomorrow.
• Silence blocks. Schedule 15-30 minutes weekly of phone-off silence—walk, sit, or journal—so interior longings surface without distraction.
• Scripture memorization. Keep a desert verse (e.g., Matthew 4:1-11; Deuteronomy 8:2-3) on a card and read it when you feel unsettled.
• Service as fruit. Let the desert lead to concrete mercy: a short act of kindness each week that flows from what you discover in prayer.

Short prayer to enter the desert

Place your hand on your heart and pray slowly: Lord, lead me into the quiet where I can see myself and you more clearly. Give me courage to face temptation, patience in dryness, and a heart ready for your mission.