A FNE Lent Series

Hi neighbors,

If you’re new here, I want to say a huge ‘welcome’! In addition to being a global health epidemiologist, I am also a pastor’s wife of 21 years (and counting!). Sometimes I write more of a faith-based post from my Christian perspective. Not at all to proselytize or to ‘center’ Christianity, but just because it’s my vantage point. I do think many/most of the overarching themes I talk about transcend any religion and simply become about neighboring one another. I hope you see that common theme, regardless if you’re a person of any faith or not.

With that said, I’m going to be doing a Lenten series on the next few Sundays before Easter. In the Christian faith tradition, Lent is a 40-day period before Easter that focuses on prayer, almsgiving, and charity. I did not grow up in a liturgical church, so it’s all a bit new for me over the past few years. For me, Lent has become a period of journeying towards Easter by examining my heart and life for things that don’t look very Easter-ly. It’s a season to remember generosity and love as an outpouring of how much I’ve been loved by God. So, to me, it’s a reminder to neighbor well and be neighbored by God.

During this Lent season, here’s what you can expect:

For free subscribers:

• The Neighbor Tuesdays will stay the same. You can expect the normal science posts every Tuesday.

• On the Sundays before Easter and Holy Week, I’ve invited my real-life friends or want-to-be friends from around the globe to write a benediction or prayer for us. These are some of my favorite neighboring-type people and I know you will be encouraged by them too! (Fun fact: Did you know that this FNE newsletter is read in 150 countries? Y’all, I’m just mind-boggled about that and I’m excited to bring voices from some of those countries to your inboxes on Sundays).

• If you’re not interested in the Sunday Lent Series described above, just move past them. No worries if it’s not what you’re interested in at all! You can still expect the science posts to come to your inboxes.

For paid subscribers:

• I will publish a special Lent reflection for paid subscribers on Fridays. This will focus on why I’ve come to love Lent and particularly how it includes loving our neighbors. I will talk more about church a bit too since the post “Should you leave your church?” seemed to resonate with so many of you. I promise these Friday posts won’t be preachy and may not even include anything of ‘faith’. But, hopefully it can encourage you all. As always, the paid posts are more of my personal musings. The science is always free!

Just as a thank you!

I know I’ve said this many times over. But, I’m so grateful for this community. In writing to you all, I have found my own voice. This Lent season in particular is smack dab in the middle of *gestures wildly* everything going on in the world. So, perhaps the posts can be a bit of a small respite in the midst of all of it. That’s what you all have been for me. And, I want to say thank you! I know many of you want the more personal posts but can’t sign up with eggs being $38 a carton. =) So, I’m giving a 40% annual discount for the season of Lent. (I know all marketing people are yelling at me to not do another discount after just doing one. But, whatev. I can’t help it and Lent reminds us to be thankful.)

So, if you’re interested in the more personal posts, I’d love to help you get those. You can sign up here. The 40% discount is already calculated in the annual membership.

Happy Saturday, neighbors! See you tomorrow with the first prayer in the Lent series - written by me!

-Emily