INTERVIEW WITH ALICIA BRITT CHOLE

ALICIA BRITT CHOLE

Last year an old friend dropped me a line via email, connecting me with another friend of hers, because in her words, we "had some common threads."  Her friend was Alicia Britt Chole.  Since then the two of us have had some email and book exchanges and let me tell you, this woman inspires and challenges me. I love her deep humility and love for Jesus and the beautiful way she puts words together.  As I started going through her book, Forty Days of Decrease for Lent, I wanted to get a little more from her--even an inside scoop on her own Lenten journey, so I asked her a couple of questions, and she readily acquiesced.  I know you will be blessed by this guest blog.  A little heads up--this woman will make you think!  Oh, and she was once an atheist and now runs a spiritual retreat center with her husband!  

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You say in your book that God is more interested in what we are becoming than what we are giving up for Lent.  Often it seems we can't tell what God is doing when we are engaged in various Lenten practices.  How can we know we are "becoming" as a result of our fasts and not just giving things up?
What a great question! Becoming is, on one level, a function of sheer existence. The direction and depth of becoming, however, is a function of our focus. If the focus of our fasting is relational, I think our "becoming" -- i.e., coming into greater be-ing -- is assured. The good news is that our understanding is not the author nor the great assessor of that becoming. In other words, our becoming isn't on pause, awaiting the emergence of accurate vocabulary in our minds. 
My comment: I think she's telling us that if we are focused on our relationships with God and others during Lent, we can be confident we are "becoming" or "coming into greater be-ing." That is such encouraging news.  No matter how you think your Lenten journey has gone, cling to this lovely morsel!

​How would you recommend we take the gains of Lent and invest them into the future? (People say they'd like to continue Lent practices, but we often don't).
I talk a lot more about this in my next book (The Sacred Slow: A Holy Departure from Fast Faith). As a spiritual mentor, I encourage leaders to live heaven-down. Earth-up living starts with what we can see and measure; with what we like and dislike. Many self-improvement lists and New Year's resolutions are created earth-up. Earth-up living gifts us with realism, but rarely with grace. 
My comment: I can't wait to get her new book--coming out in September--preorder or read about it here!

Alicia:
To take the gains of Lent into the future, consider adding heaven-down living to such realism. Heaven-down living begins with listening prayer and responds with intentionality. A simple prayer, "God, what would please You in this season?" can guide us to focus upon components of Lent not for the sake of the components but because that's where Jesus' companionship is leading us. 
My comment: The simplicity of that--listening prayer and intentionality--is captivating.  My takeaway is that Lent is not a side road in our spiritual journey, but a continuation of what God has been doing in and through us--or where Jesus has been and is now leading us.  

Alicia:
Love is what turns disciplines into offerings. With love, fasting is relational just as feasting is relational. After Lent, I will ask Jesus what would please Him as I head into our Spring/Summer. Though I probably will not hear anything audible or see anything tangible, I will have a longing, a leaning, a hunger, or an interest in a practice or purpose.  Whether that looks more like the fasting of Lent or more like the feasting of Pentecost, if I do it with Jesus and in Jesus, I'm pretty sure that He smiles.
My comment: ...a longing, a leaning, a hunger, or an interest in a practice or purpose.  Consider what this might be for you and press into it as Lent comes to an end.  Then sit back and feast on the smile of Jesus!  Thanks Alicia for some words that we can feed on for a long while.

IF THIS SHORT INTERVIEW LEFT YOU WANTING MORE:
​Watch a video of Alicia talking about how to process pain in light of the cross here.
Visit her website and take a look around--great resources here!

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As we enter Holy Week, I pray you will experience the wonder of redeeming love like never before!  
Join me for my final Lent Live on facebook this Wednesday at 6pm. Click here.
THE DIRTY LITTLE SECRET CHRISTIANS DON'T TALK MUCH ABOUT: If you missed last week, Kandi Pfeiffer joined me and I know you'll be blessed as you listen.  It includes some great and practical teaching and I promise it will make you laugh!