Reflecting on Lent: What We Gained by Giving Up

As the Lenten season comes to a close and we step into the light of Easter, it’s natural to pause and reflect. For many of us at Tail to Tip, Lent isn’t just a time of sacrifice—it’s a sacred reset. A spiritual exhale. A stripping away of distractions to remember who we are, Whose we are, and how we’re called to live.

This year, our Lenten journey invited us into simplicity. Into slowing down, choosing less, and remembering more. And if there’s one truth that’s settled deep into our hearts, it’s this:

Sometimes, you gain the most by giving things up.

A Season of Intentional Surrender

Lent is a 40-day invitation to surrender—mirroring Christ’s time in the wilderness. It’s not about punishing ourselves or performing piety. It’s about making space. When we fast—from food, from noise, from comfort—we open the door for something far more nourishing to enter: clarity, humility, and connection with God.

Some of us gave up sugar. Others took a break from social media. Some fasted from late-night snacking, others from overcommitting or mindless consumption. And while the sacrifices looked different, the fruit they bore was strikingly similar: we began to crave less of the world and more of the Word.

At Tail to Tip, we talk often about using the whole animal—about not wasting what God has provided. Lent reminded us that our attention, our time, and even our hunger are also God-given. And like the bones in the broth or the fat we render down, they have purpose—if we’re willing to use them intentionally.

Returning to Simplicity

One of the most beautiful gifts of Lent is the return to simplicity.

We decluttered our minds and pantries. We prepared meals more slowly, with fewer ingredients. We let silence speak where noise used to fill. And what we found was not lack—but life. Fullness, even in the absence of excess.

It’s no coincidence that our ancestors—those who lived closer to the land and closer to God—often observed natural fasting rhythms in line with the seasons. Winter was for stillness. Spring was for renewal. They didn’t eat strawberries in January or have access to processed snacks 24/7. They lived in tune with creation and gave thanks for the food they had—from tail to tip.

This Lent, many of us returned to those rhythms. We made broth. We rendered tallow. We sat around the table without screens. We fasted, and we feasted. And we remembered that nourishment isn’t just about calories—it’s about connection.

From Fasting to Feasting: What We Carry Into Easter

As we move into Easter, we carry more than just gratitude—we carry perspective. Here are just a few of the lessons this Lenten season has written on our hearts:

1. Less truly is more.

By giving up certain foods or comforts, we began to see how much of our day is dictated by cravings—not just for food, but for distraction, validation, or control. In the absence of these things, we found space for what matters.

2. Our bodies are temples, not trash cans.

When we fasted, we weren’t starving ourselves—we were learning to listen again. To distinguish hunger from habit. To treat our bodies as sacred vessels, not stress outlets.

3. Slowness is holy.

We found peace in slow-roasted meals, in walking instead of scrolling, in simmering stock over several hours instead of nuking something quick. God is not in the rush. He’s in the stillness.

4. God meets us in the empty places.

Whether it was an empty stomach, a quiet room, or a blank journal page—God showed up. In fact, He was there all along. We were just too full to notice before.

A Whole-Animal Faith

At Tail to Tip, we often say that using the whole animal is a matter of stewardship. We’re entrusted with a life—and it’s our job to honor it completely. This Lent, we realized that our faith deserves that same whole-heartedness. Not just Sunday prayers or half-hearted “quiet times,” but a life that honors God from tail to tip.

We don’t want to just talk about sustainable living—we want to live lives that are sustainable in God’s eyes. That means creating margin. That means nourishing our bodies with what He provides. That means giving thanks—for the meat, the marrow, the slow days, the empty hands, and the full heart.

Looking Ahead with Resurrection Vision

Easter isn’t just the end of Lent. It’s the beginning of something new. It’s the promise that from death comes life. From sacrifice, redemption. From fasting, feasting.

And we don’t want to go back to how things were. We want to carry this posture of simplicity, gratitude, and reverence into the rest of the year.

That might look like:

• Choosing meals that reflect our values (local, whole, reverent)

• Keeping Sunday sacred—for rest, prayer, and family

• Continuing digital fasts once a week

• Supporting farmers and artisans who value God’s creation

• Giving thanks for every bite, every breath, and every new morning

Final Thoughts

This Lent reminded us why we do what we do. Why we care so deeply about honoring the whole animal. Why we post recipes and Bible verses. Why we believe food isn’t just fuel—it’s formation. It teaches us patience, discipline, joy, and trust in the One who provides.

So as we roll into the joy of Easter and the vibrance of spring, may we carry this Lenten wisdom with us: Give thanks. Live slowly. Waste nothing. And remember—God is present in every part of the process, from tail to tip.

He is risen. Let us live like it.