February 15, 2026
Hi friends,
Ash Wednesday is this week, kicking off the season of Lent.
These 40 days before Easter (minus Sundays) are an opportunity to slow down, search our hearts for the things that separate us from Christ, and carefully crucify them in preparation for Resurrection Day.1
Entering into Lent intentionally has produced the most spiritually rich seasons of my life. That’s why I’m so excited to invite you into something The Pour Over and I have been working on for a while now: a devotional for the season of Lent.
Life is noisy and overwhelming… and giving our attention to divisive and tragic headlines produces a low (sometimes high) hum of anxiety that competes with Easter’s joy. Our devotional—TPO’s News Cleanse—will help you turn down the noise and grow big peace.
We’re encouraging less news and more worship, so this weekly, 10-minute newsletter will take the place of Praying the News in your inbox for the next 7 Sunday mornings. You can expect a slightly longer reflection on Scripture, prayers to help you recalibrate, and simple steps for replacing news anxiety with Christ’s peace.
May we come before Jesus humbly in this season of Lent, admitting our brokenness and pursuing His cleansing power:
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight…
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”
Psalm 51:1-4, 12 (ESV)
Almighty and Merciful God,
You are near to the brokenhearted and contrite,2
calling mourners and the meek blessed.
Yet I regularly refuse to grieve and be humbled by my brokenness.
I look away from my weakness and sin,
distracted by the noise in the world and in my heart.
Convicting Spirit,3
slow me down and shine Your light on the dark places in me.4
As I face my weakness, show me Your strength.
Create a new heart in me that hates what draws me away
and longs for that which brings me close to You.
Savior Jesus,
Come quickly to save me; I am pursued by constant temptations.
Deliver me from the sin that entangles,5
and cleanse me from the earthly habits that quench Your Spirit.
Living God,
As Easter comes near, prepare me for the explosive hope
of resurrection and final victory over sin.
May I walk in newness of life with the blazing joy of a freed slave,
bearing the fruit of righteousness by the power of the Spirit,6
under Christ my Master, for the glory of my Father.
Amen.
Yours in Christ,
Steph Juliot
Recommended Reading
1. Romans 6:1-18
2. Isaiah 57:14-19
3. John 16:4-10
4. 1 John 1:5–9
5. Hebrews 12:1-2
6. Romans 6:17-23
Recommended Resource
My favorite ways to consume the Bible are fast and slow. Coffee and a fireplace help me with slow reading… and Dwell helps me with fast. This top-tier, customizable audio Bible has helped me through my Bible-in-a-Year plan for three years running, and it’ll help you, too. Highly recommend.*
*from TPO’s partners
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