I entered Exodus 90 (a three-month marathon of prayer, fellowship, and sacrifice) nervously with the intent of growing my discipline and deepening my faith. The thought of cold showers and other demanding sacrifices instilled a fear that I wouldn’t be able to perfectly execute the sacrifices. However, I quickly realized that Exodus had nothing to do with perfectly checking off boxes but everything to do with God. I learned that it is about falling in love with God more. The sacrifices of Exodus paved the way for a deeper understanding and relationship with Christ. Instead of wasting an hour scrolling through social media, I was invited to spend that hour with the Lord. I was freed from the saturating grips of technology and modern society and left with a simpler life with eyes turned towards the Lord.
The pivotal realization I was left with after Exodus 90 was that God is not an “it” but a tangible person with whom I had a relationship. I was humbled by the initial difficulty of giving twenty minutes to God every day, but the more I settled into Exodus, the more I realized its fruitfulness. Dedicating time to sit with God each day opened my eyes to a better understanding of his character, love, and grace. I am forever grateful for the deepening of my relationship with Christ as a result of Exodus 90 and Exodus 365 (a year-long program of fellowship, prayer, and varying levels of sacrifice based on the season).
Exodus has led to my conversion to the Catholic faith and my intention for God’s Word to inspire my future career path. As someone who had been discerning the Catholic faith for years, Exodus overflowed my passion for the faith. I was shocked by what an incredible effect giving God my time had on my relationship with him. Hosea 10:12 expresses my experience: “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.” Exodus led me to seek the Lord, and by seeking, I was led to the beauty of the Catholic Church and her sacraments. Giving Jesus time and sacrifices anchored me in the one Truth.
Alec Kowalski is a recent Hope College graduate from Grandville, Michigan. He is an evangelization intern for the Saint Benedict Institute. Alec's passion and focus lie in one-on-one ministry as peers walk through their journey of faith.