The weeks leading up to Easter offer a special opportunity to slow down, reflect, and draw closer to Jesus, especially in a noisy, fast world. For Young Life leaders, staff, and families across the community, Lent isn’t just about giving something up, it’s about leaning in. It’s a season to practice spiritual disciplines, wrestle with what it means to follow Christ, and prepare our hearts for the resurrection celebration ahead.
Whether you’re looking for daily devotionals, creative family activities, tools to guide your Campaigners group, or to share something with the adults in your community, there’s no shortage of meaningful resources to help you make the most of this sacred season. Here are some of our favorite Lent resources from Young Life and partnering friends in faith.
A Deeper Journey: Young Life’s Lent Experience
If you’re seeking a rich, contemplative approach to Lent, check out A Deeper Journey from The Good Way. The Good Way is an initiative for Young Life staff and friends of Young Life to walk with Jesus in a life of generosity, freedom, and rest. This Deeper Journey resource invites you into a slower, more intentional rhythm of prayer and reflection during the 40 days leading to Easter.
Designed with Young Life leaders in mind, A Deeper Journey helps you carve out space in your busy schedule to engage with Scripture, listen to God’s voice, and reflect on Jesus’ journey to the cross. It’s perfect whether you’re navigating this season solo or alongside other leaders in your area.
Ever Approaching Dawn: A Fresh Easter Devotional
For those who love a beautifully crafted devotional with theological depth, consider Ever Approaching Dawn from Christianity Today. This 2026 Easter season devotional offers thoughtful reflections that guide readers from Ash Wednesday through Resurrection Sunday.
Each entry blends Scripture, meditation, and prayer to help you prepare your heart for Easter. It’s a wonderful companion for personal quiet times or as a gift for leaders and volunteers who want to deepen their walk with Jesus this spring.
Young Life + BibleProject: Visual Theology Meets Relational Ministry
The partnership between Young Life and BibleProject has produced some incredible tools for diving into Scripture. Explore the Young Life BibleProject collaboration resources to find videos, study guides, and discussion prompts that make the Bible accessible and engaging for teens.
During Lent, these resources can help Campaigners groups explore the Gospels’ accounts of Jesus’ final days, or dive into Old Testament themes that point forward to Christ’s sacrifice. BibleProject’s signature animation style breaks down complex theological concepts in ways that stick with students long after the videos end.
Bible App + Young Life: Scripture in Your Pocket
Young Life has also partnered with YouVersion to create reading plans tailored specifically for the Young Life community. The Young Life YouVersion collaboration offers accessible plans that guide users through Scripture with reflections and prompts designed with teenagers and leaders in mind.
The Bible App makes it easy to stay consistent with daily reading, send verses to friends, and track your progress through Lent. It’s a practical way to build Scripture engagement into your routine — whether you’re reading on your commute, during lunch breaks, or before bed.
For more Young Life content on the Bible App, visit the Young Life Bible App page to explore additional plans and devotional content that can enrich your Lent journey.
40 Days of Lent by Ty Saltzgiver
Former Young Life staff member, Ty Saltzgiver, created40 Days of Lent, a devotional focused on Jesus’ passion and resurrection. This resource pairs Scripture readings with personal reflections that help readers engage emotionally and spiritually with Christ’s journey to the cross.
Saltzgiver’s background in youth ministry shines through in his accessible writing style and his ability to connect ancient biblical narratives to modern life. It’s a great option for leaders who want something straightforward yet substantive to guide their Lent observations.
40 Days of Practice by Justin McRoberts
If you’re interested in a more experiential approach to Lent, check out40 Days of Practice by Justin McRoberts, a longtime friend and partner of Young Life. McRoberts invites readers to practice spiritual disciplines, not just read about them.
This resource encourages tangible practices like silence, simplicity, service, and celebration. It’s especially powerful for Campaigners settings where students can try these disciplines together, share their experiences, and support one another in building new spiritual habits. The linked Young Life leaders article offers practical tips for implementing 40 Days of Practice with your Campaigners group.
7 Cool Ways for Families to Celebrate Lent
Lent doesn’t have to be somber or boring, especially when you’re involving kids and teenagers. Our friends at Axis offer creative ideas in their article7 Cool Ways for Your Family to Celebrate Lent.
From creating a Lent countdown chain to volunteering together as a family, these ideas help make the season tangible and memorable for young people. Young Life families or leaders with kids at home will appreciate the practical suggestions that turn abstract spiritual concepts into hands-on experiences everyone can participate in.
Making Lent Count
Whatever resources you choose, remember that Lent is ultimately about preparation and transformation. It’s a season to examine our hearts, confess our need for Jesus, and align ourselves more closely with his Kingdom priorities.
For Young Life leaders, this might mean modeling vulnerability with students about your own spiritual journey. It could involve inviting your Campaigners group to take on a shared practice or discipline together. Or it might simply look like carving out more margin in your schedule to pray for the kids you’re walking alongside.
The beauty of Lent is that it meets us where we are. Whether you engage through daily devotionals, creative family activities, visual theology from BibleProject, or spiritual practices with your community, the invitation is the same: draw near to Jesus as he draws near to the cross.
As Easter approaches, may these resources help you and your Young Life community experience the depth of Christ’s love, the weight of his sacrifice, and the explosive joy of resurrection morning.
