The Wake-Up Call – “Welcome to the Forty Days of Lent”

Host: J.D. Walt (with guest appearances by David Walt)
Podcast: The Wake-Up Call – Seedbed
Date: February 18, 2026
Episode Theme: A heartfelt invitation to begin the journey of Lent, entering into a season marked by transformational questions, spiritual awakening, and deepening devotion to Jesus.

Episode Overview

This Ash Wednesday episode marks the beginning of Lent, setting the tone for the next forty days of reflection, awakening, and growth. Host J.D. Walt warmly welcomes listeners—referred to as “Sower Nation”—back into the daily ritual, expresses gratitude to recent guest host Andrew Forrest, and introduces the guiding theme: embracing Lent as a movement of awakening and question-driven transformation. David Walt (J.D.’s father) joins the latter part for a reflective conversation and the singing of the hymn “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” reinforcing the call to clarify desires and deepen devotion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Welcoming Words and Transition

• Gratitude for Andrew Forrest’s Leadership
  • J.D. Walt begins by acknowledging Andrew Forrest, who led for the past 18 days:

    “He dove right in and just owned it. Consecration prayer ... he had energy. Big energy all the way through the hymn, sang the hymn and led us to the fields. That guy... I hope you got his book, ‘Love Goes First’ because it's fantastic.”
    (00:17–01:15)

2. The Meaning and Movement of Lent

• Defining Lent

  • Originates from Old English “Lencten” meaning “to lengthen” (signifying springtime and longer days), but J.D. quickly redirects the focus:

    “It’s spring again. Big deal, right? ... This is how time moves. The Bible calls this kind of time ‘Chronos’ ... The Bible also speaks of another kind of time, ‘Kairos.’ ... Kairos time is God time ... God time is the reality that happens when eternity breaks into time, when Kairos breaks into Chronos. This, of course, is the story of Jesus.”
    (04:27–07:10)

• Scripture Focus

  • Galatians 4:4–5:

    “…when the fullness of the time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, so that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive adoption as sons and daughters.”
    (03:52–04:15)

• Difference Between Chronos and Kairos

  • J.D. Walt breaks down the distinction:

    “Chronos Time is measured by seasons and kept on a calendar. Kairos time is marked by a story and kept by a community. That means the most important timepiece we have is not a calendar or a clock, but the Bible itself, the revealed word of God.”
    (06:38–07:22)

3. Lent as a Season of Awakening and Questions

• Invitation to Deeper Engagement

  • J.D. encourages listeners to seek movement and transformation, not just another lap around the sun:

    “We don’t need more shifting seasons. We need more movement. We don’t need more religion. We need more life. ... We don’t need more answers. We actually need more questions. Jesus asking—welcome. Here’s the meaning of the movement of Lent.”
    (07:30–08:08)

• Transformational Journey Framed as Inquiry

  • J.D. references the mentorship of Maxie Dunham and the shaping role of three transformational questions for this Lenten journey:

    “This is not a book of answers, but one of questions. ... We will touch on what I call the question of all questions ... and be warned, they are deep questions. And the depth at which you’re willing to engage them will determine the growth you can expect on the other side.”
    (10:24–11:44)

• Personal Preparation and Prayer

  • Ends this section with a prayer of consecration and an invitation into intentional reflection:

    “Lord Jesus, we step into these 40 days of Lent, eager to follow you, to walk in your ways, to discover your will, and to awaken to new life in you. Come, Holy Spirit. Where you lead us, we will follow. We are ready.”
    (12:02–12:38)

4. Ritual, Community, and Family Legacy

• Ash Wednesday Practices

  • Looking ahead to the evening’s Ash Wednesday service, J.D. describes the familiar and solemn ritual:

    “Tonight we’ll gather over just across a block away at the Gillette Methodist Church and we will kneel at the Altar. And I will say, and others will say to each one of us, ‘from dust you have come, and to dust you shall return. Repent and believe the gospel.’ And then we’ll make the mark of the cross in the ashes right on your forehead. And today is the beginning of the 40 days of Lent.”
    (13:58–14:41)

• Multigenerational Ministry & Recognition

  • J.D. shares about his father’s (David Walt) induction into the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame, emphasizing shared achievement and legacy:

    “But you know what? I needed to take Martin and Daddy with me. ... They were with you because they were part of it. ... You did it together, didn’t you?”
    (13:41–13:56)

5. Music and Desire: “I’d Rather Have Jesus”

• Hymn Selection as Heartbeat of Lent

  • David Walt chooses to mark the season with hymn #140, “I’d Rather Have Jesus”:

    “I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today. Lent is this journey of clarifying our desires. And so we’re going to start off right here singing this great hymn.”
    (15:41–15:53)

  • Memorable Lyrics Sung Together

    • “I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold,
      I’d rather be his than have riches untold,
      ... I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today.”
      (16:28–19:28)

  • Reflections on the Hymn’s Meaning

    “Isn’t that true?”
    “It's true that true words were never spoken.”
    (19:34–19:38)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On entering Lent:

  “Lent is an invitation to break the predictable pace of another trip around the sun and get in step with the movement of the story of Jesus.”
  (08:52–09:08, J.D. Walt)

• On transformational questions:

  “Be warned, they are deep questions. And the depth at which you’re willing to engage them will determine the growth you can expect on the other side.”
  (11:37–11:44, J.D. Walt)

• On clarifying desire:

  “Lent is this journey of clarifying our desires.”
  (15:43–15:46, J.D. Walt)

• On spiritual legacy:

  “But you know what? I needed to take Martin and Daddy with me. ... They were with you because they were part of it.”
  (13:41–13:52, David Walt)

• On community sharing:

  “Send us a picture of you maybe with the ashes on your forehead ... our little Facebook group on Facebook, it’s called a wake up call. We just have love out there. It’s very refreshing.”
  (20:20–20:36, J.D. Walt)

Timed Segment Guide

• 00:00–01:15 – Welcome back; gratitude to Andrew Forrest
• 03:52–04:15 – Scripture reading: Galatians 4:4-5
• 04:27–07:10 – Explaining the meaning of Lent and the difference between Chronos and Kairos time
• 07:30–08:08 – Need for movement, awakening, and transformative questions
• 10:24–11:44 – Framework of questions for Lent; warning about their depth
• 12:38–13:06 – Prayer for embarking on the journey
• 13:41–13:56 – Multigenerational legacy: Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame reflection
• 13:58–14:41 – Ash Wednesday ritual description
• 15:41–19:28 – Singing “I’d Rather Have Jesus” with David Walt
• 19:34–19:38 – Affirming the truth of the hymn’s message
• 20:20–20:36 – Encouragement for community participation and sharing

Closing Thoughts

This episode sets a reflective, earnest tone for Lent, emphasizing a journey that is not about answers but about questions, transformation, community, and clarifying the deepest desires of the heart. The combination of scripture, song, family faithfulness, and community invitation encapsulates The Wake-Up Call’s approach—awakening listeners daily to the movement of Jesus’ story in real, true time.

Key Question Asked:

• “Are you ready?” (11:57, J.D. Walt)

Final Words:

“We are embarked, friends, on the 40 days of Lent. And we pray these will be crystallizing days and clarifying days ... revealing to us the deeper desires of our hearts and our minds for the only things that satisfy.”
(19:39–20:07, J.D. Walt)