Writing to God Through the Lenten Season
I've never had much success in the give something up for Lent department. In college I did try fasting during daylight hours. It was a suggestion from my dad based on a religion that, I'm sorry to say, I can't remember anymore. It seemed like an interesting way to work through Lent and I think I made it through a week and then gave up.
This year, I stumbled upon a book called Writing to God by Rachel Hackenberg (who I found out is from Lancaster, PA!) and thought it looked like a really interesting devotional. I ordered it with a Christmas gift card and, only after I had it in my hands, did I notice the subtitle to the book: 40 Days of Praying with my Pen. I thought, 40 days? That's an odd number for a devotional. Then I thought, There are 40 days in Lent... and I read the intro.
That's when it clicked. The devotional I had ordered was specifically designed to follow you through Lent. Doesn't have to be 40 days of Lent, but that was the original thought that Hackenberg had in creating it. I can be pretty thick sometimes. But now I had a book, right before Lent is about to start, and I have a new challenge for the upcoming 40 days.
I decided, instead of taking something away, why not add something constructive to the season. The structure of the book is that you get a poem of inspiration for the day and then a thought and a question to get your pen moving. I'm not going to post Hackenberg's poems for obvious copyright reasons, but I thought I could post my poems that I create. Here. Where no one will read them, but where I can keep myself accountable for my daily routine.
So, starting February 13 (after I post my chapel which I'm leading on Ash Wednesday) I will post a poem a day in Hackenberg's style!
Good luck to all you who are taking on your own Lenten challenges and God bless!
Hearts & Hugs,
Rachel
P.S. Rachel Hackenberg has her own blog which you can find here.
This year, I stumbled upon a book called Writing to God by Rachel Hackenberg (who I found out is from Lancaster, PA!) and thought it looked like a really interesting devotional. I ordered it with a Christmas gift card and, only after I had it in my hands, did I notice the subtitle to the book: 40 Days of Praying with my Pen. I thought, 40 days? That's an odd number for a devotional. Then I thought, There are 40 days in Lent... and I read the intro.
That's when it clicked. The devotional I had ordered was specifically designed to follow you through Lent. Doesn't have to be 40 days of Lent, but that was the original thought that Hackenberg had in creating it. I can be pretty thick sometimes. But now I had a book, right before Lent is about to start, and I have a new challenge for the upcoming 40 days.
I decided, instead of taking something away, why not add something constructive to the season. The structure of the book is that you get a poem of inspiration for the day and then a thought and a question to get your pen moving. I'm not going to post Hackenberg's poems for obvious copyright reasons, but I thought I could post my poems that I create. Here. Where no one will read them, but where I can keep myself accountable for my daily routine.
So, starting February 13 (after I post my chapel which I'm leading on Ash Wednesday) I will post a poem a day in Hackenberg's style!
Good luck to all you who are taking on your own Lenten challenges and God bless!
Hearts & Hugs,
Rachel
P.S. Rachel Hackenberg has her own blog which you can find here.
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