Spirit to Spirit Writing Project
The word Lent comes from an old English word meaning lengthening of days. In Christianity, it refers to the time before Easter, traditionally observed through repentance and learning. It's a season to be intentional about changing and growing. Some people give up items to create space and time for new life and habits to grow. Instead of giving something up, I invite you to try to commit to answering these writing prompts each of the 40 days of Lent. The discipline it takes to set aside time each day to reflect and write about God and your relationship with spirituality is a journey that you will emerge from with a renewed spirit. Every writer has their own special voice to add to this project, whether poetry, prose, essay, thoughts, lists, or through comments, prayer, and encouragement.
How do I participate?
Each day, a writing prompt will be posted. A prompt is a question or statement that is meant to inspire your thoughts in whatever genre you feel moved to write. Post your reflections as a comment under each day's prompt (for further instructions, see 'How To Post' on the right side of the page). It is up to you if you write, read, or pray along with us each of the 40 days of Lent or just drop in from time to time when the spirit moves you to participate. Writing regularly is a discipline that many writers struggle with and this is a way to involve that discipline as a Lenten practice. Through writing and leaving encouraging words for others in this project, we become a supportive spiritual writing community
Lenten Walk
ReplyDelete[to Just A Closer Walk]
Easy up your path we go.
Spirit, our next step please show.
At each vista bring your glow.
Jesus may your grace fully flow.
May our Lenten walk begin,
With abundant peace within,
Fill our hearts with hope not sin,
Keeper quiet down this world’s din.
Word Made Flesh please seek us out.
Move from us all fear and doubt.
‘Gainst injustice we do shout.
Love’s pure joy is what we’re about.
Forty days, most restful nights,
Dreams from You allay our frights,
Sisters, brothers in our sights,
To Easter’s dawn, sin’s death indicts.
We pause with You each blessed day.
Make Your peace flow freely on the way.
Holy One You our hope, our main stay.
Your beloved band though made of clay;
Tone us up, make bodies strong.
For abiding mercy we do long.
May this fair hymn, be our song.
To You we know forever we belong.
The Rev. Ronald Allen Melver, M.Div.
5 March 2014
Wonderful! Pastor Larry
ReplyDeleteBlessed Jesus hear our plea.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna keep coming back to sing this aloud or in my mind.. Marlene
The Lenten Journey begins again.
ReplyDeleteAs I begin these 40 days, I am thinking about Jesus, as he walked the dusty road to Jerusalem. What did he know and when did he know it? I am thinking about Jesus, several years earlier, as he was hurled into the wilderness; he was tempted to turn away from trust God’s way and succumb to untimely desire, pride or power. I am thinking about Jesus, in those 3 years between, as followers questioned him, followed him and sometimes left him. Those days and nights, when he drew apart to refresh himself through prayer and solitude, did he sometimes feel alone and abandoned? And one day as he entered into Jerusalem, throngs of people shouted Hosanna! But within hours, they turned away, shouting Crucify Him! He reached rock bottom in the garden when he fell to his knees, crying, “Father God, why have you forsaken me”?
I, too, have walked in the wilderness. And like Jesus, I have sometimes been tempted to do things my way instead of God’s way. I have had moments of praise and applause. And more than once I have hit rock bottom and questioned “where is God in this”?
I look to these 40 days to learn to be more expectant, to find new ways to see where God is in this, wherever I am.
faithful follower expressing the ambiguity of the present moment. may we find moments of sharing at the day's campfire.
Deleteronaldo
I can share in Jesus' journey of identity and questioning by testing my idea of who I am. Am I a product of time, place nurture and nature? Am I so bound to my past and developmental profile that I have no freedom? Am I free? Am I bound? Am I both? Quis Sum?
ReplyDeleteLike Jesus' wandering and his trip to Jerusalem, the more important question may be "How will events prove who I will be?" The challenge is not to reflect on the past, but to reflect on the process of the present so that time and events are a mirror whose image gradually develops, and transforms through time. We must be and reflect at the same time to see ourselves. Doug Millar
honest engagement. 'tis a good thing to travel this road with you.
Deleteronaldo
Entering the Wilderness
ReplyDeleteThe truth: I have about 18 different projects all over my house, and open on my computer right now. I am up at 12:46am with a storm raging outside and a sick kid inside. The wilderness, storm inside rages silently amid calmer noises: the click of computer keys, my cat’s water fountain flowing in the corner and said cat snoring beside me in nasal squeaks. My children are asleep and I didn’t make it to the Ash Wednesday service tonight. My sick one fell asleep on me, but still I could have gone, received the ash, the words, the community, the spirit. I stayed under the sick one and on this side of the windows from nature’s howling. The storm has been inside me though, the wilderness. When my 4-year old asked if she was going to die today, I realized that she must have sensed my storm, the wilderness inside me. “You aren’t going to die from asthma honey” I said firmly. I listed off the many doctors, nurses and her two parents who are helping to make her well. And yet I had been worrying about it this week. I actually don’t know and don’t want to know if we were close to anything truly scary. God has been walking close by both of us and has been listening lovingly to my wilderness, my storm. Rather than granting wishes for instant healing and erasing worry and fear, God is here in the desert, in the middle of my storm, calming me so that I can calm my child. I’ve felt the Holy Spirit whisper clarity and advocation, which rather than feeling empowering, in the storm it feels messy. Uncertain. But God created strong roots in those trees outside so that they don’t blow over. They stand firm in the chaos and dance. And they whisper Shhhhh.
If a 4 year old is asking you if she is going to die, then your instincts were right, and you made a good choice to stay near her that night. She needed you more than you thought. And God is the one who gave you those instincts. After all, She's been through it all, too.
DeleteI love the image of the trees you painted Pastor Larry
Delete
ReplyDeleteDust and ashes from which to arise
Cool gooshy clay from the wash to wipe away my blindness
Drifting sands around numerous cacti needling me
Paths strewn with debris to deal with and bulldoze with prayer
Laughter and love without which I'd not budge an inch
Commitment to care of me and growth outward
Challenges amid the wildflowers popping up randomly
Reading, writing, discussing, blogging
Advocacy hurdles
Appreciation of the angels ministering
Peace and strength of my journey Guide and Companion
Marlene Obie
Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2014
ReplyDeleteSPIRITUAL INTERRUPTION?
How do you develop a
deeper relationship with God
when you are holding your loved one's head
trying to comfort them
trying to keep them alive
constantly on the alert for them
day and night in a hospital
(for what slowly becomes 9 long days)
Something's got to give
No time for reading the Bible
No time for fancy prayers
A remembered Bible verse flashes by
promising that the Holy Spirit will intercede for me
"with sighs too deep for human understanding" (Romans 8:26b)
reminding me that I can ask
that same wonderful Holy Spirit
now
to carry me
and to carry my loved one
through those dark nights
so, I do
Then, a strange thing happened
I felt surrounded; enveloped, like a warm hug
by prayers of my sisters and children
and of all those whom I knew were praying for us
I felt a kind of Holy Presence and Calm
After that, I knew it might take a while
but, things would be alright
for His sake
Sara
This is wonderful, wonderful stuff. Thank you for sharing this <3
DeleteLike a deep breath Pastor Larry
DeleteI've been looking forward to the Lenten Writings. So many times I've had thoughts, inspirations, and teachings that have remained enclosed inside without a proper outlet. With the discipline of these writings, these moments will now find expression; they will be given life.
ReplyDeletePat Mason