Lenten Writing Project Reboot 2020! Writers' Reflections in the Wilderness of Lent
Words of Faith
Spirit to Spirit Writing Project
The word Lentcomes 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
Thursday, February 18, 2016
#8 Dear Self,
Lenten Writing Prompt #8
Write a letter to your eighth-grade self and give them some guidance on faith, God, and/or religion in general. What would your eighth-grade self want or need to hear?
Dear Young Self, Someone taught you how to pray; how to pose and what to say to Someone to keep the bad away every night and through the day, to bless your family and friends and take you to heaven if life should end.
Books and movies and life itself cause questions to sprout upon your shelf. You’re reading, praying and going to church for truths to be found through an earnest search.
Your faith out of ancient glacier drops, joins into the stream that never stops; turns jagged rocks into smooth pebble beds, branches out into meadows with lushness to spread; changing shape, size and dimensions, never losing its intention; down river rapids of splashing action into lakes of calming sanctions; always struggling, working, alon different calls into deltas, bayous or crashing water falls.
Take up your bucket and fill from the springs.. Refresh and wash and hear love sing Laugh and play in geysers and fountains. Grip tightly in plunges through caverns of mountains, It will drag you wherever and teach you its theme faith ever changing, yet a steady glistening beam, into the sea of God’s delight.
You will drink it all up, the Living Water And pour it out for your sons and daughters
Love, Your older faith, still alive and drinking in the wonder.
Dear Young Self,
ReplyDeleteSomeone taught you how to pray;
how to pose and what to say
to Someone to keep the bad away
every night and through the day,
to bless your family and friends
and take you to heaven if life should end.
Books and movies and life itself
cause questions to sprout upon your shelf.
You’re reading, praying and going to church
for truths to be found through an earnest search.
Your faith out of ancient glacier drops,
joins into the stream that never stops;
turns jagged rocks into smooth pebble beds,
branches out into meadows with lushness to spread;
changing shape, size and dimensions,
never losing its intention;
down river rapids of splashing action
into lakes of calming sanctions;
always struggling, working, alon different calls
into deltas, bayous or crashing water falls.
Take up your bucket and fill from the springs..
Refresh and wash and hear love sing
Laugh and play in geysers and fountains.
Grip tightly in plunges through caverns of mountains,
It will drag you wherever and teach you its theme
faith ever changing, yet a steady glistening beam,
into the sea of God’s delight.
You will drink it all up, the Living Water
And pour it out for your sons and daughters
Love,
Your older faith, still alive and drinking in the wonder.