Lenten Letters

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While I am not Catholic and didn't grow up in a denomination that observed the forty days before Easter, I do love the idea of Lent, focusing on Christ and His sacrifice for us. Like Advent, it can be a time to slow down and refocus our thoughts on Him and what really matters. Here is what I will be doing during Lent...

Earlier in February, I read Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at Alland came across Karen Ehman's idea of writing "Lenten Letters".  Instead of giving up something during Lent, how about doing something worthwhile for others?

The concept is simple: For the forty days of Lent {This year from February 18th until Easter minus the Sundays} you pick a person each day to write a letter or card to. A letter of gratitude for how they have influenced your life. Or maybe just a short message that you are thinking of them. I have already started a list of people to write to and am working my way to forty. For me, I will send some letters. Others won't get sent. Why? Because I either don't have an address for them or because there are extenuating circumstances. Regardless, I think it is a valuable activity to write even if they can't be sent as it changes our hearts and grows gratitude. Those that can't be sent I will put in my journal...the others will be sent as cards or even a Facebook message if need be.

Here are some ideas of who to write to...

-parents

-grandparents

-children

-an influential teacher

-a boss

-a dear friend

-a mentor

-a pastor

Or someone who...

-you admire

-you taught {good idea for me as I teach}

-you need to forgive

-extended forgiveness to you

-is dealing with grief

-is gracious

-helped you in the past

-hurt you

-you admire

-who influenced you in your younger years

-who challenged you

-is struggling in daily life

-lives next door

-needs a word of encouragement

Also, this Lent I will be going through Candace's book, Wait Only Upon God. This is a forty day devotional on waiting on God instead of waiting on our circumstances to change. It is greatly needed in my life these days as I have had to move on from hard circumstances that more than likely won't dramatically change. We need to put our hope in the One that can deliver. Our circumstances can't. People won't. Only God is trustworthy. The devotional contains each day: a scripture, devotional thought, and space to write a prayer back to God using the scripture provided.  Here is the link to the e-book {Use the code THEARCHITECT for $2 off through February 13th.} or you can buy the book in print form at Amazon. So worth it if you are going through hard times or circumstances you feel will never change.

So what are your plans for Lent? How will you be observing it? I would love to hear your ideas!