Forty Days

A couple of years ago, I had a brainwave. I'd read the Tom Wright book on Lent and enjoyed the experience. But then I thought that there isn't one for the next fifty days, from Easter Day to Pentecost, so I gathered the fifty readings and wrote the book, publishing it and selling a few copies. Since then, I've done thirty books on the Bible books but never got round to the Lent one, until now. With Covid Lockdown in place and feeling a tad bored, I thought now is the time, in 2021, to write this thing for the Lenten 2022 season, so again, I gathered Forty readings by doing some online research, added a few more in and laid them out in book format. That was the planning process done, so now it was a case of how do I approach the writing of this? As a writer with over thirty books published, most of them theological, I wanted to soften the style a little because in my books, I can be quite critical of religion, the church and the apathy that can exist in people of faith today. So, I made a decision or two. I would normally write about four pages of text per day, but this would be different. There would be two pages or so and then, a piece of poetry. I love writing poems, some of which rhyme and a lot that don't. So, as you read through this little book, be prepared for some reflective thoughts, along with little bits of poetry. I suppose it's the English teacher in me regarding the poems, but I thought how refreshingly different that might be for the reader. All the poems are mine, written on the day I wrote the reflection and can be used for worship purposes without my permission. However, if you wish to record them, that is another thing entirely. Be fair and share. The idea though, is that this lasts for 40 days and you will no doubt know that Lent is longer than that, at times, so this plan of action includes having each Sunday off, which you are requested to do in some denominational practices. So read Monday through Saturday and the forty days should match to whatever your Lenten period may be each year. Or, count back, from Easter Sunday, forty days and begin then, with my blessing. This is a project I have enjoyed over the forty days from Ash Wednesday, 2021 to Easter Day, so I pray that you will be blessed at least once when reading these words. God bless you. Robert Johnson Easter 2021