Lent is a penitential season in the Church year wherein we attempt to draw ourselves closer to God through repenting of earthly entanglements and giving ourselves to prayer and service.

This year I'm making a Gentle Lent--read more about WHY a Gentle Lent, HERE and have invited you to join me.

Today, I'll share a brief reflection about prayer and then open up the conversation to YOUR posts and conversation (LINK-UP WIDGET BELOW!). I'm looking forward to sharing this season with you.

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Prayer is very difficult for me--as I suspect it is for many of us. My ADD makes it difficult to sit still for ANY length of time and my ADD brain makes it difficult for me to focus. For most of my life I've felt like a Prayer Failure not a Prayer Warrior. Last week I found this advice about prayer:

Doesn't that just make you heave a sigh of relief? No strife. No wracking the brain for something Important and Eloquent to say to God. Just a few words spoken whole-heartedly. Now, THAT I can do. (Feel free to grab the above graphic for your own use!)

In his book, Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales speaks of a very gentle yet devout spiritual practice that uniquely serves our own individual vocations. In other words, I am not a nun. I am a busy mother of five. I can't spend hours in prayer each day because my vocation is motherhood. But I can pray a "few words with my whole heart." Thank God it's OK to be me!

This Lent, I'll be spending five minutes each day in silent meditation. I'll speak a FEW words whole-heartedly and keep it simple. I'm giving up R&B music and listening exclusively to classical or worship music. As for service, I'll be writing notes of encouragement each week. I'll also continue reading Introduction to the Devout Life.

How about you? How are you making a Gentle Lent? Feel free to share posts via the link-up or start a conversation in the comment box.

Part of my service this Lent is to speak encouraging words and/or answer your questions so I'd love to converse with you in my comment thread and read your reflections on your own site. Much love. EE.

Here's how to participate:

1. Paste a link to your specific "penitential" or "reflective" post in this linkup (not your home page)
2. Spread the word: tweet using hashtag #EEGentleLent, share on FB, invite others to join
3. Engage the conversation in this comment box or others.
4. You can also add THIS BLOG HOP CODE to your OWN blog post: get the InLinkz code

I look forward to reading your posts and comments and sharing a Gentle Lent with YOU.

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