T.O.P.'s Tuesday: Lent Starts A week for Today

Good Tuesday to everyone!

It's an exciting week, Lent starts next week. If you aren't familiar with what Lent is, it's the days leading up to Easter. Over a year ago, I started to work on my first devotional. At that moment, I hadn't planned this devotional to be for Lent or associated with Easter.

I personally felt run down and disconnected from God, so the research and Bible readings were focused on drawing closer to God. It was through this process that I realized, there were unresolved pains associated with my sister's kidnapping on Easter Sunday, 1994. ​

It was while enjoying my February 2020 break that God inspired this particular book and devotional. It surprised me and was grateful for a few reasons. While traveling out of state with my daughter, knowing she would graduate with her undergrad in May and be leaving New York, the mix of emotions was overwhelming. I was excited and grieved at the same time. As I sat by the hotel pool, reading my Bible one morning, I knew God was speaking to my heart. I went back and forth with God in prayer about writing this devotional yet by lunch, I returned to my room, grabbed my wallet and walked to the nearest store to purchase paper, pens, and the items I "need" to write.  By the time my daughter returned to the hotel from interviews at potential graduate schools, I was hunkered down on my bed with a couple Bibles, multiple pads of paper, pens, pencils, white-out, and music playing.​

Her face upon arrival was priceless, she asked no questions. She didn't ask my what was going on but said, "I take it you got an idea for a book." We both laughed and I realized I must have a "look" when I'm in the groove for a writing project. #wsite-video-container-855682641799179371{ background: url(//www.weebly.com/uploads/b/4792487-8833... } #video-iframe-855682641799179371{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... } #wsite-video-container-855682641799179371, #video-iframe-855682641799179371{ background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and ( min-resolution: 2dppx) { #video-iframe-855682641799179371{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size: 70px 70px; } } ​Although we didn't spend a lot of time together during the week, we both were grateful for the time and success and bonding as we debriefed each evening. She prepared for interviews and I read, wrote, and prayed. The week was a win for both of us.
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We returned home recharged and prepared for the future in a way we hadn't expected. It was a blessed week and I pray you are blessed when you purchase and dive into this devotional, it starts next Tuesday. Thank you for your encouragement and I pray you are blessed by this devotional and it draws you closer to God during this Lenten season.