We have about a half-dozen or so CWG authors who have written Lenten devotionals, and over the next few weeks, I’d like to introduce a few of them.  First up is Margaret Realy, author of the freshly-released Cultivating God’s Garden Through Lent (Patheos Press, January 2013).

This book has received the Catholic Writers Guild’s Seal of Approval, and the feedback from our evaluators was favorable all-around.  Here’s one evaluator quote:

A Lenten Journey enhanced through reflecting on doing what you love to do is brought out in Realy’s book. The healing power of Lent is noted in her book. As a horticulturist, I was captivated by her reflections. This makes for a great meditation any time of the year as well.
Bro. Joshua Seidl, SSP

Read several more endorsements from CWG members here.

Also, I know it isn’t a Lenten devotional, but I’d like to recommend Margaret’s first book, A Garden of Visible Prayer, for those of you getting ready for spring, and trying to figure out how to install a prayer garden into your yard or parish grounds.

I had the good luck of being one of the SOA evaluators for that book — honestly, I pounced when I saw it come across the evalutor’s list, because I knew I wanted to read it.  A year later, I wrote to Margaret to thank her for her contribution —  I was sitting in my yard one day, and realized that I did indeed have the little garden quiet spot I’d always dreamt about, and it was her book that had shown me what I needed to do to make it possible.

Margaret’s work is very much about that spot where body meets soul, and she has a knack for identifying those practical tricks that help a body do what the soul needs.  Nicely done.

Where to find Margaret online and in the real world:

 The Catholic Channel on Patheos http://www.patheos.com/blogs/prayergardens 
Catholic Mom, www.catholicmom.com
twitter: @realym
St. Francis Retreat Center, DeWitt, MI

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Jennifer Fitz is the author of The How-to Book of Evangelization: Everything You Need to Know But No One Ever Taught You from Our Sunday Visitor and Classroom Management for Catechists from Liguori Publications. She writes about all things evangelization and discipleship at jenniferfitz.substack.com. For updates on where else to find her, visit JenniferFitz.com.

5 Replies to “Mardi Gras of Lenten Devotionals: Cultivating God’s Garden through Lent”

  1. Is there any way to get a list of the other Lenten devotionals you will be previewing?

    I’m a house church leader, and I need to let the nun in charge of my parish’s house church groups know what devotional we are using by tomorrow! (Or at the very least, if we want her to order something for us or if my group is using its own materials.)

    If any CWG authors out there, have a Lenten devotional that they recommend (either their own or others), please let me know.

    Thanks!

    1. AJ,

      Off the top of my head, we’ve got:

      Sarah Reinhard’s Welcome Risen Jesus, and titles by Connie Clark and Julie Davis, but I don’t have the names in front of me. And I’d need to quick sort through my e-mail to see if there are any others. There may be some columnists planning to put up their own favorite reviews as well.

      I’d invite everyone to make recommendations here as well, and if you’re a CWG member, speak up so I include you!

  2. Jennifer,

    Thanks for the review.

    In as much as Lent takes us from winter to spring; from the chill and bleakness of hibernation to the burgeoning glory of renewed life, the parallel between gardening and spiritual growth warms my heart.

    I’ll keep an eye out for both of MRR’s books.

    Thanks again!

    God Bless,

    Don

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