Encouraging Voices in Lent by Elaine Langford

 

In my February post, Seasons of Transition, I looked towards Lent. Ten days into Lent, how’s it going for you? Do you need some encouragement?

Those who have followed my posts from the start will know I’ve struggled to find my writing voice over the last two years. I’ve mentioned that, at times, I’ve even felt as if I’ve been silenced. In that time, a different, small but accusing, voice occasionally niggled inside, ‘What if God didn’t want me to speak? What if he doesn’t want me to write poetry?’.

Despite this fear rumbling inside, I knew it wasn’t true. God had blessed my writing in the past. I still felt poetry and other writing had a place in my pilgrimage with God. I just needed time to take a break and refocus on what to do and what to set aside.

I decided to take a new approach to Lent this year. Usually I bumble my way through using various Lent word prompts to write or link to an image. By Easter, I often wish I had spent more time looking at themes of Lent and Easter.

This year, I prepared some reflective resources to use. I decided to be less stressed about using the word prompts every day. I allowed myself to not post anything on the prompt host sites, what I term as ‘Flash poetry’, although this has been quite useful for me in the past.

My 2026 promise to myself was to be more confident in my faith. So it seemed appropriate to focus on praise through Lent. Coming to terms with my neurodivergent diagnoses and my continuing lack of energy often leaves me a little grumpy. Some of my past ‘flash poetry’ through Lent has not always been that positive. This year I’m pleased that a couple of drafts from my Lent prompts have potential. I wanted to sit with those a while rather than rush to post ‘something’ and hop to the next day and next word.

My first surprise was that I was encouraged by my own poem about new beginnings, Arouse Zeal for New Beginnings, that I shared last month. [Image below and full text in the link]

I also found encouragement through some of the Lent resources I’ve used. I had already started ‘40 Days with Labyrinths’ by Fay Rowland. This meant I didn’t feel compelled to race through that either. Instead, I just sat with a chapter for a day or two. One reading mentioned Isaiah 40, that has the heading ‘Comfort my people’. The words of verse 9, ‘Lift up your voice with strength’ hit home. I had already considered using poetry to help others with difficult emotions. Other chapters mention Psalms, which I love because the book is packed with emotions where deep powerful laments often turn into praise.

These threads of encouragement have begun to quell that negative inner narrative. They have also helped me see an outline for the elusive commission I’ve been seeking since I started my blogs here. Writing a post every month here has been a challenge but hearing that one or two have connected with what I posted has been a great encourage. Meeting online regularly with my ACW writing group, Cambridge Christian Writers has also been a boost. Every meeting we’re given a prompt to compete within 20 mins, which has been helpful when I’ve felt incapable. Why not find if there’s an online or local ACW group on you can connect with?

It has reminded me that encouragement is not always shouting at the side of a race track, but a quiet unexpected word here and there. For me every bit of encouragement has been appreciated. I suspect others in ACW also appreciate encouragement, including you. It can be overwhelming in ACW to know how to encourage each other. Firstly, I’d suggest making a comment on someone’s blog post or social media page. Remember that even a ‘like’ on a post, especially on their public feeds, helps other writers. It’s even better if you can select one of the other options (probably not the grumpy face) as this elevates the engagement algorithms. Similarly, you may not be able to buy all of the books produced by ACW members, but maybe you can ask your library to purchase a copy and encourage friends or family to borrow it too. Every loan gives the author a payment if they are signed up to the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS).

How can you encourage others? What encouragement do you find most helpful? I’d love to know.

Elaine Langford is currently based in South London and is enjoying encouragement throughout Lent. She is slowly discovering a new voice through poetry and hopeful for 2026.