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I was so excited when I heard that Margaret Rose Realy--who's a regular contributor here at CatholicMom.com and also blogs at Patheos--had a Lenten devotional coming out.

Margaret Rose Realy

Margaret's writing is after my own heart. As a farm girl with a love of all things dirt-under-fingernails and fresh-air-in-my-face, I appreciate how she taps into the beauty of creation and the practical side of life. In her writing, I see glimpses of my life as it is and as I'd like it to be.

CultivatingGodsGarden_1

Realy's Lenten devotional, Cultivating God's Garden through Lent (available as a paperback and on Kindle) is one that grabbed me from the beginning with its vivid imagery. 

It’s filled with images that make me feel dirt under my fingers, with descriptions that make me scrunch my nose at the waft of fragrance, and with experiences that make me feel the sun on my back.

Realy’s relating to God through nature and creation spoke to my farm girl sensibilities. She reached through the distance between page and reader and pulled me into spring. She made me consider Lent as a time of growth in the very best ways.

Each week of Lent has a theme relating to gardening and growing things, and within that theme, there is a daily reflection for each day of Lent. She organized it in a way that made sense to me: I'm a "Sunday is the last day of the week" gal, and apparently, so is she! Instead of beginning the weeks with Sundays, she ends with Sundays. And, small as that is, it affected how I read and related with each week.

I’ll be rereading this book during Lent, much more slowly and thoughtfully. I’m sure to be sharing it with a few of my favorite fellow gardeners, too.

It comes off my desk highly recommended, whether you like playing in the dirt or just like taking walks outdoors. Realy's writing is appealing and approachable, whether you're one who wants to join in with her or watch from the sidelines. This book is sure to help your Lent grow into something beautiful.

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Copyright 2013, Sarah Reinhard