First off: my apologies for not getting the video describing spiritual direction posted today. I got in the zone with writing What You Didn’t Learn in Sunday School: Women Who Didn’t Sit Down and Shut Up, and I didn’t want to break the spree. I also discovered I’m going to have put a little more thought into describing spiritual direction. It’s one of those easier said than done things. I will work on the script this weekend, and have the video up Monday.

Now let’s get to the good stuff! The first giveaway!

I discovered Jan Richardson and The Painted Prayerbook four years ago when I was still a pastor and had to write sermons every week. Her thoughtful and profound insights on the weekly lectionary readings along with her artwork that looks simple at first then draws you in to see more complexity, helped get me out of a scholarly mindset and into a more creative and living way to look at the Scriptures for the week.

Two years ago I bought Jan’s beautiful handmade book, Garden of Hollows: Entering the Mysteries of Lent and Easter to travel through Lent. Jan’s thoughtful reflections beginning with the woman anointing Jesus at beginning of Holy Week through the Resurrection are bare, vulnerable reflections on what it means to empty ourselves out to Godde and live in the hollows of our lives with Godde. The stark charcoal images and meditations that are more poetry than prose helped me through a difficult Lent where I was rediscovering who I was and my calling after I left ordained ministry. I read it again last year, and I will read it again this year during this Lenten journey. It is a good companion for those who journey this time of self-emptying and reflection that Lent calls Christians to.

All you have to do to enter the drawing is answer the survey below. The reason I’m doing this survey is I’ve always thought of “Feminist Theologian” as a scary or boring term that wouldn’t interest people. I took part in Jennifer Lee’s amazing Right Brainers in Business Video Summit. During the chat yesterday I mentioned I needed a sexy term to replace “Feminist Theologian.” They told me no! That the term was sexy, and they liked it. I was flabbergasted. Then I thought: hey may be I need to ask my people what they think of it because I would love my title to be: “Feminist Theologian at Large.” I want to know what you think. You have until midnight Tuesday to enter the drawing. I will draw a name Wednesday morning and announce the winner.

Feel free to leave comments about what you think too!

Update: I still new at Survey Monkey, and the votes do not come with names attached. If you vote in the survey, leave a comment letting me know, so I can get your name in the hat.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world’s leading questionnaire tool.