In my natural state, I am timid and meek.  Although my introverted soul loves to be able to be a wallflower, observe, and stay quiet, quite often I find my resistance to be in conflict with what God is calling me to do.  He calls me to be bold in my hope, faith, and actions.  Eek!

My radical act this year came in the form of Crocheting Through Lent.  It was an idea that manifested in October of last year where I thought about how crocheting could be used as an alternative devotional.  Playing off the idea that in a prayer shawl we crochet our prayers into every stitch, why couldn’t the Word also be imprinted on an item?

Then I also thought about how crocheters have a tough time finishing projects, especially ones as big as a blanket. I thought that Lent would be a great time to combine all my thoughts because (a) Lent is a spiritually demanding period in the church and crocheting squares would be a good discipline to do while reading a verse, and (b) it’s a reasonable time frame to ask people to complete a project.  And so “Crocheting Through Lent” was born.

Some may think that the idea is the hardest part of this scenario.  For me that was the easy part.  Taking the idea and making it a living, breathing operation takes a lot of courage.  It means being vulnerable and letting the potential for people to mock and tear your work to pieces.  However, God asked me to be bold and give my idea wings; trust that I don’t have to control every aspect of the plan.  My pastors supported the idea and I had 14 women sign up to participate weekly in devotions and crocheting during Lent.

The results are more than what I could have planned or hoped for

• 13 blankets completed
• A beginner to crochet signed up and completed her first blanket
• One participant said she has gone to Zion for several years and this is the first time she participated in a Lent devotional
• Two blankets went to two parents who have a 6 year old son battling Leukemia
• One blanket was donated to the Loveland Chaplains and was given to a woman who recently lost her husband.

I could go on and on with the stories that are filled with all the blankets that were made.  This program affected not only the woman’s lives who crocheted the blankets, but it affected the recipients.  Can you imagine what would have happened had I not put my words into action?  I am in no way taking credit for the results of this crochet devotional…that is completely God.  What I do want to make clear is that God can open doors, windows, paths for us to take.  WE must then follow through and say, “Ok God.  I see the path.  Please help me boldly walk it.”

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Amy Brauner is an avid crocheter who lives in Loveland, Colorado along with her husband and two children. She is an active member of Zion Lutheran Church, as well as my wonderful daughter-in-law.