Welcome to 40 Days of Buechner!

This is a Substack for Lent. You can think of it as a book group that guards your solitude; a slower, more contemplative way to read this Lent.

Sometimes books come into your life at just the right time. Frederick Buechner’s The Remarkable Ordinary was one of those for me. I don’t remember how I stumbled across this slim volume but I do remember how quickly I fell in love.

Based on a series of lectures, The Remarkable Ordinary is packed full of grounded, unpretentious wisdom. Through reflections on art, faith and his own life, Buechner encourages us to stop, look and listen to our lives. This is the attentiveness that wakes us up to the remarkableness that is right in front of us and guides us in uncovering the plot of each of our lives. For Buechner the ordinary is always opening onto the extraordinary and each moment offers a sacred opportunity to connect with the Divine. At 120 pages, it is short enough to be read in one sitting but, as I’ve returned to it again and again, I’ve noticed that its spiritual nutrients are best absorbed slowly. This Lent I will be sending an email each day with a short extract from the book and a reflection question to help you connect the text with your own life.

This book came into my life at just the right time. Perhaps now is that time for you.

Jen x