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Pauses for Lent: 40 Words for 40 Days
Sometimes a pause is good for the soul. It gives us the chance to regroup, reflect, and refocus on God. In Pauses for Lent, Trevor Hudson offers a beautifully minimalist book in which he focuses on one word for each day of Lent. You are invited to pause, focus on the word, read a scripture and a brief meditation related to the word, and then offer a prayer. Pausing in this way will help you carve out time for God and refresh your spirit even in the midst of a busy life. You may find yourself sensing God's presence in a new way and discovering that God wants to meet you in the midst of your life as it is, muddles and all.
63 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2015
238 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 29, 2020
Pauses for Lent is a book of simple meditations on key words during the Lent season. The words include Listen, Poor, Forgiven, Peace, Love, Light, Rest, and more. Each meditation includes a Bible verse, a reflection, and a call to action.
April 20, 2025
Some meaningful elements
I picked up Pauses for Lent: 40 Words for 40 Days by Trevor Hudson hoping for a focused devotional to guide me through Lent. This 2015 Upper Room Books release offers 40 daily reflections, each centered on a single word like “Listen” or “Forgiven,” paired with a Scripture, a short meditation, a practice, and a prayer. At 64 pages, it’s concise and manageable, taking about 10 minutes daily, which suits busy schedules.
The concept is creative, and some entries shine. For example, the meditation on “Stranger” (Matthew 25:35) challenges you to show hospitality, aligning with God’s call to live out grace. The daily practices, like greeting someone new or reflecting on forgiveness, can spark meaningful moments.
Hudson’s Methodist background brings a warm, accessible tone, and the Scripture choices often point to God’s mercy and sovereignty, which resonates with Reformed theology.
However, the book falls short in consistency. Some words, like “Rest” or “Peace,” feel generic and lack the depth I expected, while others, like “Poor,” hit harder. About 20% of the entries didn’t connect with me, leaving me wanting more robust theological insight. The occasional mystical leanings, influenced by Hudson’s Ignatian spirituality, feel out of place for Baptists who prefer straightforward exposition. It’s also very ecumenical, which is fine but may not fully satisfy those seeking a distinctly evangelical lens.
Overall, Pauses for Lent is a decent tool for personal reflection or group study, especially for those new to Lent. It encourages pausing to meet God in daily life, but it doesn’t always deliver the depth or consistency I hoped for. I’d suggest it for casual readers but recommend pairing it with a journal to dig deeper.
Recommendation: Good for a quick Lenten read, but don’t expect every day to be profound. Check out other devotionals if you want more theological heft.
I picked up Pauses for Lent: 40 Words for 40 Days by Trevor Hudson hoping for a focused devotional to guide me through Lent. This 2015 Upper Room Books release offers 40 daily reflections, each centered on a single word like “Listen” or “Forgiven,” paired with a Scripture, a short meditation, a practice, and a prayer. At 64 pages, it’s concise and manageable, taking about 10 minutes daily, which suits busy schedules.
The concept is creative, and some entries shine. For example, the meditation on “Stranger” (Matthew 25:35) challenges you to show hospitality, aligning with God’s call to live out grace. The daily practices, like greeting someone new or reflecting on forgiveness, can spark meaningful moments.
Hudson’s Methodist background brings a warm, accessible tone, and the Scripture choices often point to God’s mercy and sovereignty, which resonates with Reformed theology.
However, the book falls short in consistency. Some words, like “Rest” or “Peace,” feel generic and lack the depth I expected, while others, like “Poor,” hit harder. About 20% of the entries didn’t connect with me, leaving me wanting more robust theological insight. The occasional mystical leanings, influenced by Hudson’s Ignatian spirituality, feel out of place for Baptists who prefer straightforward exposition. It’s also very ecumenical, which is fine but may not fully satisfy those seeking a distinctly evangelical lens.
Overall, Pauses for Lent is a decent tool for personal reflection or group study, especially for those new to Lent. It encourages pausing to meet God in daily life, but it doesn’t always deliver the depth or consistency I hoped for. I’d suggest it for casual readers but recommend pairing it with a journal to dig deeper.
Recommendation: Good for a quick Lenten read, but don’t expect every day to be profound. Check out other devotionals if you want more theological heft.
March 31, 2024
Lent is a penitential season for Christians, a time to pause, reflect, and possibly change some of our habits. This daily devotional, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday, is a wonderful and simple way to pause and reflect.
Written by Methodist minister Trevor Hudson, each day's devotional is headlined by a single word, such as "choose," "light," and "time." A brief piece of scripture, typically just a sentence or two at most, is followed by a short meditation about the day's word. A daily practice—how to integrate this into your life—concludes the day's reading. Each reading is just a couple of pages, making this a manageable daily Lenten discipline for even the busiest of people. Longer meditations are provided for each Sunday in Lent and Easter Sunday.
For example, day 36 is the word "stranger," with this scripture reading from the Gospel of Matthew: "I was a stranger and you welcomed me." The meditation discusses how we all feel like strangers at times without genuine connections to other people. Welcoming strangers is a basic component of discipleship. The daily practice encourages you to look for a stranger in your midst—at work or in your neighborhood—and just say hello. Simple and effective!
This book will help you experience Lent in a new way by taking just a few minutes to pause…and learn, contemplate, and act.
Written by Methodist minister Trevor Hudson, each day's devotional is headlined by a single word, such as "choose," "light," and "time." A brief piece of scripture, typically just a sentence or two at most, is followed by a short meditation about the day's word. A daily practice—how to integrate this into your life—concludes the day's reading. Each reading is just a couple of pages, making this a manageable daily Lenten discipline for even the busiest of people. Longer meditations are provided for each Sunday in Lent and Easter Sunday.
For example, day 36 is the word "stranger," with this scripture reading from the Gospel of Matthew: "I was a stranger and you welcomed me." The meditation discusses how we all feel like strangers at times without genuine connections to other people. Welcoming strangers is a basic component of discipleship. The daily practice encourages you to look for a stranger in your midst—at work or in your neighborhood—and just say hello. Simple and effective!
This book will help you experience Lent in a new way by taking just a few minutes to pause…and learn, contemplate, and act.
April 12, 2020
A powerful help in my journey through Lent to the celebration of His resurrection!
Trevor Hudson is masterful in his use of words to draw us close to God's heart. His "Words" books are such wonderful tools to help grow my faith.
Trevor Hudson is masterful in his use of words to draw us close to God's heart. His "Words" books are such wonderful tools to help grow my faith.
April 4, 2021
Trevor Hudson had a focus word each day, a scripture, a meditation and prayer for Lent. I enjoyed the daily interaction. Great book for Lent!
April 9, 2023
Excellent devotional for Lent with a Word a day along with Scriptures and teaching and an application.
April 2, 2024
Love how this book has a word a day for the Lenten season along with a daily practice. Super applicable and a great way to draw near to Christ each day.
April 17, 2022
This is a beautiful, practical Lent devotional. I will certainly recommend this to others and have my kids do it next year for Lent.
April 21, 2019
Great study for Lent
I truly believe that this is a great book for any Bible study group. Even if you only meet weekly, it is a great, I learned so much. Each word and scripture was uplifting and knowledgeable.
I truly believe that this is a great book for any Bible study group. Even if you only meet weekly, it is a great, I learned so much. Each word and scripture was uplifting and knowledgeable.
April 2, 2018
This was an awesome devotional! Using one word for each day made the focusing so much easier to remember through out the day!!
April 21, 2019
Great Book
A thought provoking accompaniment to the Lenten journey. Recommended to those who want to live and do deeper in God.
A thought provoking accompaniment to the Lenten journey. Recommended to those who want to live and do deeper in God.
April 14, 2020
I appreciated the focus during this season of Lent. The passages were brief, so I could easily fit them into my mornings; and yet I found myself often revisiting them throughout the day. I also would re-read the previous day's devotion before the new day's. Very grounding and I may utilize this book in a future season of Lent.
March 31, 2020
Thoughtful and thought provoking
This book became particularly difficult to put down once Covid-19 reached pandemic status. As I grieved the loss of Easter, I learned Eastern was within me.
This book became particularly difficult to put down once Covid-19 reached pandemic status. As I grieved the loss of Easter, I learned Eastern was within me.
April 13, 2020
Pauses for Lent
Our Bible Study group has used this for our Lenten Study
We like it so well and received such a Blessing from it we are going to be using Pauses for Pentecost next. A word a day to focus on with the scripture is a wonderful focus for your daily living.
Our Bible Study group has used this for our Lenten Study
We like it so well and received such a Blessing from it we are going to be using Pauses for Pentecost next. A word a day to focus on with the scripture is a wonderful focus for your daily living.
April 14, 2020
I enjoyed this booklet. The words weren't at all what I was expecting, but they did focus my attention on Lent. I ordered the Pauses for Pentecost book to continue this practice and look forward to it.
April 8, 2021
This was our church's Lenten devotional. I really liked it. The chapters were all brief meditations and reflections around a different word, coupled with a verse and a specific reflection and activity. The Sunday reflections are longer. It was good, but for whatever reason it didn't impact me as much and I didn't love it as much as I loved Low: An Honest Advent Devotional.
April 4, 2021
Perfect Devotional for Lent
Short but powerful devotions with daily application. Was able to be present everyday for the word, the moment, the thought and application opportunity even amongst my busiest days .
Short but powerful devotions with daily application. Was able to be present everyday for the word, the moment, the thought and application opportunity even amongst my busiest days .
March 22, 2023
My wife and I started reading this book together over Lent last year, and even though it was fine, it didn't hold my interest very well. I set it aside, and by coincidence, I finished it during this year's Lenten season, exactly one year to the day since the date that I started the book.
March 26, 2018
Great devotional for Lent. Simple. Moving. The daily activity to bring home the point of the reflection was especially helpful.
March 31, 2018
An engaging and thoughtful devotional set up as mostly one page a day of scripture, reflection and a prayer
April 1, 2018
40 words-a word to focus on each day
I liked the format of a word each day. It was a good morning devotion for lent. I I'll repeat it next year.
I liked the format of a word each day. It was a good morning devotion for lent. I I'll repeat it next year.
April 1, 2018
A wonderful devotional book that is thought provoking and leads the reader to take personal action.
April 3, 2018
Best Lenten book ever for that busy WorkDay
This book is one you can start AND finish no matter how busy you are! Get ready for Lent 2019 now! Buy it. Save it. Read it!
This book is one you can start AND finish no matter how busy you are! Get ready for Lent 2019 now! Buy it. Save it. Read it!
April 12, 2020
A nice practice guide for lent
This was a nice, daily practice guide for lent. It was simple,but effective, and made you contemplate the season. I recommend it.
This was a nice, daily practice guide for lent. It was simple,but effective, and made you contemplate the season. I recommend it.
April 13, 2020
Great book for lent.
June 16, 2020
Very insightful. Takes time to digest but enjoyed and will again visit next Lent.
April 2, 2021
Great Devotionala
I loved these short daily devotionals for Lent. Very inspirational. Some I thought were so good I shared with friends. I highly recommend.
I loved these short daily devotionals for Lent. Very inspirational. Some I thought were so good I shared with friends. I highly recommend.
April 4, 2021
A very easy Lenten devotional to stick with for 40 days. Each day gives you a word to focus on and a simple activity to complete that reinforces the author's commentary on the word for the day.
April 4, 2021
Inspirational
I loved every bit of the information in this book. It has inspired me as well affirmed my faith in Jesus Christ. Great work!
I loved every bit of the information in this book. It has inspired me as well affirmed my faith in Jesus Christ. Great work!
April 5, 2021
Great little devotional book for Lent. Will use again next year.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews