Image: “Complicity” (cropped & lettered) by Gauthier DELECROIX via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

People seemed to like the Epiphany playlist, so I stepped things up substantially for Lent. I give you “Strangers tryin’ to feel less strange“, a Lenten playlist for 2018. A huge shout-out to everyone who helped.

Spotify link | YouTube link | Purchase* links:

1. “I Know You” by David Craig ft. Bastille
2. “The Rain Song” by Led Zeppelin
3. “New Rules” by Dua Lipa
4. “Courage to Change” by Natalia Zukerman
5. “Everybody Lost Somebody” by Bleachers (thanks, Jonathan Elliott)
6. “Come Sunday” by Ben Webster & Joe Zawinul
7. “Red Dirt Girl” by Emmylou Harris (thanks, Caroline Herndon)
8. “I Wish It Would Rain” by The Temptations (thanks, Jim Naughton)
9. “I’m in Your Church at Night” by Active Child (thanks, Chris Hamby)
10. “Doctor My Eyes” by Jackson Browne (thanks, Reid Hamilton)
11. “My Opening Farewell” by Alison Krauss & Union Station (thanks again, Jim, though I picked another version)
12. “In My Soul” by Flannel Graph (thanks, Kristin Saylor)
13. “Reset” by Outkast ft. Khujo Goodie & CeeLo Green
14. “Breakers Roar” by Sturgill Simpson (thanks, Anne Marie Richards)
15. “Show Me Love” by Hundred Water (thanks, Chris Hamby) (also, check out this remix)
16. “Lay Your Baggage Down” by Ginny Wilder
17. “I Need a Forest Fire” by Jason Blake ft. Bon Iver (thanks, Laura Everett)
18. “Watercolor” by Willy Porter ft. Carpe Diem
19. “All This Useless Beauty”  by Elvis Costello & The Attractions
20. “Back Together” by Jill Scott (thanks, Steve Mullaney)
21. “River” by Leon Bridges (thanks, Lisa Brown)

For goodness’ sake don’t listen to it on shuffle. At least not the first time.

Want more Lenten tunes? Too many readers and friends to name contributed a lot of songs that didn’t make the list 90-minute mix. For this glorious overflow (which has some hymns and classical music as well), check out the, uh, ample “More Lent 2018.”

Still not enough? Find another Lenten playlist from friends who shared links:

• Lent by Jim Keat
• Songs for Lent by Jerusalem Greer
• Lent 2018 by Josh Hosler
• Holy Week 2018 by Josh Hosler

* I usually keep Amazon Affiliate links out of the first two sections of the post, but it seemed needless long to repeat the list below. Thanks, as always, for supporting the site.

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Related Prayers

Collect for Ash Wednesday (BCP, Public Domain)

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Invitation to a Holy Lent (BCP, Public Domain)

Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting.

This season of Lent provided  a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church.

Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.

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Related Media

You can support Creative Commons Prayer directly on Patreon, by buying our designs on Zazzle, or by purchasing related media on Amazon.

Making Manifest: On Faith, Creativity, and the Kingdom at Hand by Dave Harrity

Lent is here, and I really commend as a daily practice this guided poetry adventure. I wrote a bit about it a few years back.

The Painting Table: A Journal of Loss and Joy by Roger Hutchison

Another option, also in the piece above about creative practice for spiritual formation.

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