Remember back in the day when a teacher would ask a “trick question”? Sometimes you knew the answer would trap you. Other times you genuinely weren’t sure how to answer a question.

(I have a friend will randomly text me, “Do you like yellow?” knowing that those four words both make me laugh and shudder simultaneously. I do like yellow and I totally blew it when I was asked that question. I said I did, but I like green better and then was given a yellow thermos as a gift.)

So I have a random question for you: Is lament a spiritual practice or a skill you can develop?

Yes.

It’s both. As you know, Lent, the season of lament and fasting in preparation for Easter, began last week. It’s a time to examine our attachments (this one page downloadable resource is for you).

Lamenting is a necessary spiritual practice. But for many of us, beyond crying or screaming or reading Lamentations, how does one lament? What’s the skill side of lamenting?

Lament doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be a part of your spiritual practices that you develop. In the first half of this interactive workshop by Shonna Ingram you will experience three different forms of lament. In the second half you will be led through your own creative lament creation.

In this interactive workshop we will:

1. Cover a quick overview of laments
2. Share several expressions of laments (allowing you to “passively” lament)
3. Practice a lament (in two different forms, allowing you to “actively” lament)

Lament isn’t meant to be a trick question where you aren’t sure what it’s okay to lament over and what you need to simply accept as is. As theologian N.T. Wright said,“Lament is not our final prayer. It is a prayer in the meantime…”

If you wondered how to lament that moves beyond writing, you’ve found it.