A Lenten Fast That Saves Lives

 

Lent is a season of reflection. A time to clear space. A time to let go of habits that distract us from what matters most.

This year, I’m giving up texting while driving.

Not just as a gesture. Not just for forty days. But as a commitment to life—mine and everyone else’s.

Because texting while driving isn’t just a bad habit. It’s a deadly one. It’s the moment we trade attention for distraction, safety for urgency, presence for pixels. It’s the moment we forget that every life on the road is sacred.

Here’s what the numbers say:

• Distracted driving caused 3,275 deaths last year
• 14% of fatal crashes involve cellphone use
• Drivers who text are 23x more likely to crash
• Teens and young adults are most at risk—but adults aren’t far behind

And when a crash happens, it’s not just the driver who pays the price. It’s passengers. Pedestrians. Cyclists. Families. Futures.

So this Lent, I’m choosing a fast that protects life. I’m putting the phone out of reach. I’m letting the message wait. I’m driving like every life depends on it—because it does.

And when Easter comes, I won’t go back.

Because resurrection isn’t just about what happens after death. It’s about choosing life now. It’s about changing habits that harm. It’s about living with intention, with compassion, with awareness.

This year, I’m giving up texting while driving for Lent.
And I’m keeping it up for good.

post inspired by One Simple Text . . . (Shaw & Brown)

Book description:

It was every parent's worst nightmare. On a sun-drenched morning in April 2012, a Maryland state trooper knocked on Betty Shaw's front door and delivered the grim news that her 17-year-old daughter, Liz, had been involved in a horrible car accident and was clinging to life.

Liz recovered from her life-threatening injuries but suffered severe and permanent effects from the accident. Texting while driving caused Liz's crash, and she and her mother went on a mission to educate people about the perils of distracted driving. The pair began to speak before various groups, and as their popularity grew, they launched a video about Liz's story which went viral, spawning magazine and online articles, as well as several TV appearances, including one on Oprah Winfrey's Where Are They Now? show.

In One Simple Text, Betty Shaw recounts her daughter's frightening and arduous but ultimately uplifting and inspirational journey. Betty chronicles Liz's ordeal from the day of the accident and provides a glimpse of their life on the speaking and television circuit. This is a poignant memoir about a young woman who triumphed over tragedy; a mother and daughter's love; and the indomitable power of the human spirit.

Awards
Hollywood Book Festival Honorable Mention
Kops-Fetherling International Book Awards: Legacy Award for
Inspiration/Motivation
story told on the Oprah Winfrey Show

 For more posts about Betty and Dave and their book, click HERE.

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